Fennel, Radish and Butter Lettuce Salad with Zesty Chive Dressing

From the appearance of this here blog… I’ve been pretty lazy lately.

And I will admit, I was pretty lazy in the last week and half. 

Wes and I went on a much-needed little Hawaiian vacay to the north shore of Oahu. 

This was after my five-day work trip to Vegas. Which was right after my eight-day dork trip to New York.

So I’m not sure if I’ve been lazy as much as I’ve been exhausted.

When I’m not on the road, I should be writing about any of the tasty dishes in my pretty large backlog of things I’ve cooked lately. But more and more I’m finding myself with my new food love. The garden.

I turned over about fifty square feet of pretty crappy earth on the side of Wes’s place back in April and I have been working my developing green thumb on that little patch hoping for some yummy goodies to come out of it.

Naturally, there have been successes and failures. I seem to be able to get squash blossoms just fine, but no actual squash want to come my way. 

The basil is out of hand but my cilantro super sucked. 

Just like my early cooking days, it is trial by fire out in that little dirt patch but I’m as determined now as I was then. Maybe more so.

This dish features on of my favorite garden goodies and one of my most successful first crops. The radish. In my opinion, a highly underrated little root veggie that adds a ton of zest and flavor to anything it is served with.

You will need…

1 head butter lettuce (also known as Bibb or Boston) chopped into bite-sized pieces

8 radishes thinly sliced

1 cup croutons

1 bulb fennel, halved and light green part thinly sliced

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, radishes and fennel and set aside.

Then in a small bowl or jar, combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, chives and honey and season well with salt and pepper. Whisk or shake till the dressing is completely combined.

Drizzle the dressing over the greens and top the salad with croutons.

Toss well and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Fennel, Radish and Butter Lettuce Salad with Zesty Chive Dressing

 1 head butter lettuce (also known as Bibb or Boston) chopped into bite-sized pieces

8 radishes thinly sliced

1 cup croutons

1 bulb fennel, halved and light green part thinly sliced

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, radishes and fennel and set aside.

Then in a small bowl or jar, combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, chives and honey and season well with salt and pepper. Whisk or shake till the dressing is completely combined.

Drizzle the dressing over the greens and top the salad with croutons.

Toss well and serve.

Grilled Grape and Oyster Mushroom Salad

All right. Before you go poo-pooing this recipe, thinking it’s all weird, lets talk about this logically.

Think of all the weird combinations of things that are totally awesome.

I bet people totally thought the first person to put peanut butter and jelly together was a total goofball.

Chicken and waffles with maples syrup I a pretty crazy idea, but people go great distances to get their hands on it.

If you haven’t had chocolate and bacon together, you are majorly missing out.

In the food world, weird works.

And this interesting salad totally entertains.

You will need…

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing the grapes and mushrooms

¼ cup almond oil

½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ cup celery leaves (the leaves from one head)

¼ cup salted roasted almonds, chopped

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1 pound king oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick

2 cups green grapes

2 heads butter lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 cups thinly sliced celery

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating your grill to a medium heat.

Take about 5 wooden skewers and soak them for a few minutes in water.

While they are soaking, combine the grapes with some salt and pepper and about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss until the grapes are lightly coated.

Skewer all the grapes and set them aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, celery seeds, mustard half the garlic and salt and pepper.

Gradually whisk in the ¼ cup of olive oil and the almond oil until emulsified. Or combine all in a mason jar and shake well.

Then in a mini food processor, combine the remaining garlic with the parsley, celery leaves, Parmesan and almonds and pulse until finely chopped.

Add the other ¼ cup of olive oil and puree to a chunky pesto.

Lightly brush the mushrooms with another tablespoon of oil and season them with salt and pepper.

Poke quite a few small holes in a large piece of aluminum foil and lay the mushrooms out in a single layer on top of it. 

Place the mushrooms and the grapes on the grill.

Cook the grapes for about 3 minutes a side. Just until they are lightly blistered.

Cook the mushrooms just until they are tender and lightly browned. About 5 minutes.

Remove the grapes and mushrooms from the heat and toss them in a bowl with the pesto.

Lay the lettuce out on a large platter and toss the leaves with half the dressing.

Top the lettuce with the mushroom and grape mixture.

Drizzle the remaining dressing on the celery.

Finally, top the salad with the celery and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Grilled Grape and Oyster Mushroom Salad 

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing the grapes and mushrooms

¼ cup almond oil

½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ cup celery leaves (the leaves from one head)

¼ cup salted roasted almonds, chopped

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1 pound king oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick

2 cups green grapes

2 heads butter lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 cups thinly sliced celery

 Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating your grill to a medium heat.

Take about 5 wooden skewers and soak them for a few minutes in water.

While they are soaking, combine the grapes with some salt and pepper and about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss until the grapes are lightly coated.

Skewer all the grapes and set them aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, celery seeds, mustard half the garlic and salt and pepper.

Gradually whisk in the ¼ cup of olive oil and the almond oil until emulsified. Or combine all in a mason jar and shake well.

Then in a mini food processor, combine the remaining garlic with the parsley, celery leaves, Parmesan and almonds and pulse until finely chopped.

Add the other ¼ cup of olive oil and puree to a chunky pesto.

Lightly brush the mushrooms with another tablespoon of oil and season them with salt and pepper.

