Late-summer salad with salmon & dill

So, I know I just posted a salmon recipe not that long ago (grilled salmon tacos with peach & cucumber salsa), but the local, wild-caught stuff is just so GOOD & FRESH & ABUNDANT right now, I can't resist it whenever I look at it.  I'm taking full advantage of it's season and will not apologize for it.  Plus, one can never really have enough simple, heart- & whole body-healthy recipe options, right?

I love using fresh dill with fish and I can't say enough about the cherry tomatoes overflowing everywhere & the perfect late-season corn.  I'm really wishing summer produce would never go away.  This is the end, this is the end, my friend.

I made this for dinner the other night and my husband & kiddos unanimously decided that this meal should go on the blog.   So, DONE...as requested, dear family.  Enjoy!

Serves 4

2 ears corn, kernels cut from cob (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 c. diced cucumber
2 green green onions - greens and whites thinly sliced
3 T. dill - chopped
2 T. white wine vinegar
1 T. olive oil
3 oz. crumbled sheep’s milk Feta (about 3/4 cup)
sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 1/2 pounds center-cut salmon (about 1 inch thick), cut into 4 pieces
olive oil
sea salt & fresh ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat water until boiling.  Add corn and blanch 2 minutes.  Drain and place in an ice bath to cool completely.  Drain well and place in a medium bowl.

To the corn, add the tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, dill, vinegar, oil, feta and salt & pepper.  Mix gently to combine.

Preheat grill on medium-high for at least 10 minutes.  Drizzle salmon pieces on both sides with olive oil and season with salt & pepper.

Oil grill grates and place salmon, skin side down, on grill.  Close lid and cook for 4 minutes.  Flip, close lid and cook 4 more minutes.  Remove from grill and let rest a few minutes. 

Remove skin, if desired, or leave it on and eat it crispy :).  Serve salmon along with salad.

Coconut-lime noodle salad

This is a really light & cooling quick weeknight dinner salad for these last hot summer evenings.  The coconut-lime dressing is super mild.  It's not all crazy coconut-y, and my non-coconut-loving son gobbled this dish up.

I used glass noodles in this recipe which go by many names...bean thread noodles, cellophane noodles, mung bean noodles.  They are really easy to work with and are gluten-free for those of you avoiding gluten or eating a paleo diet. Omit the chicken and add some tofu for a great veggie dish!

Serves 6

Dressing:
1 1/2 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. fresh squeezed lime juice
2 t. fish sauce
1 T. brown sugar
salt & pepper

5 oz. glass noodles (aka mung bean noodles)
1 red bell pepper - thinly sliced
4 c. Napa (aka Chinese) cabbage - thinly sliced
1/4 c. roughly chopped mint leaves
1/4 roughly chopped cilantro
1 rotisserie chicken - shredded & cooled (about 4 cups)

toasted sesame seeds
garlic-chili sauce (optional)

To make dressing, combine coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar in a small bowl and whisk until sugar dissolves.  Add salt & pepper to taste.

Cook noodles according to directions on package.  Drain and rinse well in cold water.  Allow noodles to drain for a few minutes so they are not too wet.

In a large bowl, combine noodles, bell pepper, cabbage, mint, cilantro and chicken. Toss with dressing.  Garnish generously with toasted sesame seeds and spoonful of garlic chili sauce, if desired.

Butter lettuce salad with chicken, pickled currants, feta and croutons

Who doesn't love a big salad for dinner in the summer?  Big salads are one of may favorite thangs - you feel good about eating them and there are endless combinations of deliciousness.

This one is a keeper of a recipe - it's completely dinner-time satisfying with the grilled chicken and homemade croutons (I mean...homemade croutons make everything pretty amazing) and has a nice, tangy zing with the pickled currants & feta.  And I highly recommend the homemade dressing.  It takes literally minutes to make and takes your salads to a whole, new level (this one goes on ANY salad you give it).

Stay cool out there, people!!

