Lunch With Madame Mere...Mediterranean Tuna Salad On Roasted Red Peppers

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This weekend MM and I were on our own.  My daughter flew up north to visit friends and I got to take care of Mother, Madison, Lily and Coco.  Just us girls, by ourselves, with Lindaraxa to feed us.

Yesterday was a race against the clock to fertilize the azaleas and fumigate the roses before the storms came in the late afternoon.  It was unusually hot and humid and, by noon, after a final sweep of the garage,  I was ready for bed.  But there was lunch to prepare for my mother has no help during the weekend and she does look forward to her meals.  Usually my daughter pitches in, but this time I was flying solo.

I am telling you all this so you can appreciate how easy this recipe was to put together.  I had all the ingredients on hand, including half a big jar of Italian roasted red peppers.  I placed the salad on a plate  in the freezer and a French rose in a bucket full of ice while I went upstairs to take a shower. By the time we sat down it was so cold MM asked when I had made it.

What makes this salad different and Mediterranean are not only the roasted red peppers, but the addition of capers and scallions to an everyday tuna salad.  It may become the standard in this house when tomatoes are not available or out of season.

This recipe feeds four, which means we get to enjoy it for lunch again today!

Mediterranean Tuna Salad On Roasted Red Peppers
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 can white tuna, oil or water packed, drained
4 TB mayonnaise
2 celery stalks, peeled and finely chopped
4 hard boiled eggs
2 TB finely sliced scallions
1 to 2 TB drained capers
Black pepper to taste
Salt if needed

2 canned roasted red peppers, cut in half
Fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Boil the eggs for 15 minutes and chill in an ice bath.  In a bowl, mix the tuna, mayonnaise, celery, scallions and capers.  Add the black pepper and one boiled egg, chopped. Taste for salt.  You will find that you don't need any.

In a plate, open one red pepper half, add some tuna salad.  Sprinkle with parsley on top, if using, and decorate each plate with the rest of the eggs, sliced.

An Odd Couple That Works...Tomato And Pomegranate Salad

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Pomegranates are not high on my list.  It's not that I don't like them, I just don't like them enough to put them in my grocery cart.  The thought of getting to the little seeds, no matter how pretty and flavorful they are, is enough to discourage me from even trying them; but that all changed last week when I noticed them in plastic boxes at both Whole Foods and my grocery store.  Why not... it was Valentine's Day and I had been intrigued by a recipe I had seen a few months ago in Yotam Ottolenghi's last book Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London's Ottolenghi.

Coincidentally, I had also been intrigued by the boxes of mixed tomatoes Costco was selling, another ingredient in the same recipe.  I already had pomegranate molasses from this chicken recipe so the signs were auspicious.

You have heard me say this before but I will say it again...the genius of this man knows no bounds.  The things he comes up with are beyond comprehension sometimes; but it all works. You can trust him and that is one of the things that made Julia Child great...she never let you down.  Plus, there is harmony in his recipes.  They sing to you, its an hallelujah chorus on steroids, but enough said.

This recipe has only one problem.  There is a lot of chopping to do.You have to cut all the vegetables in a 1/4 inch dice and it takes time (and you get bored).  Make sure you have a very sharp knife.  I diced tomatoes for awhile, then switched to red pepper, then tomatoes, red onions and watched t.v. Some of them were 3/8 inch but I hid them underneath.

You can get pomegranate molasses at Whole Foods or Amazon.  You can make your own by simply reducing Pom pomegranate juice.  Although it would not be the same, you could substitute balsamic vinegar for both the white vinegar and pomegranate molasses.  Do try to get the latter, it is, after all the point of this recipe and it keeps for awhile.   You will use again and it is great for basting when you start grilling this Spring.

It's been awhile since I last posted but I haven't felt up to it.  I have lost 15 lbs and I am delighted.  I only eat when I'm hungry and I don't think much about food but this recipe was too exciting not to post.  I will be back, as MacArthur said, but only when I have something really nice and different to contribute. After almost seven years it was becoming an obligation and that defeats the purpose of this blog.  Thanks to all of you who have kept on subscribing and accessing the blog.  Sorry to have kept you waiting so long.

