Pickled Shrimp and Celery

Shrimp season is on its way out - celebrate the last hauls of the year with this unique preparation. Not as acidic as most vinegar pickles, think of the brine as a marinade, infusing both ingredients with delicacy and aroma. Picked Dungenness crab would make a decadent substitute, though may fare better when tossed with the celery post-pickling (just before serving) to avoid a vinegar takeover of its buttery qualities.

Serve for the salad course or make it the main dish with a side of roasted sweet potatoes or delicata squash slices.

Serves 6 as a side dish

Ingredients

For the pickling brine
1/2 Cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 Cup mirin
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Thick slices fresh ginger
5 Black peppercorns
5 Juniper berries
1 Cinnamon stick

2 Bunches celery, outer stalks removed until just the tender heart stalks and their blanched leaves remain
1 Cup white wine
8 Black peppercorns
2 Bay leaves
Salt
1 1/2 - 2 pounds shrimp
Really good extra-virgin olive oil
Pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1. Put all of the pickling brine ingredients in a non-reactive pot along with one cup of water and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the brine into a wide shallow dish. Can be make up to 1 week in advance. Keep refrigerated.

2. Keep the celery hearts whole and put them into a large pot with the wine, bay leaves, and a generous pinch of salt. Add just enough water to cover the celery. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the celery is crisp-tender when pierced with a knife, 25-30 minutes. Transfer the celery to a cutting board. Cut the hearts crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces and add them to the pickling brine.

3. Using the same pot and liquid in which you cooked the celery, poach the shrimp until just cooked (if still in their shell, leave it on until after they are cooked to avoid them curling to tightly or flaring into a "butterfly"). Drain the shrimp in a colander, peel (if necessary), and put in a bowl. Pour the celery and pickling brine over the shrimp; make sure everything is submerged. If there isn't enough brine to cover everything completely, just give the celery and shrimp a turn now and then. Cover, refrigerate, and allow the shrimp and celery to "pickle" for about an hour.

4. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp and celery to plates. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with celery leaves and chopped chives. Serve cold.


Based on a recipe from Canal House Cooks Every Day, by Christopher Hirsheimer & Melissa Hamilton.

Kale Salad with Citrus-Marinated Beets & Herbed Goat Cheese Crostini

Ingredients
2 large or 4 medium sized beets
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 oz. fresh goat cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped soft herbs, such as chives, parsley, tarragon, or chervil
4 Tbsp. Marcona almonds (or substitute whole almonds)
1 small bunch cavalo nero or other tender, flavorful kale, cleaned & cut into thin ribbons
(about 4 cups shredded kale)
4 thin slices of rustic bread, such as ciabatta, pugliese, or mulitgrain boule,
brushed with extra virgin olive oil and toasted under the broiler

Steps
Boil or roast the beets until tender when pierced with a fork or skewer. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut into chunks, or slice into rounds.

While the beets are cooking, make the citrus marinade. Pour the orange juice into a bowl. Add the champagne vinegar to the juice and season with salt & pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Stir the prepared beets into the marinade and let the beets macerate for at least an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Mix the goat cheese with the herbs and a few grinds of black pepper.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 ̊F. Place the almonds on a baking sheet & roast them until they are toasted golden brown (about 3 minutes – watch them closely). Remove the almonds to a plate. When the almonds are cool enough to handle, roughly chop them with a sharp knife, or pulse once in a food processor.

To serve, remove the beets from the dressing with a slotted spoon. Toss the greens with enough dressing to coat them evenly. Arrange the greens on 4 plates and spoon some of the beets over each. Sprinkle the almonds over the salads. Spread the toasted bread with the herbed goat cheese. If desired, the goat cheese crostini may be warmed for a minute or two in the oven before serving. Divide the crostini amongst the plates. Serve at once.

from Chef Kathryn Yeomans The Farmer's Feast

Sweet Pepper and Tomato Salad

Ingredients
4 sweet peppers
6 ripe tomatoes, Cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. paprika
~ salt
~ pepper

Steps

1. Halve the peppers lengthwise. Remove the seeds and ribs and place flat on a baking sheet, skin-side up. Broil peppers until skins are charred. Place charred peppers in a plastic bag, seal tightly and steam for about 15 minutes. Slip off and discard the skins. Cut the peppers into 1 inch squares.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add the peppers, tomatoes, and garlic plus a little salt and pepper. Simmer over a low flame, stirring occasionally until the liquid begins to evaporate. Cook until the liquid has a thicker, saucelike consistency. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add remaining tablespoon of olive oil, toss and serve.

