60. Grilled Zucchini Ribbons with Baby Spinach and a Lemon Vinaigrette

At last, the finale of my Sixty Salads of Summer.  It’s been an incredible journey, filled with new ideas, shared recipes, and lots and lots of good food!  Thanks to all for your support and for your contributions....what a wonderful adventure!

Last night I threw an end of summer bash as part of my week of “happy birthday to me.” Surrounded by friends and family, we enjoyed delicious food and drink under the stars in my back yard.  Guests brought tapas, Spanish “small plates” of appetizers while old friends caught up, and new friends were made.  It’s no mistake that many of my closest friends are great cooks.  My dear friends Dot and Jeff brought (in Jeff’s own words), ”an ad-hoc creation that arose out of an idea to have slices of fresh mozzarella to layer onto the crostini under the tomatoes.  It ended up morphing into a combo of mozzarella, herb-infused olive oil and greek-style diced roasted red peppers that we found at the local farmer's market that morning.”  Ridiculously delicious.  My BFF, Carol, brought her famous seafood-stuffed portobello mushrooms.  Pure heaven.  Gloria Russo, daughter of the owners of the best Italian sandwich shop in town, brought homemade pizza rolls to-die-for.  And my lovely daughter, Danica, made blue cheese stuffed dates, wrapped in applewood smoked bacon.  Man oh man.  There were so many other tasty delights, I can’t mention them all.  

As if that wasn’t enough, we grilled Paella Mixta over a wood fire in a 30” paella pan.  Paella is filled with the delicious flavors of Spain, and this one included the traditional grilled chicken, clams, mussels, scallops and shrimp.  It also has some pretty impressive presentation points.

So needless to say, the salad, no matter how fresh and....salad-y, just wasn’t going to take center stage!  As is so often salad’s role, it was going to have to complement, not compete, with the other stars of the table.

Grilled zucchini ribbons and baby spinach seemed like a good choice.  I used toasted pine nuts and shaved parmesan to add some nuttiness and depth, and topped it off with a lemon honey vinaigrette.   

Zucchini is such a great summer vegetable.  Anyone who’s ever had a garden knows what it’s like to find enough recipes to use up the profusion of zucchini that can spring from just a few plants.  I used 4 medium zucchini and made ribbons with a vegetable peeler.  Grip the stem end and peel from end to end until you hit the seeds.  (By the way, these make great “pasta” too, tossed with olive oil, garlic and basil, lightly sauteed and sprinkled with fresh parmesan).  

I hope you’ve enjoyed this adventure with me, and I hope I’ve inspired you to try new things and eat well!  Bon Appetit!

Ingredients

8 oz baby spinach

4 medium zucchini, cut into ribbons and grilled

1/2 cup roasted pine nuts

4 oz shaved parmesan cheese

Lemon Honey Vinaigrette

1/3 cup olive oil

4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons, depending on their juiciness)

1 1/2 Tbsp honey

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp each kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

You can either whisk the dressing or blend it.  I chose to blend it, which makes a creamier, almost whipped texture.  Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Taste for seasoning and adjust the honey/lemon as you like.  Set aside.

Preheat and lightly oil a cast iron indoor grill, and grill the ribbons.  Because they’re so thin, they develop beautiful grill marks that go all the way through, both sides, within a minute or two.  Lightly season with salt and pepper, and remove as you rotate all of the ribbons onto and off of the hot grill.  Set them aside to cool until you’re ready to make your salad.

I was looking for a little added convenience, so I used already toasted pine nuts and already shaved parmesan.  But if you use raw pine nuts, toast them in a heavy, hot skillet.  Keep a close eye on them and remove as soon as they start to smell toasty and turn golden.  They go from golden to burned in the blink of an eye!  Shave fresh parmesan using a vegetable peeler and room temperature parmesan cheese.  Hold the cheese firmly and “peel,” to get thin shavings of the cheese.

Combine the baby spinach, parmesan, pine nuts and zucchini ribbons in a large bowl.  Reserve a few zucchini ribbons to drape over the dressed salad afterwards.  Dress with lemon honey vinaigrette, and serve immediately.

This is a BIG salad for a large crowd (or a smaller group 
of salad enthusiasts). 



