Gochujang Salad Dressing

Serves 4

Take a step away from your salad-dressing-comfort-zone, I really think this will become a new favorite, like has become mine.

Ingredients

• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1/2 english cucumber
• 20 baby orange tomatoes (from Speciality Produce, or regular baby toms are ok)
• handful sugar plum tomatoes
• 1/2 cup english peas, raw
• Dressing:
• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tablespoon soy
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean Red Pepper Paste)
• pinch kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, add quartered and thickly chopped romaine lettuce.
2. Remove skin from cucumber, cut lengthways and slice thickly, add to bowl. Add orange tomatoes whole. Slice baby sugar plum tomatoes. Add peas.
3. In another bowl mix up your salad dressing and pour over salad, toss until all evenly coated.
4. Done.

THE BEST 'NO MAYO' POTATO SALAD

Serves about 6-8

This is perfect summer food & goes stupidly well with this Spicy Dijon Maple Chicken

1.5 pounds baby or pee wee or small potatoes - I used purple, red & yellow, but one color is all good

3 celery stalks, diced

1/4 cup chopped curly parsley

2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

10 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon

6 hard boiled eggs, diced up medium

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

• Cook potatoes in boiling water until soft enough for a fork to pierce easily

• Drain, run cool water over them, and when cool enough to handle Halve the smaller ones and 1/4 the larger ones - put in a large bowl

• Add celery, parsley, dill and and bacon

• Combine honey, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, salt & pepper to taste - mix well and add about half to salad stir through to combine

• Then add the eggs, and gently mix them in gently, add more of the dressing if you like

• Serve

A Tale of Two Fruit Salads

Serves 2

One fruit salad - two serving suggestions. The second one uses 'Sugar in the Raw' - which is that heavily granulated brown sugar you see in little brown packs at coffee shops or on tables at restaurants. You can buy it in boxes of like 50 - or just borrow an extra one or two the next time you're out.

Ingredients

• Your choice of any or all of these:
• Peaches
• Plums
• Raspberries
• Grapes
• Apricots
• Blueberries
• Champagne
• Sour cream
• Sugar in the Raw (those little brown packs)

Directions

1. Cut into bite sized pieces, then...
2. #1 - Serve fruit salad in a tall champagne glass - and fill with champagne
3. #2 - Serve in a martini glass (or a smallish bowl will do) and top with a spoonful of sour cream and sprinkle lightly with the 'sugar in the raw'

Greek Panzanella Salad

Serves 4

A Panzanella is just a salad made with cut up leftover bread - but not crunchy like a crouton. Here they soak up the dressing and become little bread pillows of amazing deliciousness. Did I just write that stupid line?

Ingredients

• 1/2 day old baguette, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 medium ripe vine tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, cut in half
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced into half rounds
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300
2. Place bread chunks onto a baking sheet and bake until kind of crispy (but not as hard as croutons, maybe 15 minutes)
3. Mix olive oil, oregano, red wine vinegar and sugar and set aside
4. Put the veggies, cheese and bread chunks in a large bowl and toss with dressing
5. Let sit about 15 minutes before serving

Corn Salad

Serves 4

You can use either fresh corn that you grill or a can of corn - and trust me...the can is very easy and still really really good. Don't knock it until you've made it.

Ingredients

• 3 ears of corn, husks removed, or
• 15 ounce can corn kernels
• 1 red pepper, diced small
• fresh cilantro, finely chopped to make about 1/4 cup
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 ounces goat cheese crumbles
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• Pinch of Kosher salt

Directions

1. Brush corn with about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and roast on the grill until softened and brown in spots (probably 20-25 minutes)- let cool, cut off the husk and put in bowl, or
2. If using the canned corn, drain the water and cook corn in a very hot pan with a little oil until it softens a bit and starts to get browned in spots - then put in a bowl
3. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well - serve and smile

Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Crumbles

Serves 4

There's nothing particularly earth shattering about a steak salad - other than it's really, really great. The problem is, we just don't have it often enough. A cold steak salad is a no brainer - just cook an extra steak the night before and have it on the salad cold. I like the steak warm, because it makes the blue cheese all soft and wonderful.

Ingredients

• 1 medium steak - you choose
• 1/2 bag pre-washed mixed greens
• 3 tomatoes, cut in wedgesItalian dressing
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions

1. Grill steak until desired doneness, remove from grill
2. Toss greens lightly with tomatoes and dressing and separate to plates
3. Slice steak thinly across grain and place on top of salads
4. Top with blue cheese and serve

Blue Cheese Wedge

Serves 6

Who says iceberg lettuce is only for burgers or rabbits? Try this awesome, crispy throw-back for dinner one night while watching Walter Cronkite & serving roumaki as an appetizer.

