Archive for the ‘Balsamic Vinaigrette’ Category
Day Fourteen: Iron! Steak & Mixed Greens
Posted in 100 Days of Salad, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Casein Free, Gluten Free, Meal in Salad Form, Mint, Shallot, Steak, Tomato, tagged balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, meal, mint, mixed greens, salad, shallot, steak, tomato on November 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Day Eight: Quick Dinner
Posted in 100 Days of Salad, Avocado, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Button Mushrooms, Casein Free, Gluten Free, Green Beans, Meal in Salad Form, Mixed Baby Greens, Scallion, Tomato, Vegan, tagged balsamic vinegar, cherry tomato, extra virgin olive oil, green beans, greens, meal, mushroom, recipe, salad, scallion on October 27, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Mixed greens, tomatoes, avocado, green beans, mushrooms, and scallions. Balsamic vinaigrette.
Day Five: Mozzarella, Tomato, Arugula AKA Lunch
Posted in 100 Days of Salad, Arugula, Avocado, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Basil, Gluten Free, Meal in Salad Form, Mozzarella, Shallot, Tomato, tagged Arugula, avocado, balsamic vinegar, basil, extra virgin olive oil, greens, mozzarella, salad on October 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Yummy. Arugula, tomato, mozzarella, basil, shallots, avocado, balsamic vinaigrette.
Day Two: More Arugula
Posted in 100 Days of Salad, Arugula, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Button Mushrooms, Casein Free, Dried Cranberries, Gluten Free, Kidney Beans, Meal in Salad Form, Shallot, Tomato, Vegan, tagged Arugula, balsamic vinegar, basil, casein free, dried cranberries, extra virgin olive oil, gluten free, greens, kidney beans, salad, tomato, vegan on October 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Still using up the arugula, cherry tomatoes, shallots, and mushrooms. Today’s variation includes kidney beans, basil, dried cranberries and a pomegranate balsamic vinaigrette.
Springtime Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette with Avocado, Jicama, and Radishes
Posted in Avocado, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Basil, Casein Free, Gluten Free, Jicama, Mint, Mixed Baby Greens, Radish, Side Salad, Strawberry, Vegan, tagged avocado, baby greens, balsamic, basil, dinner, extra virgin, food, fresh, green, greens, jicama, lettuce, lunch, mint, mixed greens, olive oil, radish, salad, salt, strawberry, sugar, vinegar on April 13, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Cheap strawberries. It must be spring.
What more can I say? I bought a lot, with this vague strawberry balsamic vinaigrette salad idea. The kids were devouring the strawberries, and fast, so I knew I needed to try my experiment or I’d miss my chance. Dinner was going to be corn chicken chowder with bacon and chives, and I thought the sweet strawberry salad would be refreshing with the thick, savory chowder.
I’d never made the chowder before — it was a dish one of the kids requested when we were sorting through cooking magazines and looking for ideas. Remember that. Never made the soup before. Inventing the salad on the fly. Improv dinner — my favorite way to cook. When it works, it’s a magical victory. When it works…
I grabbed the ingredients that appealed to me — lots of crunchy jicama and radish, fresh herbs — and started playing.
Ingredients, ready to go!
Ingredients:
(Side salad, serves six.)
6 cups of mixed baby greens.
1 large avocado, quartered lengthwise and sliced.
6 radishes, sliced.
1 cup diced jicama.
1 fistful of fresh mint, chopped.
1 fistful of fresh basil, chopped.
Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette:
(Use only what you need. Refrigerate extra for a couple of days.)
6 large strawberries, sliced.
1 T sugar.
1 T balsamic vinegar.
3 T extra virgin olive oil.
Pinch of salt, to taste.
Pretty colors.
