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Roasted Cherry Tomato and Corn Salad
Over the weekend I found some ripe cherry tomatoes, and my first thought was to pop them in the oven to intensify all that flavor. Even in the heart of summer, I don’t shy away from the oven. Some people prefer the slow tending of meat over a grill, but I prefer keeping a watchful eye over a sheet full of slowly collapsing tomatoes. As I popped each one off the vine, I thought of how my father would stop by just to search my overgrown plants for the tomatoes that were ready to be picked, and which I might have missed. Most of the time I didn’t even know…
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Spinach Salad with Pickled Red Onions, Manchego, and Honeyed Walnuts
Ribbony red onions, shavings of Manchego cheese, and crunchy, sweet walnuts provide such intense flavor that the only dressing needed for this spinach salad is a drizzle of olive oil. With a dose of vinegar from the quick pickling process, red onions contribute to the flavor of a vinaigrette. In fact, all of the toppings are rather playful, lending vibrancy to this salad. The cheese has a distinct nuttiness, the nuts are coated in the sweetness of honey, and the sweet qualities of red onion are transformed with pickled flavor. Ingredients Baby spinach Aged manchego cheese Quick pickled red onions Honeyed walnuts Quick Pickled Red Onions 1 medium red onion…
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Roasted Olives and Goat Cheese
“Over the light of the Italian sea Is the despair of olive trees” – From “Ode to Olive Oil” by Pablo Neruda Prized by the ancients, the olive tree and its fruit appear in mythology, food traditions, and trade. From the bed of Odysseus, which was shaped from a living olive tree, to the burning of Athenian groves by the Spartans, the olive is entwined in Mediterranean culture and history. Growing up, olives were always on the table in one form or another. When they weren’t being eaten, they were often talked about. Someone always knew someone who had olive trees or who was thinking of trying their hand at…
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Golden Beet Salad with Feta
With their long stems and bright greens, beets lure in quite a few people at the market. They pick them up but then put them down. On their faces I sometimes see the flashbacks to horrible childhood beet experiences, many beginning with the canned red ones. If you have such memories, I recommend the golden variety as the gateway beet that might just make you change your opinion. In contrast to their red counterparts, golden beets are more mellow and slightly sweeter. They perk up with the addition of white wine vinaigrette and feta, making a great lunch salad or side dish. Since beets are filling but won’t leave you…
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Green Goddess Buttermilk Vinaigrette
Whether it is the crumb on a muffin or the chile chive drizzle on a piece of freshly grilled fish, I love a good topping. This green goddess buttermilk vinaigrette has become my latest go-to dressing for salads, smoked salmon, and sandwiches. If you’re looking for a healthy and incredibly delicious way to add an extra layer of flavor to a dish, this recipe will not disappoint. Green goddess is traditionally made with mayonnaise and sour cream, but I lightened it up a bit. In the form of buttermilk vinaigrette, the dressing is thicker than a typical oil and vinegar emulsion, but healthy enough that you can use it liberally.…
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