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salads [2016/05/11 14:38] Leslie Cambias [Bibb Lettuce Salad] |
salads [2024/07/08 02:04] (current) Jim [Celery Seed Dressing] |
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| ======SALADS====== | ======SALADS====== | ||
| - | //We were a lettuce and tomato salad kind of household when I was growing up. | ||
| - | It is assumed that you, dear reader, have sense enough to salt and pepper the following as needed – or to add a garnish of parsley, etc. when appropriate. Always wash greens.// | + | //It is assumed that you, dear reader, have sense enough to salt and pepper the following as needed – or to add a garnish of parsley, etc. when appropriate. Always wash greens.// |
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| ====Jellied Tomato Aspic==== | ====Jellied Tomato Aspic==== | ||
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| - | Since it is always served with lettuce, and cold, it is hereby declared a salad. | ||
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| *2 cups of chicken or beef stock or aspic | *2 cups of chicken or beef stock or aspic | ||
| *2 tablespoons of gelatine mixed with 2 tablespoons of water | *2 tablespoons of gelatine mixed with 2 tablespoons of water | ||
| - | *1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco (or to taste) | + | *1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco (or to taste) |
| *1/4 onion, chopped; tarragon, thyme and bay to taste | *1/4 onion, chopped; tarragon, thyme and bay to taste | ||
| - | Add the spices and onion to the stock and bring to a boil, remove from the fire and let it steep for 15 minutes or so. Add the moistened gelatine. Mix it back in the stock, along with the tomato juice, and reheat it - stirring well. Strain through a hair sieve or a cheese cloth into a container or mold. Taste for seasoning, remembering that it will have less flavor when chilled. | + | Add the spices and onion to the stock and bring to a boil, remove from the fire and let it steep for 15 minutes or so. Add the moistened gelatine. Mix it back in the stock, along with the tomato juice, and reheat it - stirring well. Strain through a hair sieve or a cheese cloth into a container or mold. Taste for seasoning, remembering that it will have less flavor when chilled. Refrigerate the mix for two hours or more, so that is thoroughly jelled and cold. |
| - | Cut into chunky pieces and serve on a green salad. | + | Cut into chunky pieces and serve on a green salad. Garnish with hard boiled egg quarters, capers and a green mayonnaise. |
| - | It can also be made into a jellied loaf containing cut - up cooked or raw vegetables or chicken, or both. Get creative. Mayonnaise is a good dressing on jellied aspic. See [[chicken#aspic]] in the Chicken section. | + | It can also be made into a jellied loaf containing cut - up cooked or raw vegetables with chicken or shrimp. Get creative. See [[chicken#aspic]] in the Chicken section. |
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| ====Chiffonade Salad==== | ====Chiffonade Salad==== | ||
| - | This is my standard company dinner salad. Break off several leaves of Boston or other tender lettuce, take out the center ribs, roll the leaves together and cut across in ½ inch pieces to make strips. Dress at the last minute with vinaigrette containing a beaten coddled egg, or leave out the egg and top the salad with a Mimosa garnish – hard boiled egg yolk pushed through a strainer. Place it on the center, then sieve the white around it. Dress with vinaigrette. //Chiffon// means rags in French. | + | This is our standard dinner salad when company's coming. Break off several leaves of Boston or other tender lettuce, take out the center ribs, roll the leaves together and cut across in ½ inch pieces to make strips. Dress at the last minute with vinaigrette containing a beaten coddled egg, or leave out the egg and top the salad with a Mimosa garnish – hard boiled egg yolk pushed through a strainer. Place it on the center, then sieve the white around it. Dress with vinaigrette. //Chiffon// means rags in French. |
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| ====Cucumber and Tomato==== | ====Cucumber and Tomato==== | ||
| - | This can be found in every food court, but it is still one of my favorite foods when tomatoes are in season. Peel a cucumber and cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and slice it across. Peel and thinly slice a purple onion. Clean 2 or 3 tomatoes and cut them into eighths (or quarters if they are small). Toss it all with vinaigrette and let it rest in the fridge, covered, to meld the flavors. Best when it is about a day old. | + | This can be found in every food court, and it is still a favorite when tomatoes are in season. Peel a cucumber and cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and slice it across. Peel and thinly slice a purple onion. Clean 2 or 3 tomatoes and cut them into eighths (or quarters if they are small). Toss it all with vinaigrette and let it rest in the fridge, covered, to meld the flavors. Best when it is about a day old. |
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| ====Grapefruit with Avocado==== | ====Grapefruit with Avocado==== | ||
| - | Cut the avocado into ½” slices. Peel the grapefruit and section it. This is done by cutting to the center along one of the dividing membranes then turning the knife to scoop out the section. Work over a bowl to save the juice, then squeeze the juice from the cleaned membranes. | + | Cut the avocado into ½” slices. Peel the grapefruit and section it. This is done by cutting to the center along one of the dividing membranes then turning the knife to scoop out the section. Work over a bowl to save the juice, and squeeze the debris. |
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| ====Iceberg Salad==== | ====Iceberg Salad==== | ||
| - | Another old fashioned salad that is rarely seen now is Iceberg lettuce with Russian dressing. We had this about twice a year. The old recipe has an eighth wedge of a head of lettuce plopped on a plate and dressed with mayonnaise mixed with a little ketchup and chopped sweet pickle and minced hard-boiled egg. An easy one is mayo mixed with a mild salsa from the jar. Great for lazy cooks and old guys trying to relive their childhood. | + | Another old fashioned salad that is rarely seen now is Iceberg lettuce with Russian dressing. We had this about twice a year. The old recipe has an eighth wedge of a head of lettuce plopped on a plate and dressed with mayonnaise mixed with a little ketchup and chopped sweet pickle and minced hard-boiled egg. An easy one is mayo mixed with a mild salsa from the jar - also with egg and pickle. Great for lazy cooks and old guys trying to relive their childhood. |
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| The first time we ever saw broccoli was at the old Delmonico’s on St. Charles in the late 1940’s. It was almost unknown in those days, at least in New Orleans. They topped the small dinner salad with a piece of cooked broccoli and an olive. | The first time we ever saw broccoli was at the old Delmonico’s on St. Charles in the late 1940’s. It was almost unknown in those days, at least in New Orleans. They topped the small dinner salad with a piece of cooked broccoli and an olive. | ||
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| - | Cooked broccoli and cauliflower both make good salads. Others worth a mention are ground artichokes (now renamed "sunchokes" by California), asparagus, spinach, roasted red sweet peppers, and on and on. | + | |
| Try adding some small cubes of raw apple to potato salad. | Try adding some small cubes of raw apple to potato salad. | ||
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| - | Serve in a hollowed tomato. Chop the tomato flesh scooped from it along with some basil or parsley to garnish the stuffed tomato. Get the tomatoes very cold before putting the cucumber ice in them. Serve on a chiffonade of lettuce. | + | Serve in a hollowed tomato. Chop the tomato flesh scooped from it along with some basil or parsley to garnish the top. Get the tomatoes very cold before putting the cucumber ice in them. Serve on a chiffonade of lettuce. |
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| - | The vinegar quality is very important, and the best is the Italian or French wine vinegar. We also liked a good cider vinegar. Keep a bottle of cheap cider vinegar to use for acidulating water, etc. instead of wasting the expensive one. Balsamic vinegar is almost always a fraud - with sugar and caramel color added. The real thing takes 30 years to make, and is incredibly expensive and hard to get. | + | The vinegar quality is very important, and the best is the Italian or French wine vinegar. We also liked a good cider vinegar. Keep a bottle of cheap vinegar to use for acidulating water, etc. instead of wasting the expensive one. Balsamic vinegar is almost always a fraud - with sugar and caramel color added. The real thing takes 30 years to make, and is incredibly expensive and hard to get. |
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| This word is pronounced mayonnaise (my-on-ez), not main-ayze. | This word is pronounced mayonnaise (my-on-ez), not main-ayze. | ||
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| + | ====Celery Seed Dressing==== | ||
| + | *1 teaspoon salt | ||
| + | *1 teaspoon dry mustard | ||
| + | *1 teaspoon paprika | ||
| + | *1 teaspoon ground celery seed | ||
| + | *1/2 cup sugar | ||
| + | *1/4 cup vinegar | ||
| + | *1 cup salad oil | ||
| + | *1 tablespoon minced onion | ||
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| + | Combine all ingredients. Beat in blender until it combines and thickens a little. Chill. | ||
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| + | ====Cream Dressing==== | ||
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| + | This is contributed by Jim Cambias, from a recipe by Daddy's favorite celebrity chef Jacques Pepin. It's quite simple and very good. | ||
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| + | *1/4 cup heavy cream | ||
| + | *1/4 teaspoon salt | ||
| + | *1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper | ||
| + | *1 & 1/2 teaspoon vinegar | ||
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| + | Combine cream, salt, and pepper, then beat until the cream thickens, not quite to the point of becoming whipped cream. Mix in the vinegar, and there you are. One could easily add chopped dill or chopped fresh basil. | ||
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| ====Okra Salad==== | ====Okra Salad==== | ||
| - | This takes me back to my youth when we had this in Summer. My mother would pick out very small okra – about 2 inches long, and boil them until soft. Okra is tough as a boot when raw, and needs to be boiled to the soft and slimy stage. This requires about 15 minutes or more, with frequent stirring. When they are soft (including the caps) drain and let it cool. Dress with vinaigrette and refrigerate. | + | Maw-maw would pick out very small okra – about 2 inches long, and boil them in salted water until soft. Okra is tough as a boot when raw, and needs to be boiled to the soft and slimy stage, but not stringy. This requires about 15 minutes or more, with frequent stirring. Taste. When they are soft (including the caps) drain and let it cool. Dress with vinaigrette and refrigerate. |
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| + | ====Tuna-Rice Salad by Jim Cambias==== | ||
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| + | This comes from a cookbook called //Enoteca//, by Joyce Goldstein, and I suspect my father picked it up intending to have a good laugh. However, it's a surprisingly good and useful book, and he wound up getting some extra copies to send out as gifts. The Tuna-Rice salad has become a summertime favorite at my house, so when I cook rice I often make extra to use in making this dish a few days later. | ||
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| + | *1 cup of dry rice, cooked à la Creole (or just in a rice cooker) | ||
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| + | *Dressing of 3/4 cup olive oil mixed with the juice of a lemon, with salt and pepper | ||
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| + | *1/2 cup chopped red onion | ||
| + | *1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley | ||
| + | *10 ounces of canned tuna (or seared tuna if you have some left over) | ||
| + | *1 can of flat anchovy fillets | ||
| + | *Tomato wedges (optional) | ||
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| + | Cook the rice then let cool. Mix about half the dressing with the rice, along with the onion and parsley, then turn out into your serving bowl. Make a little well in the center and fill with the tuna and anchovies, then pour the remaining dressing over the fish. Decorate the edge with the tomato wedges and serve. This is enough for four to six people as a main dish. Have some bread handy to sop up the delicious fishy oil. | ||