I decided to macerate the strawberries in sugar and vinegar — my goal was a heavily infused salad dressing, so that the strawberry flavor would really permeate the salad. I started by slicing the strawberries and putting them in a large jar. I added the sugar, closed the lid and tossed the strawberries to really coat them with the sugar. I let that sit for a moment, then added the balsamic vinegar and tossed them again. While the strawberries released their juices, I began to work. I created a bed of baby greens, and chopped the jicama and the radishes. Then I added the herbs. I paused here to tend to the soup. You’ll want to let the strawberries macerate for at least twenty minutes, so plan your cooking accordingly. When the chowder was ready to dish up, I sliced open the avocado, added the oil and salt to the salad dressing, and combined it all.
It looks so good...
My core idea was solid. The macerated strawberries made a truly amazing salad dressing. Basil and mint were perfect herbs to pair with the vinaigrette, and the jicama and radish worked really well.
But… It was too mushy! The combination of the tender baby greens, macerated strawberries, and that enormous avocado was just not right. Even with the jicama and radish, it was too soft and squishy. I think I should have left the avocado out. Or started with a crunchier green — romaine, or endive — and used less of the avocado. I think really good endives and just a little avocado would make this a classy, well balanced salad.
But my real error was my meal planning, or lack thereof. Corn chowder. Remember that? I honed in on the salty bacon, and thought my sweet strawberry salad would be perfect with the savory soup. But the salty bacon? It was balancing all that sweet corn! This soup and salad combination was essentially dessert for dinner.
The strawberry salad really needs to be eaten alongside something strong and savory. Smoky dry rub barbecue, or a really good pork roast, or a hefty veggie burger. Not sweet corn soup.
So, play with the vinaigrette. It really is good. But keep your crunch ratio strong, and choose your main course wisely.
Make it a Meal:
Don’t bother — too much to fix. But if you’re doing the fixing (hearty romaine or endives, skip the avocado) I’d add some crispy crunchy protein — salty nuts, or sliced up fried chicken, or leftover pork chop.
Pack it to Go:
Again, don’t bother. Of course, if you’ve fixed the flaws, then pack your salad in a large glass or stainless steel container with a well fitting lid, and your dressing (including the strawberries, of course) in a large jar. If you dare to include avocado, put it in with the dressing to prevent browning. When you’re ready to eat, shake your dressing well, and drizzle it over the salad. Use a fork to fish out all of the strawberries. Use only as much dressing as you want. Fork toss, and enjoy.
Blue Cheese, Candied Pecans, and the Kitchen Sink
Posted in Balsamic Vinaigrette, Bell Pepper, Blue Cheese, Button Mushrooms, Cucumber, Garlic, Meal in Salad Form, Mixed Baby Greens, Pecan, Scallion, Side Salad, tagged baby, balsamic, bell, blue cheese, candied, clove, cucumber, dinner, english, extra virgin, food, garlic, greens, lettuce, lunch, maple syrup, meal, mixed, mushroom, olive oil, pecan, pepper, red, salad, salt, scallion, vinegar on March 22, 2011| 1 Comment »
When I was little, and we had a big enough group of people gathered together, sometimes we went to a local ice cream parlor that had an enormous, crazy sundae called “The Kitchen Sink.” It had everything. It was the size of an actual kitchen sink, with an obscenely large number of different flavors of ice cream, covered in all the toppings they had. Every bite was different, and fun, and I ate it with a gaggle of happy friends at birthday parties, after soccer games, or after drama and dance performances.
This salad reminded me of that sundae.
I had plans for pork tonkatsu (or at least my made-up bastardized version of it) for dinner. I also had nice little brown and serve sourdough rolls from a local bakery. I wanted a big, crazy salad to complete the meal. I like sweet with pork, so I knew I’d be including some candied pecans. I was in the mood for blue cheese, so I added that to the mix. I had gorgeous baby greens, so the bed was determined. I needed some crunch, so I grabbed half a cucumber and what was left of a red bell pepper. A balsamic vinaigrette would tie it all together, and I tossed in some mushrooms to soak up the tasty salad dressing like little sponges. Mushrooms, as you know, are made to be coated in balsamic vinaigrette. It was a wild, vibrant combination. My own little kitchen sink of a salad.
