Couscous and Cranberry Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a really simple chop and chill salad. It was originally developed for picnics and al fresco meals, but I've recently started to use it for covered dish suppers and winter buffets. There is always a lot going on in my kitchen and various commitments have created a real need for dishes that are fast and simple to prepare. If you lead a busy life and are looking for recipes that will make your life easier, I think you really will enjoy this flavorful salad. Here's the recipe.

Couscous and Cranberry Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 package plain couscous
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup chopped sweet yellow or red pepper
3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1) Prepare couscous according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl; fluff with a fork. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chilled. Stir in cranberries, onions, yellow pepper and almonds.
2) Whisk lemon juice, oil, paprika, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Yield: 14 servings.









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Sugar Snap Pea and Barley Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful salad that adapts easily to al fresco dining. Barley, at least in my home, is a woefully neglected grain. I've recently made an effort to include more of it in our diet. I've found it to be a lovely grain with a nutty taste that offers a slight resistance to the tooth. If you rinse it properly after cooking, you'll find it to be a delicious addition to your table. I've made the salad for this post with snap peas, but green beans could easily be substituted. Plan on making this salad the day before you plan to serve it. The flavors of the dressing need time to permeate the salad. It's also important not to overcook the vegetables you add to the barley. You want them to be crisp tender, so they will add some crunch to the salad. I know those of you who try this salad will enjoy it. The recipe originally came from Eating Well Magazine, so you know this fiber rich dish is good for you. It will make a great addition to your grain and salad repertoire. Here's the recipe.

Sugar Snap Pea and Barley Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Eating Well Magazine

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup quick-cooking barley
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and sliced into matchsticks
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions (white and tender green)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1) Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add barley and cook, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or according to package directions. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
2) Rinse barley under cool water and transfer to a large bowl. Add snap peas, parsley, onion, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Refrigerate. Serve chilled. Yield 4 to 6 servings.








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Moosewood Mushroom Barley Soup - The Apron Archives
Spring Barley Risotto - Lisa is Cooking
Beef Barley Soup - Sea Salt with Food
Rice and Barley Side Dish - Living the Gourmet
Carrot Barley Galettes - Chocolate and Zucchini
Asian Style Barley Pilaf - The Kitchen Masochist

Shaved Asparagus Salad with Aged Gouda and Hazelnuts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...How green is my valley? At this time of year, it looks like waves of velvet have washed it in shades of green that shimmer as it captures light. In another week, apple trees, now in flower, will drop their petals in a flurry that resembles falling snow and if you venture outside the city there are hectares of aching beauty just begging to be seen. Another green, asparagus, has begun its long climb toward the sun and in a week or two the season will be in full swing. While it is one of my favorite vegetables, I rarely prepare it when it's out of season. At this time of year, however, I make it several times a week. When the season ends, asparagus disappears from my kitchen. I do, however, collect recipes for it throughout the year. I suspect my one real talent in the kitchen is the ability to taste a recipe as it is read. Very few duds make it to my table. There are mistakes to be sure, but not a lot of them. I came across a recipe for a spring salad that was developed by John Ash for Fine Cooking magazine. I knew it would be a standout as I read through the recipe and, sure enough, it was. The salad consists of strips of shaved asparagus and cheese that are tossed with arugula and hazelnuts in a special vinaigrette. It was a perfect way to begin our Easter dinner. I hope you will try this. I know those of you who do will be delighted. Here's the recipe.

Shaved Asparagus Salad with Aged Gouda and Hazelnuts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of John Ash and Fine Cooking magazine

Ingredients:
Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fragrant honey, such as wild flower or orange blossom
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Asparagus
3/4 lb. thick asparagus, trimmed
3 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup toasted, peeled, and chopped hazelnuts
2-1/2 oz. thinly shaved aged Gouda (use a vegetable peeler)

Directions:
1) To make vinaigrette: Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, shallots and salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
2) To make salad: Remove tips of asparagus and put them in a large bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a stalk discarding first shaving. When shaving first side becomes awkward, turn stalk over and repeat. Add shavings to tips. Repeat with remaining stalks. Toss asparagus with 1/3 cup of vinaigrette and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes so that flavors meld and asparagus softens just a bit. Marinate for no more than 15 minutes because strips will lose their crispness as they sit. Add arugula and hazelnuts and toss, adding more dressing as necessary to lightly coat arugula. Arrange on plates and top with shaved cheese. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.







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Un-Cobb Salad - Simply Recipes
Greek Salad - Pioneer Woman Cooks
Lemon Coleslaw - One Perfect Bite
Endive, Pear and Watecress Salad - One Perfect Bite
Scallion and Asparagus Salad - One Perfect Bite
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Pink Grapefruit Salad Dressing - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Grapefruit is a common ingredient in my winter kitchen. Bob and I drink grapefruit juice the way some folks drink soda, so I always have a supply of it available. We also love the fruit and serve it fresh out of hand for snacking and winter salads. While I've had no medical training, my own experience has convinced me that grapefruit helps prevent water retention. That belief, justified or not, has cemented my loyalty to the tart citrus and keeps it on my favorite's list. Several years ago I was asked to make a salad for a bridal luncheon. Having said yes, I wanted the salad to be especially beautiful and add color and flavor to an otherwise creamy meal. I made composed citrus salads for each of the tables. My plan was to have the salads tossed at the tables just before they were to be served. I wanted the salad dressing used to toss the salads to be as beautiful as the salads themselves. I think we did O.K. The salad dressing I'm featuring today is the one I developed for that bridal luncheon and I think you'll enjoy its brightness. I know you'll love its color. Here's the recipe.

Pink Grapefruit Salad Dressing...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite


Ingredients:
1/3 cup ruby red grapefruit juice
2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon lightly colored honey or honey to taste

Directions:
Combine juice, vinegar, oil, orange and lemon zest, mustard, salt, pepper and honey in bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Pour into a cruet and chill well before serving. Yield: 1 cup.








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This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While searching for side dishes that would add pizzaz to barbecues and picnics, I came across this lovely salad that's guaranteed to waken tired taste buds. It's made with watermelon, tomatoes and cucumbers and gets an added boost of flavor from herbs that you get to choose. It's tossed with a light vinaigrette and served in a hollowed melon shell that adds visual appeal to an otherwise plain presentation. While there is some chopping involved, the salad is simple to make and it is portable. It can also be made more substantial with the addition of cooked shrimp or feta cheese. The components of this salad all release large amounts of liquid and they will drown in their own juice if the salad sits too long. So, while I prepare everything hours in advance of serving, I wait until the last minute to combine and toss the elements together. I love this dish, but as I made it a wave of nostalgia washed over me. You see, I remember a time when watermelon was a treat eaten while lying shoeless in the grass as we searched the sky for Venus and craters on the moon. No one spoke of mint or maceration, as seeds were spit, willy-nilly, among the fire-flies that lit the dark Midwestern night. I hope our children all still know the joy of simple pleasures and hear the crickets song. Here's the recipe that started my reverie. I think you'll really like it.

Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Beth Nakamura and Oregon Live

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup slivered red onion
Pinch salt
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups diced (1/2-inch) seeded watermelon
2 ripe firm, meaty tomatoes, cut into 16 thin wedges
1 seedless cucumber, peeled and halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves or other herbs such as mint or tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Combine sugar, vinegar, onion, salt and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add oil. Set aside to cool.
2) Combine watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers and basil in a large bowl. About an hour before serving, pour dressing over mixture and toss gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill. Turn mixture into a watermelon shell to serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

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This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.