Leite's Culinaria » salads

Warm Sourdough Bread Salad with Chicken and Pine Nuts

Julie Dreyfoos — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:13:42 +0000

Sara Foster with Carolynn Carreño | Sara Foster’s Casual Cooking | Clarkson Potter, 2007 | Serves 2 to 4

Bread salad is a traditional Italian way to make use of a day-old chunk of bread. When I added shredded cooked chicken and tossed it with a heap of greens, it became a well-balanced meal. Golden raisins and pine nuts are a really nice combination, especially if you like a touch of something sweet in your savory dishes.—Sara Foster

convert Ingredients
For the vinaigrette
1 lemon, halved
2 garlic cloves, skin on
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad
4 cups 1-inch chunks of crusty, rustic-style sourdough bread
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt
4 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted
2 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups loosely packed arugula, watercress leaves, or mixed baby greens, washed and drained
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

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Method
Start the vinaigrette
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Place the lemon, cut side down, and the whole garlic cloves in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Roast the lemon and garlic until they’re soft and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven (but keep the oven on) and set aside until they’re cool enough to handle.

Make the salad
1. Increase the oven temperature to 475°F (245°C).

2. Toss the bread chunks with the olive oil on a baking sheet and season with salt. Scatter the chunks in a single layer and toast until the bread is golden brown and the edges are crispy, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. Juice the lemon into a small bowl. Peel the garlic cloves, add to the bowl with the lemon juice, and smash them with a fork. Add the vinegar and gradually whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Add the chicken, raisins, pine nuts, and garlic to the bread and combine. Drizzle with half of the vinaigrette, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine.

5. Spread the salad on a rimmed baking sheet and place it in the oven for about 5 minutes, just to warm it slightly.

6. Remove the salad from the oven and return it to the bowl you tossed it in. Add the arugula and scallions, and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Toss gently to combine, season with additional salt and pepper if desired, and serve warm.

Poached Pear, Rogue River Blue Cheese, and Hazelnut Salad

Renee Schettler Rossi — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:00:59 +0000

Lisa Schroeder with Danielle Centoni | Taunton Press, 2009 |Serves 4

Listen to David's interview with Lisa

I love the interplay between sweet and savory that fruit can add to salads. Here, fresh pears are poached in red wine to give them a gorgeous color and deeper flavor that’s delicious with the assertive blue cheese and toasty hazelnuts. This is definitely a company-worthy dish, although if you make the components ahead you can enjoy it even on a busy weeknight. Store any leftover vinaigrette in an airtight container in the fridge and use a couple of weeks.—Lisa Schroeder

Editor’s note: You’ll make four poached pears by following this recipe but only two are required for four salads. You can easily convert the extra pears to an impromptu dessert with a dollop of mascarpone cheese whipped with a bit of heavy cream and powdered sugar. Toss on a few candied nuts for a finishing touch.—Renee Schettler Rossi

convert Ingredients
For the poached pears
1 1/2 cups inexpensive dry red wine
1 1/2 cups water
One 2-inch strip of lemon zest, removed with a vegetable peeler
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 cup granulated sugar
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
4 firm, ripe Bartlett or d’Anjou pears, peeled with stems intact

For the salad
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup hazelnut oil
1/3 cup canola oil (or 2/3 cup if not using hazelnut oil)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups mesclun greens, washed and dried
2 Red Wine–Poached Pears
2 1/2 ounces Rogue Creamery® Oregon Blue or other blue cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup hazelnuts, lightly toasted, skins removed, and chopped

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Method
Make the poached pears
1. Combine the red wine, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cloves, and cinnamon stick in a narrow, deep saucepan that holds at least 3 quarts. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.

2. Stand the pears up in the liquid or lay them down so they are covered by the poaching liquid. Place a small heatproof plate on top to keep them submerged.

3. Cover the pot and gently simmer the pears over low heat, turning them occasionally with tongs, until fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the pears to cool in the liquid. Remove the spices and lemon zest. Refrigerate the pears in the poaching liquid for up to 3 days. Ideally, let the pears come to room temperature before serving.