Serves 4

pickled currants:
1/2 c. water
1 T. sugar
1/4 c white wine vinegar
1/2 c. dried currants

dressing:
1 medium shallot - minced
2 t. Dijon mustard
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
pinch of kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
1/4 c. olive oil

homemade croutons:
1/2 pound firm bread - ripped into 1-1 1/2 in pieces (about 6 cups)
3 T. olive oil
fleur de sel

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 T. olive oil
2 t. dried herbs de Provence
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

1 head butter lettuce - torn into bite size pieces
2 handfuls arugula
1/2 c. crumbled sheep’s milk feta
1/2 c. basil leaves, roughly torn

Combine water, sugar, white wine vinegar & dried currants in a small pan.  Bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and allow currants to cool to room temperature in their liquid.  Drain liquid before serving.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Toss bread with olive oil and place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Sprinkle lightly with flour de sel.  Bake about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until crisp & browned.  Remove and let cool.

Combine shallot, Dijon, white wine vinegar and salt & pepper in a small bowl.  Wisk to combine. Add olive oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly, until combined.

Preheat grill for 10 minutes on medium-high heat.  Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces (these cook quicker and more evenly and won’t dry out).  Coat the 4 chicken pieces with olive oil.  Season with salt & pepper and herbs de Provence.  

Grill chicken until just cooked through and an instant read thermometer reads 160 degrees - about 3 minutes per side (they cook really fast when they are this thin!).  Remove from grill, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.  Dice chicken.
 
In a large bowl, combine butter lettuce, arugula, pickled currants, croutons, feta, basil and diced chicken.  Toss with dressing and serve.

Beet and orange salad with herbs & walnuts

This bright & beautiful salad is a real show-stopper. The colors are obviously incredible...I recommend using multiple varieties of both beets (red, yellow, pink, candycane/chioggia) and oranges (navel, blood, cara cara, mandarins) for a maximum color & flavor experience.

Oranges & beets are delicious together and they are especially tasty topped with a simple vinagrette, fresh herbs and crunchy, toasted walnuts.  I used chervil & chives in the recipe, but feel free to get creative with your herb choices...you really can't go wrong.  Plus this salad is totally healthy & 100% vegan, so you can feel great about eating it!

Serves 6

1 1/2 pounds medium beets
3 oranges

1 shallot, minced
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1/8 c. olive oil
1/8 c. blood orange olive oil
large pinch kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

1/4 c. toasted red (or regular) walnuts - chopped
2 T. chervil - chopped
2 T. chives - chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Wash beets and wrap in aluminum foil.  Roast beets for 45-60 minutes - until tender when pierced with a paring knife.  Remove from oven and foil and cool to room temperature. (Beets can be roasted up to 2 days ahead - store in refrigerator until ready to assemble).

Using a sharp knife, cut skin & pith away from the entire orange. Cut orange crosswise into 1/4 inch thick round slices.

Combine shallot, white wine vinegar, olive oils and salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Whisk to combine.

To assemble, peel beets and cut into 1/4 inch slices.  Place orange and beet slices on a serving platter, or individual salad plates, a single layer, slightly overlapping each other on the edges.   There will probably have more beets than oranges, so space out the oranges evenly among the beets.

Spoon dressing over salad.  Sprinkle with chopped herbs & toasted, chopped walnuts.

Ruby red grapefruit, avocado & jicama salad

Who says a salad has to involve lettuce?  

I'm a huge fan of combining raw veggies & fruits (or nuts...herbs...whatever!) into non-traditional salads.  This one is an especially vibrant mix of flavors & textures - tart, tangy grapefruit combined with creamy, decadent avocado & a pop of crunchy jicama.  Yum!

It's a refreshing, bright little dish that would pair great with simple grilled fish or chicken.  Plus, it is the prettiest palette of color...you're bound to impress if you serve this at a dinner party :)

Serves 4

2 ruby red grapefruits
1 avocado - ripe but slightly firm
1/2 medium bulb of jicama

dressing:
1 shallot - minced
1 T. white wine or champagne vinegar
2 T. blood orange olive oil
a pinch of salt
fresh ground pepper

a pinch of cayenne or togarashi (optional)

Cut peel from grapefruit with a knife and carefully remove sections from between the membranes.  Place in a bowl.

Remove peel of jicama with a knife.  Cut jicama crosswise into 1/4 inch slices.  Stack slices and cut into 1/4 inch batons.  Make about one cup. Place in bowl with grapefruit.