Ingredients

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 2 ounces blue cheese crumbles
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2-3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup cook & crumbled bacon

Directions

1. Remove outer, ugly lettuce leaves and slice down the middle
2. Slice each half into 3 wedges, and put on a plate
3. Mix sour cream, mayo, blue cheese and Worcestershire
4. Mix well and add as much milk as needed for desired thickness - I like mine a bit more creamy
5. Spoon dressing over each wedge and scatter with the diced tomatoes, avocado and bacon
6. Top with fresh ground pepper... of course

Caprese Salad

This is one of the favorite salads in our house - even the kids love it. A second option would be to substitute small yellow 'pearl' tomatoes and red 'grape' tomatoes along with the tiny rounds of mozzarella.

Ingredients

• Ripe red tomatoes
• Ripe yellow tomatoes
• Fresh mozzarella rounds
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Fresh ground pepper
• Kosher salt

Directions

1. Slice tomatoes and mozzarella into 1/4 inch slices
2. Alternate slices of red, yellow and mozzarella on serving plate
3. Place basil leaves in between tomatoes
4. Drizzle olive oil over the top and mix gently
5. Drizzle very gently with vinegar
6. Add a few good grinds of pepper and salt

Caesar Salad

Serves 4

This can be as easy or as hard as you like. You can buy a whole head of Romaine and make your own croutons, but why bother? Julia Child is not coming to dinner. And even if she was, trust me...she wouldn't notice.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 2 tablespoon crushed croutons - sounds silly but it really adds to the salad
• 1 bag pre-cut romaine
• Croutons for the salad

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients except Romaine and whole croutons in a small bowl or a 'cruet' (one of those salad mixing jar things.
2. Toss with Romaine and croutons.
3. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh shredded Parmesan.

Christy

There are no exact measurements for this great tasting salad. You decide how much of each item to add. When they make it at the cafe, they add the toppings in little groupings on top of the lettuce, sort of like a Cobb salad.

Ingredients

• Fresh lettuce (iceberg, red leaf – you decide)
• Blue Cheese crumbles
• Sliced apples
• Sliced avocado
• Candied walnuts
• Grilled chicken, sliced
• Poppy seed dressing

Directions

1. Place salad on plate
2. Add as much of any topping you like
3. Add dressing and eat, or
4. Or just go to the Julian Cafe and order it there – it's easier

Crab Salad

Serves 4

Forget heavy food for once - this is a 10, maybe even an 11.

Ingredients

• 1 cup crab meat
• 1/4 cup store bought chili sauce
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced fine
• 1/4 cup celery, diced fine
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice from 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons Cholula (hot sauce)
• 2 avocados, sliced

Directions

1. Mix everything except avocados in bowl
2. Place a scoop of crab mixture on some red leaf lettuce leaves on a plate and garnish with slices of avocado
3. Squeeze more lime over the top - it's the bizzel

Green Bean and Tomato Salad

Serves 4

So fresh and so beautiful. You better put this on a nice plate...

Ingredients

• 1 lb tomatoes - not too squishy, but not too firm...just right1/2 lb green beans
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons shredded
• parmesan cheese
• pinch Kosher salt
• pepper to taste

Directions

1. Trim ends from beans, cut into equal lengths and drop into boiling water until tender crisp - 5 to 7 minutes
2. When ready, drain beans and put in ice water to cool and to stop cooking
3. Trim tomato ends and cut into bite size pieces
4. Mix olive oil, vinegar, parmesan and salt in a small bowl
5. Toss beans and tomatoes with dressing to taste
6. Put on serving plates and sprinkle with a little more parmesan and fresh cracked pepper.

Grilled Hearts of Romaine

Serves 2.  To serve more,  just double or triple as necessary.

Yes, this is grilled, and it's as fun to make as it is to eat. 

Ingredients

• 1 whole heart of romaine

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Balsamic vinegar

• 3 - 4 slices ready cooked bacon, crumbled

• 1 small tomato, diced

• Parmesan cheese, shredded

• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium

2. Slice a thin piece off the core end of the head, just to clean it up

3. Cut lengthways down the middle and brush each half with olive oil

4. Place cut side down on grill and cook just until leaves begin to wilt and you get grill marks - flip over and repeat

5. Remove from grill and place cut side up on plate.

6. Drizzle each half with balsamic vinegar and a little more olive oil

7. Then top with bacon, tomato and cheese

8. Add kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Slightly Asian Cole Slaw

Serves 6

No overly fattening mayo to make you feel guilty - just great crisp, light cole slaw. This is also great in a sandwich - as in instead of lettuce.

