Dressing
Salad
How:
Combine you can let sit in frig to let flavors come together or server right away as side or topping
We bought a bunch of red onions and remembered something we had made a long time ago turkey cutlets with red onion relish so I quickly decided we need some of this relish in the frig, it was good on that dish as well as chicken, burgers and on top of a regular salad.
Sweet-meets-savory relish gives a refreshing kick to this quick-to-fix main dish — the only prep step is chopping the onions.
• 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 1 large (1-pound) red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoon(s) sugar
• 3 tablespoon(s) cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
In 12-inch, nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium 1 minute. Add sliced onion and cook 15 minutes or until very soft, stirring occasionally.
Stir in sugar, cider vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes longer.
Makes about 1 cup relish.
I have made this before but every time it is different here is another version
I picked the first of what I hope of dozens of cherry tomatoes yesterday. I have one plant in a container on the deck and two other grape varieties in the bed. I am hoping there is not a repeat of the chipmunk and ground-hog war that we suffered last year there don’t seem to be as many this year. Famous last words. Anyway I love this fruit and when they first start to ripen they very seldom make it into the house Pop Pop oh what a treat they are.
Here it is, isn’t she a beauty? This one made it in to the house but did not last long, I blinded it with the camera flash grabbed it and popped. Oh that what Lyn I blinded not the tomato.
KitchenGardener Magazine, archive
Cherry tomatoes are easy-going fruits, which, if grown right, will yield basket after basket of flavorful harvests. They are less prone to many of the problems that plague larger-fruited varieties and they often produce fruit early.
My 96-year-old grandmother, Jinx, when asked the secret to her longevity, advises: “Never say can’t, try everything once, and make one new friend each year.” She should add growing cherry tomatoes to her litany. Other than walking the dog or taking a language class, I’ve found that the best way to increase my circle of friends is to grow cherry tomatoes. When they start ripening in late July, I place small baskets of these multicolored sweets around the office. Without fail, people I’ve never met before approach me to say how much they enjoyed a particular variety, and I invite them to visit my garden for more.
Wild cherry tomatoes are the grandmothers of most tomato varieties we enjoy today. Native to the South American Andes, they traveled north through Central America to Mexico, where they were domesticated and cultivated before the arrival of Columbus. In the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors returned from Mexico with the seeds of small-fruited tomatoes, as well as those of larger, irregularly lobed cultivars.
According to Andrew F. Smith, author of The Tomato in America, many European varieties were derived from crosses between these different forms. A related species, the tiny-fruited currant tomato (Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium) is native to the western coastal areas of Peru and Ecuador, where it grows as a sprawling weed.
Because of its resistance to diseases like fusarium and bacterial wilt, as well as its habit of producing fruit in long trusses, the currant tomato has been crossbred with other tomatoes, producing many modern cherry tomato varieties.
Chose varieties for your region
At a market garden I worked for in Germany, we would sprinkle a few gold tomatoes in each box of Sweet 100s, just to highlight their glowing red color. Imagine what you could do with today’s array of cherry tomato colors and shapes…. Read more
I don’t know about you but I just love the flavor of Hoisin sauce not sure what it is about it but it is soooo good. I had a craving for it the other day and when I took the boneless chicken breast out of the freezer I kind of thought that a lettuce wrap would be a good thing to make. I included the avocado because I am still celebrating the beginning of avocado season. Anyway this is a dish that is from the gut one never knows what is in the frig or cabinets and what tickles the taste buds until you see it.
Pound the chicken breast to about ¼” thickness and dice roughly
Pan sear in a drizzle of olive oil until lightly browned about 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
Remove to cutting board and dice finer pieces
Return to pan add shallot cook about 1 minute
Add carrot, asparagus and cashews and cook for about 1-2 minute add the hoisin sauce and stir to coat.
Spoon into lettuce and enjoy.
I just sliced the avocado and drizzled with my 18 year old balsamic vinegar
Oh I used the leftovers in my salad that I brought for lunch today!!
Similar post
Lettuce Wrapped Pork with Pine Nuts in a Hoisin Sauce ( stevesacooking.com)
Q. I’ve heard hoisin sauce is like a Chinese barbecue sauce, but I’m not sure if that’s true. What exactly is hoisin sauce?
