If you like beets you’re going to LOVE this salad: Earthy steamed beets tossed with a simple vinaigrette, tangy pickled red onions, salty feta, and fresh parsley…AWESOME! It’s definitely a restaurant-quality salad (actually better than most beet salads I’ve had in restaurants)! My beet-loving dad remarked after tasting it, “Now THIS is a beet salad!” That’s high praise indeed!

You could substitute goat cheese or blue cheese for the feta if you like. Enjoy!

Bi-Rite Market’s Beet Salad
with Pickled Onions and Feta
-from Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food

This hearty salad is a near-constant in our deli case and a favorite among guests and staff. Although the beets are the star of the show, the pickled onions play an important role, adding textural interest and a vinegary punch. At the store, we cook the beets by baking them whole, in a deep roasting pan with 1″ of water. For a small, at-home quantity, I suggest streaming. It’s faster because steam gets hotter than boiling water (which maxes out at 212°F) and uses less energy than turning on the oven. However, if you prefer to roast or boil your beets, feel free —the results will be just as tasty. -Bi-Rite Market

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds (about 5 medium) beets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)

Combine the onion, vinegar, and a couple of pinches of salt in a small bowl and set aside.

If using baby beets, leave the skin on but halve or quarter them as needed so that they’re all about 1 inch thick. If using medium or large beets, peel and cut into 1-inch chunks.

Fit a steamer basket in a large pot, add water just to the bottom of the basket, and arrange the beets in a snug single layer. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer. Cook until the beets are completely tender when pierced with a skewer, about 30 minutes. (Keep an eye on the water level during cooking, and add more if it threatens to dry up.) Remove from the heat and let cool. If you’re using baby beets, slip the skins off as soon as they’re cool enough to handle.

Reserving the liquid, remove the onion from the vinegar and add to the beets. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, mustard, honey, 1 tablespoon of the reserved vinegar, and a few big pinches of salt.

Add the dressing, the parsley, and all but 2 tablespoons of the feta to the beets. Toss well and taste; season with more salt or vinegar as needed. Garnish with a sprinkling of the remaining feta on top.

Note: The beautiful hue of beets will stain your hands and clothes. Wear gloves and an apron if pink isn’t your color!

Tip: Use any color beets you have available; if you choose to use both golden and red beets, toss them with the dressing separately to keep the red beets from staining the yellow ones.

Tags: beet salad, beets, Bi-Rite Market, pickled onions, summer salad

This light and refreshing salad is perfect for Mother’s Day, or a light lunch or dinner. Because the flavors are so simple, fresh crab (not canned) is best in this recipe and definitely worth the splurge! The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled (or more) making it perfect for Spring and Summer entertaining. Serve with crusty artisan bread from a local bakery. Enjoy!

Crab & Avocado Salad
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
Serves four as a first course; two for lunch.
 
3 Tbs. mayonnaise
2 Tbs. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice; more for sprinkling
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black or white pepper
8 oz. crabmeat, preferably lump, picked over to remove bits of shell
1/2 cup finely chopped celery from the inner ribs and leaves
3 Tbs. chopped fresh chives (1/2-inch pieces)
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 head Boston or Bibb lettuce, washed (for lining the plates)

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a medium bowl, mix the crabmeat, celery, and 2 Tbs. of the chives. Fold in the dressing gently so as not to break up the crabmeat. Gently fold in the avocado. Taste for salt and pepper. Line four salad plates with lettuce leaves, heap a scoop of the crab salad on each, and garnish with the remaining chives. Sprinkle each serving with 1/2 tsp. lemon juice and serve.

Tags: avocado, avocado salad, baby shower, bridal shower, crab, crab and avocado salad, crab salad, entertaining recipes, Fine Cooking Magazine, Mother's Day, spring, Spring entertaining, Summer, summer entertaining, summer salad

We’re definitely moving into salad weather so here’s a recipe featuring pungent and peppery arugula tossed with homemade croutons, shaved Parmesan cheese and lightly dressed with good olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Don’t even think about using store-bought croutons. Homemade croutons are super easy to make and so much tastier! This is a simply-flavored salad so you need to use best-quality ingredients!