Ingredients

• 1-10 ounce bag cole slaw
• 1 red pepper
• 3 tablespoons vinegar, rice vinegar if you have it - if not white is just fine
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• crunchy little asian noodles, like rice or chow mein noodles

Directions

1. Add vinegar, sesame oil, soy and sugar to a small pot over medium heat to mix, but do not boil - remove from heat
2. Slice red pepper into thin strips and then cut them in half lengthwise - you don't want them too long
3. Mix together red pepper, cole slaw and cooled sauce
4. Top with crunchy noodles just before serving

Warm Cabbage Salad

Bacon, mushrooms, blue cheese and that cool looking Napa cabbage you've never known what to do with. In fact, you could make a meal around this I think. Ok, I don't think - I know. I've had it by itself and it's terrific. And how come people don't say 'terrific' all that often anymore? And btw a little grilled chicken would be a great add to the top.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 medium Napa cabbage (not the core end) finely shredded - about 6 cups
• 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• 1/3 pound bacon, diced
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• Approximately 1/3 cup honey mustard dressing, or make your own

Directions

1. Place cabbage in a large bowl and top with blue cheese
2. Cook bacon in large pan until about halfway done & remove grease, but leaving about 2 tablespoons and then add mushrooms
3. Cook until mushrooms have softened and bacon is done, 3 to 4 minutes
4. Add dressing to pan (being careful as it'll splatter a bit) and stir to heat through - about a minute
5. Pour warm dressing with bacon & mushrooms onto the cabbage/cheese and mix well
6. Season with salt, lots of fresh ground pepper and serve

Wilted Spinach & Mushroom Salad

I love this and you can even use bottled dressing.

Ingredients

• 1 bag pre-washed spinach leaves
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8 slices ready crisp bacon
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 3/4 cup bottled balsamic vinegar dressing
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• Olive oil

Directions

1. In a large salad bowl, place spinach, bell pepper and green onions
2. Heat oil in large pan and saute mushrooms until softened, about 5 minutes
3. Add bacon and cook for another couple of minutes
4. Turn up heat and add dressing - allow to heat through
5. Remove from heat and pour over spinach and peppers
6. Mix well and season to taste with salt & pepper

Roasted Tomato & Goat Cheese Salad

Serves 4 - unless you eat all the tomatoes before...

This is one great salad. Easy as pie with huge bold flavors - yee ha.

Ingredients

• 1 pound tomatoes - I like the little cherry guys
• 6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 bag, pre-washed mixed greens, you choose
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Slice tomatoes in half, scoop out seeds and put in large bowl
3. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and mix well
4. Place on roasting pan and roast in oven until tender - about 20 minutes
5. Remove from oven and cool slightly
6. In a large bowl combine greens with about 3/4 of the goat cheese
7. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and a little of the balsamic, mix well
8. Put on serving plates, top with tomatoes, a little bit more of the goat cheese and there you have it

Mediterranean Chicken Wrap

Makes 4

All the flavors of the Meditteranean in your hand - wait...that doesn't sound quite right.

Ingredients

• 1/2 bag of the ready to go Caesar Salad
• 1/2 small cucumber, diced large
• 4 ounces crumbled feta
• 1 1/2 cups shredded deli roasted chicken
• roasted red pepper strips
• 4 wraps, try the spinach ones

Directions

1. Dress approximately 2 cups of the salad greens
2. Warm wraps slightly in non-stick pan and put on flat surface
3. Spread salad among the wraps and add to each: some chicken, some feta, some cucumber and some of the red pepper strips
4. Roll up and serve

Chicken Salad

Makes 4 sandwiches

Simple chicken salad is the best, but try toasting or grilling the bread first.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked and shredded or diced chicken
• 3 tablespoons red bell pepper, diced small
• 2 tablespoons jicama, diced small
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped fine
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well - there, wasn't that simple?
2. Make into a sandwich using a good bread - I'd go with sour dough

Wasabi Cole Slaw

Serves 4-6

I love this - do I have to say anything else? And it's a nice change from a mayo-based cole slaw. There - I've said enough.

Ingredients

• 1-10 ounce bag ready-made cole slaw - I like the kind without carrot for this
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (regular vinegar's fine if you don't have rice)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• couple dashes sesame oil
• green onion thinly sliced and sesame seeds as garnish

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in small bowl well until sugar is disolved and wasabi paste is fully mixed in
2. Mix with cole slaw just before serving
3. If you want, you could garnish the the top with a little thinly sliced green onion and a few sesame seeds...