A. In some ways, hoisin sauce is like a Chinese barbecue sauce: it’s used in Chinese cooking much like barbecue sauce is used in American cooking.
The Chinese use hoisin sauce as a glaze for meats and as a condiment. Hoisin is a reddish-brown sauce that’s salty, sweet, and spicy.
Hoisin sauce is made from soybean paste, garlic, chilies, and various spices, and can contain sugar and vinegar.
Hoisin sauce is also sometimes called Peking sauce, because it’s used in making Peking duck.
Hoisin is a great glaze for meat and fish. A little dab of hoisin sauce also gives extra flavor to stir-fry and noodle dishes.
Salad with Strawberry, Pineapple and Avocado
So its lunch time and every day I bring a salad for lunch. Usually on Sundays make one huge base salad and store in a container that you can give CPR to the top and it pushes the air out of it.
I don’t put in things like cucumbers or other things that tend to spoil quickly just the base salad. Then in the morning I grab a bunch put it in my container and add my condiments if you will. 
The condiments are things cukes, tomato, whatever I had left over from dinner last night. My handy little container has a compartment for dressing which for me is just plain ole 18 year old balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients
How
Place all in your handy take to work container along with an orange and banana maybe some celery or carrot sticks.
Release vinegar, shake or toss and eat!
By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Have you had your salad today? Eating salad almost every day may be one of the most healthy eating habits you can adopt — and one of the simplest, experts say.
Eating salads is a super-convenient way to work in a couple of servings of vegetables and/or fruit. Green salads are on the menu of almost every restaurant. You can even buy a side salad (with Romaine lettuce, carrots and tomatoes, available with fat-free or reduced-calorie salad dressing) for a buck at many fast food chains these days. And you can make a green salad at home in 5 minutes, armed with a bag of pre-washed salad greens, a few carrots or other veggies, and a bottle of light salad dressing.
Not only that, but salads are cool, crunchy, and fun to eat (lots of textures, colors, and flavors). Most people enjoy eating salads–even kids! You can customize them to include the fruits and vegetables that appeal to you the most, and whichever ones you have on hand.
Here are four health reasons to reach for a salad today:
1. Eat Salads for the Fiber
It’s hard to believe that something we can’t even digest can be so good for us! Eating a high-fiber diet can help lower cholesterol levels and prevent constipation.
Not only that, says Barbara Rolls, PhD, author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan, eating more fiber can help you feel fuller, eat less, and ultimately lose weight.
It has achieved this distinction because many nutritionists claim it not only contains everything a person needs to survive — but it has also been found to contribute to the prevention and control of Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions.
The avocado (Persea gratissima or P. americana) originated in Puebla, Mexico and its earliest use dates back to 10,000 years B.C. Since AD 900, the avocado tree has been cultivated and grown in Central and South America. In the 19th century, the avocado made its entry into California, and has since become a very successful commercial crop. Ninety-five percent (95%) of U.S. avocados are gown in Southern California.
The avocado, also called the alligator pear, is a high-fiber, sodium- and cholesterol-free food that provides nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, is rich in healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (such as omega-3 fatty acids), vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate) — as well as potassium.
Read more here
Lyn reminds me that I forgot to mention the salad and also the Wholefoods Cranberry multigrain rolls we had at our Eastover feast. Laurel once made a similar roll but they are much better perhaps someday I will get the recipe but we were there and convenience sometimes rules. We recently decided that Wholefoods bakery is not so good again convenience sometimes rules. I rarely bake to exact a science for me. Although I usually say ½ cup or 2 Tbsp. of this I am guessing for others sake I am really a handful of this a pinch of that kind of guy. Anyway…….
Eastover Surf and Turf BBQ Rub Salmon, Grill NY Strip Steak, Roasted potatoes, Celery root, turnips and carrots, Fennel salad and asparagus.
In a bowl, combine the endive, fennel, radicchio, watercress and Meyer lemon zest then toss gently to mix.
Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Add half of the dressing and toss gently to coat thoroughly. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and serve immediately..