Ingredients, ready for their transformation!
Ingredients:
(Side salad, serves 3-4.)
6 cups of mixed baby greens.
5 scallions, sliced.
1/2 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced.
1/2 english cucumber, quartered vertically and sliced.
5 medium mushrooms, sliced.
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese.
1/2 cup candied pecans.
A colorful bed of baby greens, ready for the party.
Balsamic Vinaigrette:
(Use only what you need. Refrigerate extra for a couple of days.)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar.
1 small clove garlic, smashed and minced.
1/2 tsp maple syrup.
Pinch of salt, to taste.
I created a lush bed of baby greens, and quickly mixed up my balsamic vinaigrette in a small jar. I quickly chopped my vegetables and gently laid them in the salad bowl. I added the nuts and cheese, and let it all sit for a moment while I dealt with the tonkatsu. Once the rolls were out of the oven and the pork was ready to eat, I drizzled my balsamic vinaigrette over the salad, tossed it, and served it up.
Ready for that yummy balsamic vinaigrette!
The Verdict:
I got exactly what I wanted — crazy, strong, fun flavors. The sweet nuts worked well with the pork, the mushrooms were delicious, and the blue cheese gave it all an extra creamy flavor kick. I loved it. The kids were not impressed, but my husband gobbled it up right alongside me.
On the plate, ready to be devoured!
Make it a Meal:
With the nuts and the cheese, I think it would already work as an amazing meal.
Pack it to Go:
Easy. Put your salad in a glass or stainless steel container with a tight fitting lid, and your vinaigrette in a small jar, nestled in the greens. Drizzle the dressing (just as much as you want, to taste) over the salad, fork toss or put the lid back on and give it a few quick shakes to combine. Enjoy!
Balsamic Vinaigrette with Orange Bell Pepper, Mushrooms, and Parsley
Posted in Balsamic Vinaigrette, Bell Pepper, Button Mushrooms, Casein Free, Garlic, Gluten Free, Parsley, Romaine Lettuce, Side Salad, Vegan, tagged balsamic vinegar, bell, clove, extra virgin olive oil, food, garlic, green, lettuce, maple syrup, meal, mushroom, orange, parsley, pepper, romaine, salad, salt, side on February 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Soup and salad. One of my favorite meals. I had the lentil soup bubbling on the stove, I just needed a salad to go along with it. I opted for a straightforward, assertive balsamic vinaigrette. I like extra crunchy salads to go with soup, so I grabbed the romaine lettuce and a really crisp bell pepper. I added lots of mushrooms to soak up the vinaigrette and help deepen the flavors of the salad. Parsley for fun, and I was ready to chop.
Simple ingredients, ready to be transformed into a delicious salad.
Ingredients:
(Side salad, serves 4-6.)
2 heart of romaine.
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced.
5 medium mushrooms, sliced.
1 fistful of fresh parsley, chopped.
Balsamic Vinaigrette:
(Use only what you need. Refrigerate extra for a couple of days.)
3 T extra virgin olive oil.
1 T balsamic vinegar.
1 small clove garlic, smashed and minced.
1/4 tsp maple syrup.
Pinch of salt, to taste.
As usual, I started with the balsamic vinaigrette. I like making that first so that the garlic has time to mellow and infuse the salad dressing with yumminess. Once my vinaigrette ingredients were in the small jar I had on hand, I built my bed of romaine lettuce. I sliced up my bell pepper and mushrooms, and tossed them over the greens, and then I chopped the parsley and sprinkled it on top.
Once the soup was dished up and ready to eat, I drizzled my vinaigrette over my salad, tossed it, and served it up.
Dive in!
Delicious, straightforward, hearty salad. It was perfect with the lentil soup. The flavors complemented each other, and we devoured it all. I really like parsley with a good balsamic vinaigrette — it’s a remarkably simple herb with a flavor that blends well.