Quarter the avocado and slice crosswise. Place in bowl with grapefruit & jicama.

To make dressing, whisk together the shallot, vinegar, blood orange olive oil, and salt & pepper. Pour dressing over grapefruit, avocado, & jicama. VERY GENTLY stir to combine.

Serve with a sprinkle of cayenne or togarashi if desired.

Click HERE or on the video screen below to check out the cute video I made with Kin Community:

Vietnamese noodle salad

 

The crazy, confusing summer-like temperatures here in LA have had me craving lighter foods like this flavorful Asian noodle salad.  

This dish is also great option for those of us who are still on our New Year's clean-eating kick...it's packed with veggies & lean protein, and the dressing has very little oil but is still full-o-flava (you could use this sauce so many ways - it's delish).

This one is a keeper for any time of year - hope you give it a try!

Serves 4

Dressing
1/3 c. lime juice
2 T. water
3 T. sugar
2 T. fish sauce
1 clove garlic - minced
1 t. lemongrass - tough outer leaves discarded, minced (about one stalk)
1 T. chili-garlic sauce
2 T. vegetable oil

8 oz. Pad Thai style rice noodles
1/2 c. chopped cucumber
2 green onions - white & green parts chopped
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
2 T. each - chopped basil, chopped mint, chopped cilantro
3 c. baby lettuce
3 c. cooked chicken, shredded (about 1 rotisserie chicken)
1/2 c. roasted, salted peanuts - chopped

For dressing, combine lime juice, water and sugar in a bowl.  Whisk until sugar is dissolved.  Add remaining ingredients and whisk well.

Cook rice noodles according to directions on the package.  Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water.  When drained and cool pour 1/3 of the dressing over the noodles and toss to combine.

In a separate bowl, toss shredded chicken with 1/3 of the dressing.

In large bowl, combine cucumber, green onion, red pepper, herbs and lettuce.  Toss with remaining dressing.  Add noodles and chicken to veggies and toss it again!

Garnish with chopped peanuts.  Yum!!!!!

Click HERE or on the video screen below for the step-by-step recipe video brought to you by Kin Community & yours truly:

warm pear & prosciutto salad

Alright, kooky, candy-crazed Halloween is over.  It's time to move ON to some serious food bizniz...the holidays.  I like to start getting inspiration early.  I love all the food mags & blogs right now...so many creative & mouth-watering recipes & pictures...I literally get giddy planning & exploring (clearly, I'm a complete food dork.)

This salad is a great recipe to have on hand as we head into the season and start to plan our various "fancy" menus.   It has totally seasonal ingredients for fall & winter and is a beautiful thing to serve for a special occasion (and it's easy enough to serve anytime, really!).  It's fab because it comes together in minutes and is the perfect combo of salty, sweet & peppery.  

I love that the pears are warm...they slightly wilt the arugula just the right amount with their buttery yumminess.

 Serves 4

1/4 pound prosciutto - very thinly sliced
2 pears - ripe but firm, cored & cut into 8 wedges
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
2 T. butter
2 t. fresh thyme - chopped
5 c. wild arugula
2 T. balsamic vinegar
fresh ground pepper

Divide prosciutto and lay onto 4 salad plates.

Season pears with salt & pepper.  Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook until it is slightly browned.  Add thyme, pears and cook pears 3-4 minutes per side, until lightly caramelized. Lower heat and add balsamic vinegar.  Stir gently.

Remove from heat.  Pour warm pears and butter-balsamic dressing over arugula in a large bowl.  Toss until arugula is thoroughly coated.  Arrange arugula & pears on top of the prosciutto, dividing pears evenly among plates.  Finish with a couple grinds of fresh ground pepper.


Please see this recipe in full video effect in Kin Community by clicking HERE or on the screen below.  Enjoy!!

a summer dinner party

Here we are already...enjoying the last dog days of summer and heading into a big holiday weekend.  Now, if you are hosting a Labor Day party and have no idea what you are serving, don't panic(!)...I have an entire entertaining menu for you to try out.  

