Wild Ginger

I just love this salad, as does Cherie (provided I don't make it too hot! Technically, its a pickle but the cucumbers are really only so lightly marinated that the cucumber slices are still slightly crisp. This is a refreshing summer salad best made with seedless cucumbers, but regular cucumbers are fine (particularly if you halve them lengthwise and scoop out the sides before slicing). This is ridiculously easy to prepare!

INGREDIENTS
1 hot house (seedless) cucumber, unpeeled
1 tbsp. coarse salt (preferably kosher)
1 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp light brown sugar
2 or 3 dried red chilies (Chinese red or Mexican Arbol chilies are perfect)

PREPARATION

• Halve the cucumber lengthwise and slice into 1/8 inch slices (although I love them paper thin, too). Place cucumber slices in a bowl and toss with salt, letting sit for one hour, tossing once or twice. Drain well and return to bowl.


• While the salt is drawing moisture out of the cucumbers, combine vinegar and sugar in small saucepan. Lightly crush dried chilies (or thinly slice) and discard seeds. Add the chilies to the saucepan. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves, 1½ to 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature.


• Add teh vengar mixture to the cucumbers, toss to combine, and let rest for 1 hour or more. Drain and serve, or store covered in the refrigerator. These are best served within 8 hours.

I love scallops...and I love 'em raw, though most non-sushi lovers are a bit squeamish about raw shell fish (understandably). So ceviche is a good compromise: the acid in the lime juice "cooks" the fish (actually, it denatures the protein, but that's what cooking does!).

My two favorite ceviche preparations are this lovely soy and ginger approach and one that is distinctly Thai and uses a lot of hot Thai peppers and garlic. I will have to get a friend to give me the Thai recipe.

Use good quality scallops from a reputable fish store....something better than Safeway, where the scallops have not only been frozen, but soaked in tripolyphosphate to retain moisture and look good but taste like, well, tripolyphosphate.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound sea scallops, sliced crosswise into 1/8-thick-slices
1 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons flavorless oil
1 tablespoon thin-sliced scallion (white and green parts)
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Table salt and ground black pepper

PREPARATION

• Place scallop rounds in glass or porcelain bowl and pour lime juice over them. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Drain juice from scallops and toss with oil, scallion, cilantro, ginger, soy sauce, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve.

I'm not sure where this Chinese Chicken Salad recipe came from, but it's likely that I snarfed it from someone who served it to me at their home. It's decadent: it has corn syrup in it, an ingredient that should be universally reviled. So I should figure out a reasonable substitution! Until that day, this is an appropriately spicy chicken salad that makes for a healthy lunch (corn syrup aside!) infused with Asian flavors.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup chicken broth (low sodium if using store-bought)
½ cup soy sauce
1/3 cup plus ½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup chopped peeled fresh ginger
¼ cup orange juice
1 tbsp grated orange peel
½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
¼ tsp dried crushed red pepper
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce (such as Sriracha)

1 5-ounce package mixed baby greens (about 10 cups)
2 cups matchstick-size strips peeled jicama
Onion or radish sprouts

PREPARATION

• Mix chicken broth, soy sauce, 1/3 cup corn syrup and next 5 ingredients in heavy large skillet.
• Bring mixture to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes.
• Add chicken; simmer 8 minutes. Turn chicken over, cover skillet and turn off heat. Let stand 30 minutes to finish cooking chicken.
• Blend chili-garlic sauce, 1/2 cup corn syrup and 3 tablespoons poaching liquid in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer chicken to plate; cool 10 minutes.
• Cut chicken crosswise into thin slices.
• Combine greens and jicama in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat lightly. Divide salad among 6 plates.Top each with chicken; drizzle with some dressing. Garnish with sprouts and serve.

Serves 6.

To be honest, this salad/appetizer is not about the endive. Its all about blue cheese and walnuts. The endive is lovely and all, but really just a vehicle to get the blue cheese and nut mixture into your gob. And its all artful and makes some pretense at being healthy. Actually, the endive a great compliment and lends some elegance to the dish so that its an appropriate appetizer for a nice cocktail party or, if well presented, a lovely salad course. I found the basics for this very simple recipe on the internet, reminding me of a salad I believe I had at Astaria and changed it a bit. I like a light vinagrette, and the rice wine vinegar is perfect for that just giving it a bit of tang and moisture. Use a firm blue cheese, ideally Maytag if you can get it.

INGREDIENTS
½ cup walnuts
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp white balsamic vinegar
kosher salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
2 large heads Belgian endive
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

PREPARATION

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Roast walnuts in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer walnuts to a plate to cool completely. Break any walnut halves into smaller pieces by hand.
• While walnuts are roasting, whisk olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper together to make dressing. Set aside.
• Trim off the very base of the head of endive with a knife. Carefully remove 10 or so outer leaves one at a time. You’ll probably need to slice off more of the base as you go along. If any leaves break or are less than visually perfect, reserve them to chop up for the blue cheese/walnut mixture.
• Rinse leaves and carefully pat dry with paper towel. Arrange in a radial pattern on plate.
• Slice remainder of endive head in half lengthwise, rinse under running water and shake dry, then slice crosswise into 1/2-inch [or less] strips. Place in large bowl with walnut pieces and crumbled blue cheese and toss with dressing.
• Mound mixture in center of whole endive leaves and serve. Use the endive leaves to scoop up the cheese/walnut mixture.

I will admit to not having tried to make this recipe (at least, not as yet at the time I'm posting this). But I've eaten it and its great. What is Quinoa? Its a high protein (typically 12%-18%) grain that is unusually highly balanced as a primary food stuff. Think staple like corn or wheat, only more nutritious with a balanced set of amino acids. If you're trying to work more whole grains into your diet, you should try Quinoa.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
½ tsp fine grain sea salt
1 can garbanzo beans
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ red onion, chopped

Tahini Dressing:
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
¼ cup tahini
Zest of one lemon
scant ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water
scant ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt

PREPARATION

• Rinse the quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer.
• In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa and water until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.

Dressing

• While the quinoa is cooking make the dressing. Whisk together the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt.
• Toss the cooked quinoa, beans, cilantro, red onion, and half of the dressing.
• Add more dressing if you like and season with more salt to taste. Serve garnished with a bit of cilantro.

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
5 tbsp olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)

3 cups trimmed watercress
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, very thinly sliced lengthwise (about 3 cups)
1 ½ pounds tomatoes, cut into ½-inch-thick wedges

PREPARATION

• Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend.
• Gradually whisk in oil.
• Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
• Mix watercress, fennel and tomatoes in large bowl. Toss with enough vinaigrette to coat.
• Season salad to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 6.

This recipe comes originally from the Williams Sonoma Complete Entertaining Cookbook, we first had this at one of our supper club dinners and it instantly became a favorites. The carmely, smokey taste that comes from fire roasting the corn makes this dish. Easy and tasty.

INGREDIENTS
Juice of 3 limes
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp mild chili powder
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for brushing
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
6 ears Corn, Shucked
3 cups cherry tomatoes, stems removed and halved.
½ cup – diced red onion
½ cup – chopped fresh cilantro
¼ pound Feta Cheese – diced or crumbled.
2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

PREPARATION

• In a bowl, whisk together lime juice, ground cumin and chili powder. Stream in the oil while whisking to make a vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.
• Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat.
• Brush a little olive oil on each ear of the corn.
• Grill the corn, turning the ears often so that they cook evenly, until lightly charred for about 10 minutes.
• Steady each corn ear on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, cut down along the cob to strip off the kernels. Put the kernels in a large bowl.
• Add the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, feta, and vinaigrette and toss to coat evenly. Transfer the salad to a platter and sprinkle with the cumin seeds.

Serve at once.

This recipe comes from the Williams Sonoma Complete Entertaining Cookbook - a nice take on potato salad that goes well with a summer barbecue.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups fresh flat leaf Italian Parsley
¼ cup capers
2 cloves garlic – chopped
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbso red wine vinegar
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 pounds fingerling potatoes, each about 1 inch in diameter

PREPARATION

• Boil potatoes until almost tender.
• Separately in a food processor, combine the parsley, capers, garlic, mustard, and vinegar and pulse until coarsely chopped.
• Slowly stream in the ¼ cup of olive oil, pulsing just until the parsley mixture is well blended but still has a coarse texture.
• Season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Prepare a charcoal or a gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat.
• Rub the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and thread them onto metal skewers. Grill the potatoes turning occasionally, until tender, 5-10 minutes.
• Slide the potatoes off the skewers onto a cutting board and cut into slices ¼ inch thick.
• Transfer the potato slices into the bowl containing the parsley mixture and toss well.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper, toss again and serve.

INGREDIENTS
1 cucumber
3 oranges
6 small red radishes
Fresh mint leaves
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
The freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon

PREPARATION

• If the cucumber is waxed or has a thick skin, peel it. If not, scrub it under cold running water. Slice the cucumber into very thin disks and put these on a serving platter


• Peel the oranges, removing all the white pith beneath the skin as well. Cut the oranges into thin rounds, pick out any seeds, and add the slices to the platter.


• Cut off and discard the leafy tops from the radishes, wash the radishes in cold water, without peeling them, cut them into disks, and add them to the platter.


• Wash half a dozen small mint leaves, tear them into 2 or 3 pieces each, and sprinkle them over the orange, radish and cucumber slices.


• Add salt, olive oil, and lemon juice, toss thoroughly to coat well, and serve at once.