Farm Fresh Salad with Spiced Goat Cheese Rounds

Farm Fresh Salad with Spiced Goat Cheese Rounds

MAKES 4 MAIN-COURSE SERVINGS

By Molly Stevens

AUGUST 2007

*Use your Banana Fingerling Potatoes and Romaine Lettuce for this delicious salad!

INGREDIENTS

Goat cheese rounds

•       2 tablespoons sesame seeds

•       2 teaspoons ground cumin

•       1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

•       1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

•       1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

•       1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

•       16 (1/3-inch-thick) rounds chilled soft fresh goat cheese (from one 11-ounce log)

Vinaigrette

•       2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

•       1 shallot, minced

•       1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

•       1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

•       5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

•       Coarse kosher salt

Salad

•       1 pound baby new potatoes (such as Dutch yellow baby potatoes), halved

•       1 pound green beans (or mix of green and yellow), trimmed

•        

•       8 cups (loosely packed) mixed salad greens

•       1/3 cup (packed) small fresh basil leaves

•       12 ounces assorted small tomatoes (such as cherry, grape, and teardrop; preferably mix of red and yellow)

•       1/2 cup black olives (such as Niçoise)

PREPARATION

goat cheese rounds

•       Line baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper. Mix first 6 ingredients in shallow bowl. Dip cut sides of goat cheese rounds into spice mixture to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet. Chill until ready to serve. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

vinaigrette

•       Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewhisk before using.

salad

•       Steam potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate; cool. Steam green beans until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water; drain. Pat dry with paper towels. DO AHEAD Potatoes and green beans can be made 6 hours ahead. Wrap separately in paper towels. Place in resealable plastic bag; chill.

•       Combine greens and basil in large bowl. Add enough vinaigrette to coat lightly; toss. Arrange on large platter. Add potatoes and green beans to same large bowl; add remaining dressing and toss. Arrange potatoes and beans atop greens. Scatter tomatoes and olives over. Surround with goat cheese rounds.

Warm Squash Salad with Mint

Warm Squash Salad With Mint

Julie O’Hara of National Public Radio

For this easy side dish, I used zucchini and yellow crooknecks, the two types of summer squash most readily available to me. Add patty pan or any variety to the mix. Quantities are not terribly important here; aim for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds of squash. The squash-mint-goat cheese combination is also one of my favorite omelet fillings and would make a fine frittata, as well.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 medium zucchini (about 1 pound), trimmed and chopped into half-inch pieces

3 small yellow crookneck squash (about 3/4 pound), trimmed and chopped into half-inch pieces

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained and dried

1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh mint

4 ounces goat cheese

Preparation:

Add the olive oil to a large nonstick skillet and heat to medium high. Add all the squash, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until squash is lightly browned and tender (adjust the heat if squash browns too quickly). Transfer to a large serving bowl.

Add the beans and most of the mint to the bowl. Toss gently. Just before serving, crumble the goat cheese over the salad and finish with the rest of the mint.

Green and Yellow Wax Bean Meadly with Smoked Paprika and Almonds

Green & Yellow Wax Beans with Smoked Paprika and Almonds

Serves 4

Here are green beans with a Spanish accent. I am very happy that smoked paprika is now readily available; no kitchen should be without this mildly hot, flavor-packed spice. You can serve this side dish hot or at room temperature.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large shallots, chopped

1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

1/2 cup water

1 pound green and/or yellow beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch bits

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/3 cup toasted, salted almonds, chopped

Preparation:

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat until limp, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the paprika and cook another 30 seconds.

Add the water and bring to a boil. Add the beans and sprinkle them with salt. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the beans are tender but still sprightly green, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.

Set the beans in a bowl and toss in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the rosemary, and the almonds. Add more salt, if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Recipe courtesy of Lorna Sass, 2008

Green Bean, Egg and Tomato Salad

Green Bean, Egg and Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

½ lb. Fresh Green Beans

2 Hardboiled Eggs

2 Tomatoes, seeded and large diced

½ cup fresh (or frozen) Green Peas

1 can Water Chesnuts, drained and sliced

Green Onions 3-4 sprigs, sliced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dash of Lemon Juice

¼- ½ cup. Mayonnaise

2 Romaine Hearts, washed and dried, and gently torn

Directions:

Blanch Beans until slightly tender in a large pot of boiling salted water. (about 5 minutes)

Remove Beans from pot, and run under cold water to stop cooking action. Set aside.

Put Green Peas in the same pot of boiling water and blanch slightly (about 1 minute). Drain Peas and set aside.

Place Beans, Peas, Tomatoes, Eggs, Green Onions and Water Chesnuts in a large bowl. Salt and Pepper to taste. Add Mayonnaise and Lemon Juice. Stir to combine.

Place over Romaine Hearts

Serve and Enjoy!