Tomato and Hearts of Palm Salad

Posted on August 29, 2011 by kitchenbelle

I don’t think I have mentioned on this blog that while I was in college I did a mini term abroad to the island of Martinique.  While geographically in the Caribbean, Martinique is considered to be a “department of France.” While in Martinique I lived with a lovely host family and studied French, Creole, and the culture of the island. The trip was one the best experiences of my life, as I fell in love with the easy going pace of life that contained hints of what I love about France sans the often uptight rules and rigidity of French culture.

The reason I mention this is because last week I picked up a cookbook on sale at Boarder’s. The cover boasted it contained the best recipes of the Caribbean.  It was so cheap I didn’t think twice about the purchase and it was only when I got home that I realized what a great “find” I had picked up. Flipping through the pages of gorgeous photos reminded me of dishes I hadn’t thought about in years! I decided instantly to make the tomato and hearts of palm salad that was served regularly at the table of my host family in Martinique. It is a very simple salad that was served without much thought, sort of the way we might serve a mixed green salad with dinner.  It is easy to make last minute and is a delicious and healthy addition to any roast or sandwich. I served ours over a bed of greens along with Lime Roasted Chicken.

This was a fun way to bring the Caribbean to Boston during hurricane Irene! I was flooded with memories of my time on the island at first bite; the thick humid air, the smell of my host mother’s perfume, and the strong citrusy taste of Shrubb (a traditional liqueur made during the Christmas season).

Aren’t the powers of our senses incredible? The way that a single taste can induce a rush of memories is pretty amazing if you ask me. It ranks pretty high as one of my favorite reasons to cook.

Tomato and Hearts of Palm Salad:

  • 4 ripe tomatoes
  • salt and black pepper
  • 1- 14 oz. can of hearts of palm
  • the juice of one lime
  • 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil

Slice tomatoes and arrange on serving platter.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over sliced tomatoes. Drain the can of hearts of palm. Cut them into 1/2 inch slices and arrange over tomatoes on platter.  Make the dressing by whisking lime juice, mustard, and oil in a bowl. Drizzle over salad.

Adapted from The Food and Cooking of the Caribbean, Central and South America.

Filed under: Appetizer, salad, Side, tomato | 5 Comments »

Grilled Shrimp over Greek Salad

Posted on July 25, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Are you running out of dinner ideas that don’t require heating up the kitchen? This is less of a recipe and more of a summer dinner idea. It is adaptable and can be easily made if you are cooking only for yourself or if you are cooking for an entire softball team.

What to do:

  • In Greek salad dressing, marinade shrimp that have been cleaned and deveined (tails removed).
  • Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 15 minutes (or use metal skewers).
  • Chop romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and kalamata olives. Combine in a bowl with crumbled feta cheese.
  • Thread marinated shrimp onto skewers and cook on a preheated grill. They will only take a few minutes on each side.
  • Dress salad with Greek dressing and top with shrimp skewers.*

Looking for some other hot weather dinner ideas?

*Never use leftover marinade. Discard immediately. Dress the salad using fresh dressing.

Filed under: Main Dish, olives, salad | 1 Comment »

White Bean and Asparagus Salad

Posted on July 30, 2010 by kitchenbelle

I don’t think I am alone when I say that as much as I adore cooking, the heat of the summer can really test that love.  I don’t find myself extremely hungry when it is hot and humid and since it is my hunger and cravings that usually prompt a wild rendezvous in the kitchen I am less and less likely to be inspired to get in there and get busy. That said, however, there are nights when I am really hungry and the physical heat of the kitchen becomes my deterrent.  That is when the grill out back becomes my hero. And what goes better with a grilled protein than a cool fresh summer side? Enter this White Bean and Asparagus Salad.

Not only is this superfood-packed salad a perfect accompaniment to grilled steak tips, lamb kebabs, or burgers, but also it stands up on its own just perfectly.  I really enjoyed eating the leftovers for lunch.  This is one of those salads where the flavors actually improve after a few days. And because asparagus is nice and fibrous it doesn’t get mushy. 

*A Note about Raw Garlic: I am a garlic fiend. I love eating chunks of fresh raw garlic in foods, therefore, in salads like this one, if I am preparing it for myself and my family, I only roughly chop the garlic. However, chunks of raw garlic aren’t pleasant for most people. If you are preparing a dish containing raw garlic for a crowd, I recommend always finely mincing it or passing it through a garlic press.

White Bean and Asparagus Salad:

  • 2 bunches fresh asparagus, trimmed and rough ends snapped off
  • 7 sundried tomatoes (not in oil)
  • 3 cloves of garlic*, roughly chopped or minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • a pinch or two of crushed red pepper
  • 1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 teaspoons capers, drained
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a steamer basket over boiling water, place asparagus and dried tomatoes. Cover and steam until asparagus is crisp and tender–approximately 4 minutes. Remove tomatoes and set aside. Using tongs, remove asparagus from basket and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain the water. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces and set aside.  Roughly chop the tomatoes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Add asparagus, tomatoes, beans, and capers. Toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Adapted from recipe found here on MyRecipes.com.