Yotam Ottolenghi's Tomato And Pomegranate Salad 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups/200 g red cherry tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch/5-mm dice

1 1/3 cups/200 g yellow cherry tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch/5-mm dice

1 1/3 cups/200 g tiger or plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch/5-mm dice

18 ounce/500 g medium slicing tomatoes (about 5), cut into 1/4-inch/5-mm dice

1 red pepper, cut into 1/4-inch/5-mm dice (1 cup/120 g)

1 small red onion, finely diced (rounded 3/4 cup/120 g)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

1/4 cup/60 ml olive oil, plus extra to finish

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large pomegranate, seeds removed (1 cup/170 g seeds)

1 tablespoon small oregano leaves

Preparation:

Dice the tomatoes, pepper and red onion and add to a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, allspice, vinegar, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, and a scant 1/2 teaspoon salt until well combined. Pour this over the tomato mixture and gently mix.

Arrange the tomato mixture and its juices on a large, flat plate. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds and oregano over the top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

Cook's Note
Although it says it serves 4, this recipe really serves 6.  Make sure you don't over mix the tomatoes or they will get mushy.

All photos Lindaraxa

Stuffed Red Bell Peppers With Salmon And Yellow Rice

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Stuffed red bell peppers are one of my favorite comfort meals.  There are many variations but the one we usually think of has beef, cheese or a combination of both with rice.  They are delicious but can be a bit heavy for lunch or on a warm summer night.  Last week I made them using leftover baked salmon and saffron rice.  If you can believe, they were the leftovers of leftovers.

Costco sells a  ready to bake salmon with basil pesto that comes in handy when you are pressed for time.   The first night we had it with boiled potatoes and asparagus with Parmesan cheese.  Nice and healthy.  The second night we had the leftovers cold with yellow rice and asparagus vinaigrette.  I mixed dill and chives with mayonnaise to go with the salmon.  And on the third night, I stuffed three of the six red peppers I had also bought at Costco.  Talk about averaging down on the price of a meal...

I have always splurged on food (and shoes) but these days, with the price of meat and seafood in the stratosphere, I have become an artiste in the kitchen.  We all need to start thinking this way for it's only going to get worse.

I will probably repeat this exercise very soon but next time, I will save the stuffed peppers for a lady's lunch.  A cold soup and a light dessert is all you need for a delightful ladies lunch.

I strongly recommend that you make the salmon the night before and enjoy it with the yellow rice for dinner.  If you want to make the stuffed peppers from scratch, here's the recipe.  I would still make the yellow rice the day before and keep it in the refrigerator.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked yellow rice from about 1 cup raw white rice*
4 large red bell peppers
1 1/4 lbs salmon
6 large basil leaves
2 TB butter softened
olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 TB mayonnaise
1 tsp dill
Parmesan cheese


For the rice:

1 TB butter
2 TB chopped scallions
2TB chopped red pepper
1 cup white rice
1 3/4 Chicken broth
pinch of saffron or use turmeric to color the rice

Procedure

If you haven't made the rice do it now so it can cool..Saute the scallion and pepper in the butter.  Add the rice and combine.  Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is done, about 20 minutes.  If the rice is not done you can always add more broth, cover and continue cooking. Set aside to cool.

Now bake the salmon. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the chopped basil leaves with the softened butter and place on top of the salmon.  Bake the salmon for 30 minutes or until done.  Do not overcook. When the salmon is done, take it out of the pan and let cool.

Cut the top off the peppers.  Remove and discard the stem and seeds.  Cut a small slice off the bottoms of the peppers so they sit level in the pan.

Oil the peppers all over with olive oil and set on an oven proof Pyrex or baking pan.  Cook at 375 for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

 Flake the salmon before adding to rice.

Combine the rice and salmon in a bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix the dill and the mayonnaise and add to the rice and salmon.  Check again for salt and pepper.

With a dessert spoon gently stuff the peppers.  Top with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Replace the top of the peppers and drizzle olive oil over the stuffed peppers, along the outside of the peppers, and into the pan.   Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until the peppers are cooked but slightly firm.  They should look like this.

Serve them hot or room temperature if serving them as part of a buffet.

Grilled Salmon Salad With Orzo, Arugula And Roasted Peppers

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This is the first recipe I have ever posted and "adapted" from a fellow food blogger and friend.   Her name is Sam Hoffer and she publishes the  popular cooking blog, My Carolina Kitchen.   I drool over everything she posts, including the photos of her recipes, a collaboration with the best in-house photographer any food blogger could ever dream of, her husband Meakin. Moreover, I know I can trust her recipes and that is not something I often or easily say.

When I saw the original recipe for Mediterranean Salmon Salad  I knew that I had to make it, particularly since we were having grilled salmon that night.   I had plenty on hand for dinner with enough to keep for what  promised to be the queen of leftover grilled salmon recipes.  Perfect timing...my friend Sam and I are usually on the same wave length.      

