The Everything Salad Book (21 page)

Make sure to use apple cider juice for this recipe, not apple cider vinegar. The vinegar is a little too strong and sour for the herb and butter base.

1. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, rosemary, and allspice to pan. Sauté for 5 minutes.
   

2. Stir hazelnuts and walnuts into pan. Sauté for 30 seconds and remove pan from heat. Let mixture cool for 5 minutes.
   

3. Combine mixed greens, water chestnuts, and apple cider juice in a large salad bowl. Toss gently to coat well.
   

4. Gently toss the mushroom mixture, including drippings, into the salad. Split the salad between 4 plates. Garnish each plate with an apple peel curl and pinch of chives. Serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........254

Fat:..........21 g

Protein:..........5 g

Sodium:..........106 mg

Fiber:..........4 g

Carbohydrate:..........15 g

Chanterelles are wild mushrooms with a golden hue and sweet aroma. They tend to be expensive, so it's best to reserve their use for special occasion recipes. Look for chanterelles with firm flesh and good color. The caps tend to form bumps and folds, so it's important to both soak and gently scrub the mushrooms to make sure you get them clean.

Tangelos, mandarin, or any easily sectioned citrus will work wonderfully with this recipe.

1. Finely slice the fennel bulbs. Remove the peel and pith from the oranges. With a paring knife, remove each section of the oranges.
   

2. Form a mound of shaved fennel on each serving plate and arrange the oranges on top. Sprinkle with nuts, then drizzle with the orange juice and oil. Finish with a sprinkle of zest.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........172

Fat:..........5 g

Protein:..........3 g

Sodium:..........61 mg

Fiber:..........7 g

Carbohydrate:..........32 g

This is an excellent first course, or with more shrimp, it makes a terrific summer supper.

1. Skewer shrimp. Stir together the olive oil, curry powder, granulated sugar, lemon juice, red pepper sauce, and salt in a bowl. Place the shrimp in a glass pan and cover with the dressing. Turn to coat.
   

2. Place the greens on serving plates. Grill the shrimp for about 60 seconds per side, or until they are pink. Place the shrimp over the greens and garnish with the lemon wedges.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........160

Fat:..........14 g

Protein:..........7 g

Sodium:..........641 mg

Fiber:..........0.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........2 g

For an elegant supper or luncheon salad, this is a crowd pleaser. The deep red flesh of the blood oranges contrasted with the saturated green of spinach and the bright pink shrimp makes for a dramatic presentation!

1. Place the spinach on individual serving plates.
   

2. Peel the oranges. Slice them crossways, about ¼-inch thick, picking out any seeds. Arrange on top of the spinach. Arrange the shrimp around the oranges.
   

3. Place the rest of the ingredients in the blender and puree until the dressing is a bright green. Pour over the salads. Serve chilled.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........286

Fat:..........16 g

Protein:..........24 g

Sodium:..........194 mg

Fiber:..........3 g

Carbohydrate:..........14 g

When you can, substitute fresh baby spinach for less nutritious iceberg lettuce. White or pale green lettuce can be used as accents but have less nutritional substance than such greens as spinach, escarole, and watercress.

This mixture may sound a bit different, and it is. In addition to being unique, it is also very delicious!

1. Trim figs and cut in half. Remove stems from each spinach leaf and arrange leaves on serving dishes.
   

2. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper together.
   

3. Make Parmesan curls over salad with a vegetable peeler and drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........420

Fat:..........31 g

Protein:..........7 g

Sodium:..........253 mg

Fiber:..........4 g

Carbohydrate:..........32 g

Figs are a wonderfully nutritious food. Not only are they high in fiber and minerals, they also add tons of flavor to any recipe. Some cultures even claim that figs have medicinal value and healing potential.

Use a basic lemon, garlic, and butter seasoning if you're cooking the lobster tails yourself. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice and garlic powder if you purchase the tails precooked.

1. Peel and crush the garlic clove. To make the dressing, combine the garlic, anchovies, and herbs in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Add the mayonnaise; process to mix. Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a bowl or other container, cover, and chill for at least 1 hour. Before serving, stir in the sour cream.
   

