Fresh Tomato Salad

Verdict: It was all right. I think maybe some sweetness would have made it even better, or some cheese. I'm not sure I will go out of my way to make this again but it's a nice way to use up lots of tomatoes that are best eaten fresh.

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RECIPE: Tomato Salad (The Kitchn)

Cucumber Salad with Red Wine Vinegar

I wanted to make a cucumber salad that didn't involve having to salt and wait and squeeze out the water from the cucumbers, and decided to give this one a try.

Notes:

• I didn't read the directions and just mixed everything together right away and it tasted fine.
• Served with Stuck Pot Rice and Lentils, Spiced Beef Meatballs, and garlic-lemon yogurt and it was fantastic.
  

Verdict: Simple and clean flavors, and I think it would go well with lots of things. Definitely keeping it around for another time.

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RECIPE: Cucumber Salad (Marcia Kiesel/Food & Wine Magazine)

Corn Salad with Chile and Lime

This was one of those recipes that caught me in the right place at the right time. I saw it and immediately went out to buy the ingredients to make it.

Notes:

• I used my broiler to char the corn and it took maybe 7-10 minutes.
• I used feta cheese since I couldn't find cotija.
  
• I served it with marinated grilled/pan fried chicken.
  

Verdict: This was INCREDIBLY GOOD and I will absolutely be making it again, especially in August when the corn here is at its best.

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RECIPE: Corn Salad with Chile and Lime (Smitten Kitchen)

Corn and Cherry Tomato Salad with Basil

Every year I buy corn when it's fresh (in August where I live) and then am not quite sure what to do with it besides boil it and eat it off the cob. This year I tried to find something a little different and settled on this. I love that you don't even have to cook the corn. It's good without the feta cheese but I think I prefer it with (it's a little more salty and I like the extra texture).

Notes:

• I made this more by feel with the amounts of ingredients I had than anything else.
• I used Tropea onion instead of red onion (the farmer I bought them from described them as "like red onion but sweeter and sharper", and they're delightful here).
  
• Used lime juice instead of cider vinegar.
  
• Added some ground chipotle powder for some heat (but you don't have to).
• You can make it vegan if you leave out the feta cheese.
  

Verdict: The first time I made it, it was so good I made it again right away after it was gone. It has a lovely mix of flavors, textures, and colors. Definitely keeping this one to make again.

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RECIPE: Fresh Corn Tomato Salad (Basil and Bubbly)

Avocado Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing

This sounded really good to me when it scrolled by, so I gave it a try!

Notes:

• Since the recipe is not very precise about how much of each ingredient to use I weighed mine out.
• 110 g carrot (95 g fully peeled/prepared)
  
• 17 g shallot (I would use even less next time, more like 10-12 g fully prepared)
  
• 15 g ginger
  

Verdict: I really liked it! I may use less shallot next time but I would definitely make it again. It's a fresh, bright tasting, and colorful addition to a salad.

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RECIPE: Avocado Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing

Greek Salad Dressing

This is another thing I make so infrequently that I always forget which recipe I used the last time I made it. I didn't take a photo of it but wanted to record that I tried this one.

Verdict: I must have liked it if I had it saved on my phone for this long!

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RECIPE: Greek Salad Dressing (food.com)

Thai Beef Salad

I have always loved getting this from Thai restaurants. I don't normally have the right kind of beef for this in the house, but today I did, as well as enough other fresh vegetables to make it work. Spoon Fork Heart has some nice Thai cooking videos. The video for this recipe is here.

Notes:

• I used brown sugar instead of palm sugar.
  
• I made a number of substitutions in the vegetables to use up what I had (ugh pandemic). Probably not very authentic, but still tasty.
  

Verdict: I loved it and would definitely make it again, especially with the proper ingredients. The dressing is super good.

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RECIPE: Thai Beef Salad, Bangkok Style (Spoon Fork Heart)

Japanese Style Creamy Sesame Dressing

One of the things I think I fell in love with the hardest about Japanese cooking when I lived there was sesame flavoring in sauces. This is one of my very favorite sesame based things. It's great on all manner of green vegetables, cooked or raw, and any salad with Asian style ingredients.

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RECIPE: Japanese Sesame Dressing (Just One Cookbook)

Basil Vinaigrette

I first had basil vinaigrette at a college dining hall, of all places. I couldn't quite figure out why I liked the dressing on their green salad so much but I was so impressed with it I had to ask the staff what it was because the menu didn't say. Basil vinaigrette, they told me. I should have known. I love basil.

I immediately went looking for a recipe and found this one. I don't normally have this much basil on hand, but went to the farmer's market to get some. The other time I unexpectedly had a lot left in my garden box at the end of the summer and picked it all to make this.

Notes:

• I like putting this on spring mix + cherry tomatoes + small fresh mozzarella balls for a caprese-inspired type of salad but it's great on just greens, too.
• Make sure to pick as much of the stem off the leaves as possible because it can give the dressing an unpleasantly bitter flavor.
• I have made this twice now and have used a slightly smaller amount of red onion instead of shallot in a pinch.
• It starts to oxidize after a bit so make sure to eat it within 3-5 days before it turns brown and gross.