The next night I asked my daughter to start the orzo but, before I knew it, she had already mixed in some of the roasted peppers we had grilled the night before and prepared the dressing.  Oh dear!  I had dreamed about this recipe all day, just the way it was.  Not wanting to hurt her feelings I decided to go with the flow.  Salmon, orzo, grilled peppers...something good had to come out of this.  And it did...as a matter of fact, it was terrific and good enough to post and file.  A big part of the success was the white balsamic dressing my daughter had come up with which went better with the roasted peppers and perfectly complimented the peppery arugula and the Kalamata olives.  Sam's had a lemon based dressing.  This had lemon balm which, incidentally, is threatening to take over the yard!

I will make the original salad next time.  Now I am anxious to see what it tastes like with lemon and practice what I preach...Don't go changing a recipe until you have tried the original first

Whether you make Sam's original recipe or my variation with roasted peppers and white balsamic, you will come out with the perfect meal for a hot summer night or a picnic.  If you try mine, play around with the measurements.  Mix the salmon and vegetables in a bowl and start adding the orzo until you come out with a ratio to your liking.  Same with the arugula.  If when you are done you feel it needs extra olives or anything else, by all means add it!

Grilled Salmon Salad With Orzo, Arugula And Roasted Peppers

Serves 6

Like Sam,   I grilled the salmon the night before after marinading it in soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil.

Ingredients:

1 lbs. cold grilled wild salmon, flaked in large pieces
4 cups cooked Orzo, room temperature
4 roasted red, yellow and orange peppers, cut in small strips
2 large scallions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped and seeded tomatoes
1/2 cup Kalamata olives cut in half
3 TB chopped lemon balm
3 TB chopped fresh oregano or basil
2 cups of arugula

Olive oil
White Balsamic Vinegar*

Directions:

In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients and drizzle with olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for about an hour so the flavors will meld.  Drizzle the white balsamic vinegar just before you serve.  Toss and enjoy!

 *Red balsamic vinegar will give the salad a funny color thus the use of white.

Cucumbers in Sour Cream

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Finally the kitchen is finished and now the big, BIG project starts.  Yes, the kitchen was just a "little" job.  New back splash and counter top and a few lights here and there.  Oh, and a big new sink!  The big, BIG project is the basement, or first level if you look at it from the back of the house.  But, before the big, BIG project, there is small big project... a new roof!   No, we have not won the lottery, but circumstances have forced us to undertake three projects in a row that would normally take a few years to even consider.

The new roof is the result of the storms we had this year and last and qualify us for a new one, courtesy of our insurance company.  There is a time clause in which to apply, so here we are.  A new roof, now, before the big job.

I am telling you all this because last night was the first time in a month that I got creative in the kitchen.  Not that we have starved, but frankly I haven't been too excited about cooking as you can see from all the posts about the garden.  Not that this is unusual for me. April and May are mainly dedicated to the garden and we had so much damage from last winter that the work has been constant.  On the good news front, the gardenias are coming back, little by little; and I mean little by little.  The new growth is tiny, but it's there.  We will have to wait for blooms next year.

The weather has been... the weather.  Weird is more like it.  On Monday, 87 degrees was the high and Wednesday morning 40 degrees the low.  We are now back to long sleeve tees.  So it was stew weather, just like last year around this time.  My creative juices started to flow and the results were out of this world.  I will post it next, but first here is the salad that went with the meal.

I have posted a cucumber salad before but this one is slightly different.  First it is adapted from Craig Claiborne's book, Cooking With Herb And Spices, now out of print.   The main difference is the use of lemon juice instead of vinegar and the addition of chives.  It is subtle but tasty and goes well with a stew.  A good substitute also for tzatziki.

Cucumbers In Sour Cream
Adapted from Cooking With Herbs And Spices, by Craig Claiborne

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 tsps. salt
1/4 tsp. Tabasco
1 TB lemon juice
2 tsps. fresh dill
1 TB chopped chives
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsps sugar*
a few drops Worcestershire Sauce*
3 cucumbers, chilled (I used English cucumbers)

 Directions:

Combine the salt, Tabasco, lemon juice, dill, chives, sugar and Worcestershire Sauce with the Sour Cream.

Pare and slice the cucumbers and add them to the sour cream mixture.  Chill and serve garnished with additional dill.

*were my contribution to the recipe.  You don't want it sweet, so add just a touch of sugar for balance

All photos Lindaraxa

Char-Grilled Broccoli Salad With Sweet Tahini

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This salad is loved even by those who claim not to like tahini.  It is delightful as part of a cold buffet or a picnic.
   