The real stars of the night.  Paella Mixta over a wood fire...and the best of friends.

59. Baby Beets and Endive with Orange Champagne Vinaigrette

This salad was inspired by the simple fact that I’ve made a LOT of salads, and not one with endive.  

Seriously, who uses endive?  I’ve eaten it in fancy restaurants, and I’ve seen it in gourmet magazines.  I’ve joked and pronounced it with its correct french pronunciation (on-DEEV or ah-DEEV), just to sound snobbish.  But now I’m beginning to think it’s really an under-appreciated vegetable.   I bought some baby endive, and as soon as i started to peel its leaves away, I was struck by just how beautiful it is.  It’s a little bitter, yet quite juicy.  It really does go nicely with a sweeter dressing, to counter that bitterness.  And it makes a lovely salad.

Ingredients

2 cups baby spinach

8 leaves baby endive (preferably purple)

3 baby beets, sliced into wedges

1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles

2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts

4 orange sections, peeled and halved

Orange Champagne Vinaigrette

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp orange champagne vinegar

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place the spinach in a small, flat bowl.  Arrange the endive leaves in a pattern along the edges of the bowl.  Place the beets, goat cheese and pine nuts in the middle, and the oranges amongst the endive.  Stand back and admire how pretty it is.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk.  Drizzle lightly over the salad.  Share with a friend.

Serves 2

58. Broccoli Salad

I love this salad.  I’ve made a lot of it over the years, and have spent some time perfecting the recipe.  It’s sweet and salty and crunchy and stores well in the fridge.  It’s great to grab as a snack or a light lunch, and travels well to summer picnics and potlucks.

I buy broccoli crowns and trim the florets off.  If you’re buying already trimmed florets, take that into consideration.  Three good-sized broccoli crowns (about 2 pound) probably equals a one pound bag of florets.

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh broccoli crowns, trimmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 cup golden raisins

3/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds (unsalted)

1 small shallot, finely diced (about 1/4 cup)

4 slices good, thick applewood smoked bacon, chopped and fried to crispy, then drained

Dressing

3/4 cup good mayonnaise

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Combine the ingredients in a large bowl.  

In a small bowl, whisk the dressing.  Pour over the salad and toss to combine.  Cover and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.  Toss again just before serving.

Store leftovers in sealed container.

57. Apple Crunch Salad

This salad should be called, “Fall is just around the corner!”  It’s packed with crunchy apples, pomegranates, walnuts, dark greens and a little hint of cinnamon.  Thanks to my sister, Karin Sawhill, for the recipe.  I switched it up a bit, but the basic yumminess is all there.

Ingredients

2 cups shredded Lacinato kale

2 cups shredded purple cabbage

2 cups micro greens

2 cups thinly sliced fennel root 

(or any combination of 8 cups of crunchy vegetables)

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

2 sweet apples, cored and thinly sliced (I used Pink Lady apples; you could use Gala, MacIntosh, or any sweet apple)

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

5 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp pomegranate vinegar

1 Tbsp honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp each kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Combine the ingredients in a large bowl and toss.  

Blend the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Dress the salad and toss again.

Serve immediately.  Serves 4-6

56. Ambrosia with Coconut Cream

I grew up with ambrosia, and often looked forward to it at potlucks and picnics.  It gets its name from its delicious-ness, translated to nectar of the gods.  Traditionally it's made with canned mandarin oranges, maraschino cherries, pineapple, mini marshmallows and coconut, with a whipped cream/sour cream dressing.  I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that, I’m saying I think we can do better.

I used many of the basic fruits, but all of them fresh.  I left out the marshmallows, toasted the coconut and pecans and then brought it all together with coconut cream and a little bit of honey.  The coconut cream is dairy free, and a bit healthier than heavy cream.  And by the way....YUM.  Still ambrosia, a la 2014.

Note:  Refrigerate the can of coconut cream for at least 6 hours prior to whipping.

Ingredients

6 clementines, peeled and divided into sections

3 kiwi, peeled, sliced and halved

1 pineapple, trimmed, cored and chopped into bite-sizes pieces

1 cup seedless red grapes, halved

1/4 cup pecans, toasted, plus extra to top

1/2 cup coconut, lightly toasted, plus extra to top

zest of 2 clementines

1/2 can (14 oz) coconut cream

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

Toss your fruit into a large bowl.  (Feel free to improvise and add other firm fruits as well).

