Showing posts with label vinaigrette. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vinaigrette. Show all posts

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Green Salad With Emerald Green Vinaigrette


I love this vinaigrette. The fresh and clean taste is perfect on all kinds of green salad. It also is wonderful drizzled over roast beef or chicken, stirred into hot pasta and topped with cheese, spooned over deviled eggs, or used as a dip for fresh vegetables.


The recipe calls for Italian parsley, green onion, garlic, good olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings blended in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Looks like pesto, but no cheese, nuts or basil are included. The deep green color is gorgeous and, more importantly, the vinaigrette is delicious. I suggest you make a batch tonight. You will be enjoying salad all week!



Emerald Green Vinaigrette
(makes approximately 3 cups)

2 bunches Italian Parsley, tough ends removed
6 green onions, white and green parts, cut into thirds
6 cloves garlic peeled
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard (I used a spicy garlic version)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (I use Amy's brand, organic & vegan, but you can use the regular kind)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
black pepper

Combine first eight ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth paste forms. With machine running, slowly add olive oil until emulsified. Stop machine, add a large pinch each salt and pepper and process until mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

Drizzle over salad greens. My favorite for this vinaigrette is a mixture of crisp romaine lettuce, sliced red onion, spicy sping radish, and sweet red bell pepper. When summer tomatoes are in season, throw in a handful.

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It is Salad Greens week at Food Network's Sensational Sides roundup. Do you have a favorite salad recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

Devour: 6 Protein-Heavy Salads to Make Your Desk Lunch Less Sad
Homemade Delish: 
Napa Cabbage, Mango and Bacon Salad
Dishin & Dishes: 
Buddha Power Bowl
Creative Culinary: 
Iceberg Wedge Salad with Bacon, Croutons and Buttermilk Herb Dressing
Napa Farmhouse 1885: 
Green Salad With Emerald Green Vinaigrette
Red or Green: 
Southwest Salad With Ranch Salsa Dressing
Healthy Eats: 
Balance Spring Meals with These Leafy Green Side Salads
TasteBook: 
The Ultimate Green Salad
Taste with the Eyes: 
Blackened Barramundi Salad, Blackberry Vinaigrette
The Mom 100: 
Pea Shoot Salad with Shrimp, Goat Cheese and Citrus Vinaigrette
FN Dish: 
How to Eat Salad for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (and Not Be Mad About It)


best,
diane


I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Garden Salad With Basil-Pesto Vinaigrette

My pesto vinaigrette store in a Mason jar...like Pizza Outback!
My favorite pizza joint in Taos...actually one of my favorites anywhere....is Pizza Outback. Their pizza is phenomenal, and I will share some of their combinations another time. Today I am writing about one of my obsessions...their salad dressing. Salad dressing you ask? Seems odd to get this excited, right? But....this one is a delicious pesto based vinaigrette thinned with a bit of vinegar and other, secret, ingredients. People order the salad and then buy mason jar filled dressing to take home. I live a block away and confess I am one of their best customers.
fresh basil from the garden
I decided I would try to recreate the pesto vinagrette at home. I have bushes of basil growing in the summer, and it seems wrong to keep buying my dressing at Outback. (Winter is a different story, I will be back to my mason jars), but for now I am making my own version of the original. I haven't quite figured out their exact recipe, but I am pretty happy with my take. I used my regular classic pesto recipe but swapped almonds for the more traditional pine nuts and added some apple cider vinegar. I know that Pizza Outback's vinaigrette does not contain nuts, but I like the hint of sweetness the almonds add.



I used this dressing on green salads of course, but it is also delicious drizzled over grilled chicken or fish or vegetables. Your family just might up their daily greens consumption if they have access to the pesto vinaigrette. Enjoy!


Basil-Pesto Vinaigrette
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 oz parmigiano-reggiano cheese, cut into 2 pieces
2 garlic cloves
pinch red pepper flakes
5 cups basil leaves (packed)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp water (if needed)
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Toast almonds in a skillet until just beginning to brown.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Add cheese to a food processor fitted with the chopping/mixing blade.  Process until the cheese is grated.  Add cooled almonds, garlic, and red pepper flakes and process until all ingredients are finely grated.  Add half of basil leaves, and 1/4 cup olive oil and process until smooth but with a bit of texture. Add remaining basil, remaining olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and vinegar. Process until well mixed. Add water if necessary to reach desired pouring consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

The vinaigrette will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator. Let come to room temperature before using.

I like this with a green salad made with crisp lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, croutons and toasted sliced almonds. Toss with the vinaigrette and top with some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

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Other pesto recipes you may enjoy:



Summer means easy, breezy dishes made from fresh, just-picked produce and this week at Food Network's Summer Soiree we are celebrating PestoDo you have a favorite pesto recipe?  Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one. And be sure to check out the delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

The Lemon Bowl: Lemony Pistachio Basil Pesto
Dishin & Dishes: 
Kale Pesto and Mushroom Stuffed Porterhouse Chops
Creative Culinary: 
Pesto Potato Salad with Parmesan Walnuts
Weelicious: 
Kale Pesto
Napa Farmhouse 1885: 
Garden Salad With Basil-Pesto Vinaigrette
Red or Green: 
Corn On The Cob With Basil-Jalapeno Vinaigrette
Homemade Delish: 
Spinach and Kale Pesto
Domesticate Me: 
Ratatouille Quinoa Bake with Pesto and Buffalo Mozzarella
The Mom 100: 
Crusted Loin Lamb Chops with Mint Basil Pesto
Taste with the Eyes: 
Fresh, Fabulous, and Frugal - Carrot Top Pesto
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: 
Chicken Breasts with Coconut and Cilantro Pesto
Healthy Eats: 
Green Is the New Black: 5 Must-Try Pestos
FN Dish: 
6 Non-Pasta Ways to Go Big with Pesto