I am on an adventurous streak these days, experimenting with new flavors and cuisines instead of falling back on that which is familiar.  Perhaps it has to do with Spring and its association with new beginnings.  Maybe it's just a phase or an "itch", but the truth is I want to feel excited again about cooking.

Discovering Yotam Ottolenghi has opened new doors for me and has introduced me to new dishes, new flavors and spices  I had never heard of.  It has also pushed me to go out on a limb and experiment with the unknown.  It has been almost as good as having an affair!

Take tahini paste.  First time I tried it was three years ago in hummus.  It took me awhile to like hummus but once I did, I couldn't stop eating it.  A couple of months ago, I bought my first bottle of tahini and made Roasted Red Pepper Hummus from scratch.  Little steps...
 
The recipe below is the second time I use tahini, this time to make a delicious drizzle for a broccoli salad.  The Ladies Who Lunch (and travel to London) will be most impressed.  They have heard of Ottolenghi.
 
Tahini  is a paste made from ground, hulled sesame seeds used in North African, Greek, Turkish, and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is served as a dip on its own or as a major component of hummus and other dishes.  Nowadays you can find it in most supermarkets.  I found mine in the Jewish section at Publix.

I promise you I am not going to turn this blog into a Middle Eastern affair but I will, from time to time, introduce you to new flavors and spices.  I hope you enjoy delving into the unknown and the unexpected, once in awhile, and join me on this culinary adventure. I can't think of a better guide than Yotam Ottolenghi.

 

We had the broccoli salad last night, together with grilled chicken and royal basmati and wild rice.   We both loved it but agreed that it would show off best if served as part of a cold meal or buffet.

Char-grilled sprouting broccoli with sweet tahini

Serves four.

550g broccoli (1 head)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 1/2 oz/40g tahini paste
1½ tsp honey
2 tsp lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 tsp each black and white sesame seeds, toasted (or just 2 tsp white)

Trim any big leaves off the broccoli and cut off the woody base of the stems. Blanch for three minutes in boiling, salted water until al dente, refresh, drain and leave to dry.

Toss the broccoli in the oil, a teaspoon of salt and a large pinch of pepper, then cook on a very hot ridged griddle pan for two minutes on each side, until slightly charred and smoky. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the tahini, honey, lemon juice, garlic and a pinch of salt, and slowly start to add water half a tablespoon at a time. At first, the sauce will look as if it has split, but it will soon come back together.

Add just enough water to make the sauce the consistency of honey – around three tablespoons in total. Arrange the broccoli on a platter, drizzle with sauce and scatter with sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature.


Recipe Yotam Ottolenghi
All photos Lindaraxa

 

Chinese Chicken Salad With Crispy Wontons And Sesame Ginger Dressing

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This is a very easy salad if you plan ahead and buy some of the ingredients already made...like at Target.  I am lucky to have a Super Target where I live and have noticed how they are expanding their grocery side, particularly their premium food brand, Archer Farms.

A couple of days ago,  on my way down the canned goods aisle, my right eye spotted something my mind couldn't believe.  Ready made Wonton Strips for salads!

I have been wanting to make a Chinese chicken salad for ages, but frankly my dedication to food doesn't transcend to actually making my own wonton strips.  So problem solved.  Armed with two bags and a can of their mandarin oranges I came home to make my long awaited salad.  Luckily I had some leftover grilled chicken thighs from the night before so the planets were aligned for a positive outcome.  Next time, though,  I will plan ahead and grill chicken breasts for dinner and use the leftovers for the salad.

Should you be so inclined or not able to find a Target with ready made wonton strips, I am including a recipe.  They can be made the day before and kept in an air tight container, after they are completely cooled.

Now you all know Chinese don't  have salads, right? What makes this "Chinese" is the ingredients.  Just checking....

The mandarin oranges and cucumbers make for a refreshing salad and the perfect choice for a hot summer day.   That, and the fact that it doesn't have that many calories, makes it the perfect lunch for The Ladies Who Lunch!

Lunch On The Light Side...Curried Egg Salad Wraps On Lettuce

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Boy, did I get a speech last night.  If truth be told, everything that my daughter said was true yet...

It seems somehow I've turned into a very naughty girl.  I don't exercise enough, we eat too late, I'm not watching my weight the way I used to and for all purposes, I am not leading the life I should at my age.   Yikes!  It's true that lately I've been too engrossed in my trading, something that gives me great pleasure and fascinates me to no end, and I've been engrossed in CNBC all day long sitting at my computer and watching the ups and downs of the stock market which is more like being in Vegas than checking in at the Bellagio.

