Shrimp Louie Salad

We went retro. This is the best Russian Dressing ever! We first had a Shrimp Louie then with  Russian Dressing using Iceberg Lettuce, Tomato Salad. We use Mark Peel’s recipe for both the Shrimp Louie and the Russian Dressing from New Classic Family Dinners. You can get the recipe from our blog of: July 4, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

 

Roast Chicken Salad

I like any Salad with Croutons and this is a good one! It was a perfect use of our leftover Rotisserie Chicken. We will make this again!

Roast Chicken Salad With Croutons and Shallot Dressing

New York Times

 

This bowl of chicken, croutons and greens makes a cool, satisfying summer dinner. Leftover roast chicken with its juices yields the most savory dressing, but leftover fried or poached chicken are also excellent.

 

INGREDIENTS

Yield:3 or 4 servings

 

FOR THE DRESSING

⅓                cup minced red onion or shallots

3                 tablespoons sherry or balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

¼                cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste

¼                up minced parsley

 

FOR THE CROUTONS (OPTIONAL)

3                 tablespoons olive oil

2 to 3         cups bite-size bread pieces

 

FOR THE SALAD

10 to 12     ounces leftover roast chicken, skin and bones removed, with any juices that have collected in the container

5 to 6         ounces tender salad greens, like mesclun, Bibb or oak leaf lettuce

2                 ounce chunk Parmesan or aged Gouda or other sharp cheese

 

 

PREPARATION

 

1.    Make the dressing: In a bowl, combine shallots and vinegar and set aside 10 to 30 minutes to soften. Add 2 big pinches of salt and a dozen grinds of black pepper. Whisk in the oil and then the parsley. Taste and add more oil, salt and pepper as needed.

2.    Make the croutons: Gently warm the olive oil in a skillet. When a piece of bread sizzles when dropped into the pan, add all the bread and cook slowly, stirring, until golden brown on all sides. Sprinkle with salt, transfer croutons to a bowl and wipe out the pan.

3.    In the same pan, add the cooled chicken juices (they may have jelled). Don’t worry if your chicken doesn’t have juices; the salad will still be excellent. Add a tablespoon of water to pan and heat juices until smooth and runny. Dice or tear the chicken into bite-size pieces.

4.     In a large bowl, toss the greens well with about ⅔ of the dressing. Taste and add more if needed. Divide greens among 3 or 4 bowls or plates. On top, divide the chicken, then the croutons, then the juices. Using a vegetable peeler, shave 3 or 4 thin, wide slices of cheese on top of each salad. Spoon a little more dressing on top and grind pepper over. Serve immediately.

Scarpetta's Spaghetti With Tomato and Basil

We started with a Melon Salad with Grapes and Prosciutto.

Scarpetta's Spaghetti With Tomato and Basil is a favorite pasta of ours. One of the things that makes it so special, is that you half-cook the pasta. When it is half-cooked, you add it to the simmering sauce where it finishes cooking absorbing the sauce directly into the noodle. And it is Vegetarian! You can get the recipe on our blog of: August 6, 2015. Click the date to get the recipe.

Rotisserie Chicken

 

We started with a Tomato Salad with Mozzarella Cheese and Pesto. A perfect summer Salad.

We like Rotisserie Chicken with its crispy skin. The juices from the Chicken drip down into the pan of Potatoes and Onions. Cathy decided to par-boil the potatoes for a few minutes before dicing and putting them in the rotisserie. In the past, sometimes the potatoes would not get completely cooked. This ensured that they would be perfect!

We stuffed the two chickens using the recipe for Roast Chicken for Two and from The Balthhazar Cookbook by Keith McNally, Riad Nasr & Lee Hansen. This is a great recipe that keeps the chicken very moist. You can find the recipe on our blog of: June 23, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

Rosé Shrimp

 

Rosé Shrimp is a wonderful Shrimp Recipe. We served it with Pasta and Corn.I loved the way the Shrimp Sauce blended into the Pasta. It did have the promised flavors of Provence! We started with a Tomato Salad with Burrata and Pesto. This is a good recipe, you should make it!