2. Trim off and discard the ends of the asparagus spears, making all the spears the same length. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off any tough outer layer on the stalks if necessary. Start about 1½ inches from the top when peeling. Cook the asparagus in a pan of salted, boiling water for 4–8 minutes, depending on the size, or until tender but still somewhat crisp and a vibrant green. Drain and rinse immediately under cold, running water, then drain again.
   

3. Slice the lobster tail meat into ½-inch rounds. Arrange the asparagus spears and lobster meat on a bed of the salad leaves on a chilled salad plate. Spoon a little of the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........554

Fat:..........45 g

Protein:..........28 g

Sodium:..........717 mg

Fiber:..........5 g

Carbohydrate:..........11 g

You can buy lump crabmeat in containers in the fresh fish section of the market. Just be sure you don't pick up artificial crabmeat — it is processed whitefish that is pressed and colored red.

1. If shelling the crab, make sure all bits of shell are removed from the meat. If not precut, cut the crabmeat into bite-sized cubes. Clean and dry the arugula.
   

2. To serve, mound the arugula on a serving platter and top with the crab and plums. Drizzle with the oil and vinegar, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........196

Fat:..........12 g

Protein:..........17 g

Sodium:..........1,031 mg

Fiber:..........0.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........4 g

Bring a large pot with salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the crabs into the pot, making sure the water covers the crabs completely. Bring the water back up to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook large crabs for around 20 minutes and small crabs around 6 minutes. The crabs are done when the shell turns bright orange. Rinse crabs in cold water to stop the cooking process.

This salad tastes great alone, or you can serve it heaped over a juicy steak or pork chop.

1. Slice the garlic thinly. In a large, deep skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic for about 1 minute.
   

2. Add the lemon juice and mustard, quickly mixing it directly in the skillet. Add the mushrooms and spread them thinly in the skillet. Add the amaretto, and mix. Let the mixture simmer for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are covered with sauce and soft.
   

3. Place the spinach on top of the mixture, but do not stir. Cover tightly. The steam will wilt the spinach in about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
   

4. In a serving dish, lightly toss the salad, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........80

Fat:..........6 g

Protein:..........4 g

Sodium:..........111 mg

Fiber:..........2 g

Carbohydrate:..........4.5g

Amaretto, which means “bitter,” is a strong Italian liqueur. It has an almond flavor, but usually does not contain almonds. Instead the liqueur is made with herbs and fruits soaked in apricot kernel oil. While the drink does have a bitter bite, it is relatively sweet with a rich taste.

Frisee, also known as curly endive, has lacy edges and a sharp flavor, so you only need to use a little to add zing and texture to the salad.

1. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Pat each slice with a paper towel to remove excess grease. Crumble bacon into a large salad bowl.
   

2. Toss brie, spinach, frisee, palm hearts, and radicchio over the bacon. Toss gently to mix. Drizzle with vinegar and salt. Toss gently to coat thoroughly. Serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........443

Fat:..........37 g

Protein:..........26 g

Sodium:..........1,233 mg

Fiber:..........1 g

Carbohydrate:..........3 g

Brie is a soft and creamy French cheese made from cow's milk. Sold in wheels, brie is one of the few cheeses that ripens from the outside toward the middle. Although the rich cheese is usually served at room temperature, this recipe requires you to dice the brie while still chilled. The chilled cheese will be easier to cut and quickly warms to room temperature during mixing and serving.

Any fine green can be used here. For a more peppery flavor, try arugula.

1. Slice the pears in half, then slice them thinly and place in a large mixing bowl. Mix the orange juice with enough ice water to cover the pears. Let pears marinate for at least 5 minutes.
   

2. Mound the watercress on individual plates or a serving platter.
   

3. Drain the pears and fan the slices on each plate around the watercress. Sprinkle with the almond slivers. Scatter the crumbled Gorgonzola on top. Drizzle a bit of extra-virgin olive oil over each serving, and serve.