Lovely Salads to Try

I have very few salad recipes. I absolutely love salads. Sounds like a bit of a dichotomy. I guess when it all comes down to it, I have some favorites and that's generally where things stop. I just adore cole slaw, and only ever encountered one that I didn't care for. I make a quickie version that I call "Basic Coleslaw," and make it very often. That said, my husbands hates (or at least will not try) raw cabbage, so that is out, for him. So, the other basic salad I make is with dark lettuce mixtures, like baby greens and such. He's not wild about those dark green salads, either, but will tolerate them, and if I put in enough other things, it's all good. So my general mixture for a green salad - either just for the two of us, or multiplied for a crowd - goes something like this:

• baby greens - about 3 cups
• shredded carrot (not too much, or I get complaints there also!)
• sliced celery - 2 - 3 stalks
• green pepper (sometimes red bell pepper) - ½ the pepper, sliced
• sliced almonds - a handful
• craisins - a handful
• Gorgonzola, Feta or Goat cheese crumbles - about half cup
• sometimes, if available, a handful of Sweety-Drop Peppers are amazing in this!
• dressing of choice

We both love this mixture, and generally eat the whole thing between us.

Bosc Pear Salad with Shaved Manchego and Pine Nuts

When it comes to making other things as a salad, some are very good, but take more time to concoct, or have ingredients I do not keep on hand. I often make my own salad dressings, because I have some really good ones. but even there, if I haven't prepared one in advance, then I fall back on one particular store bought dressing we can both agree on. 

That said, I do have a few salads that I have usually reserved for a special occasion. I will place these here in this blog, so they are at long last available, should someone be interested. This first salad, the Wilted Spinach, I have made a lot of times over the years, never once ever remembering to take photos of it. So sorry, but for this one, use your imagination. I can tell you it is one of my husband's favorites: it's very sweet, and has bacon!

Wilted Spinach Salad 

Serves 4

1 cup sugar
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dry mustard powder
½ cup olive oil
2 - 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
⅓ cup brandy
1 pound fresh baby spinach, cleaned and trimmed of long stems

In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar, Worcestershire, red wine vinegar and dry mustard. Whisk well, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly. 

MAKE AHEAD: If there is a time crunch, this mixture can be covered and refrigerated for a few days, until needed. Re-whisk, just before using.

Place the spinach in a large bowl. Set aside.

When ready to make the salad, use a medium saucepan and add in the brandy, over low heat. Using a long lighter, set the brandy aflame and allow to flame for about 30 seconds. Put a lid on the pan to douse the flame. Make sure the flame is out before proceeding!

Add in (to the flamed brandy) the salad dressing and the bacon and heat until the sugar is dissolved in the dressing, then pour over the spinach and quickly toss until the spinach is partially wilted. Serve immediately.

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Ken's Arugula, Artichoke & Goat Cheese Salad

Serves 4 to 6

Kens Arugula Artichoke & Goat Cheese Salad

1 box (5 - 6 ounces) fresh baby arugula, or an arugula and baby spinach mix
2 (6-ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts 
4 to 6 ounces mild goat cheese
1 recipe Lemony Vinaigrette

Drain and lightly chop the artichokes and set aside. Place the whole container of arugula into a large bowl and add in the chopped artichoke hearts and toss with some of the Lemony Vinaigrette. Add in globs of the goat cheese and lightly toss, then serve immediately.

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Bosc Pear & Endive Salad

This is an elegant presentation and worth the effort to make the pear fans. If time or talent does not permit, feel free to thinly slice the pears and serve that way. The cheese may be Manchego or Gorgonzola, as desired. The nuts may be pine nuts or walnuts or pecans. If the nuts have been lightly candied, such as in Burnt Sugar Glazed Nuts, even better! Serve with a full-bodied Oloroso Sherry for a real treat. 

Serves 4

Bosc Pear and Endive Salad
with Gorgonzola and Pine Nuts

2 Bosc pears, halved, cored, fan-sliced
4 Belgian endive, sliced across in ½-inch slices
¼ pound Manchego or Gorgonzola
4 tablespoons pine nuts or other nut of choice
Sherry Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

To fan-slice the pears, carefully cut pears in half, then using a sharp knife or a grapefruit spoon, core the pear taking the least fruit out possible (figure 1). With a long sharp knife, cut parallel slices about ¼ inch wide (a bit less wide at stem end), stopping about an inch before reaching stem end (figure 2). If making in advance, dip the pears in water with a squeeze of lemon juice to stop browning. 

When ready to use, place a portion of the endive on one side of a salad plate. Dip the pear fans into the Sherry Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing, then fan over the endive (figure 3). 

Top with the cheese of choice. If using Manchego, use a potato peeler to peel thin slices. Place cheese over the endive. Top with the nuts of choice.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.