So things have to change (at least for awhile) and at 4 o'clock when the market closes, the sous chef and I will take a walk around the neighborhood, like we did today, and get that monkey off our back.  We will also have salads for lunch, eliminate the quick sandwich on the run and try to eat at a more reasonable hour.  No more double martinis before dinner while waiting for chicken pot pies!

Why do I have to be dragged into this...I'm svelte

One of the things I discovered a long time ago was substituting iceberg lettuce wraps for bread and imagining I was having a sandwich.  It works. If you don't need to watch your weight, there is nothing better than egg salad sandwiches on pumpernickel or whole grain bread; but if you do, lettuce wraps ain't all that bad.

The mayo is your worst enemy but you don't have to give it up if you use just a little.  Supplement with mustard and curry powder and the results are pretty yummy.  Anyway, this is my idea of  a trader's lunch on the light side.  Just double or triple the quantities if you are sharing with friends.

Ingredients

2 hard boiled eggs chopped
2 TB finely chopped celery
1 tsp. red onions finely chopped
1 TB mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. dill
Salt and pepper.

3 large and crisp iceberg lettuce leaves.

Procedure

Cook the eggs in boiling water for 15 minutes.  Rinse in cold water, let cool and peel.  Finely chop them.

Transfer to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.  Cool for 1/2 hr in the fridge.

Lay a lettuce leaf flat, add some salad and fold.  Enjoy!

Serves 1

1 TB mayo= 90 calories
2 hard boiled eggs - 156 calories






         .

Crab And Avocado Salad On Spring Greens

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The key to this scrumptious salad is to buy the best and freshest crabmeat money can buy.  I have mentioned before that Costco sells a 2lb can of Premium lump crabmeat from Five Star for around $12.  If you are cringing at the price, let me tell you this can serve two people for a Crabmeat Gratin one night and three for a crabmeat salad the next day. Do the numbers, not a bad price for two extraordinary meals.

When you have good ingredients, forget the fancy recipes.  Do as little as possible and enjoy the freshness and quality of the dish.  That is exactly what I did in this case.

Serves 2 to 3 people

Ingredients

1 lbs. best lump crab meat
1 TB. mayonnaise (Hellman's)
1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
a few drops Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp. dried tarragon (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste.

1 ripe avocado split in half
Olive Oil
Tarragon Vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Spring Mix

Mix all the ingredients above being careful not to break up the crab meat too much. Set aside.  Split the ripe avocado.  Set on a plate over some of the salad mix.   Drizzle with a little oil and vinegar.  Fill with the crameat salad.

Serve with Iced Tea!

Photos by Lindaraxa

 

Fourth Of July 2011...The Menu

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Unlike last year when we had a full house of adults, young people and dogs, this weekend should be a fairly quiet one.  By that I don't mean dull.  Starting this Thursday, the houses around us will be rocking with weekend guests and the lake will be full of activity, culminating in the Fourth of July Fireworks at Lake Lanier Islands.  It is a madhouse, only fit for the young at heart and the masochist.  On holidays like this, it is a blessing to be on a cove and be able to swim off our dock!

On the home front, there will be only two couples to take care of, my brother and sister in law and some friends of my daughter.  A breeze compared to other summer holidays.  I am planning a casual menu for eight on the 4th, early enough for a leisurely meal with plenty of time for those going to the fireworks to get there by boat.  This is one time when I don't bother too much with appetizers.   Chips and dips, maybe Kentucky Beer Cheese and chorizos on the grill.

The menu below is easily adaptable to a bigger crowd.

Ted's Baby Back Ribs

Cheesy Summer Squash Casserole

Creamy Cole Slaw With Caraway Seed

Tomatoes With Olive Oil, Balsamic and Basil

Easy Latticed Blueberry Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

If you have killer home grown tomatoes from your garden, good olive oil and fresh baguettes, serve them as a first course while you are grilling.  They will go well with the grilled chorizo.

Photos # 1 Facebook #2 Everything Fabulous

A Cool Dinner For A Hot Night...Cold Grilled Salmon And Cucumber Salad With Dill

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We are going on our third week of temperatures in the nineties and I am beginning to feel like a cat on a hot tin roof!  When the weather is like that, everything stops in this house, including the oven.  I am sure you have noticed that recent posts have been full of salads and simple things although I did break my resolve and baked a blueberry pie a couple of weeks ago.

