House Vinaigrette

I started making my own salad dressings a few years ago when I opened the fridge one day and realized there were at least ten half-empty bottles of dressing languishing on the bottom shelf. I have a real commitment problem when it comes to salad dressing. I buy a new dressing every other time I hit the grocery store because I am seduced by the sexy packaging of just about every product in the condiment aisle and because I apparently suffer from some sort of amnesia that prevents me from remembering that I already have bottles upon bottles waiting forlornly in my fridge. I bring home my newest salad companion, pour it lavishly all over my salads for a few days and then promptly forget about it by the time my next shopping trip rolls around on the weekend. So the end result is the aforementioned army of salad dressing bottles sitting in my fridge that will never be used up before their expiration dates, which is wasteful to say the least. I’m really trying to be less wasteful and more creative in the kitchen so I’ve started whisking together my own dressings, making just enough for a few salads at a time. This minimizes waste, ensures freshness and allows me to switch up my dressings on a whim.

I prefer dressings of the vinaigrette persuasion because I like my salad dressed sharply with the tang of vinegar and the smoothness of olive oil. My house vinaigrette recipe uses white balsamic vinegar, a personal favorite because of its great balance between acidity and sweetness. White balsamic vinegar is much paler than traditional balsamic vinegar and has a lighter taster that marries well with all kind of salads. I love regular balsamic vinegar but sometimes it’s a bit too much for more delicate salads. This house vinaigrette tastes great as is but it’s also the perfect base for all kinds of herbs and seasonings so you can add a pinch of this or a dash of that to enhance whatever style of meal you’re making.

HOUSE VINAIGRETTE

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Allow to sit for for a few minutes to allow the garlic to infuse its flavor.

Remove garlic and whisk thoroughly before serving.

Makes scant 1/2 cup of dressing. Enough for 2 to 4 salads, depending on how wet you like your salad.

Flavoring Suggestions:

Italian Vinaigrette: Add 1 teaspoon dried basil and a pinch of thyme or oregano

Spanish Vinaigrette: Instead of white balsamic vinegar use sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar. Add 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin.

French Vinaigrette: Increase sugar to 1/2 teaspoon. Add 1 teaspoon herbes de provence or 1 teaspoon tarragon and 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel.

Garlic Vinaigrette: Omit crushed garlic. Instead whisk in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic paste, created by mashing a garlic clove with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt until very smooth. Add 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley.

P.S. – Check out the beautiful yellow mixing bowl and mini whisk in the picture. My BFF Emily picked it up for me at a little place called Mark Klammer Pottery in upstate New York last year. This set has become my go-to tool for mixing up salad dressing in a flash. The heart shaped design is gorgeous and ingenious! The design is ergonomic so you can easily cradle the bowl with one hand by placing your thumb in the curved indent at the top of the heart, while whisking with the other. The little spout formed by the point of the heart allows you to serve and pour the dressing right out of the mixing bowl. Love it!

Broccoli Salad with Whole Grain Dijon & Dill Vinaigrette

We celebrated my son’s 10th birthday a couple weekends ago. In between trying to wrap my head around the fact that my baby boy had reached the double digits and preparing the house for company, I tried to convince said baby boy that German potato salad would be a great dish to serve with his favorite Garlic Burgers. He did not agree. He might be only ten years old but he is very opinionated about food and made it very clear that potato salad of any kind was not acceptable. I tried to change his mind by pointing out that German potato salad has bacon in it (which he loves) but he did not give in. Although, he did suggest that we fry up some bacon to put on the burgers, a thought which I did seriously entertain. But then I went grocery shopping for the party and forgot to buy the bacon so that was that and no one had any bacon for their burgers. We finally agreed upon a marinated broccoli salad. I sort of couldn’t believe it. Given a choice between a potato salad with BACON and broccoli, my kid chose the broccoli. What can I say? Best. Kid. Ever.

This recipe makes enough for 10 because it was created for a party but you can cut the ingredients in half to serve 4 or 5 people if you want. This salad keeps incredibly well in the fridge so you might want to make a full recipe and eat the leftovers throughout the week. The broccoli only gets better the longer it marinates in the vinaigrette.

BROCCOLI SALAD with WHOLE GRAIN DIJON & DILL VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dill
2 pounds broccoli florets
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 romaine heart, shredded
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
2 lemons

Whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, garlic, mustard and dill in a small bowl.

Blanch broccoli florets in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and shock in an ice bath to preserve color and to stop cooking. Drain again.

Combine the broccoli, cucumber, red onion and red peppers in a large bowl. Toss with the vinaigrette. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.

Right before serving, place the shredded lettuce and parsley in a large serving platter. Pour the marinated vegetables over the lettuce.

Zest the two lemons and add the zest to the salad.

Juice the lemons and pour the juice over the salad.

If desired, toss gently before serving.

Serves 10.

Avocado Chop Salad

Avocados are one of nature’s most delicious gifts to human beings because they taste great and have the added benefit of being good for you and good for the planet. They’re cholesterol free, sodium free and low in saturated fat, which means we can indulge without feeling guilty. And avocado orchards inhibit erosion, stabilize soil and prevent flooding – not too shabby for such a humble looking fruit! But let’s go back to talking about how great avocados taste. Their smooth, creamy texture and cool, slightly sweet flavor make them a natural addition to salads of all varieties. I especially like the combination of avocado, cilantro and lime that you usually find in guacamole so here’s a salad that plays with those familiar flavors but adds in the unexpected surprise of mint.

AVOCADO CHOP SALAD

20 cherry tomatoes, halved if small, quartered if large
1/2 cup diced seedless cucumber
1 small red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup chopped or shredded baby spinach
2 Hass avocados, diced into bite size pieces
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped mint
2 teaspoons Ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
juice of 1 or 2 limes
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place tomatoes, cucumber, onion, spinach, avocados, cilantro and mint in a large bowl.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the salad.

Gently combine with a large spoon until the salad is coated with the dressing. Take care not to smoosh the avocado pieces.

Serve immediately.

Serves 2 well or 4 as a side salad.

Green Bean Salad

I’m lucky to have kids who don’t turn up their noses at green vegetables. Actually, I’m lucky to have one kid who will eat just about anything and another who will eat almost anything as long as it’s served with a side of ketchup. Green beans are a popular vegetable at my house so we eat them often, about once a week.

I love green beans cooked almost any way but I really enjoy them in cold salads. When the weather warms up, I try to move away from the hot vegetable dishes that graced our wintertime table and take advantage of lighter salads that highlight fresh vegetables and fresh herbs. Green beans are the perfect vehicle to showcase fresh herbs so we eat a lot of green bean salad in the late spring and summer, when fresh herbs are in season. My family’s favorite green bean salad is fantastic because you can play around with the herbs in the recipe and use whatever you have on hand or whatever you particularly like. I often use Italian flat leaf parsley because I always have a big bunch in the fridge but I also love using fresh basil, dill or oregano. Instead of using a solo herb, you can also mix and match your favorites for a more complex and sophisticated herb flavor. Some of my favorite combos for this salad are basil and mint (amazing, by the way), oregano and thyme, and parsley and dill.

GREEN BEAN SALAD

For the salad:
12 ounces green beans, steamed and shocked in ice water to preserve color (drain thoroughly)
1 plum tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
handful of Italian flat parsley leaves or other fresh herbs

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the croutons:
3 slices white bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the steamed green beans, tomato, onion, garlic and the fresh herbs in a large bowl or platter.

Prepare the dressing by whisking together the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, vinegar, vinegar and mustard in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to assemble the salad. (You can do this step a day ahead. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.)

Toss the bread cubes with the remaining olive oil, garlic powder and salt.

Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Bake for 5 minutes then stir the bread cubes. Bake for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the cubes are dry and golden brown. Allow to cool completely before adding to salad. (You can prepare the croutons a day or two ahead. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.)

To assemble the salad, gently toss the vegetables with the dressing. Mix in the croutons. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 as a light meal, 4 as a side dish.

Pink Peppercorn Crusted Cornish Game Hens with Arugula Salad

Cornish game hens are cute and dainty little things, aren’t they? But don’t be fooled by their small size- two people can dine quite well on a single hen. The best feature of Cornish game hens is the exquisite ratio of crisp, roasted skin to succulent meat because, unlike bigger birds, game hens have a much smaller amount of meat in comparison to skin surface. Game hens are also great because they’re ready to eat in less than an hour after minimal prep work, perfect for a night when you want something a little more special than plain old chicken but don’t have the energy to spend a lot of time beating a bigger hunk of meat into submission.

Game hens have a neutral flavor so they’ll taste great with almost any seasoning you’d like to try but make sure to use a liberal amount of salt because salt helps the skin crisp up in the oven. This recipe uses kosher salt, dill and pink peppercorns, which aren’t actually peppercorns but little dried berries that have a peppery yet sweet taste. If you can’t find pink peppercorns then substitute white peppercorns, although white peppercorns will have more bite and less sweetness.

PINK PEPPERCORN CRUSTED GAME HENS WITH ARUGULA SALAD

2 Cornish game hens, about 1 3/4 pounds each
2 tablespoon butter at room temperature
1 small lemon
1/2 tablespoon pink peppercorns, crushed
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups arugula
1 large vine ripe tomato, sliced
1 large shallot, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the game hens in a small baking pan so that they are close together but not touching.

Use your fingers to massage one tablespoon of butter into the skin of each game hen.

Halve the lemon and squeeze one half over each of the game hens. Place the squeezed halves inside the cavities of the hens.

