Shrimp Salad with Lime Honey Dressing

adapted from Zona Spray

Zest of ½ lime, juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons sesame oil, plus additional for sautéing

3 tablespoons canola oil, plus additional for sautéing

6 cups fresh greens

1 ½ pounds peeled raw shrimp

1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Minced chives

   

        To make the dressing, mix lime juice and zest, salt, pepper, and honey in a food processor or blender.  With the machine running, add both oils in a thin stream.  Divide greens among plates and drizzle with a small amount of dressing.

        Sauté the shrimp in a hot pan with a little combined sesame and canola oil.  When shrimp is just cooked, add remaining dressing to the pan and heat to warm. Spoon shrimp over the greens and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chives. 

        Makes 6 servings.

Tabouleh with Feta

    A great salad for when it’s too hot to cook.  It can also be served as a dip with tortilla chips or pita bread crisps—or you can eat it with a large spoon out of the container while standing in front of the open refrigerator as I sometimes do.

1 pound bulgur wheat            

¾ cup fresh lemon juice          

3 cups very hot water                

1 large cucumber, chopped     

4 medium tomatoes, chopped  

1 medium red onion, chopped    

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped mint

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

½- ¾ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Lettuce leaves

  

        Place the bulgur wheat in a large mixing bowl and pour the lemon juice, and then the hot water, over it.  Let stand until the bulgur is tender.  Drain off any excess liquid.

       Add cucumber, tomatoes, onion, garlic, parsley, mint, and feta and toss to combine. Dress with enough olive oil to make the salad moist but not runny.  Season with salt and pepper.

       Refrigerate the salad for several hours to allow flavors to blend.  Serve on lettuce leaves, cold or at room temperature. 

        Makes 6-8 servings.

Grilled Portabello Mushroom and Spinach Salad with Gruyere

One of my favorite salads.  A great reason to pull out your grill this spring!

1 pound whole portabello mushrooms

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; more for drizzling

Kosher salt

4 cups baby spinach

¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

2 ounces Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced

Fleur de sel (French sea salt) or additional kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

   

        Prepare a grill for cooking.  While grill heats, wipe the mushrooms clean and trim off the stems.  Scrape out the black gills with the side of a spoon.  Put the mushrooms in a large bowl, drizzle with 5 tablespoons of olive oil, and gently toss.  Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and toss again.  Grill the mushrooms directly over the heat until tender and well-marked, 3 to 5 minutes on each side.  Remove from grill and quickly cut into 1-inch slices.

         Portion the spinach among 4 plates and top with the hot mushrooms.  Garnish with the nuts and cheese and a generous drizzle of olive oil.  Sprinkle lightly with fleur de sel and a grind of pepper.  Serve immediately. 

Makes 4 servings.

Spanish Roasted Pepper Salad

        Halve and seed 6 red bell peppers.  Broil them, skin side up, until skin is blackened, about 15 minutes.  Wrap in foil and cool to room temperature.  Slip the skins off and divide the pepper halves among 6 plates.  Top with very thinly sliced red onion.  Sprinkle with red wine vinegar, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

        Makes 6 servings.

Corn, Orzo, and Basil Salad

(adapted from Jerry Traunfeld, The Herbal Kitchen)

½ medium red onion, finely diced

¼ cup white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons kosher salt

¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

4 large ears sweet corn, shucked

8 ounces orzo pasta

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice

1 ½ cups torn basil leaves

    Stir the red onion, vinegar, lime juice, salt, and pepper together in a large mixing bowl.  Let it sit while you continue with the recipe, allowing the acidic ingredients to mellow the raw bite of the onion.

    Hold the ears of corn upright on a large cutting board and cut off the kernels, being careful to cut so deep you shave the cob.  They should give you about 5 cups of kernels.

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the orzo, and when it is just tender, after about 8 minutes, add the corn kernels to the pot.  Cook until the water boils again, then drain in a colander, and rinse with cold water.

    Stir the olive oil into the bowl with the dressed onion.  Toss in the pasta and corn, red pepper, and basil until evenly combined.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

    Makes 10 servings.

Maple Salad Dressing

    Whisk 1/4 cup prepared mayonnaise, 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, and 2 teaspoons sugar together in a medium bowl.  Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup vegetable oil, drizzling it in a thin stream.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate; dressing can be made 3 days ahead. Makes about 1 cup.

    For a great fall salad combine fresh spinach,  sliced pears, red onion, gold raisins, and pecans and drizzle with Maple Salad Dressing.