End of the Summer Deconstucted Salad

Taking advantage of the last of our garden produce, I made this deconstructed salad that I dressed with parsley-infused olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We managed to gobble it up!

Ingredients I included from left to right (with links to some recipes) . . .

Bursting w/ Flavor Grape Tomatoes w/ Honey

Argula

Radishes, thinly sliced

Green Beans, steamed

Pickled Onions

Hard Cooked Eggs, sliced

Salmon, baked & chunked

Sweety Drop Pickled Peppers

Packing for a picnic — Quinoa & Veggie Salad

Perfect for a picnic:  jars of Quinoa & Veggie Salad, Muffuletta Sandwich, Tomato Pesto Hummus with pita chips, fresh fruit and Spice Island Ginger Cookies.  Here's the recipe for the salad:

Quinoa & Veggie Salad
2 to 3 cups of veggies (I used sugar snap peas cut in half, thinly sliced radishes, halved little yellow tomatoes, jarred red peppers cut in pieces, a couple of mini cucumbers sliced thin, chopped parsley)
1 cup cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa)
1 batch (more or less) Dijon Vinaigrette

1. Add veggies of your choice to a bowl.
   
2. Add cooked quinoa.
3. Drizzle salad with Dijon Vinaigrette and toss.
   
4. For picnic fare, divide salad among small Mason jars. Refrigerate until ready to use.
   

Recipe without photos . . .
Quinoa & Veggie Salad
2 to 3 cups of veggies (I used sugar snap peas cut in half, thinly sliced radishes, halved little yellow tomatoes, jarred red peppers cut in pieces, a couple of mini cucumbers sliced thin, chopped parsley)
1 cup cooked quinoa (I used red quinoa)
1 batch (more or less) Dijon Vinaigrette

1. Add veggies of your choice to a bowl.
2. Add cooked quinoa.
3. Drizzle salad with Dijon Vinaigrette and toss.
4. For picnic fare, divide salad among small Mason jars. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Uses for Pulled Pork: Deconstructed Salad

    
   Last night we created a main dish salad using leftover pulled pork. In true Cobb Salad fashion, we deconstructed the various components which in this case consisted of ingredients we had on hand in the amounts that fit our appetites. The photo on the left shows Barry's plate of salad.

Deconstructed Pulled Pork Salad 
Thinly sliced radishes
Shredded lettuce
Chopped grape tomatoes
Thinly sliced carrot coins
Chopped hard-cooked egg
Pulled pork
Grated Cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper

1. Arrange all ingredients in a row on individual plates.
2. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
3. Add your favorite dressing and serve. 

Other recipes on our site that use pulled pork include:

Deconstructed Tamales

Green Chile Pork Enchiladas

Lettuce Tacos

Pulled Pork Pot Pie

Kale-and-Blueberry Slaw with Buttermilk Dressing

The menu for Erin Payne’s high school graduation dinner was a collection of her favorite dishes. Uncle Barry fixed the Shrimp Scampi, I made the Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Swirl Cookies—Pizookies (casserole cookies), and her mom, Marla Payne, made this salad for a family gathering.

Southern Living magazine (my sister’s go-to recipe source) definitely created another winner.

Kale-and-Blueberry Slaw with Buttermilk Dressing Print

6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons grated onion

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 Granny Smith apple, grated

1 cup buttermilk

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

6 tablespoons sour cream

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon

1/2 to 1 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. sugar

6 radishes, thinly sliced

4 medium carrots, cut into thin strips (Marla cut her into coin shapes)

1 bunch kale, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/2 small head red cabbage, shredded

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh raspberries

1. Stir together first 6 ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; let stand 5 minutes. Add buttermilk and next 3 ingredients. Cover jar with lid; shake vigorously until blended and smooth. Add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste.

2. Toss together radishes, next 5 ingredients, and 1/2 cup dressing in a large bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with remaining dressing.

Garden Goodness: Wilted Lettuce with Bacon Vinaigrette

Growing up on a farm, this is a salad that my mom made as soon as the leaf lettuce was ready. She always added sliced hard-cooked eggs to the salad, along with garden radishes and green onions.

Our garden lettuce is ready and so are the radishes and green onions, so wilted lettuce salad was on tonight's menu.

Fresh from the garden this morning!

Wilted Lettuce with Bacon Vinaigrette  About 4 side dish servings or 2 main dish servings

3 to 4 cups leaf lettuce (or use other varieties that are available) -- if using garden lettuce, wash & rinse several times (I put it in a bowl of cold water for a quick soak, then rinse & spin dry in a salad spinner)

4 to 5 (or more) thinly sliced radishes

2 green onions, sliced

2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced 

4 slices bacon

1/4 cup cider vinegar (white vinegar works too)

2 tablespoons+ granulated sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Place lettuce, sliced radishes, green onions and hard-cooked eggs in a bowl.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.
3. Remove bacon and crumble over lettuce. 
   
4. Add vinegar and sugar to the bacon grease, and simmer until sugar is dissolved.
   
5. Taste dressing, and add salt and pepper + more sugar, if desired.
6. Pour hot dressing over lettuce mixture and toss. Serve immediately.
   