Spring Panzanella Seasonal Bread Salad

Ingredients

For the bread salad base:

4 or more thick slices of a variety of breads, cut into cubes (about 5 cups cubes), & dried in a low oven
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 cup cold water
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the dressing:
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. salt (plus more to taste)
½ cup fresh basil leaves (packed)
5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salad components:
An assortment of blanched & cooled spring vegetables (sliced snow peas, shelled peas, fava beans, asparagus, etc), salad greens.

To assemble the salad:

1. Sprinkle the vinegar & water over the bread cubes and toss gently. Drizzle in the olive oil & toss again. As the bread soaks in the liquid, occasionally give the cubes a gentle toss. Allow to macerate at least 15 minutes.
2. Make the dressing: Put the garlic & salt in the blender. Add the basil leaves & olive oil & blend.
3. When you are ready to serve the salad, add the vegetables to the bread cubes. Dress the bread cubes and vegetables with the basil dressing. Serve over the greens tossed with vinaigrette.

Strawberry Hazelnut Salad

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
6 Tbsp. olive oil
~ salt
~ pepper
6 to 8 cups salad greens
¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
12 strawberries

Steps

1. Whisk together the vinegar and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Place greens in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss. Add strawberries and toss again. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top of salad.

Leek Salad

Ingredients
8 medium leeks
¼ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
2 T dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1 hard boiled egg

Steps

1. Trim the tops and the root off the leeks and quarter lengthwise. Slice the quarters into several strips lengthwise leaving about ½ inch at the base. Rinse and soak the leeks in cold water to remove the grit. Remove the leeks from the water and tie into bundles. Cook the leeks gently in chicken stock until just tender. Remove from leeks from the pot, drain, untie strings and cut into two inch lengths.
2. If you don't have chicken stock on hand, cook some diced potatoes and then use the potato water as the stock for cooking the leeks. Add the warm potato to the salad.

Apple-Cabbage Salad

Ingredients
1 head savoy cabbage
½ small celeriac
1 apple
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
3 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
1 shallot
salt and pepper

Steps

1. Remove and discard outer cabbage leaves. Cut in half, remove core and slice thinly. Peel celeriac, cut into thin slices then julienne the slices. Core and peel the apple, then slice and julienne like the celeriac.
2. Peel and finely dice the shallot. Combine the shallot,vinegar, oil and a little salt and pepper in a large salad bowl. Add the cabbage, celeriac and apple to the bowl and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Winter Greens Salad with Beets and Goat Cheese

Salad Ingredients
4 beets, boiled, peeled, sliced into strips
6 cups winter salad mix, washed and dried
8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Dressing ingredients
⅓ cup olive oil
1 lemon
½ teaspoon dry powdered mustard
¾ teaspoon sugar
~ salt and pepper, to taste

On four salad plates, place a handful of winter greens. Top each with a few beet strips, some cheese, chopped walnuts and dressing. Serve.

White Peach and Summer Tomato Salad

recipe from Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans

Ingredients
white peaches
ripe tomato
arugula
one lemon
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper prosciutto, if desired, and/or mozzarella
maybe a few basil or mint leaves

Steps

1. Slice the white peaches and tomato and arrange them on a platter with the arugula.
2. Squeeze lemon juice over the fruits & leaves, then drizzle all with olive oil. Season with sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper.
3. Garnish with slices of prosciutto, mozzarella, etc. to suit your taste.

Tomato and Sweet Pepper Salad

Ingredients

4 sweet peppers
6 ripe tomatoes, Cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika
salt
pepper

Steps

1. Halve the peppers lengthwise. Remove the seeds and ribs and place flat on a baking sheet, skin-side up. Broil peppers until skins are charred. Place charred peppers in a plastic bag, seal tightly and steam for about 15 minutes. Slip off and discard the skins. Cut the peppers into 1 inch squares.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add the peppers, tomatoes, and garlic plus a little salt and pepper. Simmer over a low flame, stirring occasionally until the liquid begins to evaporate. Cook until the liquid has a thicker, saucelike consistency. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add remaining tablespoon of olive oil, toss and serve.