From http://www.watercress.com/history.aspx
Watercress is the most ancient of green vegetables known to man and its use can be traced back to the Persians, Greeks and Romans. In fact, a famous Persian chronicler advised Persians to feed cress to their children to improve bodily growth. He also strongly recommended its use to the Greek and Persians soldiers of that time.Although these eminent rulers knew nothing of such matters as mineral content and vitamins, they did observe that their soldiers were in better condition when this plant was made part of their daily diet. The Romans, too, looked with favor upon Watercress as a salad. The common method of preparation in those days was with oil and vinegar. It was also served with pepper, cumin seed and lentiscus…leaves of the mastic tree.
When Hippocrates founded the first hospital on the Island of Kos around 400 BC, he grew wild watercress in the natural springs and used it to treat blood disorders.
It is reported that Nicholas Messier first grew watercress in Erfurt, Germany, in the middle of the 16th century. English cultivation started in early 1800, when a farmer near London began to give cress attention as a product of Agriculture to be used in salads. It was not long before its popularity spread and it became increasingly difficult to meet the rather sudden increase in demand for watercress.
The herbalist John Gerard extolled watercress as an anti-scorbutic (remedy for scurvy) as early as 1636. No doubt in those days it was far easier to come by than oranges – a foreign extravagance.
According to the book ‘James Cook and the Conquest of Scurvy’, Captain James Cook was able to circumnavigate the globe three times, due in part, to his use of watercress in his sailors diets. And watercress is recorded as being on the menu for the vary first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims and the American Indians.
Wherever Watercress has been reported in history, it has been common to eat the crisp green sprigs out of hand, combined with other tender greens in salads and as a garnish on hot and cold dishes. In addition, certain nationalities have made a particular watercress use famous in their country.
For instance, the French are noted for delicious thick soup made of potatoes and watercress, Potage Cressionniere. This is usually served hot, though it is delicious served cold.
The English, of course, are responsible for popularizing the watercress sandwiches. These are now practically standard service, appearing at daily family teas and high teas alike. The Italians, too, did their bit by adding shortcut sprigs of Watercress to their minestrone and other satisfying and hearty vegetable soups. The Chinese have long used watercress sprays in their egg drop, wonton and of course watercress soup.
Here in America, B&W Watercress, Inc. has not only made watercress available easily, but we also developed interesting recipes for using Watercress. These include: watercress salad, soups and sandwiches, dips, entrees and of course the vegetable dishes.
Bring cider, juice and honey to a boil in a small saucepan.
Cook 10 minutes or until reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
Pour into a medium bowl and let cool slightly. Add shallots, vinegar, Dijon salt and pepper stir with a whisk. Gradually add the olive oil stirring constantly with a whisk.
Set aside.
The first time I had something similar to this they served with herb goat cheese on a bed of arugula. We had on hand crumbled feta, cut up oranges, pumpkin seeds, served on a bed of mixed greens. In fact it was at Stonewall Kitchen cooking class and they made a salad very similar this is my adaptation using what we had on hand. Here is a good site to read about varieties of winter squash. There were 2 of us and this made one fine meal, I even skipped dessert that night which for some reason this last year I have become a dessert person so strange to me.
I apologize I was so into cooking that I forgot to take a picture in the pan while cooking.
Ingredients:
How:
Cut off the ends of the squash and scoop out the seed
Cut into ½ inch think rings.
Combine the sugar, salt, pepper and butter in a large bowl. Add the squash and coat.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and place the squash in a single layer. Add apple cider to pan. Allow squash to cook and apple cider to reduce until squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize. While pan roasting, turn the squash with a spatula to be sure it browns evenly.
Things I might try next time –
Ingredients
How
Bring cider, juice and honey to a boil in a small saucepan.
Cook 10 minutes or until reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
Pour into a medium bowl and let cool slightly. Add shallots, vinegar, Dijon salt and pepper stir with a whisk. Gradually add the olive oil stirring constantly with a whisk. Set aside.
Crispy Shallots
Ingredients
How
Heat canola oil in a small sauté pan. Toss shallots in rice flour, shaking off excess. Fry rings until crispy and lightly golden. Remove from oil and season with salt. Drain on paper towel. To be honest the first batch burnt, the second was not quite crispy enough, and the next batch was perfect. Sound like a familiar story to you? I used the 2nd and third batch tossed the first. Learned you got to watch them cause they turn real quick.
For my birthday my wife gave us a cooking class at Stonewall Kitchen which was great had a really good time which started with Pina Coladas on the beach but those are both another story for another time.
This post is about my love of Balsamic Vinegar.
Hanging with the chef
A few years back we discovered eighteen year old balsamic vinegar at LeRoux Kitchen in Portland Maine. You can drink this stuff it’s just so good. They are online but also have stores at Martha’s Vineyard, MA and Portsmouth, NH so where Stonewall Kitchen is in York Maine we decided to stay just a few minutes away in Portsmouth NH on the river. Portsmouth has a nice walking downtown with small shops and a lot of restaurants it has the feel of a college town with a touch of tourism to me.
Anyway, armed with our 5 empty bottles we clinked our way to the store and had them refilled. All set for a few months now. Which brings me to the point of this post Vinaigrette dressings they can be simple or complicated but once you get in the habit of making your own fresh you will not go back to the off the shelf bottle. Ok maybe in a pinch.
I mostly wing it but here are a few that I have made or tried. Oh before I forget they are not just for salads so experiment and see. Let me know some of your favorites.
Beat the vinegar in a bowl with the optional sugar, garlic, salt and pepper until sugar and salt dissolves. Then beat in the oil by droplets, whisking constantly. (Or place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine.) Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Nice little gadget! I snuffed at first.
Ingredients:
Note: With a good quality balsamic you may not need to add a sweetener that depends on your tooth as the saying goes.
Add garlic and vinegars together and let sit overnight to infuse flavors. Strain. (Garlic pieces may be left in for stronger garlic taste.)
Blend oil, vinegars and mustard until mixture is well emulsified. Stir in maple syrup. Add cilantro, pepper and oregano (to taste). Stir and shake well prior to serving.
May substitute vinegar favorites, berry syrups for maple and substitute or add favorite spices to taste. Oil/vinegar ratio may also be adjusted to taste.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup roughly chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
How:
1 Place the salt, sugar, mustard, shallot and basil in a blender or food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Scrape the sides of the blender down with a spatula. Add the vinegar and pulse again.
2 Turn the blender on low and take off the cap in the center of the blender’s lid. Slowly pour in the olive oil. It may sputter a little out of the open cap, so hold you hand over it to minimize splashing.
3 When the olive oil is incorporated, turn off the blender and scrape the sides down one more time. Cover and purée everything for 1-2 minutes.
Store covered in the fridge for up to a week.
White and Dark balsamic Vinegar
I was told at the class that the difference is the dark is cooked but here is another opinion that backs that up …to say it’s just the color is a little too simple…balsamic vinegar is made from white grapes and are fermented over decades…they take some out after a year and cook it under pressure to maintain its clearness, and that is the white balsamic….the other as I said is left to ferment for years and that’s the dark. Me again..I should add that now a days the grocery stores have a way to speed up the process
I believe with the good stuff that each year stated the vinegar is processed in another barrel.
About Balsamic Vinegar here is an interesting article
Because balsamic vinegar is one of olive oil’s natural companions, we thought it might be useful to discuss in some detail this complex product, especially since prices can fluctuate even more wildly than olive oil (between a $3.00 pint and a $50.00 ounce).
The highest art of vinegar (aceto in Italian) making in Italy is known as Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (ABT). Sadly, the reputation of this exceptional product has been bastardized by low-grade products bearing the same name and which only ever so faintly resemble the real thing. There are, however, two bits of good news. First, it is quite simple to recognize a ‘real’ ABT. It will be always be sold in one of two distinct bottle types (the difference being that of the two competing DOC’s, Modena and Reggio Emilia, both strictly controlled by respective ‘Consorzios’1). Second, you do not always need the best balsamico for every dish and, in fact, that might be ill-advised even if you could afford it. Read more
Gourmet Dad, Don’t Let The Title Fool You 