Make the salad
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and mustard. Add the oils in a slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously. Continue whisking until all of the oil is incorporated and the dressing is thickened. Add the salt and pepper.

2. In a large bowl, toss the mesclun with 2 1/2 tablespoons of the dressing and taste. Add more dressing, if needed. Divide the greens among four plates.

3. Halve and core the poached pears. Cut lengthwise into 1?4-inch slices and evenly distribute on the greens. They also look nice sliced but held together by the upper part of the pear (called “fanning”). Sprinkle with cheese and hazelnuts, drizzle with reduced syrup if desired and serve.

Love Notes
1. Nut oils are a wonderful way to add depth to salads and tie the dressing into the rest of the ingredients. Hazelnut oil is available in the gourmet section of most grocery stores and through online gourmet retailers.

Nut oils go rancid rather quickly, so buy them in small quantities and store in the refrigerator. The oil will solidify when chilled, so set the bottle out 10 minutes before using so it has a chance to liquefy again. Sniff your oil before using to ensure it hasn’t gone bad. If it smells soapy or acrid, or like linseed oil, throw it out.

2. To toast or roast hazelnuts, heat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Spread the shelled hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the skins crack and the nuts turn light golden brown and smell fragrant. You can also roast them at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes, but check them periodically to be sure they don’t burn. Remove the nuts from oven and set aside to cool.

3. Toasting hazelnuts loosens their skins considerably. To remove the skins from toasted hazelnuts, place them in a colander with large holes. Put the colander in the sink and use a clean dishtowel to rub the nuts so the skins peel off. Shake the colander occasionally to encourage the skins to fall into the sink.

Another way to remove the skins is to put the warm nuts onto a clean dishtowel and gather it closed. Let the nuts steam for 4 to 5 minutes, then rub vigorously for 1 to 3 minutes. Rub longer to remove even more skin.

For recipes, like a cake, that require all the skins to be removed, blanch the nuts for 1 minute in boiling water spiked with baking soda (1 tablespoon per cup of water). Then plunge the nuts into cold water; the skins will slip right off. In this case, you would roast them after they were peeled, at the lower temperature.

Maple Glazed Tuna with Pear-Potato Salad

Linda Avery — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:15:58 +0000

by Marcus Samuelsson
from New American Table
(John Wiley & Sons, 2009)
4 servings

I met twelve-year-old Frank Liranzo when I was teaching a kids’ cooking class at the YMCA’s environmental camp in Huguenot, New York. The kids learned how to tap trees to make maple syrup, a process I’d read about but never seen in action. Frank was one of the campers, and he got to experience firsthand the old art of making maple syrup. “You put tubes into the trees so the sap flows out,” he says. “When it first comes out of the tree, it tastes like sugary water. Then we went to the sugar shack where we saw the sap boiled down until it tasted like syrup.” At the camp, I made this Maple-Glazed Tuna with Pear-Potato Salad for the kids. “I thought it would taste really sugary, but it didn’t,” Frank told me. “First I tasted the tuna, then a hint of mustard, and then an aftertaste of the maple syrup.” I love how the maple syrup adds sweetness and a beautiful caramelized crust to the meaty tuna steaks, while the sweetness of the pears in the accompanying potato salad balances nicely with the glazed tuna.—Marcus Samuelsson

convert Ingredients
For the pear-potato salad
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or ½-inch pieces
2 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup blanched almonds, roughly chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup shredded baby spinach

For the maple-glazed tuna
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
Four 6-ounce tuna fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cilantro sprigs
Pear-Potato Salad

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Method
Make the pear potato salad
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the potatoes and saute until golden, about 12 minutes. Add the pears, onion, garlic, almonds, and curry powder and saute for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Toss with the lemon juice and spinach.

Make the maple-glazed tuna
1. Whisk together the mustard, maple syrup, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Set aside.

2. Season the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the tuna and cook for 30 seconds on each side.

3. Remove from the pan and brush both sides of the tuna with the maple syrup-mustard glaze. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with the cilantro. Serve with the pear-potato salad.