For a slightly different variation of this salad, see 
Wilted Lettuce I.

Recipe without photos . . .

Wilted Lettuce with Bacon Vinaigrette  About 4 side dish servings or 2 main dish servings

3 to 4 cups leaf lettuce (or use other varieties that are available) -- if using garden lettuce, wash & rinse several times (I put it in a bowl of cold water for a quick soak, then rinse & spin dry in a salad spinner)

4 to 5 (or more) thinly sliced radishes

2 green onions, sliced

2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced 

4 slices bacon

1/4 cup cider vinegar (white vinegar works too)

2 tablespoons+ granulated sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Place lettuce, sliced radishes, green onions and hard-cooked eggs in a bowl.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.
3. Remove bacon and crumble over lettuce. 
4. Add vinegar and sugar to the bacon grease, and simmer until sugar is dissolved.
5. Taste dressing, and add salt and pepper + more sugar, if desired.
6. Pour hot dressing over lettuce mixture and toss. Serve immediately.

Composed Bean Salad — Better Bean Salad

This is my variation of one of the better bean salads featured in the May/June 2015 issue of Eating Well magazine. It is ready for our Memorial Day supper.


Composed Bean Salad  8 (1 cup) servings
2 cups green beans (about 8 oz.), trimmed
1/2 cup fresh herbs (I used a combination of basil, parsley & chives)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (such as that carried at The Tasteful Olive)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon agave syrup or 2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz.) can white kidney beans (cannellini), drained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1/2 cup very thinly sliced radishes (I used a mainline to slice these)
3 tablespoons basil pesto

1. Steam green beans. in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket, until tender-crisp, about 6 or 7 minutes. Shock with ice cold water and drain.
   
2. Combine fresh herbs, oil, vinegar, agave (or honey), mustard, salt and pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth.
3. Drizzle green beans lightly with just a little dressing and then arrange on platter. 
4. Arrange remaining beans and vegetables on platter and drizzle lightly with dressing.
5. Add basil pesto to remaining dressing and serve on the side.
   

Another favorite recipe (pictured below), also from this May/June 2015 issue of Eating Well: Berry-Delicious Fruit Salad.

Recipe without photos . . .
Composed Bean Salad   8 (1 cup) servings
2 cups green beans (about 8 oz.), trimmed

1/2 cup fresh herbs (I used a combination of basil, parsley & chives)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (such as that carried at The Tasteful Olive)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon agave syrup or 2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz.) can white kidney beans (cannellini), drained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1/2 cup very thinly sliced radishes (I used a mainline to slice these)
3 tablespoons basil pesto

1. Steam green beans. in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket, until tender-crisp, about 6 or 7 minutes. Shock with ice cold water and drain.
2. Combine fresh herbs, oil, vinegar, agave (or honey), mustard, salt and pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth.
3. Drizzle green beans lightly with just a little dressing and then arrange on platter. 
4. Arrange remaining beans and vegetables on platter and drizzle lightly with dressing.
5. Add basil pesto to remaining dressing and serve on the side.

Supper is Ready – Marinated Green Beans, Ham & Potato Salad

     This is our favorite supper (or lunchtime) salad; it has been on our summer menu since the 1970s. Every time I make it, I am reminded of my sister, Marlys Newell Gardner, who served it in the second story apartment (in Salina) where she and her husband Richard lived shortly after they were married.

     A light marinade infuses lightly steamed veggies to create an unforgettable combination of flavors. Add some meat (or leave it out) and top with crisp, thinly-sliced radishes. Serve with a slice of really good bread . . . and supper is ready.

Marinated Green Bean, Ham & Potato Salad     Serves 4

Dressing / Marinade

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

Fresh ground pepper, to taste

1/3 cup oil (vegetable or olive)

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Whisk first 3 ingredients in a bowl to mix; add oil in a thin stream, blending well; add chopped parsley.

Salad

5 medium new potatoes, cooked and sliced -- be careful not to overcook potatoes (we’ve used new potatoes, either red or white or Yukon Gold work too)

1 lb. green beans, stemmed, lightly salted and steamed until just tender-crisp (taste to determine doneness) – be sure to leave lid of cooking pot for the first few minutes of cooking time to preserve the bright green color*

½ of a thinly sliced red onion

2 cups slivered or chopped ham, chicken, turkey or crumbled bacon (or use a

combination of meats)

1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes, optional

Lettuce for serving, optional

1.  In bowl, layer warm potato slices, green beans, onion slices and dressing; cover and let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes.

2.  Just before serving, add meat and radishes. Toss to mix and serve on lettuce.

Selecting Green Beans 

High quality green beans are crisp and tender without scars. Well-shaped pods with small seeds are desirable. Length is unimportant. Green beans should feel pliable and velvety, not hard or tough.
 

*Cooking Green Beans

For best color, flavor, and nutrient retention: 
 

·    Bring a small amount (a couple of inches) of salted water to boil in the bottom of a pan for one pound of green beans.

·    Add green beans and cook uncovered for the first few minutes to let some of the volatile acids escape in the steam. This will preserve the bright green color.

·    Cover and cook until just tender crisp. One pound of crosscut green beans will be ready to serve in 10 to 15 minutes.