This recipe centers around the arugula (also known as rocket), which also provides much of the salad’s flavor…substituting a different kind of green will make the salad much less interesting. Trader Joe’s usually sells wild and/or organic arugula so that’s where I get mine. Also, buy a really good quality Parmesan cheese—it’s worth the splurge. Enjoy!

Wild Arugula Salad with Garlic Croutons, Shaved Parmesan, and Lemon
-recipe from Epicurious.com

Wild arugula is dark green with spiky leaves. It has a more intense flavor than that of regular arugula. You’ll find wild arugula at farmers’ markets and at some supermarkets. Makes 6 servings.

1 8-ounce piece ciabatta with crust (preferably day-old)
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces arugula (preferably wild; about 10 cups packed)
2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved into strips with vegetable peeler

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub crust of bread with garlic clove. Tear bread into 1-inch pieces and place in large bowl; toss with 1/4 cup olive oil. Sprinkle bread lightly with salt; arrange in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp around edges, about 10 minutes. Cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Place arugula in large bowl. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, adding more lemon juice, if desired. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add 2/3 of croutons and half of Parmesan cheese and toss. Transfer to serving bowl; scatter remaining croutons and Parmesan cheese over and serve.

Tags: arugula, arugula salad, croutons, Epicurious.com, homemade croutons, Italian salad, parmesan cheese, rocket salad, Salad, wild arugula

This fresh-tasting, super easy salad makes a great side dish for an Asian meal! I love the salty-sweet-sour combination of flavors and the punch of fresh herbs…delicious!

I’ve made the salad a variety of ways. Sometimes I substitute lime for lemon, or green onions for the red onions. I’ve also made it with both mint and cilantro, or just cilantro. You can even use the bagged pre-shredded cabbage and carrot cole slaw mix (about 3 1/2 to 4 cups) if you want to save a little prep time.

The recipe only makes 2 servings so do your math to increase quantities if you plan on feeding more than 2. Enjoy!

Thai-Style Cabbage Salad
-recipe from Epicurious.com (Gourmet Magazine)

Yield: Serves 2

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups finely shredded cabbage
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin (about 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup grated carrot
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves or 3/4 teaspoon crumbled dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

In a bowl stir together the lemon juice, the sugar, and the salt until the sugar and salt are dissolved, add the cabbage, the onion, the carrot, the mint, the cilantro, and the oil, and toss the salad well.

Tags: Asian salad, asian slaw, cabbage, Salad, Thai salad, Thai-style cabbage salad

This simple summery salad is packed with fiber and flavor, and was the perfect lunch on a recent picnic at the beach. I especially love the texture of the chewy wheat berries. It’s also a versatile salad that you can build on — Feta or goat cheese would be great additions, as well as green or Kalamata olives.

I used fresh red pepper instead of roasted, and some mini heirloom tomatoes that I got at Trader Joe’s. Since I was using fresh basil in the salad, I went with lemon juice in the vinaigrette (instead of lime juice). I served the salad on a mixture of arugula and spinach…yum!

Summer Wheat Berry Salad
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

Wheat berries have a delicious nutty flavor. Look for ones labeled “soft,” which will cook more quickly than the hard variety. Serves six.

1 cup soft wheat berries  
6 cups water (or vegetable or chicken stock) with 1/2 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf 
1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup diced roasted red bell pepper
2 Tbs. capers, drained and chopped 
3 Tbs. sliced scallion (white and green parts)
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil or cilantro

For the vinaigrette:
1/2 to 1 tsp. finely minced garlic
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. white-wine vinegar 
1/4 cup fruity olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the garnish:
Young greens such as arugula, red mustard, cress, mizuna, or a mix

In a heavy saucepan with a lid, combine the wheat berries, water or stock, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then simmer partially covered until the wheat berries are pleasantly chewy, which may take anywhere from 50 to 90 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and let the berries cool in the liquid. When cool, drain off all the liquid and put the berries into a large mixing bowl. Add the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, roasted pepper, capers, scallion, almonds, and basil or cilantro.