Empty half the contents of the coconut cream into a tall bowl.  Beat as you would whipped cream, until light and fluffy.  Add the honey and vanilla and beat until combined.  

Fold the whipped coconut cream into the fruit.  Add the toasted coconut and pecans,  and stir to combine.   Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.  I topped with a little extra coconut and pecans, and the clementine zest.  Did I mention, YUM?!!

55. Avocado Cups

I’m having a lazy day at home today, hanging out with my daughter, who is about to start making my birthday cake (happy birthday to me!).  Seemed like a perfect day for a healthy lunch salad.  

Tangy lime, creamy avocado and crunchy bell peppers come together in this refreshing salad. It’s just simple and delicious.  

Ingredients

2 ripe Haas avocados, 

1/2 cup black beans, cooked, rinsed and drained

1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely diced

1/4 cup small cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

Juice of one lime

1/4 tsp kosher, plus more to taste

1/4 tsp cumin

Pinch cayenne

Pinch red pepper flakes

Chopped cilantro

optional:  1/2 jalapeno, finely diced, if you want more heat

Mix the beans, peppers, onion and tomatoes together in a small bowl.  Add the lime juice and spices and taste for seasoning.  Adjust accordingly (more heat, more salt, etc).

Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit.  Score each half with a knife, cutting lines in both directions, to form a grid.  Don’t cut through the skin.  

Heap each avocado with the bean and pepper mixture.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Garnish with cilantro and serve right away.

Makes 4 servings (1 “cup” each)

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

54. Corn Bread Salad

This is such a perfect salad for late August.  Tomatoes are delicious and taste like, well, tomatoes this time of year, and heirlooms are gorgeous and affordable.  I grow tomatoes in my tiny little urban garden, and I’ve had my eye on three different varieties of heirlooms, waiting for them to ripen so I could make this salad.  Today was the day.   

Smitten Kitchen did an adaptation of this salad, which was originally found in Lee Brothers Southern Cookbook.  This is good, simple, southern food.  Butter lettuce with just a bit of bitter greens, beautiful tomatoes and sweet Vidalia onions, and homemade crispy cornbread come together with a buttermilk herb dressing.  I served it with barbecue chicken, and I half expected to hear the sound of cicadas chirping outside.  

There are three parts to this salad:  the salad itself, the cornbread and the dressing.  

Ingredients

1 recipe Crispy Corn Bread (below) or 3 cups of 1” cornbread cubes

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (4-6 medium), chopped

6 cups roughly torn butter lettuce

2 cups bitter greens, such as arugula or dandelion greens

1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced into rings (if you can’t find a Vidalia, you can use Maui.  But Vidalia is from Georgia, and Maui...is not).

1 recipe Buttermilk-Lime Dressing (below)

Preheat oven to 250.  Scatter the corn bread cubes in a single layer on a half sheet pan and bake until the pieces are lightly toasted, about 7 minutes.

Place lettuce, greens, tomatoes, onions and cornbread in a large bowl, and toss to combine.  Drizzle with buttermilk dressing, season with salt and pepper and toss again.  Serve immediately.

Buttermilk-Lime Dressing

3/4 cups buttermilk

5 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (2-4 limes...measure it)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp honey

1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil

1/4 cup finely minced fresh flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup finely minced green onions

1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until combined.  Transfer to a sealed jar (or cover the bowl) and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.  

Thin, Crispy Corn Bread

1 Tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups stone-ground cornmeal

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 Tbsp butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 450.  Grease a 12” cast iron (or heavy steel) skillet with one Tbsp butter, leaving any excess in the pan, and place it in the oven.

In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.  In a medium bowl, whisk the egg until frothy then whisk in the buttermilk.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix thoroughly.  Melt the remaining butter and whisk it into your batter.

Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and swirl the fat around to coat the bottom and sides evenly.  Pour the batter into the skillet; it should “sizzle alluringly,” says the Lee Brothers.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until the top of the bread is golden brown and the edge has pulled away from the side of the skillet.  Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing into 1” squares.