Verdict: This turned out a bit thicker and more tart than the basil vinaigrette I was trying to recreate but it's still quite good. Debating adding more olive oil to it to make it a little looser, maybe decreasing the vinegar a little too.

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RECIPE: Basil Vinaigrette

 

Update: I also like this recipe from What's Gaby Cooking and it doesn't brown as easily. 

Cucumber Noodle Salad

This is a recipe from my grandma (my mom's mom). As with many things I post on this site, this was a food I did not like as a child but once I was an adult and learned to like cucumbers, I actually tried it and grew to love it. In general, pasta salad is not something I eat, but I think this one is good because it's got a light vinegary dressing and is great for the summer when it's full of cooling, fresh in-season cucumbers (if you grow them you probably have times where you don't know what to do with them all). I got on a kick last summer where I kept making this and I can't wait for later in the summer when the cucumbers are good again.

Notes:

• Choosing cucumbers
• This recipe works best with pickling cucumbers (they are small, have thin edible skin, and tend to have very small seeds or no seeds). If you can't get those, get English or Persian cucumbers, which have similar characteristics.
• If you can only find regular cucumbers, buy the skinniest ones you can find, peel them (the skin can be bitter and tough depending on the time of year), and cut them in half lengthwise before slicing.
• If the seeds in your cucumbers are big, scoop out the seeds and watery middle part with a spoon. I find it unpleasant to eat this salad with large cucumber seeds in it.
• Substitutions
• Pasta: Other similarly sized, dense, compact shapes of pasta that hold sauce well will work nicely; I have also made it with egg noodles. This salad can be made gluten free if you use gluten free pasta; I found some brown rice rotini that worked great. This salad can also be made vegan if you use pasta that does not contain egg.
• Vinegar: Instead of white vinegar I have used a number of other types (rice vinegar, champagne vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar), all of which I thought were pretty good.
• Canola oil: any other neutral, mild tasting oil will work. I usually use olive oil.
• My grandma's version calls for 1 1/2 cups of sugar but I felt this was too sweet so I reduced it to 1 1/4. You can reduce it further if you like, but for the best flavor I think at least 1 cup is necessary.
• I usually add a large pinch of salt (the original recipe does not call for it).
• I'm working on a version with less water because a bunch of water comes out of the cucumbers the longer it sits and it dilutes the dressing.
• This salad makes great potluck/picnic food.

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RECIPE:

Cucumber Noodle Salad
Adapted from my grandma's recipe
Makes about 4 quarts, serves 12-16 people

1 box (16 oz/450 g) rotini noodles
8-10 pickling cucumbers (about 2 lb/900 g)
1 medium sweet onion (about 1/2 lb, 225 g)

Dressing:
1 1/4 cups (2/3 lb, about 300 g) sugar
1 cup (235 ml) water
3/4 cup (175 ml) white vinegar
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp dry parsley (or 3 tbsp fresh minced)

Cook rotini noodles as directed on package, until on the firm side of al dente. Slice cucumbers about 1/8 inch (~3 mm) thick -- if you have a mandoline slicer, it makes quick work of them. Finely chop or slice sweet onion. Place in a large bowl and set aside while you prepare the dressing.

Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl. Pour over noodles, cucumber, and onion and stir to coat. Tastes best when left to stand in refrigerator for several hours before eating.

COOKING LIFE HAX: Ponzu + sesame oil dressing

I stumbled upon a life hack tonight for all my Asian salad dressing needs: drizzle ponzu (Kikkoman has the easiest one to find where I live) and toasted sesame oil over your salad and mix it, then eat. You don't even have to mix them together first before pouring on your salad. This goes especially well over something super simple like spring mix and tomatoes.

Chicken Grape Salad

This is one of my mom's recipes. When she and my dad were married but before they had children and were living in Colorado, a woman she worked with taught her how to make this salad. I didn't like mayonnaise or creamy dressings when I was a kid but I finally tried this salad when I was in high school, and I've been in love ever since. She told me that you can sprinkle toasted sliced almonds on top, but she generally didn't when she served it at home. It's especially nice in the summer a little cold from the fridge, but it's good any time really.

My local grocery store makes this salad, and while I don't like that it's overdressed and they keep the grapes whole, I do love that they put cashew pieces in it. So now I put cashews in it too. ;) Still not sure whether I prefer the chicken cubed or shredded. I think shredded chicken helps the dressing stick a little better but I very slightly prefer the texture of cubed. Try both and decide for yourself.

Notes:
2/15/19: Admittedly I think the recipe amounts could use some adjustment. As written, it makes kind of a lot of dressing for the amount of salad ingredients. I find that if you put in too much celery it's hard to taste the sweet flavors. Try not to make the dressing too thin or it will sit at the bottom of the container instead of sticking to the ingredients. I have been working on alternatives to Miracle Whip. For this latest batch I used a mix of plain Greek yogurt and Kewpie mayonnaise, because it's what I had and I thought straight regular mayonnaise might be too heavy. It worked all right but I think I needed to add a little more sugar and lemon because it was lacking the tang that Miracle Whip adds. I was using a particularly crappy brand of bottled lemon juice which didn't help.

