Chef Monsta: I cook, therefore I blog » Salads

French Potato Salad

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 01:43:17 +0000

I feel like I have already been to at least a dozen barbecues this summer. While I am not complaining, (the opportunity to eat meat on a grill never leaves me dissatisfied) I have noticed some patterns. Coleslaw, macaroni salad, and potato salad keep showing up on my plate- all drenched in mayo. Here’s a version of a lighter non-mayo-ed potato salad with mustard vinaigrette, eggs and haricot vert.

Ingredients:
2 pounds fingerling potatoes
4 eggs, hardboiled and halved
1/2 lb haricot vert
salt and pepper
water, for boiling

Vinaigrette:
2 anchovies
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Bring water to a boil; add potatoes. In another pot, hard boil 4 eggs.

Cook green beans for 5 minutes in boiled water. Rinse in ice-cold water.

Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in food processor. Puree until smooth.

When potatoes cool down, mix with green beans and toss in dressing and hard boiled egg.

Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Bring this to a barbecue and impress your friends!

Steak and Arugula Salad

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:32:06 +0000

This steak salad is so easy to prepare and is a great for any meal and any season.

Steak Marinade:
1/2 c soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
fresh black pepper
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Salad:
1/2 lb mushrooms
2 scallions, chopped
2 c arugula
1 Israeli cucumber, chopped
1 Roma tomato, chopped
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

In a bowl, marinade the steak in the soy sauce, oil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Set aside for half hour to absorb flavors.

Chop the tomato, cuke, and toss into bowl of arugula.

In a pan, saute scallion and mushrooms for about 4 minutes (until mushrooms become golden). Add minute steak and sautee about 3 minutes each side. Set aside.

While the steak sits, add the sauteed mushrooms, scallions, and toasted pine nuts.

Chop the steak into thin slices.

Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Sweet Eggplant Salad

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:36:16 +0000

Japanese eggplant with miso is one of my favorite things to eat and I wonder: What other flavors could I add to sweeten this delicious vegetable? Adding honey, pomegranate seeds, mirin, and chopped mint was my rationale, and here was the result…

Sautee cubed eggplant in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Add honey, pomegranate seeds, mirin, and chopped mint.

Sautee on low flame for 20 minutes. Serve it at room temp or chilled. I’m sorry I don’t have a prettier picture to show you! I just wanted to get down to the business (eating).

Chickpea Orzo Salad

admin — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 21:48:33 +0000

Just thought I would post a yummy side dish to any meal. It’s a simple “salad” of orzo, chickpeas, mint, parsley, red onion, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper.

Pretty colors, healthy, and so easy. No need for directions!

A Deep-Fried Salad

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:36:58 +0000

I eat a lot of salads. Usually for lunch at the “make your own salad bar” and I keep it real. Veggies and dressing. No funny business. But I have never eaten a deep fried salad, until now. It kind of defeats the purpose of eating healthy, but it fulfills its destiny of being delicious.

Goat Cheese, Tomato, Basil, and Arugula Salad

Cherry tomatoes and basil.

One part balsamic vinegar, one part olive oil, one part honey.

Marinate the tomatoes and chopped basil in the balsamic vinaigrette.

You can use store bought breadcrumbs or make your own. I used whole wheat pita and put them through the food processor. Instant fresh breadcrumbs.

Now an assembly line is in order. 1 egg, whisked, flour and breadcrumbs. Cut the goat cheese into discs (be careful since it is crumbly), dredge in flour, egg, then breadcrumbs, repeat. Coating it twice makes a thick crust so that it becomes crispy and also protects the goat cheese from melting when it is fried.

Heat oil in a small pot. You may use flax or grapeseed, which are great for frying. I used vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, drop your goat cheese disc in the oil. After about 30-45 seconds, it will be golden brown. Fish it out of the oil and set aside.

A bed of arugula, the tomato basil mixture and goat cheese! Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad, and bon apetit.