It's everything you need: a specialty cocktail, a beautiful appetizer, a really easy grilled main course & side salad and a do-ahead dessert.  Plus at the end of the video there is a "game plan" to follow so you are a relaxed hostess-with-the mostess and not scrambling the day of your party.

*Paloma cocktail
*Homemade marinated feta with grilled bread 
http://www.lieslicious.com/2013/06/herb-marinated-feta.html
*Grilled skirt steak with minty chimichurri
*Watermelon salad with cucumber, lime & basil 
http://www.lieslicious.com/2013/07/watermelon-cucmber-salad-with-lime-basil.html
*Plum clafoutis

I have posted the watermelon salad and marinated feta on lieslicious this summer already, but the other recipes are new and the whole menu goes together really well.

Please check out the guide to preparing this menu on the KIN Community recipe video below.  If the link isn't showing up in your subscriber email (no idea why this happens!), then just click through to www.lieslicious.com and it will be there.

Click here for a link to a text version of all the recipes.

Thanks and have a great Labor Day!

watermelon & cucumber salad with lime & basil

Cold, crunchy, refreshing and tangy - this is a super tasty & unique way to serve watermelon at a party.

If you can't find ricotta salata at your market, sub in feta...it's just as delish.   Or try my recipe for herb-marinated feta!

Serves 8

6 cups cold/refrigerated seedless watermelon - cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 cold/refrigerated persian cucumbers (2 cups) - cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 T. lime juice
2 t. lime zest
1/3 cup basil chiffonade
1/2 ricotta salata - coarsely crumbled

Combine cucumber, watermelon & lime juice and zest and gently stir.  Keep in very cold in refrigerator until ready to serve.  Just before serving add basil and ricotta salata and stir again. 

Cranberry-almond chicken salad

This is one of my go-to recipes for entertaining.  It’s easy to make a big batch of it ahead and serve it on good bread (or croissants - yum!) for sandwiches or with crunchy greens as a salad.  People love it and friends always ask for the recipe.  It’s been a hit with kids and adults alike, so everyone is covered with this recipe.

It’s also a great way to use up any cooked leftover chicken you may have.

Serves 6

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 halves)
1/3 c. sliced almonds
3 green onions - white and greens thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 t. tarragon - minced
1/3 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. plain greek yogurt
1 t. kosher salt
fresh ground pepper to taste

To poach chicken:  Place breasts in a large pot and add water until just covered.  Bring to a boil, then turn down heat until barely simmering.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Turn off heat, cover and let sit for 15-20 minutes.
Remove chicken from water and let cool completely.  When cool, chop chicken into approximately a 1/4 inch dice.

To toast almonds: Heat a 9-10 inch skillet to medium low heat.  Add the sliced almonds and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and a light golden brown.  Watch them carefully so they don’t burn!  Remove from pan a cool in bowl.

In a large bowl, combine chopped chicken, green onions, tarragon, cranberries, mayonnaise, greek yogurt, salt & pepper.  Stir to combine.

Just before serving, add toasted almonds and gently fold to combine.

Here is a great video guide from myself & Kin Community.  Click HERE or on the screen below to check it out!

 

Avocado, mango & poached shrimp salad

Here in the Valley, it's been in the triple digits for over a week now.  When it's this hot, you don't have much energy to cook and usually don't have a huge appetite, so it’s so nice to eat a light, cool salad for lunch or dinner.  

Avocados are as good as they can get this time of year and lend a decadent creaminess to the sweet mango and bright lime that flavors the poached shrimp. 

Serves 4

1 pound large peeled, deveined shrimp
1 avocado – ripe but slightly firm, diced
1 c. mango – diced
2 green onions – white & green parts thinly sliced
juice of 2 limes 
Whole butter lettuce leaves
Garnish – fresh torn cilantro


Fill a large bowl with lots of ice & water. 

Bring a medium saucepan of water & a couple tablespoons of kosher salt to a boil.  Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.  Drain shrimp in colander and immediately add to ice water.  Cool completely.

Prepare & combine your avocado, mango & green onion in a large bowl.

Add cooled to shrimp mixture.  Pour lime juice over salad and season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and olive oil.  Gently fold all ingredients together.

Spoon into lettuce cups and garnish with cilantro. 

Here is the recipe video from Kin Community: