Wilted Salad with Cornbread Croutons
4 strips thick-cut bacon
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 quarts fresh baby spinach
Cornbread croutons (recipe below)
In a medium-size skillet, fry bacon until cooked and crispy. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, tear into bite-size pieces. Toss red onion slices in hot pan until softened a bit. Turn heat down low and whisk in vinegar and sugar. Continue whisking until sugar has dissolved. Turn off heat and season dressing with salt and pepper. Place spinach in a large bowl with cooked bacon. Pour hot dressing and red onions over spinach and toss until spinach has begun to wilt. Add croutons and toss again. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings
Cornbread Croutons
1 (6-inch) pan cooked cornbread, cut into 1-inch cubes
Olive oil
Garlic salt
Freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place cubed cornbread on a sheet pan and drizzle olive oil lightly over cornbread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss well leaving cornbread cubes in a single layer. Place pan in oven and bake for 20 minutes, tossing croutons once. Croutons should be crispy and golden brown but not hard. Remove from oven and serve with wilted spinach salad.
Winter Chicken Salad with Hot Honey Dressing
Vegetable oil
2 chicken breasts, skin on and flattened with a mallet
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 to 3 cups red leaf lettuce, radicchio, or butter lettuce
1 orange, peeled, pith removed and sectioned
1 handful fresh mint leaves
½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
Place a frying pan over medium heat and add a splash of oil. Add chicken breasts skin side down. Cover pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on skin side, then flip breasts over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, or until breasts are cooked through. Transfer chicken to a board and season with salt. Set aside to rest.
To make dressing, whisk together olive oil, orange juice, honey, chili flakes, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Check seasonings, adding more if needed. Refrigerate dressing until ready to serve. Tear lettuce leaves into bite-size pieces. Toss lettuce and orange segments with dressing and arrange on a platter. Slice chicken breasts and arrange on top of lettuce. Add mint leaves and pomegranate to salad and serve.
Yield: 2 servings
Citrus Salad with Lemon Pepper Croutons
1 small loaf French bread, torn into bite-size pieces
Olive oil
Lemon pepper seasoning
2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced
1 large navel orange, peeled and sliced
1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced
½ cup arugula
¼ cup sliced red onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon pink sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Toss bread pieces with olive oil and lemon pepper seasoning and spread out on a baking sheet. Place in oven for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once until croutons are golden and crispy. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, carefully remove pith from surface of oranges and grapefruit, as well as any seeds. Arrange cut fruit on a platter of arugula and top with red onion and baked croutons. For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, sea salt, and pepper together until well combined. When ready to serve, drizzle dressing over salad and sprinkle sunflower seeds on top.
Yield: 4 servings
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Pistachios
Roasted beets are quite different from any other beet you may have tried! They are sweet and crispy and worth the effort.
1½ pounds fresh beets, (any color or size)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
5 cups arugula
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup shelled toasted and salted pistachios
4 medium radishes, thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped green onions
For dressing:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
To roast beets, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrub beets well with a vegetable brush under running water. Dry beets off and carefully slice with a sharp knife, discarding tops and bottom ends. Place beets in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, turning to coat each piece. Place in oven for 45 minutes, turning once, or until edges are dark, and you can pierce each slice with a fork. Set aside. To assemble salad, place arugula in a large serving bowl or platter. Scatter beets, goat cheese, pistachios, radishes, and green onion over lettuce. When ready to serve, drizzle dressing over salad and serve.
To make dressing, in a small bowl or jar, whisk olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard salt, and pepper together until well combined.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Pear Salad with Candied Pecans and Maple-Balsamic Dressing
5 to 6 cups mixed green lettuce
1 pear, sliced and tossed with lemon juice
1 cup candied pecans
2/3 cup dried cherries
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
In a large serving bowl, place salad greens then add sliced pears, candied pecans, dried cherries, and feta cheese. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, and Dijon mustard. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad just before serving.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Grilled Chimichurri Chicken Avocado Salad
The authentic chimichurri doubles as the marinade and the dressing.
Chimichurri:
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup finely chopped parsley
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Check seasonings and set aside.
Salad:
4 skinless boneless chicken thigh filets or breasts
1 teaspoon olive oil
5 cups Romaine lettuce
3 ripe yellow and red tomatoes, sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2 avocados, sliced and tossed in lemon juice
Fresh parsley for garnish
Place chicken filets in a shallow dish and coat with 4 tablespoons of chimichurri. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes. Cover and refrigerate remaining chimichurri for dressing. Heat oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and grill fillets on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer cooked filets to a cutting board and let rest for several minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut filets into strips. Place salad greens in a large bowl. Add tomatoes, red onions, avocados, and grilled chicken slices. Drizzle salad with remaining dressing and garnish with fresh parsley.
Yield: 5-6 servings
Winter Panzanella
Croutons:
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
6 cups day-old French bread, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Salad:
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup champagne vinegar
Kosher salt
4 cups peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash
½ Brussels sprouts, ends removed and quartered
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3-4 handfuls fresh lettuce
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and add garlic and fresh thyme and toss. Immediately add bread pieces and toss well to coat. Add most of grated cheese and toss again to coat. Transfer croutons to a baking sheet and sprinkle with remaining cheese and season with salt and pepper. Toss well and place pan in oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until croutons are golden and crispy but not hard. Remove pan from oven and set aside. Place red onions in a bowl and pour vinegar over onions. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and toss. Set aside until ready to prepare salad. Remove croutons from baking sheet and place in a bowl. Add butternut squash and Brussels sprouts to baking sheet. Pour ½ cup olive oil and vinegar over vegetables and toss well. Add fresh sage, salt, and pepper, and toss again. Place pan in oven and roast for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. Vegetables should be brown and fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool. When ready to serve, place lettuce and red onion in a large salad bowl. Whisk 2 tablespoons of olive oil into champagne vinegar and season with salt and pepper for dressing. Add roasted vegetables to salad and toss. Add croutons and extra Parmesan cheese to salad and drizzle dressing over salad. Toss again and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings
