Fresh Tart

The play of hot against cold, tender against crunchy, preferably with a salty-sweet vinaigrette, hits enough texture and flavor notes to transform a simple salad into a meal. Use this recipe as a formula to play with all summer long, as other vegetables come into the market.

My recipe for Grilled Asparagus Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Crispy, buttery, salty chicken topped with a fresh salad. It's all in the contrast. My recipe for Chicken Piccata with Radish & Pea Shoot Salad at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

I figured after the (lovely!) decadence of last week's poached egg-over-pork belly-over-pancake, I owed you - and myself - a salad.  Recipe for Cabbage Salad with Toasted Coriander Mayonnaise at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

I posted Melissa Clark's Raw Tuscan Kale Salad with Chiles & Pecorino recipe this week at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Yes, that is fried cheese.

It is every bit as delicious as you'd think it would be - crunchy and melty, a little salty and sweet, pretty much to die for. Thank you Melissa Clark - I asked for her new cookbook for Christmas, In the Kitchen With A Good Appetite, and I've been consistently thrilled since I opened it.

Peppery arugula is a lovely foil for the creamy cheese, as is the citrus dressing, which offers nothing less than a bite of sunshine on a cold, winter's day.  Somehow this salad manages to be at once comforting and yet refreshing, no easy feat.

I used almond flour to make it gluten-free.  You could instead use gluten-free breadcrumbs (and just skip the flour).  Have the greens ready to go so that you can serve the salad as soon as the crispy-molten cheese emerges from the oil.

An oh, tuck the dressing recipe in the back of your mind because you're going to want to eat it on pretty much everything.

Pan-Fried Cheese with Anchovy-Date Salad
From In the Kitchen With A Good Appetite by Melissa Clark
Serves 4-6

1 medium orange
1 large lemon
4 large diced dates (about 1/4 c.)
6 anchovy fillets, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 c. all-purpose flour (I used almond flour)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. plain bread crumbs (I skipped these)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
Extra-virgin olive oil or safflower oil, for frying (about 3/4 c.)
Bitter leafy greens, such as arugula, watercress, and/or radicchio, for serving

To make the anchovy-date dressing, zest and juice the orange and lemon, reserving 1 Tbsp. of the lemon juice and 2 tsp. of the orange juice.  Place the zest and reserved juice in a medium bowl and stir in the dates, anchovies, and garlic.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing comes together.

To make the cheese, place the flour on a plate, the egg in a bowl, and the bread crumbs on a separate plate.  Coat each slice of cheese in the flour, dip in the egg, and then coat in the bread crumbs.  (Note: I just dipped the cheese in the egg and then coated with almond flour.)

Heat about 1/2 inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Using tongs, dip 1 cheese slice into the oil.  If the oil sizzles slightly, it is ready.  Working with 2-3 cheese slices at a time, fry the cheese until golden brown, 15-20 seconds per side.  Transfer the slices to a plate and dab off the excess oil with a paper towel.  Repeat with the remaining cheese slices.

Serve the fried cheese hot on a bed of greens topped with the anchovy-date dressing.

I am stuffed to the max from rich holiday foods.  Even though I was successful in avoiding gluten and grains, the salt really catches up to me.  Puff city.  And after a week of heavier foods, salads, fish, and brothy soups just sound so right to me.

While these recipes aren't new, I thought you might appreciate having a few ideas for taking it down a notch this week.  Above is one of my favorite salads, Grilled Salmon with Greens & Avocado.  Warm salmon, cool greens, and a mustard vinaigrette hit the spot in any season.

I posted my aunt Mary's Chicken Vegetable Soup at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine a few weeks ago.  It's delicious anytime, and can be adapted to use up leftover turkey if you're lucky enough to have some on hand.

Grilled Shrimp Tostadas with Spicy Slaw are easy to mess around with.  Saute or broil the shrimp if your grill is buried in snow.  Skip the tortillas if you're watching your grain intake.  The cool, crunchy slaw sets off the hot shrimp nicely.

A pan of Fried Chickpeas with Chorizo & Spinach can be on the table in minutes and is hearty and spicy enough to chase away a chilly evening.  How do you wind things down when the holidays are over?