Rosé Shrimp

New York Times

 

This zippy, pink shrimp dish captures the crisp and flowery flavors of rosé wine in just 20 minutes. A dusting of herbes de Provence, bloomed in hot, shrimpy olive oil, amplifies the savoriness that crustaceans cooked in butter and wine tend to provide, like that of shrimp scampi. Piment d’Espelette — the fruity, moderately spiced pepper named after a commune in France and prevalent in Basque cooking — turbocharges the color and flavor of the shrimp. This chile can be swapped in a pinch (see Tip), but don’t skip the orange zest; it brings out the wine’s inherent fruitiness. Serve this dish as an appetizer with crusty bread, or as an entrée with pasta or white rice, whatever can sop up the rosy pan juices.

 

INGREDIENTS

Yield:4 servings

 

1       pound extra-large peeled and deveined shrimp

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3       tablespoons olive oil

1       teaspoon herbes de Provence

½      teaspoon piment d’Espelette (see Tip), plus more for garnish

1½    cups dry rosé wine

1       tablespoon dark brown sugar

¼      cup unsalted butter (½ stick)

Orange zest, for serving

 

 

PREPARATION

 

1.    On a plate, season the shrimp with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add the oil. Lay the shrimp down in a single layer and cook on the first side, undisturbed, until rosy around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and continue cooking, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the plate. (The shrimp will still be gray in spots at this point, but it will continue to cook in the sauce later.)

2.    Stir the herbes de Provence and piment d’Espelette into the hot, shrimpy oil until fragrant, just a few seconds. Add the rosé and brown sugar. Raise the heat to high to bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until glossy and reduced by three-quarters, about 10 minutes.

3.    Off the heat, add the butter, stirring constantly until melted. Toss the shrimp in the hot, buttery sauce, then let sit until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Top with freshly grated orange zest and a final sprinkle of piment d’Espelette. Serve immediately.

 

TIP

You can easily find piment d’Espelette, or Espelette pepper, online as well as in many supermarkets and specialty spice stores. Its sunny flavor is worth seeking out for this particular dish, but gochugaru, Aleppo pepper and red-pepper flakes, though different in taste, are all adequate substitutions.

 

Likama Roasted Salmon with Cabbage Salad

We started with a Cantaloupe Salad with Fresh Cherries and Prosciutto. It was great! Likama Roasted Salmon with Cabbage Salad is really good. We loved the crunchiness of the Salad with the Sliced Almonds. This is an unusual Salad you should try!

Likama Roasted Salmon with Cabbage Salad

New York Times

 

Traditionally used to season tagines, roasts or grilled meats, likama (meaning spices in Moroccan Arabic) combines common spices like cumin and coriander with the warmth of ginger and paprika for a touch of sweetness. In this recipe, likama is used as the main seasoning to coat a salmon fillet for a burst of Moroccan flavor that pairs beautifully with a fresh, quick and crunchy cabbage salad. This meal is ready in under 30 minutes, but the salmon can be marinated, if desired, for extra depth of flavor. The snappy salmon and salad can be enjoyed on their own; for a more filling option, feel free to add rice or quinoa.

 

INGREDIENTS

Yield:6 servings

 

FOR THE SALMON

3       tablespoons olive oil

2       garlic cloves, minced or pressed

¾      teaspoon fine sea salt

½      teaspoon ground ginger

½      teaspoon ground turmeric

½      teaspoon sweet paprika

½      teaspoon ground cumin

½      teaspoon ground coriander

¼      teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper

Whole nutmeg, for grating (or ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg)

1       (1½-pound) skin-on salmon fillet

 

FOR THE CABBAGE SALAD

2½    tablespoons olive oil

1½    tablespoons lemon juice

1       teaspoon honey

½      teaspoon fine sea salt

¼      teaspoon ground white or black pepper

2       cups very thinly sliced green cabbage

2       cups very thinly sliced red cabbage

1       cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems

 

FOR SERVING

2       tablespoons toasted almond slices (optional)

2       lemons, sliced into wedges

 

PREPARATION

 

1.    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Make the likama: In a small bowl, combine the oil, garlic, salt, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cumin, coriander and white pepper. Using a microplane (or the finest surface on your grater), grate the nutmeg 12 times over the bowl. Stir the mixture until mostly smooth.