Barley Salad

Linda Avery — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:00:49 +0000

by Marcus Samuelsson
from New American Table
(John Wiley & Sons, 2009)
6 to 8 servings

Nutty, chewy barley shines in this simple salad that’s packed with wonderful textures. The contrasting hues of the cream-colored pearl barley and the purplish-black barley make for a beautiful play of colors. I like this barley salad served both warm and at room temperature, and I always make enough so I have leftovers for the next day.—Marcus Samuelsson

convert Ingredients
1/2 cup pearl barley
1/2 cup black barley
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño chile, seeds and ribs removed
2 cups roughly chopped baby spinach
1 tablespoon za’atar (see Note)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped scallions, white and light green parts
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 cup diced feta cheese
1 cup finely diced cucumber
1 red onion, diced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Method
1. Rinse the pearl barley and black barley in two separate strainers under cold running water for 5 minutes. Pat dry and keep separate. Fill two separate pots with 1 quart salted water. Add the black barley to one and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add the pearl barley to the other and cook for 45 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Strain each and set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, pine nuts, and jalapeño and saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and za’atar and cook until the spinach has wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Combine the remaining olive oil, the pearl barley, black barley, spinach mixture, tomatoes, scallions, lime juice, parsley, feta, cucumber, onion, vinegar, olives, and mint in a large salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: Za’ataris one of my favorite spice blends. North African in origin, it has citrusy notes that add a bright jolt of flavor. Look for premixed blends in African markets, spice shops, or online.

Pear, Basil, and Pecorino Toscano Salad

Linda Avery — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:00:57 +0000

by Sara Jenkins and Mindy Fox
from Olives & Oranges
(Houghton Mifflin, 2008)
Makes 4

Fashion sweeps through restaurants in Italy as quickly and thoroughly as in all other aspects of life there. A few years ago, arugula, pear, and Pecorino salad turned up everywhere. I tried basil in place of arugula and loved the still pungent yet milder flavor. I start making this pear, basil, and Pecorino Toscano salad in the early fall with little juicy pears and aromatic end-of-the-season basil from the farmers’ market. Later, as the first frost creeps down through the Hudson Valley and the basil disappears, I substitute thinly sliced hearts of celery and whole celery leaves (the celery is also wonderful along with the basil).

You can make this pear salad with many different cheeses; each one will change the flavor slightly. Look for a cheese that will keep its shape in a salad, such as an aged cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a crumbly blue.—Sara Jenkins

convert Ingredients
12 ounces Pecorino Toscano cheese
4 ripe Bosc pears, cored and cut into eighths
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Vin Santo vinegar or other high-quality mild white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or other medium-coarse sea salt, or more to taste
Coarsely ground black pepper

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Method
1. Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, break cheese into irregular chunks about 1/2-inch in size.

2. Place cheese, pear slices, basil leaves, oil, vinegar, and salt in a large bowl and toss to combine. Season with pepper and more salt if needed.

3. Serve at once.

Salad with Caramelized Pumpkin Seeds, Pears, and Pomegranate

Linda Avery — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:00:37 +0000

by Robin Asbell
from New Vegetarian
(Chronicle Books, 2009)
Serves 6

This great wintertime salad is best prepared with pomegranates that appear only around the holidays. Tender pears and caramelized pumpkin seeds round out this seasonal delight. Vegans can leave out the cheese and enjoy the crunchy spiced seeds instead.—Robin Asbell

convert Ingredients
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 large clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh mint (optional)
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice concentrate
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup pumpkin seed or olive oil
1 small pomegranate
1 large head Romaine lettuce, washed and dried
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
2 large Bosc pears, sliced
4 ounces pecorino cheese, sliced

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Method
1. Heat the 1 teaspoon olive oil over high heat for 1 minute in a medium nonstick skillet. Add the pumpkin seeds and toss in the pan until the seeds are popping and browning, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the brown sugar, tossing continuously until seeds are coated with melted sugar (careful—it will burn easily). Quickly mix in chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and salt, then spread the mixture on a plate to cool. Let cool completely and store in an air-tight container for up to 1 week until ready to use.