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RECIPE:

Chicken Grape Salad

Salad:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

1 tsp olive or canola oil
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ lb red grapes, washed
2 stalks celery

Dressing:
¾ cup Miracle Whip
1 tbsp lemon juice (fresh is best but bottled will do)
1 tbsp sugar, or to taste
¼ to 1/3 cup milk

Garnish (optional):
Sliced almonds or cashew pieces, toasted

Preheat oven to 375°F. Rub oil on chicken pieces and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake until interior is no longer pink, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool enough to handle. While the chicken cools, chop celery into small pieces and cut each grape in half. Place celery and grapes in a large bowl. You can also prepare the dressing if you need more time for the chicken to cool.

For dressing: place Miracle Whip, lemon juice, and sugar in small bowl and mix with wire whisk until just combined. Add milk a little at a time until desired consistency. Set aside until ready to use.

When chicken is cooled, cut into bite size pieces or shred with a fork, and add to the bowl with the celery and grapes. Pour dressing over the salad ingredients and mix gently to coat. This tastes best when refrigerated for several hours before eating. Sprinkle with slivered almonds, if desired. Sprinkle toasted almond slices or cashew pieces immediately before serving, if desired.

Soba Noodle Salad

Last month I was at a wedding in California catered by The Bodega and it was like every food they touched turned to delicious gold. The absolute best fried chicken sandwich I have ever had in my entire life (simply called "The Bodega Sandwich", fried buttermilk chicken, smoky aioli, and herby slaw) and crispy grilled brussels sprouts that I still dream about all the time.

Unfortunately I live thousands of miles away from their food truck and my friends have since moved from the San Francisco area to Los Angeles, so I have no idea when I'm going to be able to eat their food again. But that's not stopping me from trying to make everything I loved about that meal to get as close to that feeling as I can.

The Bodega posted a cold soba noodle salad on their Instagram (@thebodega_ca) a few days ago and it looked so good I had to try making it for myself. I'm sure theirs is better since they've made it enough to perfect it, but this one was refreshing and tasty on a hot day.

It also brings to mind a number of zaru soba meals I had in Japan, but that's a dish for another day.

Notes:

• Other vegetables that I think might taste good in this: kohlrabi, celery, daikon
• Adding some kind of salad greens to this might be yummy too!
• You could substitute some marinated grilled chicken for the tofu. Marinate the chicken in the dressing for 1-2 hours before cooking it.
• You will likely have extra salad dressing left over. It goes great on all kinds of vegetables.
  

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RECIPE:

Soba Noodle Salad
by The Matcha Chronicles, inspired by The Bodega in Petaluma, CA
Dressing recipe from Just One Cookbook
Serves 4

15-19 oz medium firm or firm tofu, drained
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin coins
About 6-8 small or 5-6 medium radishes, sliced thinly into rounds
2 cucumbers, sliced thinly in rounds and cut in half
Juice of 1 lime
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
12 oz dried buckwheat (soba) noodles
6 tbsp tahini
4 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie brand)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp mirin
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Black or white sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish

Drain tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Slice into pieces about 1 by 2 inches by 1/2 inch thick. Dry fry in a single layer in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Set aside.

Place carrots, radishes, and cucumbers in a medium bowl. Sprinkle lime juice and salt on and toss to combine. Let stand for about 15 minutes, then drain the liquid.

While vegetables are standing, cook the soba noodles in boiling water according to package directions, then drain and rinse in cool water until they are chilled. Set aside.

Make the dressing by whisking or blending tahini, Japanese mayonnaise, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and sesame oil together until smooth.

Divide soba noodles, tofu, and vegetables among 4 plates. Drizzle salad dressing over the top of each salad, and garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve immediately. If saving for later, keep the prepared ingredients separately in the refrigerator, and assemble immediately before serving.

Raw Kale and Apple Salad

This recipe was tried out of a necessity to use up fresh kale from our CSA haul (we get it nearly every week in the summer!) and a desire to not have to cook it to use it up. I recently had a raw kale salad at a work potluck that I liked so I thought I'd try to make a similar one. I liked this one so much that it's turned into a regular summer meal!

Notes/substitutions:

• I don't bother mixing the salad dressing ingredients together first, just pour the oil and lemon juice and salt into my bowl of chopped kale.
• I haven't ever eaten this with dates but I'm sure they're good. I usually use a dried fruit I'm more likely to have on hand (golden raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries).
• I've used sliced almonds instead of slivered. Walnuts are also good. Toasting them sounds a little tedious but adds a lot of extra flavor.
• Instead of just tossing to coat, I massage the ingredients into the kale for a couple of minutes. I find this softens the leaves and makes them easier to eat.
• I also have used other harder, sharp cheeses in place of Parmesan to good effect. Sartori MontAmore is particularly yummy.
• This salad keeps for several days in the refrigerator and travels well.
• It is gluten free and can be made vegan if you leave out the cheese.

RECIPE: Kale and Apple Salad