Salads & Dressings

Summer Salad of Roasted Fruit and Pork

Earlier this week I grilled a pork tenderloin with goat cheese. Last night I decided to create a summer salad with the leftovers. It was quite delish!

Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons honey
¼ cup olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar ~ experiment with various vinegars for different flavors
Juice of ½ lemon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

First whisk together all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl and set aside.

Leftover medallions of pork tenderloin with goat cheese 
½-3/4 pound pancetta
Olive oil
½ pound goat cheese crumbles
Baby Spinach
6 peaches – cut into quarters, unpeeled

Place peaches in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar. Toss to coat and bake in a 425 degree oven until they are tender and starting to brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Fry the pancetta until the fat is rendered, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan with the pancetta drippings. Add the vinaigrette to the sauté pan and heat for a few minutes, stirring, to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Take the pan off of the heat.

Fill a large salad bowl with tender baby spinach leaves and toss with the vinaigrette. Scatter the roasted fruit, pork and pancetta over all. Sprinkle with goat cheese crumbles.

Serve with crostini spread with goat cheese.

 

Vinaigrettes

Lemon Rosemary Vinaigrette

yields about 1/2 cup

1 clove garlic, peeled

2 sprigs rosemary, stems removed

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/4 cup olive oil

Add garlic, rosemary, zest and sea salt to the bowl of the mortar. Use the pestle to mash to a paste.

Add the lemon juice in a fine drizzle, stirring and mashing during the addition. Add the olive oil, stirring and mashing during the addition.

 

Herb Vinaigrette:

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons peeled fresh garlic

8 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 tablespoons chopped lemon zest

4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, marjoram, thyme)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Freshly ground black pepper

To make the dressing: in a small food processor, combine all ingredients and blend for 45 seconds to 1 minute until emulsified. Yield: 4 servings

 

Herb Vinaigrette

Makes 1/2 cup

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1/2 teaspoon each finely chopped fresh thyme and tarragon

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk together shallot, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, thyme, tarragon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Gradually whisk in oil. 

 

Herb Vinaigrette

1  teaspoon  Dijon mustard

2  tablespoons  lemon juice

1  teaspoon  red wine vinegar

1/4  cup             extra-virgin olive oil

1  tablespoon  fresh chopped parsley

1  tablespoon  fresh chopped basil, chives, or tarragon

1/8  teaspoon  salt

In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all the ingredients. Cover and shake vigorously. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper.

 

Greek Herb Vinaigrette

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, plus extra for garnish

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Roasted Shredded Brussels Waldorf Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 servings

2 lbs brussels sprouts, shredded, washed, and dried

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 cup chopped apples (I used pink lady)

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

 

Maple Cider Vinaigrette

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp good maple syrup

1 tsp sriracha (optional but gives it a little something extra)

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Prepare vinaigrette:

Whisk together all ingredients, streaming olive oil in at the end.  This vinaigrette is best prepared ahead of time and refrigerated a few hours to develop flavors, but it will still be good if used immediately.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Pour shredded brussels sprouts and cranberries into a large baking dish and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring a few times.  Toast walnuts briefly in a frying pan with no oil over medium heat for 1 or 2 minutes, or until fragrant.  Pour all ingredients into a bowl and toss with vinaigrette.

 

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

1 (1 ½-pound) butternut squash, peeled and ¾-inch diced

Olive oil

1-tablespoon pure maple syrup

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons dried cranberries

¾ cup apple cider or apple juice

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry (I use whatever greens I have: mixed greens, spinach…)

½ cup walnuts, toasted

¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1-teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and toss.

Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about ¼ cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, ½ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.

Place the arugula or whatever greens you are using 1n a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten, and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

 

Caesar Salad

4 to 6 servings

Caesar Dressing
Makes 2 cups
1 egg
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic, or more to taste
½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon anchovy paste)
2/3 cup peanut oil
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the egg, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and anchovy paste in a bowl or mini processor. Slowly whisk in the oils. The dressing should be thick. Stir in the Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Use as needed with romaine lettuce salads.

Keeps for a week in the refrigerator.

Croutons
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teasoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cups cubed Fresh or sourdough bread

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make the croutons. Combine the olive oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic and thyme in a large bowl. Add the bread and toss, coating all of the croutons. Arrange the croutons in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden, turning from time to time. Remove from heat and cool. These keep for a week in a covered container.

For the Salad
1 large head of Romaine
½ cup, or more, as desired, Caesar Salad Dressing

Tear the large leaves of lettuce into smaller pieces. Toss with the croutons and dressing.
Sprinkle additional Parmesan on top if desired.