Filed under: asparagus, beans, cannellini beans, Main Dish, salad, tomato, VEGETARIAN | 7 Comments »

Wild Rice Salad

Posted on April 22, 2010 by kitchenbelle

When I made the Mushroom and Wild Rice Casserole I wasn’t thinking straight! The recipe called for about 2 cups of cooked wild rice but I didn’t account for the fact that rice nearly triples its size when cooked. I ended up with quite a bit of extra cooked wild rice in my fridge. Not a problem, though, because I LOVE WILD RICE!

There was no way I was going to waste the extra so I did some online searching for a quick and easy wild rice salad recipe and I was immediately drawn to this recipe on Simply Recipes.

Until Kelly mentioned it, I had no idea that Wild Rice is a “Minnesota thing.” When I served this salad to my family, my brother-in-law, who is also from Minnesota, was quite vocal about how much he loved this salad! He had no idea about my infatuation with wild rice and said if he had known, he would have asked his dad to bring some out with him this weekend. Unfortunately, his dad had already departed Minnesota so I won’t be tasting any authentic Minnesota wild rice any time soon!  Next time Ed! 🙂

In my opinion, the quality that makes this salad so great is the texture. There is quite a bit of satisfying crunch.

Remember to chop each component to uniform size so that each bite includes a little bit of each ingredient. You don’t want one bite to contain nothing but a giant chunk of celery and the next bite to contain a giant piece of green onion. (I talk more about the importance of chopping uniformly here.)

Each bite should contain a little bit of everything. Doing so allows for each bite to be a little dance party in your mouth!  The peas pop, the pine nuts snap, the celery crunches (and so on) and they are all united by the chewy grains of wild rice. Oh the fun! 🙂

Wild Rice Salad:

  • 2-3 cups cooked wild rice
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 4 stalks celery, finely chopped
  • 4-6 green onions (scallions), finely chopped
  • 1 cup frozen peas*
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 -1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2-4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1-2 teaspoons sugar

In a medium bowl combine rice, dried cranberries, celery, green onions, frozen peas, and pine nuts. Use a wooden spoon to gently combine.

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss gently to evenly distribute dressing. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

*If you plan to serve this dish immediately, use thawed peas. If you are storing overnight in the fridge, frozen peas will defrost by the time you serve.

Adapted from this recipe found on Simply Recipes.

Filed under: Appetizer, gluten free, Main Dish, pine nuts, salad, Side, VEGETARIAN | 10 Comments »

German Potato Salad

Posted on December 15, 2009 by kitchenbelle

When you think of potato salad you might think of it accompanying burgers at a Memorial Day or Fourth of July party–I know I do.  However, I recently determined that potato salad is a great side-kick to many proteins any time of the year. 

Use red bliss potatoes instead of russet and leave the skin on for some beautiful fall-esque color (and added nutrients).  Serve it warm along side pulled pork sandwiches, kielbasa, roasted pork, seared steaks, or three cheese paninis.  It works really well as a fall and/or winter side dish!  This recipe is great because it is light, fragrant and fresh.  It is very different from the cold summery mayonaise-based salads that are often at cook-outs. 

(Pst–look closely at the photo–I love how the potato salad matches my table cloth!) 

A big tip! The tip I am about to share with you has been passed down from many generations of potato salad makers (aka my mom, her mom etc.)  I encourage you to take notes, as this is classified information. 😉

Rather than dice the potatoes into cubes using a knife, use a fork to smash the potatoes.  The nooks and crannies left by the fork tines allow the potatoes to be coated by the dressing more effectively creating a much tastier potato.  Straight edges made by a knife allow the dressing to drip off leaving a pool at the bottom of your bowl. 

German Potato Salad:

  • 3 pounds red bliss potatoes
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1/2 pound bacon, diced
  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 3/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 8 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Place potatoes and yellow onion in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender.  (Do not over cook.) Drain the potatoes and discard the onion.  Place the potatoes in a large bowl.  Smash them using the back of a fork and then cover to keep warm.

In a large saute pan, cook the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Add the onions to the rendered bacon fat and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully add the vinegar and mustard seeds and cook for 2 more minutes. Whisk in the oil and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the hot dressing to the potatoes and toss gently to coat. Fold in the green onions and parsley. Season again with salt and pepper, to taste.

Adapted from Bobby Flay’s German Potato Salad recipe found here on Foodnetwork.com.

Filed under: Fall, salad, Side | 1 Comment »

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