Tag: summer salad
Fresh Corn and Avocado Salad
This is a perfect summer salad to make either as on it’s own or as a side or even better- some grilled chicken, steak or shrimp on top!!!
Either way, it is quick, easy and yummy!
- 2 fresh corn ears, taken off the cob
- 1 large avocado, diced
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 3 green onions, chopped
- Juice of ½ or 1 lime (depending on size)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Mix all the ingredients and let sit for at least half an hour before serving.
Spicy Calamari Salad
This is my version of a spicy calamari I had at a new Thai restaurant in Chatham- Thai Passion. I reviewed it a couple weeks ago.
This salad got my attention- it was fabulous- although I realized it was a bit over the top with the flavoring. I really enjoyed it but while I was trying to decide how to replicate this salad, I decided to tone it down a bit. At the same time, I didn’t want to lose the essence of the dish- which was a lot of spicy, savory, tangy and a bit of sweet. Writing about it makes me want to eat some- my mouth is salivating. If you live in the area- you should go try it in Chatham. If you don’t live in the Jersey area, try the recipe I have created.
As I mentioned before, this version is a bit toned down. I used tamarind concentrate, lime juice,Worcestershire sauce, palm sugar, sriracha sauce, etc. Once the dressing was made, all I had to do was to cook the calamari. I will attach the video that goes with this recipe.
Try this salad- it is a great dish to make in the summer time…
- ¼ pound calamari, defrosted and cut into ½ inch rings
- 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Heat a non-stick frying pan and add the olive oil on high heat. Add the calamari and sprinkle salt. Saute on high heat for two minutes just until the rings turn opaque. Turn the heat off and drain on a paper towel.
- 2 cups mixed greens
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
- ½ cup green beans, blanched
- 1 medium tomato, cut into 1-inch squares
Toss the mixed greens with the basil, mint, green beans and tomato. Add the calamari and mix well.
Vinaigrette
- ½ teaspoon tamarind concentrate
- Juice of half a lime
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar
- 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
Add the tamarind, limejuice, Worcestershire sauce, tamari, fish sauce, sriracha and palm sugar into a small bowl. Drizzle the olive oil while whisking the dressing. Pour the dressing on top of the salad and toss lightly before serving.
Three Bean Salad with Nectarines
Here is another summer dish that is super simple to make and delicious at the same time. I made this one for a barbecue we were invited to. I offered to make a bean salad and decided to add juicy nectarines to the mix.
Like mangoes, nectarines add a delicious sweet, tangy aspect to any dish.
I used garbanzo, kidney and black beans. I added green onions, cilantro and the nectarines- that is it. You can assemble this salad in advance and refrigerate it until you serve your meal. In fact it tastes better if you dress it in advance and let it sit for a while. The flavors marry each other and taste delicious.
Speaking of the dressing, I made an orange chipotle one for this salad. I juiced two large navel oranges, one lemon and paired them with a chipotle pepper, honey and olive oil. It resulted in a delicious, fresh tasting dressing. I mixed the salad with the dressing and kept in the fridge until we were ready to go for the get together.
The salad was served with some lamp burgers and corn. Everything was delicious, especially the salad. It was a perfect balance of spice, sweet and tangy- my favorite flavor combination!
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Quick and Easy Pesto Salad with Green Beans and Tomatoes
I love anything made out of pesto. It’s my favorite thing to have around and use in a pinch. Since it has all the yummy ingredients I would normally cook with, it’s easy to add a dollop of it on anything. My favorite way of eating pesto is making a shrimp pasta with lots of pesto and more fresh basil on top. Shrimp and pesto are a match made in heaven- really, you should try it. I always have shrimp in the freezer- and on days when I am all out of ideas and don’t have a lot of time to cook- the pesto and shrimp come out. A nice salad on the side and some garlic bread with a yummy bottle of red- what else do you want??
Last summer I tried making a big batch of pesto to freeze for the winter- but it was a disaster. I harvested the basil too late which made it extremely bitter. All my hard work went down the drain- I was not happy. I was off making pesto for a while and yes I was buying it from the store. The store bought versions are actually quite good. For people who are working all day and don’t have time to make their own pesto- store bought is a great option- I would highly recommend it. Having a container of pesto in the fridge is very handy- it makes a great condiment for sandwiches; a big dollop on a piece of fish with a salad is a great lunch; meatballs with pesto are delicious and easy; pasta with mushrooms and pesto is out of this world- this list goes on and on.
We were going out for dinner and I wanted to eat a light lunch at home. There was nothing made in the fridge and I decided to go outside to harvest my yummy looking tomatoes. While out there, I noticed the basil plants thriving. I decided to bring some inside and make a pesto- a small quantity, just enough for the meal. I cut the tomatoes in half and remembered the green beans in the crisper. I blanched and added them to the mix. I had frozen fresh pasta which I decided to use. The whole thing came together in just a few minutes. The pesto was absolutely delicious and so was the salad. There were a few pieces of leftover chicken from a restaurant which worked out very nicely with this dish.
I think this would be a great accompaniment to any barbecue or nice just by itself for a light lunch. Grilled shirmp or chicken would taste delicious in this dish as well- again sky is the limit- enjoy!
Easy and Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Pasta Salad
This is probably my favorite pasta salad to make in the summer. Although it can be made year round, it tastes the best in the middle of summer when all the ingredients are bursting with flavor. I brought fresh tomatoes from my backyard- this year the tomatoes have been amazing. With all the rain we have had, they are red and delicious. I like to grow cherry tomatoes- I find them easier to work with because of their size. I also harvested fresh basil from the herb garden- the sweet aroma was amazing!
I cut the tomatoes and added a bit salt and minced garlic. The tomatoes macerated for a few hours on my counter and till the delicious juices came out. In the meantime, I cooked the bowtie pasta and cut up fresh mozzarella. I use fresh mozzarella all year long but somehow paired with the fresh tomatoes and basil, it tastes extra special. I added the cheese onto the warm pasta so it would slowly begin to melt and flavor it. I added the macerated tomatoes, salt and most importantly balsamic vinegar.
Balsamic vinegar is a very essential vinegar in my pantry. I love it’s sweet and tart flavor and use it for salads all the time. It is available quite inexpensively and is worth having it at home. It is yummy on fresh strawberries, especially if you make a glaze out of it.
The whole salad came together in minutes. The pasta, fresh mozzarella, basil and tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar. I topped it off with some freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese.
I took the salad to a friends house and she grilled some chicken and made a green salad. We had a delicious white wine with it and life was good!
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