best,
diane

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

The Best Slaw Recipes

I am a big fan of coleslaw, and I make it year round. As a side dish, topping for tacos or piled on top of a sandwich, this versatile dish can be prepared many ways. This is slaw week for Food Network's Summer Soiree, and I thought I would share a few of my slaw recipes with you.  Do you have a favorite? Please share in the comments section of the post.
Purple Cabbage Slaw
This slaw is full of crunchy cabbage and apples with a light dressing of seasoned rice vinegar, olive oil and a touch of honey.   Perfect with barbecue, grilled meat or poultry or as part of a salad dinner. Try added to sandwiches, wraps or tacos.  You can make it early in the day...it holds well. Sometimes I throw in a small handful of chopped pistachio nuts for protein if I am doing a vegetarian meal, but this is not necessary.  By the way...Purple and blue fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that include lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol, vitamin C, fiber, flavonoids, ellagic acid, and quercetin. These nutrients support retinal health, lower LDL cholesterol, boost immune system activity, support healthy digestion, improve calcium and other mineral absorption, fight inflammation, reduce tumor growth, act as an anticarcinogens in the digestive tract, and limit the activity of cancer cells** from color wheel of fruits and vegetables 

Purple Cabbage Slaw
3 cups red cabbage, shredded
1 red delicious apple, cored and diced
2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp honey
pinch sea salt
pinch black pepper
1/4 cup chopped pistachios, optional

Add cabbage and apple to a large bowl.  In a jar with tight-fitting lid (I use mason jars for my vinaigrettes) add vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper.  Screw on the lid and shake vigorously until combined. Drizzle half of vinaigrette over cabbage mixture.  Stir to combine.  Add more vinaigrette to your liking.  

This slaw keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Apple Cider Coleslaw

I am not a fan of overly creamy salads. They are too heavy for me and get soggy so quickly. I miss the crunch of the vegetables and the "healthy" factor. This version has only 1/4 cup of mayonnaise in the entire recipe and has a sweet/tart taste with the addition of apple cider vinegar.

Apple Cider Coleslaw
(6 servings)

Ingredients
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
1 cup green cabbage, shredded
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, shredded
2  tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise

1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey mustard
1 tsp celery seeds
sea salt
black pepper

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Add cabbage, bell pepper and carrots to large bowl.  In a small bowl add vinegar, mayonnaise, 1 tbsp olive oil, mustard and celery seeds.  Whisk until combined. Add a pinch each salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.Add additional tbsp olive oil if the vinaigrette looks too thick.

Pour half of vinaigrette over cabbage mixture. (Refrigerate remaining vinaigrette) Stir to combine.  Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour. Remove from the fridge. Stir and add additional vinaigrette if desired but do not overdo...You do not want it to get soggy. Sprinkle almonds over salad and serve cold.

This slaw keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Do not add almonds until ready to serve.

Cabbage Slaw with Peanut Sauce Vinaigrette

This is one of those recipes that you will make over and over again. Parties, pot, lucks, summer barbecues or "it's the middle of winter, and nothing is in season" dinners, the Cabbage Slaw with Peanut Vinaigrette Sauce fits the bill perfectly. Crunchy cabbage, fresh...whatever is in season...vegetables and a spicy peanut sauce come together beautifully. Serve as a side dish of course, but also add some grilled chicken or shrimp and you have a main dish. Top fish tacos or pulled pork sandwiches for a different take on classic items.

Cabbage Slaw with Peanut Sauce Vinaigrette
(10- 12 servings)

1 medium head cabbage (green or purple) shredded
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 zucchini, shredded (optional, only in season)
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
6  radishes, shredded
Peanut Sauce Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
3 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Pour half of Peanut Sauce over slaw and stir to combine. Add additional sauce to desired consistency. Refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour, or until cold. Serve topped with scallions, sesame seeds and peanuts.

Keeps refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Peanut Sauce Vinaigrette
1/4 cup organic natural peanut butter (with oil on top) Stir in oil before measuring
1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
2-3 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce
1 clove garlic
1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

 Add all ingredients (just 2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce) to the bowl of blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons water if sauce seems too thick. Taste and add the additional teaspoon of chile-garlic sauce if you want it a bit spicier. Set aside or refrigerate.


Summer means easy, breezy dishes made from fresh, just-picked produce and this week at Food Network's Summer Soiree we are celebrating SlawsDo you have a favorite slaw recipe? Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one. And be sure to check out the delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

Feed Me Phoebe: Asian Braised Cabbage Slaw with Black Rice and Arugula
The Heritage Cook: 
Gluten-Free Red and Green Slaw
Creative Culinary: 
Coleslaw with Warm Bacon Dressing
Healthy Eats: 
7 Healthy Slaws for Every Palate
Virtually Homemade: 
Easy Asian Slaw with Roasted Chicken
Napa Farmhouse 1885: 
The Best Slaw Recipes
Taste with the Eyes: 
Fancy Fennel and Cabbage Slaw with Bacon, Egg, Peas
The Cultural Dish:
 Mac Nut Slaw (Hawaiian Cole Slaw)
Weelicious: 
Asian Slaw
Homemade Delish: 
Jalapeno and Peach Slaw
Daisy at Home: 
Fresh Vegetable Slaw
The Mom 100: 
Creamy Blue Cheese and Bacon Coleslaw
FN Dish: 
It's Slaw Good: 6 Must-Make Summertime Slaws

best,
diane

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.