Whisk together the garlic, lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper; toss with the salad. Arrange the greens on chilled plates and top with the salad.

Tags: Fine Cooking Magazine, picnic, Side Dish, summer salad, summer side dish, Summer Wheat Berry Salad, Trader Joe's, wheat berry, wheatberry

This recipe is a great updated version of a classic chicken salad sandwich. Flavorful blue cheese, chopped tarragon, freshly squeezed lemon juice and sliced green onions add loads of flavor. The recipe calls for sprinkling the blue cheese on top of the chicken salad but I prefer mixing the blue cheese into the salad so you get the blue cheese flavor in every bite. Boy, this is a great chicken salad sandwich!

Pacific Northwesterners should try one of Rogue Creamery’s artisan blue cheeses, which are made in Central Point, Oregon. Available in a variety of local markets throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond, Rogue Creamery’s products are excellent and worth seeking out. They produce a potpourri of blues ranging from robust to smoked…YUM!

Blue Cheese-Chicken Salad Sandwiches
-recipe from Dishing Up Oregon by Ashley Gartland

This picnic-worthy chicken salad sandwich gets an update with a hit of tarragon and a layer of a blue cheese of your choice. Makes 4 servings.

2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
2/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 whole-grain sandwich rolls, halved
4 ounces blue cheese

Mix the chicken, celery, mayonnaise, scallions, lemon juice, and tarragon together in a large bowl with a rubber spatula until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the chicken salad evenly among the bottom halves of the rolls. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the chicken salad, dividing it evenly. Place the top halves of the rolls on the sandwiches and serve immediately.

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Tags: blue cheese, chicken salad, chicken salad sandwich, picnic, picnic food, Rogue Creamery, Rogue Creamery blue cheese, sandwich, tarragon

If you’re like me and hate throwing away perfectly good food (like leftover cranberry sauce) then this recipe for cranberry vinaigrette is a holiday keeper. In fact, I’d make a half recipe of cranberry sauce just to make this dressing.

For a great wintertime salad, toss spinach or mixed baby greens with some blue cheese (or feta or goat cheese) and candied pecans, and drizzle with the cranberry vinaigrette. Delicious, festive and resourceful! Enjoy!

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Vinaigrette
-recipe adapted from Cook’s Country Magazine (October/November 2009) 

Makes about 1 cup

1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup leftover cranberry sauce  
 
Whisk shallot, mustard, red wine vinegar, and olive oil into leftover cranberry sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Tags: cranberry dressing, cranberry salad dressing, cranberry vinaigrette, leftover cranberry sauce, leftover cranberry sauce vinaigrette

With all the summer entertaining going on, this recipe for Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw is a great side dish to add to your cooking arsenal. Not only does it go well with a variety of grilled foods and other sides, it’s nice to see something other than pasta salad or canned baked beans at a potluck. Plus, we all need more veggies!

This slaw is slightly sweet and slightly tangy with a nice punch of heat from the mustards. I didn’t have spicy mustard so I substituted some whole grain creole mustard and a little extra Dijon. I also substituted green onions for the red onions because that’s what I had on hand…plus, it added more color to the dish. If you don’t have malt vinegar, I’m sure apple cider vinegar will do just fine. Enjoy!

Blackberry Farm’s Sweet and Spicy Foothills Coleslaw
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com
Adapted from The Blackberry Farm Cookbook, by Sam Beall (Clarkson Potter, 2009).

For maximum crunch, this zippy variation on classic coleslaw should be made no more than 2 hours before serving. The dish makes a fine companion to fried chicken or burgers. Serves 6.

Ingredients:
3 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 Tbs. malt vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. mustard seed oil or very spicy mustard such as English or German
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
3/4 cup shredded red onion

In a large bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, malt vinegar, mustard seed oil, the 1 1/2 tsp. salt and the 1/4 tsp. pepper, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the mayonnaise.