Salmon is the first thing that comes to mind when I want something light on a hot summer night.  Grilled or poached, hot or cold.  Sunday night we fired up the grill and an Asian styled salmon was served with steamed artichokes and hollandaise sauce.  I made plenty so I could have it the next night with something I have been longing for, something my mother used to make in the summer when we lived in Connecticut...Cucumber Salad With Sour Cream and Dill.

If you want something to cool the body inside there is nothing like cucumbers, whether they are in a salad or in a cold soup.  In the Middle East, you will often find a small dish placed next to you filled with cucumbers and yogurt to balance the heat of the meal.  They were my salvation one night at a formal dinner in Karachi, Pakistan where one dish seemed to be hotter than the last.

I prefer to mix sour cream instead of yogurt with the cucumbers in this salad, something that is traditional in Scandinavia.  For a recipe I turned to Anna Pump's cookbook The Loaves And Fishes Cookbook, a selection of her recipes from her fabulous gourmet shop.

Cucumber Salad With Fresh Dill And Sour Cream
Yields 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

2 European cucumbers*
1 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup peeled and finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped dill
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. white pepper
2 TB white wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Slice the cucumbers very thin.  Sprinkle with salt and place them in a colander for 15 minutes. Then press out as much liquid as you can with back of a large spoon. Transfer cucumber slices to a salad bowl.  Add rest of ingredients and mix gently but thoroughly with your hands.

* European or seedless cucumbers have no wax coating.  Skin is left on for both color and texture (I peel off every other strip) The salad will keep for 24 hours.


All photos Lindaraxa

Slim's The Word!...Field Greens With Chicken, Goat Cheese, Apples and Cranberries

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The Ladies Who Lunch don't like to eat much in the Summer.  They like to show off their bodies in the latest summer fashions and the competition is stiff!  After all, some of them are not as young anymore....

and bathing suits are getting skimpier and skimpier, or so it seems to those of us of a certain age!

I noticed from my friend Slim Paley's latest post that lunches are getting skimpier too, albeit much prettier from the looks of this recent lunch she attended!  Well, such is the life of the Ladies Who Lunch and we at Lindaraxa can adapt to any circumstance.

This salad was an unexpected surprise from a Lindaraxa- in- waiting, my daughter Christina.  She is the queen of cookies and salads in the family,  a strange combination for someone who is constantly watching her figure. Sometimes she makes cookies that she doesn't even eat, I do.  She doesn't remember where she got the idea for this salad but I can honestly say, as a proud mother and cook, it was out of this world!

I don't know the exact measurements, but it doesn't really matter.  Just chop and add away and mix with a white balsamic vinaigrette.

Field Greens With Chicken, Goat Cheese, Apples and Cranberries

Ingredients

Field Greens
Roast chicken breasts cut in 1 inch pieces
Unpeeled apple slices (1 inch)
Goat cheese
Dried Cranberries
Cashews

White Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 part White Balsamic Vinegar
3 parts Olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
Salt and Pepper

I like to serve this salad on a plate, untossed,  arranging the field greens in the bottom and everything else on top.  Pass the vinaigrette and let everyone serve themselves.

It's strange how post ideas come along.  Half an hour ago I was looking for a recipe to post and here I am, a recipe from my daughter linked to Slim Paley's blog.  Who would have thought!

Photos: Top Lindaraxa #2 and #3 via Slim Paley

            

Summer Weekends...Creamy Cole Slaw With Caraway Seed

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There is nothing more versatile to have on hand for a summer weekend than homemade coleslaw.  Now, I am not talking about the one you buy at the grocery store submerged in mayonnaise; but the one you make with your two little hands that tastes crunchy and sweet and takes minutes to prepare. 

This weekend we are having a real treat...lobster tails! My brother and I have been reminiscing for months about the fried lobster tails we used to get when we were kids at the Clam Box in Westport, Connecticut and tonight, finally(!), we are going to make them.  This morning I prepared the coleslaw, which is a must with this meal, and hopefully  the Florida corn I bought won't disappoint. I've made enough to serve with ribs and beans thus eliminating some extra work for tomorrow's dinner.  Any leftovers will be served with sandwiches or hot dogs for lunch.  Talk about spreading the wealth.....

Check My Kitchen by the Lake for some tips on how to plan ahead and make your summer weekends a breeze.

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

1 bag of coleslaw mix
3/4 cup of Miracle Whip
1 tsp. Dijon or honey mustard
1 TB sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 to 4 TB wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Worcestershire Sauce
2 TB Caraway Seed
salt and pepper

Procedure

Soak the coleslaw in water for about 1/2 hour. Drain.  In a separate bowl,  mix the Miracle Whip, mustard, milk,  vinegar, sugar, onion and garlic powder.  Add a few drops of Worcershire Sauce.  Add the sauce to the coleslaw, mix well.  Add the caraway seed and salt and pepper.  Mix again and chill for at least 6 hours.

All photos Lindaraxa 

A Simple Menu For Mother's Day... Tropical Fruit, Shrimp And Avocado Salad

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If you are a mother, a grandmother and a daughter...guess what? You still have to entertain up!  Sorry girls, you all know this is true.  No matter what, if you have a mother, you still have to entertain her.  So what I do is simple.  Choose a menu where I can make most things the day before; have everyone up for brunch, feed them, and take off the rest of the day.  That way I don't feel too cheated out of a free ride.  

With my mother, I don't even have to ask.  For her it's always shrimp; so when I saw this salad,  that was it.  This and quiche, something new she has been asking for recently,  is a simple menu and can be prepared ahead.  A no fuss dessert and I'm off the hook!

Florida mangoes are not out yet but the Dominican Republic ones that are coming in are quite good, if you buy them at a good store.  Pineapple and papaya can be bought already cut up in the supermarket.  If you make the salad ahead, don't add the avocados until right before you serve it.  Shrimp can be grilled the night before and saved in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before you add to the rest of the salad.

I have played around quite a bit with this recipe, reducing some amounts but leaving all the ingredients.  In this case, I want more shrimp and less fruit, but you can adapt the range to your liking.

The quiche can be made the day before and the Affogato, well, that just takes a minute to prepare. 

Mother's Day Menu

Bloody Mary's

Julia's Quiche Lorraine

Tropical Fruit, Shrimp and Avocado Salad (Follows)

Chocolate Gelato Affogato

Tropical Fruit,  Shrimp and Avocado Salad

 YIELD: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 pineapple, diced

1 large ripe papaya, diced

1 ripe mango, diced

1 roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 roasted yellow bell pepper, cut into strips

1 -2 poblano chiles, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1 -2 jalapeño peppers, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup sherry wine vinegar

30 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 ripe avocados, cut into wedges

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Combine onions, pineapple, and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine olive oil and vinegar; toss with fruit mixture.  (Adapt fruit mix, peppers and dressing to your liking)

Grill shrimp 3 minutes on each side or until opaque, and immediately toss into the salad. Gently stir in avocado. Season to taste with black pepper.

Adapted from Coastal Living
Photo Karri Hosborg 

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Cold Beet Salad With Mint And Chevre

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I have yet to serve this salad to someone who didn't like it...and that includes people who say they are not in love with beets.  My father, being the product of an Ivy League education, adored Harvard Beets.  It was one of the first recipes I ever posted on this blog.  My children, unfortunately, gag on them so I have to devise all kinds of tricks to serve them at home.  Chopped in salads is one way, although I've often found them in a neat little pile at the bottom of the bowl hidden under some lettuce.  This has been by far the most successful way and I am no fool to believe it is the beets they are after and not the goat cheese!

A few years ago beets and goat cheese started appearing in fancy restaurants as an appetizer, often served on a bed of arugula with chopped walnuts sprinkled on top.  You can also stack the beets and spread goat cheese in between the slices for a very fancy presentation.  I think this was Wolfgang Puck's idea,  one he often served at his catered parties.  Very dramatic and very good.

Whatever you do, don't use canned beets.  There is nothing like fresh ones and the difference is a big one.


Serves 6

Ingredients:

•1 bunch of beets (3 large), any garden variety

•1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed

•1/4 oz. chèvre, crumbled

•Olive oil & Vinegar

•Sea salt or kosher salt

Arugula (optional)

Walnuts (optional)

Directions

Discard top leaves and drop beets in boiling water.  Cook for about 1 hr or until done.  With a fork pierce them and test for doneness.
 Transfer them to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let them sit for about 30 minutes until cool enough to peel..

Cut beets in slices or large chunks.

Stack mint leaves on top of each other and chiffonade them by rolling lengthwise like a cigarette and slicing into thin ribbons. Discard the stems.

Place the beets in the refrigerator until cold.

Using a fork, crumble a small amount of chèvre into a small bowl or plate and set aside.

Sprinkle mint onto the beets and stir, leaving a few ribbons for garnish. Add olive oil and vinegar to taste (i use 1 part vinegar, 3 parts olive oil).   Adjust salt to taste. Transfer beets to a serving bowl and sprinkle with chèvre and remaining mint. Serve immediately.

You can serve on a bed of arugula and/or sprinkle walnuts on top.


Photo: Food Network

Curried Chicken Salad

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Although this recipe is from Ina Garten, it is one we used to enjoy in the 80's and one I have been looking for since forever!  I don't know if it is exactly the same, but I remember the original had chutney as an ingredient as well as raisins.  A definite favorite of the Ladies Who Lunch!

I adore curry in chicken salad and everything else but unfortunately my daughter doesn't, so I have to be careful to serve it when she is away.  The problem started at the office, an Internet advertising group, where the back office is made up mostly of Indian techies who heat up their lunch in the same microwave as everyone else.  Thus, macaroni and cheese, pizzas and anything else that is heated have a strong flavor of curry, cumin and the like.  I've told them to get another microwave but to no avail.  Thus, curry and Indian food have been banned from this house, at least until she gets another job or they get another group of techies, both highly unlikely.

If I have chicken salad planned for a lunch, what I usually do is make a big roasted chicken the night before.  Anything to cut back on extra work and a great use of leftovers.

Yield:  6 servings

Ingredients

•3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

•Olive oil

•Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

•1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise (recommended: Hellman's)

•1/3 cup dry white wine

•1/4 cup chutney (recommended: Major Grey's)

•3 tablespoons curry powder

•1 cup medium-diced celery (2 large stalks)

•1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)

•1/4 cup raisins

•1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews*

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and dice the chicken into large bite-size pieces.

For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth. ( I don't use a food processor, but mix by hand)

Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the celery, scallions, and raisins, and mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Add the cashews and serve at room temperature.

*I think the original recipe had slivered almonds, a good substitution.


Photo: Food Newtwork





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Cold Picnic Paella

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Some of my best recipes have been created through pure necessity.  If you have been following my other blog, My Kitchen By The Lake, you will know that we have recently "borrowed" my brother's boat and have been going on dinner cruises almost every night.  This is quite taxing on the cook/mate, for she never knows how many are going to show up for dinner or when the mood will strike.

Last night, I got the signal just as I was getting in from the big A and letting the dogs out.  Oh dear, no time to think much, but pack and go.  I had some cold leftover  Zucchini Rice With Red Peppers And Lemon Balm which I had served with bay scallops the night before but definitely not much for a main meal, particularly when there was the possibility of two other  guests.  Luckly, there is always frozen shrimp in the freezer, and plenty of cherry tomatoes which, together with the zucchini, are coming in fast and furious.  Zucchini Gelato anyone? Then, I noticed a couple of chorizos that had been left over from our BBQ on the Fourth and *lightbulb why not pass this off as a cold Picnic Paella?  The funny part is I also had cold chicken in the fridge, talk about a well stocked fridge.

Paella served with a dry French rose

Brie served at the right temperature

A dry French Rose, a perfectly mature Brie and the best yellow cherries I've had in a long time made for a delightful Summer dinner and the perception by everyone that I had spent hours in the kitchen.  The truth is I spent the time it takes to sautee the shrimp and the chorizo and the time it took to mix everything and stick it in a plastic container! In 15 minutes everything was ready to go and the kitchen ship shape.

Cold Picnic Paella

Printable Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

Leftover Zucchini Rice With Onions, Red Peppers And Lemon Balm (cold)
1/2 lbs shrimp peeled, deveined, tails on
2 small Spanish Chorizo (I used El Quijote)
olive oil
Garlic
white or rose wine
Pimenton de la Vera (Sweet Spanish Paprika)
Cherry or grape tomatoes
Cooked cold chicken (optional)
Lemon Balm, chopped
capers (optional)

Directions

First sautee the shrimp in olive oil and garlic. If shrimp is frozen, steam for 3 or 4 minutes ahead.  Add some pimenton and salt while browning.  Add 1/2 cup rose or white wine and reduce.  Remove from stove and set aside.  With a paper towel, wipe pan. Slice the Spanish chorizo in 1/4 in rounds and sautee in a little olive oil.  When they are browned, add to the cold rice with the drippings, the shrimp with leftover oil and garlic, tomatoes and cold chicken if using. If it needs extra olive oil add it now and correct for salt and pepper.

If you are going to serve it within a couple of hours, stick it in the freezer to cool quickly.  If not, cover and store in refrigerator, preferrably overnight.  Bring it out of the refirgerator a good 20 minutes before serving.

The leftover of the leftovers were divine when I had them again for lunch today!

Now, if you want to see beautiful photos of the sunset and the rest of the "dinner cruise" come over to My Kitchen By The Lake.

Photos Lindaraxa