SALAD IDEAS CONTINUE - GREENS ARE NOT ALWAYS NECESSARY

Mexican Chopped Salad with Beets and Walnut Dressing

 

Recipe by Dionicio Jimenez

Ingredients

1/2 pound walnut halves (2 cups)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3/4 pound peeled roasted beets, cut into 1/3-inch cubes (See Note)

1 Fuji apple, cut into 1/3-inch cubes

1 Hass avocado, cubed

1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced

1/4 pound Manchego cheese, thinly shaved (1 cup)

5 ounces mesclun greens

2 cups tortilla chips, lightly crushed

Directions

1.      Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Let cool completely.

2.      Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the walnuts to a food processor. Add the oil and lime juice and pulse until the walnuts are coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the beets, apple, avocado, fennel and Manchego and toss. Add the mesclun and tortilla chips, season with salt and pepper and toss again. Transfer the salad to plates, garnish with the remaining walnuts and serve right away.

Ensalada de Palmitos (Hearts of Palm Salad)

Recipe by Zarela Martinez

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves

One 28-ounce can or two 14-ounce cans of hearts of palm, drained

1/ 3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or as needed

1/ 2 cup whites of scallions, finely chopped

Dash of salt (optional)

Directions

1.      Process the garlic to a paste in a food processor. Add the hearts of palm and process to a course purée. With the machine on, add the oil in a thin stream until you see the mixture coming together as a velvety purée. The absorbency of palm hearts can vary; any one batch may absorb a bit less or more than 1/3 cup of oil.

2.      Transfer the purée to a serving bowl and stir in the scallions. Taste for salt. Serve within a few hours. 

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Recipe by Traci Des Jardins

Ingredients

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 large grapefruit

1 Hass avocado, cut into 1/4-inch lengthwise wedges

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3/4 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp

One 5-ounce head of Boston lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

Directions

1.      Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread the pumpkin seeds in a pie plate or on a small baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

2.      Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the lime juice, shallot and cilantro. Using a sharp knife, peel the grapefruit, removing all of the bitter white pith. Working over the bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the grapefruit sections into the bowl. Squeeze the juice from the membranes into the bowl; discard the membranes. Gently fold in the avocado and season with salt and pepper.

3.      In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, tossing the shrimp until they are curled and pink, about 4 minutes.

4.      Arrange the lettuce on a platter. Using a slotted spoon, lift the grapefruit and avocado from the citrus vinaigrette and gently spread over the lettuce. Add the shrimp to the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Arrange the shrimp over the salad and drizzle the remaining citrus dressing on top. Scatter the toasted pumpkin seeds on top and serve right away.

Black-Bean and Yellow-Rice Salad

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons cooking oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

2 3/4 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 2/3 cups drained and rinsed canned black beans (from one 15-ounce can)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 tomatoes, diced

1 tablespoon wine vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 lime, quartered, for serving (optional)

Directions

1.      In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, turmeric, cumin, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the black pepper, and rice. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.

2.      Add the water and bay leaf; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is done, about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

3.      In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the rice, beans, bell pepper, and tomatoes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, the vinegar, and parsley. Toss gently to combine. Serve with lime wedges, if using.

Tangy Tomatillo Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Recipe by Daniel Orr

Ingredients

1 cup loosely packed drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 1/2 pounds large tomatillos—husked, rinsed and cut into 1/2-inch wedges

1 large jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Directions

1.      Pat the sun-dried tomatoes with paper towels and coarsely chop them. Transfer to a large bowl and add the tomatillos, jalapeño, ginger, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper and let stand for 15 minutes or for up to 4 hours. Just before serving, add the cilantro.

Spicy Orange and Jicama Salad

Recipe by Patricia Quintana

Ingredients

6 small navel oranges

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup jicama sticks (3 by 1/2 inches)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Salt

Cayenne pepper

Directions

1.      Working over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the orange sections into the bowl; pour off and reserve the orange juice for another use. Toss the orange slices with the onion slices and the jicama, sprinkle with the cilantro and season with salt and cayenne. Cover and refrigerate the salad until chilled, about 2 hours. Serve cold or slightly chilled.

Posted by Chef Bill Brooks, Corporate Chef, U.S. Foodservice, Inc

Opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily

reflect those of U.S. Foodservice, Inc