Add the red and green cabbages, the carrots and onion and toss until the vegetables are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Strain the coleslaw. Taste and season it with more salt or pepper if desired.

Tags: Blackberry Farm, cabbage, carrots, dijon mustard, mayonnaise, onions, Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw, vinegar

This simple summery salad will be perfect at your next cookout or potluck. The fresh flavors will compliment a variety of foods.

For the vinaigrette, I didn’t mess with a mortar and pestle to mash the garlic. Instead, I just smashed the garlic in a garlic press and proceeded with the recipe. Toss the salad with the dressing right before serving. Enjoy!

Green Bean Salad with Corn, Cherry Tomatoes & Basil
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

 If you can’t find ripe, juicy cherry tomatoes, substitute small wedges of ripe beefsteak tomatoes.
Serves six to eight.

3 cups fresh corn kernels (3 to 4 ears)
Kosher salt
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half diagonally
1 small red onion, cut in half through the root end, root trimmed, and cut lengthwise into very thin slices
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar; more to taste
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the corn kernels and blanch for 1 min. Scoop out the corn with a strainer; set aside. Season the water with a generous amount of salt, let it return to a boil, add the beans, and cook until just tender, about 3 min. Drain the beans and spread them on a baking sheet to cool.

Meanwhile, put the onion in a small bowl filled with ice water (which will crisp it and mellow its flavor). Using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef’s knife, mash the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Put the paste in a small bowl (or keep it in the mortar) and whisk in the vinegar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes and then whisk in the olive oil.

Just before serving, drain the onions. Put the beans, corn, onions, cherry tomatoes, and basil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss with the vinaigrette. Taste again and add more salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed. Serve right away.

Tip:  Garlic cloves mashed to a paste add a tasty kick. I use a large granite mortar and pestle to pound the cloves to a paste, but you can also use the flat part of a chef’s knife to mash the garlic. A pinch of kosher salt helps the process along.  Vinaigrettes with a bright edge tie the salad together. To stand up to vegetables—especially raw vegetables—your vinaigrette should be relatively assertive, and that means using a bright acid. Try combining fresh citrus juices and different vinegars.

Tags: basil, cherry tomatoes, cookout, corn, green bean salad, potluck, summer salads, vegetables, vinaigrette

This recipe, inspired by south-of-the-border flavors,  is a delicious twist on classic chicken salad. It’s got kick from the pickled jalapeños, crunch from the chopped veggies, and flavor from the cilantro and fresh lime. Serve the jalapeño chicken salad in the easy-to-make tortilla bowls or use it as a filling for wraps. The tortilla bowl isn’t as crisp and crunchy as the fried kind you get in a restaurant. It’s edible, of course, but it’s main purpose in this recipe is for presentation. Enjoy!

Jalapeño Chicken Salad
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine

Chicken salad is a great use for chicken left over from the night before or the rotisserie chickens sold by many chain restaurants and supermarkets. Any meat can be used–dark meat tends to be moister. Pickled jalapeños can be found in the international aisle at the supermarket, near the taco fixings. They add a bright, spicy flavor and crunchy texture to the salad. Cilantro stems have just as much flavor as the leaves, so you don’t have to be too thorough when picking and chopping the herb for the salad.

Makes about 5 cups.

2/3 cup mayonnaise  
1 tablespoon lime juice  
3 cups shredded cooked chicken  
1/2 medium rib celery, chopped fine 
1/2 small red onion, chopped fine 
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves   
1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeños, chopped fine 

Mix mayonnaise and lime juice in small bowl until combined. Toss chicken, celery, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and jalapeños in large bowl. Add mayonnaise mixture and toss until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Note: To make a tortilla bowl, spray both sides of large flour tortilla with nonstick cooking spray. Toast tortilla in nonstick skillet over medium heat until spotty brown on both sides but still soft, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, drape tortilla over small overturned bowl. Place second overturned bowl over tortilla and cool completely.

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Tags: celery, cilantro, Jalapeño Chicken Salad, jalapeno chiles, lime, lunch, red onion, red pepper, sandwich, wrap