Fingerling Potato Salad with Radishes & Capers
A light, refreshing take on the American classic, tossed with red radish slices and fresh herbs.
Ingredients:
1½ pounds yellow fingerling potatoes, washed
1 cup red radishes, trimmed of greens and thinly sliced
¼ cup capers, rinsed
3 tablespoons freshly-chopped parsley
1 tablespoon freshly-chopped savory
¾ cup Summer Red Wine Vinaigrette* (see recipe)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
*For a creamier dressing, whisk ¼ cup crème fraîche into vinaigrette.
Method:
1. Cook fingerlings until just fork-tender in a large pot of salted water over medium-high heat, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and allow to cool to room temperature, then slice diagonally in half or in thirds.
2. Once cool, combine potatoes with red radish slices, capers and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Drizzle with red wine vinaigrette and toss to coat, seasoning generously with salt and pepper.
3. Refrigerate for several hours, allowing salad to come back to room temperature before serving.
Romanesco Salad
Bright Romanesco florets are tossed with an equally vibrant red wine vinaigrette, plus red onions, celery and capers in this fabulous salad from food blog Simple Recipes.
Ingredients:
2 heads Romanesco
2 stalks celery
½ large red onion
1 cup loosely-packed fresh parsley
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Dressing:
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
½ anchovy, minced (optional)
¼ cup high-quality olive oil
Method:
1. Cut Romanesco heads into quarters, stalk to tip. Cut out the tough core and any outside green leaves. Cut again lengthwise. Place into a steamer basket in a pot with about an inch of water. Sprinkle the Romanesco florets with a little salt. Bring water to a boil. Cover and steam until just tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove Romanesco florets from steamer, place into a bowl, and chill.
2. Thinly slice the celery and red onion. Place the red onion slices in a bowl and cover with water. Set aside.
3. Smash the whole clove of garlic (not cut, just smash with the flat side of a chef’s knife) and place in the bottom of a small bowl. Add the vinegar and salt, stir to dissolve the salt. Add the minced anchovy if using. Whisk in the olive oil.
4. Break up the wedges of Romanesco into smaller chunks of florets. Place into a large serving bowl. Add celery, onions (drained of the water), parsley, capers, and lemon zest. Remove the garlic clove from the dressing and add dressing to the salad. Toss to coat with the dressing. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes, preferably an hour. (It’s even better left overnight.) Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to serve.
Summer Red Wine Vinaigrette
File this one away: This versatile vinaigrette pairs beautifully with summer veggies and salads.
Ingredients:
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons combined chopped fresh herbs of your choice, such as parsley, oregano and basil
Method:
1. Whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, vinegar and honey in a medium bowl until combined.
2. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly, until the vinaigrette is smooth and thickened. Stir in the chopped herbs and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Winter Citrus & Fava Shoot Salad
This crisp, citrus-kissed salad is both bold in flavor and beautiful in presentation.
Ingredients:
1 blood orange
1 Navel orange
½ pound fava shoots
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2 fennel bulbs, quartered, cored and thinly sliced, plus a handful of the fronds
Vinaigrette:
1 shallot, peeled and minced
â…“ cup freshly squeezed juice from an orange
â…“ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
¾ cup olive oil
Sea salt salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
- Spread the salad greens out on a large, round serving platter to make a bed.
- Using a sharp paring knife, cut the tops and bottoms off the orange. Stand oranges up and slice to remove the peel and membrane. Then, slice oranges crosswise into thin wheels.
- Arrange the orange on top of the salad greens, overlapping the slices slightly. Then layer on the fennel slices. Scatter the onion slices on top of the salad.
- Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and then season with ground pepper if desired.
Cucumber & Tomato Salad with Sweet Onion
This light side salad is excellent served for lunch, or alongside a grilled protein and bread.
Ingredients:
2 slicing or Armenian cucumbers, washed and sliced into ¼-inch thick chunks
1-2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
½-1 cup Walla Walla onion rounds, thinly sliced and separated
1-2 tablespoons fresh green garlic
2-3 tablespoons combined freshly-chopped mint, basil and parsley
½ cup Summer Red Wine Vinaigrette (see recipe)
Sea salt and pepper
Method:
1. Combine tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet onion in a large bowl, then toss with green garlic and fresh herbs.
2. Drizzle with red wine vinaigrette and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper as desired and allow salad to sit for 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to combine.
Beet, Carrot & Pomegranate Salad
This colorful salad is perfect for winter and beyond.
Ingredients:
5-6 beets, cooked and peeled
2-3 carrots, peeled
½ cup pomegranate seeds
1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup pistachios, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Slice the beets and carrots thinly using a mandoline or hand held slicer. Layer on a plate or platter, alternating the beets and carrots. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and set aside.
2. Mix the red wine vinegar and honey in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle the dressing on the vegetables to coat. Add pistachios and parsley. Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed and serve immediately or at room temperature.