Salads Archives - Page 18 of 20 - What the Forks for Dinner?

Green Bean Goat Cheese Salad

Green Bean Goat Cheese Salad

Oh, what to do with a beautiful bunch of green beans………

Green Bean Goat Cheese Salad!

My green beans this year were the most beautiful I have ever grown. I’m pleased, because the weather has been less than perfect for gardening. Beans usually like it warm and it really hasn’t gotten the normal summer warmth.

I usually make green beans in the as Tim would say “Northern” eaten style…..you know, fry up some bacon, add onion, beans, and water, then cook. I love this way, but it’s not very inventive for a food blog. So, I strived for something a little more creative.

Being a huge fan of goat cheese, I remember having it in a green bean dish, but is was a warm dish…………. why wouldn’t it work with a cold one………thank goodness it did. Now, every salad needs a crunchy element, I happen to love walnuts, but you can substitute what every kind of nut you prefer. But please,in the name of all that’s holy…….toast any nuts you are going to use in a salad. It enhances the flavor soooo much!

For a dressing, I used a basic dijon dressing with fresh tarragon ……..from my massive tarragon bush……..the thing is crazy big! Even if I used a cup everyday I would never use it all…….

This dish is super, super, simple. You can make it in advance, and assemble it right before you eat, making the perfect choice for a take-along dish. Serve Green Bean Goat Cheese Salad with grilled_______( fill in the blank) what ever you like for a perfect summer side dish!

Green Bean Goat Cheese Salad

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Author: Marty Boyd
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Side Dish
Method: Cook
Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

Scale

1 pound of fresh green beans, trimmed
2 ounces of goat cheese
1/4 cup walnut, toasted
For Dressing:
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

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Instructions

Steam or boil them for about 5 minutes until they are tender crisp. Drain and place in ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain beans from ice bath and set aside.
Mix all dressing ingredients and whisk until totally blended.
Place green beans in a serving bowl, crumble on goat cheese, and sprinkle with walnut. Dress before serving.

Keywords: green beans, goat cheese, walnuts, tarragon, side dish

Grilled Fennel Salad

Grilled Fennel Salad

Fennel is crunchy and slightly sweet with a slight anise flavor…….like a light licorice. The stalks are topped with feathery green leaves, where flowers grow, and produce fennel seeds. The bulb is white or pale green. The bulb, stalk, leaves and seeds are all edible, but most recipes call for the bulb and the fronds…….the feathery green at the top. Fennel is also loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber, so it’s super healthy. Fennel lesson over!

Fennel is one of those things that most people either love or hate……..I believe that haters have never tried it…….just my opinion. But, if you are a hater, try our Grilled Fennel Salad. Grilling the fennel adds to the slightly sweet flavor and the fresh herbs and lemon give it a fresh taste. It can be served either warm or at room temperature.

I served this salad with a Tuscan Pork Tenderloin. Three parts sage, to one part rosemary, then garlic, salt, pepper, and fennel seed to taste. Rub the pork with oil and pat on the herbs, roast in a 400* oven for 30-45 minutes. Serve with the Grilled Fennel Salad.

Tim had never had fennel, that he could remember, and he really liked it. I personally love it. You can also add it to gratins, or scalloped potatoes. It lends a background taste that will make people wonder what it is…….

So, for your next cookout try our Grilled Fennel Salad!

Grilled Fennel Salad

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Author: Marty Boyd
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 1x
Category: Salad
Method: Grill
Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

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2 fennel bulbs, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon each fresh basil, parsley, thyme and fennel fronds
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Parmesan shavings

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Instructions

Cut the tops from the fennel reserving the fronds. Removing and hard or inedible outer parts.
Trim a tiny bit off the bottom, keeping the core intact.
Slice the fennel into thick slices.
Drizzle each side with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
Place slices on a medium hot grill turning until you get a nice grill marks and fennel is tender to the touch.
Whisk together the lemon, olive oil, herbs and zest adding salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle all over.
Garnish with the shavings of Parmesan cheese.

Keywords: fennel, herbs, grill, salad, parmesan cheese

Roasted Peanut Kale Salad

Roasted Peanut Kale Salad

Kale is all the rage right now, and rightly so. It has crazy amounts of vitamins A, K, and C, and it’s packed with calcium. I must admit that I prefer spinach, and in a nutritional match up they are pretty equal. Although, spinach is a better source of iron, magnesium, and fiber. Be sure to buy either of these organic if possible. Leafy greens can be a sponge for any chemicals used in the growing process. Nutrition lesson over……..but look for our new page……coming soon, that will be all you wanted to know about nutrition, but were afraid to ask.

This recipe is hopefully….fingers crossed, just what my friend Michelle was looking for. She had a salad at a restaurant in Chicago and tried to replicate it but, wasn’t happy with the result. Now, Michelle is one of the best cooks I know, so if she couldn’t come up with it I wasn’t sure I could either. But, I was willing to give it a try.

Michelle described what was in the salad and the ingredients were fairly simple. Kale, cabbage, mint, cilantro, parsley, and a peanut dressing. As I said before, I am not a huge fan of kale, but I tried a baby kale which I found to be a better taste. I will try this again with spinach. The dressing is where Michelle was stuck, so I hope my version…….peanut oil, rice wine vinegar, etc…….see recipe…..is the taste she was looking for.

I added grilled chicken that I marinaded in the dressing for flavor, and and topped it with roasted peanuts. Both Tim and I really enjoyed it.

So, I hope my version of Roasted Peanut Kale Salad will be a close match for the restaurant salad……….let me know Michelle!

Roasted Peanut Kale Salad

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Author: Marty Boyd
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 2 1x
Category: Salad
Method: Saute
Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

Scale

Salad
6 cups baby kale
2 cups prepackaged cole slaw mix
1/4 cup each fresh mint, cilantro, parsley chopped
2 green onions sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup peanuts, toasted and chopped
3/4 to 1 pound chicken tenders ( about 6 tenders)
Dressing
3/4 cup Peanut oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon honey
 1 teaspoon garlic pepper
 1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
 2 tablespoons soy sauce
 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic minced

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Instructions

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
Add 1/4 cup of the dressing to chicken tenders and marinade for 30 minutes (or more).
Combine all ingredients for the salad, except the peanuts and set aside.
Remove chicken from marinade, discarding any remaining marinade. Grill chicken tenders over medium high heat until cooked through. Remove from grill and cut into bite size chunks and let cool slightly.
Add chicken and dressing to the kale cabbage mixture. Toss to coat adding dressing as desired.
Plate and serve.
Top with chopped peanuts and serve.

Notes

This recipe serves 2-4.

Keywords: kale, chicken, cole slaw mix, peanuts, salad