Poke quite a few small holes in a large piece of aluminum foil and lay the mushrooms out in a single layer on top of it. 

Place the mushrooms and the grapes on the grill.

Cook the grapes for about 3 minutes a side. Just until they are lightly blistered.

Cook the mushrooms just until they are tender and lightly browned. About 5 minutes.

Remove the grapes and mushrooms from the heat and toss them in a bowl with the pesto.

Lay the lettuce out on a large platter and toss the leaves with half the dressing.

Top the lettuce with the mushroom and grape mixture.

Drizzle the remaining dressing on the celery.

Finally, top the salad with the celery and serve. 

Creamy Tarragon Dressed Butter Lettuce with Crumbled Croutons

Unless you live under a rock, you are a ware that 2012 is an election year in the good old USA.

No, I am not about to spill my guts to you about all my political beliefs and then go on and on and on and on and on about why I am right and why you should believe what I think.

I don’t really care if you believe that the whole universe is run by a unicorn named Janice or that the earth is really just a marble in some alien kids pocket.

What I do know is that I find most of the political figures these days very similar to circus performers.

I just feel like people I can trust are few and far between. On both sides of the aisle. And more than wanting to convince others of my political views, I just hope as a whole our country can get to a more honest place.

And there is my deep thought of the week.

Even though I don’t trust politicians, I do trust a really REALLY good salad.

Ignore a politician, eat a salad.

You will need…

1 cup homemade croutons
 (store bought work fine) smashed

2 heads butter lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

¼ cup shaved (you can use a veggie peeler) good Parmesan cheese

1 large tomato, diced

1/4 cup diced red tomato, plus and extra tablespoon

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Greek yogurt or sour cream

1 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

On a large platter, combine the tomato, lettuce, cheese, and ¼ cup of onion.

Then in a food processor or in a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Blend or whisk until they are completely blended.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well.

Top with the crushed croutons, lightly toss again and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Creamy Tarragon Dressed Butter Lettuce with Crumbled Croutons

1 cup homemade croutons
 (store bought work fine) smashed

2 heads butter lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

¼ cup shaved (you can use a veggie peeler) good Parmesan cheese

1 large tomato, diced

1/4 cup diced red tomato, plus and extra tablespoon

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Greek yogurt or sour cream

1 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

On a large platter, combine the tomato, lettuce, cheese, and ¼ cup of onion.

Then in a food processor or in a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Blend or whisk until they are completely blended.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well.

Top with the crushed croutons, lightly toss again and serve. 

Basil Vinaigrette Salad with Parmesan Crisps

When I left home eight years ago, I never REALLY thought that I would be back.

Even more than that, I NEVER thought I would live with either of my brothers again.

But as you know, Albert and I are back at home, living the dream.

In the beginning, it was rough. Both of us had to adjust to a new roommate. A new roommate we had known our entire lives. A new roommate who knew every good and bad thing we had ever done and exactly how to drive us absolutely insane.

And good lord was the adjustment period ROUGH.

Somehow, we have managed to find our groove.

We are so groovy, that as I write this I am sitting next to him as we watch television. Quietly enjoying each other’s company and the simplicity of being together as siblings.

Well, atleast that is what I’m thinking.

He’s probably thinking about the baseball show we are watching, what snack he’s going to go find in ten minutes and what time he has to get up for his golf tee time tomorrow.

But that is besides the point.

The point is, there is something really special when it’s just simple.

And just as relationships can be amazing when they are simple, food can be the same way.

This is a simple salad that is still very impressive and enjoyable.

You will need…

½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 head red leaf lettuce, cut into bite sized pieces

1 head butter lettuce cut into bite sized pieces

½ red onion, thinly sliced

½ cucumber, sliced in half and thinly sliced

Juice of ½ lemon

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

¼ cup freshly packed basil (finely chopped if not using a food processor)

2 green onions, sliced

1 garlic clove, diced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, make four mounds of cheese a couple inches apart from one another.

Using the back of a spoon, spread the cheese out into a thin circular layer.

Place the cheese in the oven until melted and golden brown. About 10 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through.

While the crisps are baking, combine the lettuce, red onions and cucumber in a large bowl.

When the crisps are golden, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. Once cool and harden, gently remove them from the parchment paper and set it aside.

In a small bowl or food processor, combine the lemon juice, mustard, basil, green onion, garlic, vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and whisk well or blend completely.

Drizzle over the salad and toss well.

Top with Parmesan crisps and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Basil Vinaigrette Salad with Parmesan Crisps

½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 head red leaf lettuce, cut into bite sized pieces

1 head butter lettuce cut into bite sized pieces

½ red onion, thinly sliced

½ cucumber, sliced in half and thinly sliced

Juice of ½ lemon

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

¼ cup freshly packed basil (finely chopped if not using a food processor)

2 green onions, sliced

1 garlic clove, diced

1 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, make four mounds of cheese a couple inches apart from one another.

Using the back of a spoon, spread the cheese out into a thin circular layer.

Place the cheese in the oven until melted and golden brown. About 10 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through.

While the crisps are baking, combine the lettuce, red onions and cucumber in a large bowl.

When the crisps are golden, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. Once cool and harden, gently remove them from the parchment paper and set it aside.

In a small bowl or food processor, combine the lemon juice, mustard, basil, green onion, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and whisk well or blend completely.

Drizzle over the salad and toss well.

Top with Parmesan crisps and serve.