I first wrote about this recipe a few weeks ago when I described our trip to San Francisco.  My friend Maud's brother Arthur made a delicious kale salad for us, and I couldn't wait to make it at home and post it for you.  In the process of raving about it on Facebook, I found out that the recipe originally came from Maud and Arthur's sister Abigail!  She claims she didn't make it up herself, but I'm happy to give her credit for introducing it to me via Arthur.  She said that Arthur added the nuts (a good addition).

The kale in the salad is raw, yet tender, because it sits tossed with some lemon juice for a bit (the acid tenderizes the greens).  In fact, I kept leftovers in the fridge overnight and enjoyed it completely the next day.  Abigail notes that it is always popular on buffets - as we all know, it's not easy to find a green salad that can sit nicely (and even improve) on a buffet!  I'm thinking...Thanksgiving.  Yes.

I brought some to Debbie & Stu the Wine Genius' home last week and had Stu asking me for the recipe over the weekend.  I've got a nasty double-whammy sinus infection/pneumonia going on - grrr - so I've been a little slow posting this.  But here it is!  I made it for myself today, in fact, adding garlic to give my immune system a kick in the you know what.

I also added fresh dill, since I love fresh dill with lemon juice and feta cheese.  You could add your favorite fresh herb, or none at all, per the original recipe.  Thanks Arthur and Abigail!

Abigail and Arthur's Kale Salad
Serves 4

1 large bunch Lacinato kale (also known as Dino kale - it's crinkly, like dinosaur skin!), center ribs removed, leaves cut into thin strips (chiffonade)
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 1/2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, minced (optional)
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt + more
1/3 c. pine nuts or chopped walnuts, toasted
1/3 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup small dill sprigs (optional)
freshly ground black pepper

About one hour before you plan to eat, put kale and shallot in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Pour the dressing over the kale and toss to coat thoroughly.  Let sit for one hour.

To serve, add toasted nuts, feta cheese, and dill sprigs to salad and toss thoroughly.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Behold the world's most perfect side dish.  I'm not talking about the photo, which is meh (sorry, I was rushing this out to our National Night Out block party), but the dish itself, which is delicious and flexible and adaptable and easy and do-ahead.

No lie.

Serve it warm or serve it at room temperature.  Stir in shredded chicken or lamb, or serve it alongside a roast of either.  Add tomatoes, or corn, or peas, or any vegetable, really.

I never make it the same way twice and love all my iterations.  Perhaps narcissistic, but I don't think so.

I spy roasted cherry tomatoes, grilled corn, okra, pine nuts, scallions, kalamata olives, red onions, and feta cheese studding this version.  The soft, fluffy couscous pulls together all the lovely textures and flavors.

The basics are below - improvise away!  Include a combination of raw and cooked vegetables for the biggest flavor punch.  I bring this dish to almost every potluck I'm invited to - it actually improves as it sits there, looking pretty.

Couscous with Vegetables, Olives, & Raisins
Serves 4-6

1-10 oz. box plain couscous
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into matchstick pieces
1/2 sweet onion, sliced thinly into 1-inch pieces
3 oz. white mushrooms, sliced thin
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. raisins (or golden raisins, or currants), softened by heating in a microwave, with 1 tsp. of water, for 30 seconds
1/4 c. chopped scallions
1/4 c. chopped Kalamata olives
salt and pepper

Prepare couscous according to package directions.  Spread hot couscous out on a baking sheet, breaking up any clumps, and allow to cool to room temperature.  (Skip this step if you're going to serve the couscous warm.)

Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbsp. olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.  Stir in pepper, onion, and mushrooms and sauté until starting to wilt, about 8 minutes. Stir in curry powder and cumin, then garlic and raisins, and sauté for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer couscous to a bowl.  Stir in scallions and olives, then sautéed vegetables and any oil from the pan.  Adjust seasoning if necessary.  Serve warm or at room temp.

Optional stir-in ideas:
¼ toasted pine nuts
¼ c. chopped parsley
½ c. canned, drained chickpeas
¼ c. chopped fresh mint leaves
½ c. crumbled feta cheese
1 c. cooked, shredded chicken or lamb

I know, I know.  Another tomato salad.  But bear with me for a minute, because of one special ingredient...burrata cheese.  It's fresh mozzarella, but with a creamier, tangier twist.  I bought it at Whole Foods, in the cheese section, and haven't looked back.  Burrata is completely incredible with garden fresh tomatoes, even more so than traditional fresh mozzarella, because of its loose, creamy-dreamy texture.

Scatter pieces over juicy sliced tomatoes.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, add crispy olive-oil fried croutons.

Then finish with plenty of fresh basil. (Unless Japanese beetles have decimated your basil plant.  In that case, use other fresh herbs and it will still be fabulous.)

Our dog Louis learned how to jump into the pool today.  Witnessing his pure joy is almost as delicious as tomato salad.

I cooked my brains out this weekend and loved every minute of it.  See Saturday's results -  icy cold gazpacho, as well as poached eggs over potato pancakes - below.  Both are new favorites, and why not?  Crunchy, creamy, salty.  Pretty much everything I crave.

So where, you might wonder, are the pics of Sunday's pork ribs, coleslaw, crushed potatoes with garlic & preserved lemon, and mini-burgers?  Well...

...I hate to say it, but the Annual Super Duper Shubert Coopster July 4th Celebration meal went largely unphotographed.  Turns out, I am terrible at entertaining and taking pictures at the same time.  Cory Shubert took the pics above and below - thanks man!

Luckily I possessed a no-fail pork ribs pic from when I posted the recipe on Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly mag's blog a few weeks ago.  If you look hard enough, you'll see that these are everyone's favorite ribs, falling-off-the-bone-tender with a crusty, spicy-sweet glaze.  It's harder to see that they're ridiculously easy, making them the perfect party food.  But it's true.  If you give them a try, let me know.

I'm kicking myself for not snapping pics of the coleslaw and crushed potatoes - you'll just have to take my word for it that both turned out so pretty.  I added sliced cucumber, quartered cherry tomatoes, and crispy bacon to the coleslaw.  Good move, I recommend all three additions.  The recipe for the excellent potatoes, via The Pioneer Woman (with the addition of garlic and preserved lemon), is below.  You could boil the potatoes a couple of hours ahead of time, keep them at room temperature, then crush (crash!) and roast them right before sitting down to dinner.

For dessert, Suz brought her now-famous blueberry kuchen, one of the best desserts on the planet.  Also easy (see a pattern?) - make it now through the end of the summer, when blueberries are at their peak.  Serve warm with a scoop of melty ice cream - fireworks in your mouth and a real crowd pleaser.

If you make it, take a pic and send it to me!

So there it is.  Another 4th of July, another summer celebration.  We swam, we sipped, we grilled, we ate.  We laughed our butts off, doused ourselves in bug spray, and hauled our chairs out onto lovely Interlachen Golf Course for fireworks.  The rain held off, the fireworks dazzled, and we made our way home to bed.  Oooh.

Aaaaaaaah.

I hope you all had a great 4th!

Crash Hot Potatoes
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Serves 6

12 whole new potatoes
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped rosemary (or other fresh herbs)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 of a whole preserved lemon, seeds discarded, minced (I find jars of whole preserved lemons at Whole Foods)
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F.  Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Add potatoes and cook them until they are fork-tender.

While the potatoes cook, add heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the rosemary and garlic and saute until garlic is fragrant and just softening, about 4 minutes.  Stir in preserved lemon and set aside.

Drizzle the remaining 2 Tbsp. of olive oil on a baking sheet and spread evenly.  Drain potatoes and place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly crushes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and crush lightly again.  Spoon a bit of the garlic oil on each potato, using all the oil.  Sprinkle the potatoes lightly with salt.

Place potatoes in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Grind black pepper over the hot potatoes and serve immediately.

"Oh, this pool is as warm as a Turkish Bath!" - Sullivan Shubert, age 8, in response to How's the water Sully?, July 4, 2010
"I love these hamburgers so much I want to marry them, but the funeral won't be long after..." – Sullivan Shubert, age 7, regarding mini-hamburgers, July 4, 2009
"They start big but end fast, like a good sneeze." - Sullivan Shubert, age 6, explaining fireworks to Cooper, July 4, 2008
“Wow, those would make Vivian feel fancy!” – Sullivan Shubert, age 4, regarding super-sparkly fireworks, July 4, 2006