Make it a Meal:
Kidney beans work particularly well with balsamic vinaigrette, bell pepper, and mushrooms, so that’s my first choice. Leftover dinner meat, like roast chicken or sliced steak, would also work well.
Pack it to Go:
This one is easy to pack — put all of the salad ingredients into a nice large glass or stainless steel container with a good sealing rubber lid. The Ssalad dressing remains in it’s jar until you’re ready to eat. If you have a small jar for the dressing, just nestle it in with the salad ingredients. When lunchtime hits, simply drizzle as much dressing as you want over your salad, fork toss, and enjoy.
Spicy Sesame Balsamic Vinaigrette with Candied Walnuts, Daikon, Young Ginger, and Opal Basil
Posted in Balsamic Vinaigrette, Button Mushrooms, Casein Free, Chicken, Daikon, Garlic, Ginger, Gluten Free, Meal in Salad Form, Mixed Baby Greens, Mizuna, Opal Basil, Red Chili Flakes, Romaine Lettuce, Scallion, Sesame Oil, Shallot, Tatsoi, Tomato, Walnut, tagged baby, balsamic, basil, breast, candied, casein free, cherry, chicken, chili, daikon, dark, dinner, drumstick, extra virgin olive oil, flake, food, garlic, ginger, gluten free, green, lettuce, lunch, maple syrup, meal, mixed greens, mizuna, mushroom, mushrooms, mustard, oil, opal, red, romaine, salad, salt, scallion, scallions, sesame, shallot, side, side dish, tatsoi, tomato, young, zest on February 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »
My husband loves spicy food. I can handle it, in small doses. He also recently requested “crazier” salads. I aim to please.
I bought opal basil and young ginger at the Berkeley Bowl recently, as well as daikon and mixed asian greens. I wasn’t sure exactly how the salad would come together, but I knew I wanted to play with some slightly more unusual ingredients. We both had busy days planned, so I made two matching lunch salads, packed to go. This was a perfect opportunity to really spice up his salad, and I did. Mine stayed mild enough for me to enjoy, and I made his salad hot hot HOT.
Here are the ingredients, ready to face the blade.
Ingredients:
(Lunch salad, serves one.)
4 cups of mixed asian greens, including mizuna, tatsoi, baby mustard greens, and baby romaine.
1 fistful of opal basil, chopped.
4-5 cherry tomatoes, whole.
2 large mushrooms, sliced.
2 scallions, sliced.
1/2 cup candied walnuts.
1 knob of young ginger, peeled, sliced, and cut into small matchsticks.
9 slices of peeled daikon, halved. (Use a mandoline or a good cheese slicer to get thin slices.)
1/4 leftover roast chicken breast, cubed.
1/2 leftover roast chicken drumstick, shredded.
Spicy Sesame Oil Balsamic Vinaigrette:
(Use only what you need. Refrigerate extra for a couple of days.)
2 T extra virgin olive oil.
1 T dark sesame oil.
1 T balsamic vinegar.
1 small shallot, diced.
1 small clove garlic, smashed and minced.
1-3 hefty pinches of red chili flakes, to taste.
1/2 tsp maple syrup.
Pinch of salt, to taste.
Twin salads ready to go!
I doubled all of the ingredients above and made two matching salads, complete with vinaigrette. I began by mixing up the vinaigrettes in little jars, giving him three big pinches of red chili flakes to my one very small pinch. I tasted my dressing, and just hoped for the best for him. Then I created a lush bed of greens for each of us, and layered all of my other ingredients in two glass bowls. I chopped and sliced and sliced and chopped, putting my knife down only to use a spoon to peel the ginger and to use a fine Norwegian cheese slicer to quickly slice the daikon into perfect, thin circles. Finally, both glass bowls were full of a colorful, hearty salad. I nestled the salad dressing jars in the larger containers, popped the lids on, and we each went off for the day.
Quick snapshot taken with my phone of the glossy beauty before I devoured it.
The Verdict:
This was really amazing. Like nothing I’ve tried before, at home or in a restaurant. Full of strong, punchy flavors that worked very well together. I liked the balsamic vinegar with the sesame oil, and the bits of ginger really sparkled. The walnuts and the daikon added crunchy joy, and the sweetness of the nuts and the tomatoes worked well with the spicy dressing and the peppery greens. It was crazy, in a good way. My husband loved the chili heat, and the explosive flavor. This is one that I’m sure I’ll revisit.
Notice the dressing jar nestled cozily in with the salad.
Make it a Meal:
Done.
Pack it to Go:
Done.
Golden Beets with Pear, Cranberries, and Candied Pecans
Posted in Balsamic Vinaigrette, Casein Free, Cracked Pepper, Dried Cranberries, Frisee, Garlic, Golden Beet, Mache, Mixed Baby Greens, Pear, Pecan, Radicchio, Side Salad, Vegan, tagged balsamic, beet, candied, cranberries, extra virgin olive oil, food, frisee, garlic, golden, mache, maple syrup, meal, mixed greens, pear, pecan, radiccio, salad, salt, side dish on February 9, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Time for a simple lunch salad, just for me. I wanted to see if beets would work with one of my favorite salad combinations — creamy pears, crunchy candied pecans, and balsamic vinaigrette.
Ingredients, ready for action.
Ingredients:
(Serves one for lunch.)
3-4 cups of mache and mixed greens, including radicchio and frisee.
1/2 a pear, quartered, cored, and sliced.
1/4 cup of candied pecans.
1/4 cup of dried, sweetened cranberries.
1/4 cup of grated golden beets.
Freshly ground pepper, to taste.
Ready for the vinaigrette!
Balsamic Vinaigrette:
(Use only what you need. Refrigerate extra for a couple of days.)
1 T balsamic vinegar.
3 T extra virgin olive oil.
1/2 clove of garlic, smashed and minced.
1/4 tsp maple syrup.
Pinch of salt, to taste.
First I prepared my salad dressing in a small jar, giving the garlic time to mellow and infuse the vinaigrette. I created a nice bed of greens, chopped my pear, and added everything to the salad bowl. I gave it a good dusting of pepper before drizzling the vinaigrette over it and tossing it.
A dessert of a salad, ready to eat.
The Verdict:
The beets weren’t that noticeable, honestly, and the salad was a little sweet for me. I love these flavors as a side salad, but I don’t recommend it as a lunch salad unless you’ve got a pretty serious sweet tooth. (Bear in mind that my husband thinks I’ve got a genetic mutation that disables the normal human appreciation for sugary goodness, so if this sounds amazing to you, go for it. There’s a good chance I’m the weirdo, not you.) Regardless, I would have loved this salad if it shared a plate with a really good pork chop and some roasted potatoes.
Make it a Meal:
Done, but not recommended. Serve it on the side with something delectably savory instead.
Pack it to Go:
Apples go in with the dressing to prevent browning. If it’s sitting for a long time, the beets will also brown, so bear that in mind and plan accordingly. As always, add your dressing at the last minute, only as much as you need, fork toss, and enjoy.
Bacon and Chicken Teaser
Posted in Bacon, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Basil, Button Mushrooms, Casein Free, Chicken, Frisee, Garlic, Mache, Meal in Salad Form, Mixed Baby Greens, Radicchio, Radish, tagged bacon, balsamic, basil, chicken, dinner, extra virgin, food, frisee, lettuce, lunch, mache, maple syrup, meal, mixed greens, mushroom, olive oil, radicchio, radish, salad, salt on January 31, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Crispy bits of applewood smoked bacon and chunks of chicken breast nestled in a lush bed of mixed greens.
Two mushrooms.
A small fistful of fresh basil.
Three radishes.
A jar of leftover balsamic vinaigrette.
Can you taste it?
You know what comes next.
Salad Play 