2. In a food processor, mince the garlic and mint (if using). Add the pomegranate juice concentrate, lemon juice, honey, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pulse to mix. With the machine running, gradually drizzle in pumpkin seed or olive oil. Set the dressing aside.

3. Cut through the skin of the pomegranate from stem to tip, dividing the fruit in quarters. Hold it over a bowl and pull apart the sections, then tear apart the pieces, gently freeing the seeds. Slice across the Romaine leaves into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Arrange the greens on plates or in a large bowl. Top with the shallots, pears, and cheese. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and top with pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately.

Saffron Pasta Salad with Tuna and Fresh Herbs

Linda Avery — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:15:30 +0000

Insalata di Pasta allo Zafferano con Tonno ed Erbe Aromatiche Fresche
by Toni Lydecker
from Seafood alla Siciliana
(Lake Isle Press, 2009)
Makes 6 servings

Anyone who thinks Sicilian men don’t cook should meet Giuseppe Scarlata, a native of Trapani who likes to create dishes alla fantasia. ThisThis recipe for a saffron-tinted pasta salad with tuna is one of them.—Toni Lydecker

convert Ingredients
Sea salt or kosher salt
1 pound paccheri or other short pasta (see Note)
1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
Extra-virgin olive oil
One 6-to-7-ounce can good-quality tuna in olive oil, or tuna poached in olive oil, drained
3/4 to 1 cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs such as basil, flat-leaf parsley, and mint
6 to 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut crosswise into short lengths, then lengthwise into small matchsticks
1/4 cup black and/or green Mediterranean olives, pitted, slivered
1 heaping tablespoon salt-cured capers, soaked in water for a few minutes and drained

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Method
1. Place a large pot of cold water over high heat and bring to a boil; add salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.

2. Reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Whisk the saffron into the reserved cooking liquid and stir it into the pasta. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the pasta, stirring well, and season with salt. Let the pasta cool, stirring from time to time; the pasta will absorb most of the liquid and take on a saffron tone.

3. Flake the tuna into a small bowl. With a fork, mix in the chopped herbs. Add the tuna to the pasta, along with the mozzarella, carrot, olives, and capers. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly. Season to taste with more olive oil and salt. Let the pasta salad stand at room temperature for up to an hour, or refrigerate.

Note: Paccheri are extremely large, short tubes, often ridged, that make an unusual and interesting pasta salad. De Cecco is one company that makes this shape for its premium line. If you don’t find paccheri, substitute penne, rigatoni, or any short pasta.

White Asparagus with Oranges and Olives

Linda Avery — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:30:52 +0000

by Linda Long
from Great Chefs Cook Vegan
(Gibbs Smith, 2009)
Serves 1

This white asparagus-orange salad was created by Jose Andres: “For me, the farmer’s market has become a Sunday ritual. Just as they do in Spain today, the smaller organic farmers are introducing the city crowd to new fruits and vegetables. I find inspiration for wonderful tapas dishes every week.”—Linda Long

convert Ingredients
For the black olive oil
1 cup black olives
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil, divided

For the white asparagus
4 fresh white asparagus spears
4 orange segments
2 black olives, cut in half
1 tablespoon Black Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Sherry Dressing

For the sherry dressing
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Garnish
Salt
Micro greens

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Method
Make the black olive oil
1. In a blender, purée the olives and 1/2 cup oil. In a bowl, mix the remaining oil and black olive purée. (see Note)

Prepare the white asparagus and oranges
1. Gently peel the stem of the asparagus and set aside. Bring salted water to a boil. Drop in the asparagus and cook for 3 minutes. Remove and shock in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process; cool. Peel an orange, removing all the white pith; remove segments by cutting on each side of the white membrane just to the center of the orange.

Make the sherry dressing
1. In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.

2. To plate, carefully toss the white asparagus, oranges, sherry dressing, and salt. Remove the asparagus and cut in half. Place on a small plate in log cabin style. Place orange segments and black olives around the asparagus. Drizzle black olive oil around the plate and garnish with micro greens.

Note: This will make more than is needed for this recipe. Keep on hand for use with many dishes, or reduce the recipe while keeping the same proportions. Keep refrigerated.