Lemony Celery Chickpea Salad

Dan and Emily made this for a picnic last weekend and I just made it again last night. It is super easy, tasty, healthy and lasts for a long time in the refrigerator.

Love and Lemons Every Day via Dan and Emily Cohn

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (one big lemon or more)
  • 2 garlic cloves grated
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed (2 cans)
  • 8 large celery stalks with leaves – stalks sliced on bias and leaves chopped
  • 2/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • ground black pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mustart, salt and several grinds of pepper.

Add the chickpeas, celery stalks and leaves, onion, and dill. Toss to combine. Season to taste and serve.

Zucchini Crudo

a tasty summer salad

we don’t have a mandolin but a vegetable peeler works nicely

lots of lemon is always a good thing

Zucchini Crudo,  Michael Symon via Mary Cavanaugh

Ingredients

  • 2 zucchini (about ¾ pound), thinly sliced
  • 2 yellow summer squash (about 1½ pounds), thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon plus ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 shallot, finely sliced
  • Grated zest and juice of 3 lemons, or to taste
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill

 

Combine the zucchini and yellow squash in a colander in the sink and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the salt over it. Toss to coat, and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes, no longer.

In a large bowl, combine the garlic and shallot, sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Whisk in the olive oil in a steady stream, then the almonds and dill. Taste for seasoning and acidity (it should be nicely acidic). Add the zucchini and squash to the dressing, toss, and serve immediately.

Pea, Asparagus and Fava Bean Salad

Spring Greens

This recipe is in the latest Bon Appetit and I thought it would be a great dish to serve for Easter dinner.  It was tasty, pretty and very easy.  A keeper.

Bon Appetit, April, 2013

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan
  • 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 2 cups fresh fava beans (from about 2 pounds pods) or frozen fava beans, thawed (I used frozen edame as I couldn’t find any fava beans)
  • 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, stalks peeled if thick
  • 1 cup shelled fresh peas (from about 1 pound pods) or frozen peas, thawed
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Whisk olive oil, Pecorino, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a medium bowl to blend. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Set dressing aside.

If using fresh fava beans, cook in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander set in a bowl of ice water (do not cook frozen beans). Drain and peel; place in a large bowl.

Return water in saucepan to a boil; add asparagus and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to colander in ice water.

If using fresh peas, return water in saucepan to a boil; add peas and cook until tender, about 3 minutes (do not cook frozen peas). Drain; transfer to colander in ice water. Drain vegetables. Add to bowl with fava beans.

Combine vegetable oil and shallot in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is golden brown and crisp, 10-12 minutes. Transfer shallot to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add dressing to bowl with vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Transfer salad to a serving platter and top with shallot and bacon.

DO AHEAD: Dressing and vegetables can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.

 

Sesame Noodle Salad

Ellen Bottiny

  • 1 lb. Chinese egg noodles or vermicelli
  • 3 cups vegetables, i.e. sliced carrots, peapods, tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, asparagus, bean sprouts etc.
  • 6 scallions
  • 2-3 T. sesame seeds
  • 3 ½ – 4 T. sesame oil
  • 4 T. soy sauce
  • 2 T. Balsamic vinegar or rice wine vinegar
  • 2 T. brown sugar
  • 1 T. hot red chili oil (very spicy, might want to use less)
  • 6 scallions

Cook the noodles; rinse and drain twice.  Blanch vegetables if desired.  Combine the last five ingredients, head in pan and simmer.

Put noodles in large bowl with cut-up scallions.  Add sesame seeds.  Add vegetables.  Pour sauce over all and toss.  Chill overnight, mixing several times.

Ramen Noodle Salad

  • 2 T. oil
  • ¼ cup almonds
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • 1 head cabbage, finely chopped
  • 8 green onions, chopped
  • 2 3oz. Packages Ramen noodles, uncooked and broken into pieces

Dressing

  • ¼ cup oil
  • ¼ cup seasoned red vinegar
  • 4 T. soy sauce
  • salt and pepper

Brown almonds and sesame seeds briefly in oil and set aside.  Mix dressing with cabbage, onions and noodles and chill.  Add nuts before serving.  This salad is crunchy at first but gets softer.

Strawberry Pretzel Jello

Betty Davis

Grandma Davis loved her jello recipes.

  • 2 cups crushed pretzels
  • 1 T. sugar
  • ¾ cup melted margarine
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 cup sugar
  • small carton cool whip
  • 1 large strawberry Jell-O
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 2 10oz pkgs. Frozen strawberries

Mix pretzels, 1 T. sugar, and melted margarine together.  Place in 9 x 13 pan.  Bake 8 minutes at 400.  Cool completely.

Beat cream cheese with 1 cup sugar ands stir in cool whip.  Spread over crust and refrigerate.

Put Jell-O in a bowl, add 2 cups boiling water, stir.  Add frozen strawberries.  Pour over cheese layer.  Refrigerate.

Lemon Casesar Dressing

The New Basics

  • 1 t. grated lemon zest
  • 3 T. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 t. white wine vinegar
  • 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 t. coarsely ground black pepper
  • ½ t. salt

Combine the lemon zest, juice, garlic, and vinegar in a small bowl, and whisk well.  Slowly add the olive oil, whisking constantly until smooth.  Add the pepper and salt.

Makes 1 cup

Creamy Garlic Dressing

Moosewood Cooks at Home

This is really quick and tastes great.

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 T. chopped fresh basil, (or 1 t. dried)
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 T. grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ t. coarsely ground black pepper
  • ½ cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)

Put the garlic, oil, vinegar, basil, salt, Parmesan, and pepper into a blender, and whirl for a couple of seconds.  With the blender still running, slowly add the milk, whirling until the dressing is thick and smooth.  Covered and refrigerated, this dressing will keep for a week.

Variations:

  • add ½ t. of hone or sugar to offset the tartness of the vinegar
  • add 1 t. fresh lemon juice for extra tartness
  • add 1 T. of minced fresh parsley for flecks of color without altering the flavor.