Mix together the peppercorns, dill and salt in a small bowl. Rub half of the spice mixture onto the skin of each game hen.

Roast in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile, arrange the tomatoes and shallots on top of the arugula in a serving bowl.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard. Drizzle over the salad.

To serve the game hens, use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut each one in half along the center of the breastbone and through the bones on the underside.

Serves 4.

Andouille Sausage with Warm Fennel & Endive Salad over Polenta

Anyone who has ever watched Emeril on the Food Network knows about andouille sausage because it was one of his favorite ingredients. But in case you don’t know, here’s a little primer:

1. Andouille sausage originated in France before making its way to America, where it is commonly used in Cajun delicacies like jumbalaya and gumbo.
2. Andouille sausage is made from pork and usually heavily spiced with pepper and garlic. Down in Cajun country, andouille is smoked over pecan wood and sugar cane, which give the sausage its smoky hallmark.
3. Andouille sausage is ridiculously delicious. Try some if you never have. You’ll love it.

In this dish, the andouille is sauteed quickly and and presented with a warm salad that is a cinch to put together. The overall preparation is simple but there is one catch – you must plan ahead by a few hours because you need to cook the polenta and then give it time to cool down before you can finish preparing the rest of the whole meal. You can even make the polenta the day before if that makes your life easier. Or, buy premade polenta at the supermarket. Look for it near the Italian specialty foods, like the capers and marinated artichokes. Premade polenta is usually wrapped in plastic and shaped like a cylinder. Peel off the wrapper, slice and saute. Very easy.

ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE WITH WARM FENNEL & ENDIVE SALAD OVER POLENTA

4 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick cooking polenta
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons olive oil

12 ounces andouille sausage, cut on the diagonal into 1 inch thick slices
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium fennel bulb
1 head of Belgian endive
1 small yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
4 or 5 sprigs of fresh parsley

For the polenta:

Heat water and salt to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly pour in the polenta, whisking constantly in one direction until all of the polenta is in the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon until the polenta thickens, about five minutes. Stir in butter, pepper and dried parsley.

Pour into a greased 9 inch square or circle pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool completely in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. Polenta will become firm to the touch. Once firm, turn out onto a cutting board and slice into nine wedges.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add a few slices of the polenta and saute until lightly browned, about three minutes. Flip over carefully and brown the other side. Remove to platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and polenta.

OR

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush the polenta wedges with the olive oil and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned on top, about five minutes. Flip over and brown the other side. Remove to platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

For the andouille, fennel and endive salad:

Shave the fennel, endive and onion using a mandoline or slice very thinly with a sharp knife.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the andouille in a single layer and saute until browned and crisp. Turn over pieces and brown the other side. You might need to cook the andouille in two batches. Remove the andouille and place on the platter with the polenta.

Add the teaspoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes, until slightly softened.

Add the fennel and garlic. Saute for two or three minutes, until the fennel softens but isn’t too limp.

Add the endive and season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the fennel mixture onto the platter. Cover to keep warm.

Add the red wine vinegar and olive oil to the pan. Whisk to combine, scraping up any brown bits that have collected on the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the dijon mustard. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the warm dressing over the fennel mixture.

Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Roasted Pepper & Onion Salad with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette

The supermarket was having a sale on red bell peppers so I bought way too many. My family will be eating red bell peppers with almost every dinner for the rest of the week. Sorry, guys! Fortunately, bell peppers are versatile so we won’t get too bored. They can be cooked just about any way and they take on many different seasonings so well. I also like how bell peppers add a mellow sweetness to any dish when they are sauteed or roasted. In this recipe, the sweetness of roasted peppers provides the backdrop for an assertive vinaigrette featuring smoked paprika and garlic.

ROASTED BELL PEPPER AND ONION SALAD WITH SMOKED PAPRIKA VINAIGRETTE

2 large red, yellow or orange bell peppers, seeded and cut in large wedges
1 large onion, peeled and halved
3 cups of baby spinach
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 garlic clove, mashed into a paste
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro or parsley

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, smoked paprika, salt and garlic.

Turn on the broiler to its highest temperature.

Place the peppers, skin side up, and the onions, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Broil 5-7 inches away from the heat for about 10 minutes, until the peppers and onions are charred and have softened.

Place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes

Remove onions to a cutting board while still warm. Take off the blackened outer skin and discard. Cut the onion into small wedges. Add onions to vinaigrette.

Remove peppers from bowl while still warm. Carefully peel off the charred skins and discard. Cut the peppers into strips and add to vinaigrette and onions.

Toss peppers and onions in vinaigrette until coated.

Arrange the spinach on a serving platter. Spoon the peppers and onions on top of the spinach. Drizzle over any vinaigrette remaining in the bowl.

Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a light lunch.