Provençal salad with Beans, Mozzarella, Bacon and Cantaloupe melon

This classic Provencal salad explodes with flavor and is a“composed salad”, meaning each component is prepared separately and then arranged on a platter for a nice presentation. It also means it is prepared ahead.For a funkier version, you can poach or grill fresh fillets of salmon or tuna, or grilling seafood adds a new flavor variation to this traditional French salad, allow to cool and cut into cubes to replace the bacon. We served with crusty fresh homemade bread.
For six servings we used:
600 gr new potatoes
200 gr green beans
500 gr smoked bacon, cubed and cooked
350 gr cherry mozzarella
100 gr baby spinach
1 cantaloupe melon-1kg-cubed
4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
balsamic reduction
For vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 shallot, finely chopped
sea salt and black pepper
50 ml red wine vinegar
150 ml extra virgin olive oil
Whisk together vinegar, shallot, salt, mustard and pepper until salt is dissolved. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Test for more seasoning.

In a large pot of salted boiling water cook potatoes until tender (around 8-10 minutes), then cook beans until just tender. They should not be too soft but should not be under cooked. Strain and run cold water over beans to stop cooking.

Arrange the spinach, potatoes, beans, bacon, melon, mozzarella and chopped mint on a serving platter. Pour the dressing evenly over and decorate with balsamic reduction( recipe here) the salad to serve.

To complete the French experience, serve the salad with a fine, lightly chilled
Rosé wine. Pin It Now!

Feta Salsa

This is so easy, also very tasty and fresh. Definitely consider this recipe as a guideline. It works as it is, but is infinitely flexible should you want to use different herbs or add chicken or shrimps or skip something or other. Also, if you store more than one type of cheese, you can mix different types.

For 4 servings we used:
200 gr Greek feta
200 gr fresh tomato or sundried tomatoes in oil
1/2 cup pitted olives
2 fresh ripe avocados
3 cloves of garlic minced
3 tablespoons coriander or flat-leaf parsley
2 small lemons (or one large)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cube the feta into a bowl then chop the tomatoes, avocado,garlic and coriander (or parsley). Gently mix the ingredients together and drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil and the juice from lemon, add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve it on a toasted slice of focaccia (recipe here), drizzle with olive oil and see salt.

Or served on a filo pastry basket made over Bruleé cups brushed with clarified butter, baked in the oven until golden brown, and topped with lucerne sprouts.

 Enjoy ! Pin It Now!

Summer salmon symphony salad

It seems like we have so much to do this time of year and we have to think of something quick and easy to cook. Here is a good, easy recipe that you all can do this time of year.
I do understand the need for easy but elegant dining and I have served these both as a main meal and as a side dish without salmon and for a nice presentation I add a sprig of dill placed on the salad.
Ingredients for 4 servings:
4 x 180 gr salmon fillet
300 gr papaya cubes
200 gr radishes sliced
200 gr celery sticks sliced
200 gr cherry tomatoes halves
200 gr black olives
200 gr corn from fresh boiled cob, sliced
1 tbls honey
½ lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Champagne Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
10 sprigs parsley
juice from 1/2 lemon
100 ml champagne
50 ml olive oil
50 ml truffle oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

To made the Vinaigrette bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the parsley for 1 minute. Transfer the parsley to a blender; add the lemon juice, champagne, and oils and purée. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place the salmon fillets in a baking dish and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper and brush with honey. Bake the salmon fillet in the 200C oven for 8-10 min or until cooked and caramelized. Add the Vinaigrette in the mixing bowl. Add the other salad ingredients and toss well. Place the caramelized salmon fillet on top of the salad and serve.

Cooking tip: You can use any tropical fruits for this light summer entree salad. Pin It Now!

Caprese Salad - Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil

Caprese is one of the simplest and most delicious salads but it requires the right ingredients.
This – basically summer dish - is an easy and delicious salad made with fresh summer-ripe tomatoes (juicy and flavorful but not overly soft) and fresh buffalo mozzarella.
It does not need more than a touch of fresh young basil, extra-virgin olive oil, pesto, salt and pepper and this simple salad is turned it to a fantastic appetizer. With good quality fresh bread like focaccia or ciabatta and a glass of chilled white wine, this makes an excellent summer lunch or, in a small portion, an ideal first course for a summer meal.
Here is the way I made this salad for 4 people:                   
3 x 125 gr balls of buffalo mozzarella cheese, sliced
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
1 pot fresh basil leaves
coarse salt to taste
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons freshly made pesto
50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
20 ml balsamic reduction
Directions:
On a large platter (or on individual plates if you are doing individual portions) arrange tomatoes, cheese slices and basil alternately overlapping on platter. Just before serving, pour on some good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, fresh pesto and balsamic reduction.
Caprese should never be allowed to sit in oil for any length of time to become soggy.
A classic recipe has no vinegar of any kind in but I like it very much and you can see in the pictures with and without.
Balsamic Brown Sugar Reduction Recipe:
250 ml balsamic vinegar and 100 gr brown sugar.
Directions:
Cook the vinegar/brown sugar mixture down on med-high heat until it is reduced by half, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow cooling before serving.

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe:
Traditional Italian pesto is made by hand in a marble mortar, adding the basil leaves one by one for silkiest, smoothest pesto imaginable. In easier way we like the food processor, and the result is almost as good.
Ingredients:
400 gr fresh basil leaves, packed
100 gr freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
500 gr pine nuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method:
Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. Add the garlic, pulse
a few times more. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Can be served with pasta, salads, potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.
If you find the sauce to oily leave it on a side for the pesto to set down and then strain the oil.           Pin It Now!

Chili Chicken & White Beans Salad

This lovely salad, easy to make, low in calories and high in fibers it's a very nice option for summer. If you don't like spices, you can leave the chili out. Zucchini and celery give this chicken-and-bean salad a nice crunch. We like serving it with lucerne salad on top or over a bed of any type of green salad. This recipe is for 4 servings, about 500 gr each.
Ingredients:
Orange Dressing 1 medium clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt 
50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
200 ml fresh orange juice, plus more to taste
50 ml white-wine vinegar or red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard,
1 teaspoon honeySalad
2/400 gr can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
400 gr slice cooked chicken breast
2 diced red bird eye chili
200 gr diced zucchini
200 gr diced celery
200 gr diced feta cheese
200 gr chopped halved tomatoes
½ pots chopped fresh basil, plus whole basil leaves for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
50 gr pack lucerne sprouts (alfalfa)

To prepare vinaigrette: With a hand blender puree the garlic with olive oil and salt in a small bowl to form a paste. Whisk in ½ orange juice, vinegar, honey and mustard; whisk until well blended. Taste and whisk in more juice to mellow the flavor; season with more salt, if desired. Set aside at room temperature.
To prepare salad: Combine beans, chicken, zucchini, celery, chili, cheese and tomatoes in a large bowl until well blended. Add chopped basil and 3/4 cup vinaigrette; toss until combined. Taste and season with salt and/or pepper, if desired.
Serve the salad with the lucerne sprouts on top and garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Tip: To poach chicken breasts, place about 1/2 kg boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or saucepan. Add lightly salted water to cover and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes. Pin It Now!