Frikeh Salad

recipe by Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans

Ingredients
1 cup cooked frikeh (see note)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, Blossom Vinegar's apple-habanero vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar, or a combination
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
a couple of tablespoons of chopped herbs - parsley, fennel fronds, mint, marjoram, chives (maybe some basil as well)
~ salt
~ freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

optional - diced tomato or cucumber, pine nuts, toasted slivered almonds, chopped preserved lemon, sweet or hot peppers (roasted or raw), a handful of rough chopped arugula or watercress, or anything you might like in your salad

Steps

1. Combine the frikeh with everything except the cheese.
2. Let marinate 1/2 an hour at room temperature, or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator (or longer without the added options - just toss these in after you remove the marinated frikkeh from the fridge).  If you have refrigerated the frikeh, allow it to come to room temperature before serving. 
3. Scatter the cheese over the frikeh salad & serve (with grilled or baked fish or chicken, or grilled vegetables).

NOTE: Cooking frikeh is pretty simple. Rinse the frikeh to remove grit and chaff. The ratio of uncooked frikeh to water is 1:2. Just put water and frikeh into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover the pan and lower the heat. Let the frikeh simmer for 30-40 minutes until nearly all the liquid is gone.

Escarole Salad with Apples and Walnuts

Think beyond lettuce when you want a green salad. Escarole, a broad-leafed endive, is a chicory, like radicchio. Escarole is somewhat less bitter than radicchio and can be prepared raw or cooked. Escarole is often found in salad mixes, particularly in winter salad mixes. In this salad, escarole is the sole green and its slight bitterness works really well with the apple. If you want, add some crumbled bleu cheese.

Ingredients
1 lb. escarole
1 apple
¼ cup walnuts
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine or sherry vinegar
~ salt
~ pepper

Steps

1. Toast walnuts until lightly browned. Let cool, then rub skins off with a towel.
2. Wash and dry escarole. Tear into bite sized pieces.
3. Core and thinly slice apple.
4. Whisk together oil and vinegar in a large salad bowl. Add escarole, apples, and walnuts. Toss, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Cantaloupe-Arugula Salad

Ingredients
3 cups cantaloupe balls (approx. 1 small or ½ medium cantaloupe)
2 cups arugula
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
~ pepper
~ salt

Steps

1. Mix together olive oil and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Toss together cantaloupe, arugula and half of the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Divide salad among serving plates and add remaining dressing equally.

Eggplant Salad with Basil

Ingredients
2 lb. egglant cut into 1½ inch cubes
½ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. salt
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
½ cup basil, coarsely chopped
~ juice from 2 lemons
~ pepper to taste

Steps

1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees.
2. Toss eggplant, ¼ cup olive oil, salt and garlic in a large bowl. Put mix on a roasting pan. Bake until eggplant is soft but not mushy, 25-35 minutes. Cool slightly then place in a large salad bowl.
3. Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, lower heat and cook until onions are soft, about 10-15 minutes. Add onions to the eggplant.
4. Season to taste with black pepper. Add basil and lemon juice and toss. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Wilted Escarole Salad

Ingredients

1 lb. escarole (about one head)
3 T chopped shallot
3 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
~ salt
~ pepper
2 slices bacon, cooked and broken into bits (optional)

Steps

1. Wash the escarole, dry and tear into bite size pieces.
2. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, add the shallot, and cook until the onion is softened. Add the escarole and saute for a minute or two. Add vinegar, cover pan and remove from heat.
3. Remove lid after a few minutes. The escarole should be wilted but still bright in color. Place escarole into a serving bowl. Add the bacon (optional), salt and pepper to taste and toss. Serve warm.

 Note: You can add toasted walnuts or hazelnuts as well.

Greek Salad

Ingredients
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes (approx. 1 lb), chopped into large chunks
1 medium cucumber, sliced
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
¾ cup cubed feta cheese
½ teaspoon fresh oregano (or marjoram)
~ olive oil
~ salt
~ pepper

Steps
Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and oregano into a serving bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil over the vegetables. Toss, add the feta, toss again briefly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.