2.    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and place it skin-side down on the sheet. Pour the likama mixture over the salmon, spreading it so all sides of the salmon are evenly coated. (Before roasting, cover and marinate the salmon in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, if desired.)

3.    Place the salmon on the middle rack of the oven and roast 12 to 15 minutes, until cooked through and the salmon flakes easily with a fork. (The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your fillet. Decrease the time if you prefer salmon that is cooked medium to rare.)

4.    While the salmon roasts, make the cabbage salad: To a large bowl, add the oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper; stir until well combined. Add the green cabbage, red cabbage and cilantro and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if desired.

5.     Remove the salmon from the oven and top with the cabbage salad and toasted almond slices, if using. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the salmon and any extra cabbage salad on the side.

Tomato Salad Burrata and Pesto

A perfect Summer Salad with Tomatoes from our Garden.

 

Caramelized Corn and Asparagus Pasta with Ricotta

We really enjoyed Caramelized Corn and Asparagus Pasta with Ricotta it is a great Pasta when summer vegetables are at their peak! We added fresh Snap Peas for even more of a treat. Highly recommend this Pasta.

We started with a Melon Salad with Prosciutto.

Caramelized Corn and Asparagus Pasta with Ricotta

 

This summery pasta features caramelized corn, crisp-tender asparagus and earthy turmeric, which provides the dish’s sunny hue. It’s not easy to cook corn to the point of browning without losing all its moisture, but a pinch of sugar helps speed up the caramelization process. Vermouth lends acidity to the light, glossy garlicky sauce, but you could use wine, or even a tablespoon of lemon juice or champagne vinegar for lift. Fresh ricotta provides richness.

 

INGREDIENTS

Yield:4 to 6 servings

 

Kosher salt and black pepper

3       ears of corn, husked

1       pound spaghetti, linguine or any shaped pasta

¼      cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

¼      teaspoon granulated sugar

16     medium stalks asparagus (about 8 ounces), trimmed and thinly sliced on an angle (about 2 cups)

3       scallions, trimmed and minced, or 1 small shallot, minced

2       teaspoons ground turmeric

6       tablespoons unsalted butter

3       garlic cloves, minced

⅓      cup vermouth or white wine

1       cup fresh ricotta, seasoned to taste with salt

1       lemon (optional)

 

PREPARATION

 

1.    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Meanwhile, prepare the corn: Slice the corn kernels off the cobs, and add the cobs to the pot of water. (This lends a hint of sweetness.)

2.    Once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook over medium-high, according to package instructions, until tender but toothsome, just shy of al dente.

3.    In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the corn kernels and sugar, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, about 6 minutes. Stir in the asparagus, scallions and 1 teaspoon turmeric, and cook, stirring frequently, until just softened and corn is caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

4.    Once the pasta is just short of al dente, reserve 1½ cups pasta water, then drain the pasta, and discard the corn cobs.

5.    Add the butter, garlic and remaining turmeric to the large skillet and cook over medium until butter melts and starts to foam, about 3 minutes. Whisk in vermouth to deglaze, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, then whisk in 1 cup pasta water.

6.    Add the pasta, and toss with tongs over medium heat until thoroughly coated and al dente, 1 to 2 minutes, adding pasta water as needed. Remove from heat, stir in half the corn mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.

7.    Divide pasta among plates. Dollop with ricotta and top with remaining corn mixture. Drizzle with olive oil. If using lemon, shower the pasta with lemon zest, then cut the lemon into quarters, for squeezing on top, and serve immediately.