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Salad suggestion

11 years ago

I am hosting our annual New Years dinner this Monday. Here is the menu I am cooking, but am looking for a good salad recommendation. Here is the menu so far.

Appetizers

Stuffed olives, flavored cheeses French loaf and a variety of flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars.

Salad (suggestions)

Main course

Cedar planked fresh salmon
Portabello Mushroom Risotto
Lemon braised asperagus tips

Dessert

Fresh berries and ice cream in a chocolate bowl.

DH is not a fan of greek or marinated veggie salads.
I was thinking of a roasted beet and pear with asiago cheese but I served that a couple of years ago, and Caeser salad last year.

I am heading to the city on Sunday to pick up supplies so any suggestions before then would be greatly appreciated.

Darlene

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Comments (3)

Olychick
11 years ago
This is one of my favorite winter salads and always a hit. It is very fresh tasting, a gorgeous color and easy to make. I keep the veggies separate and mix just before serving. It's great even after it sits, but all the veggies become beet colored. The dressing has some orange juice so sometimes I'll add orange sections to the salad, just for something a bit fruitier:

Ingredients
For the Salad

1 fennel bulb, trimmed
5 medium carrots
2 large beets, trimmed and peeled

For the Vinaigrette

2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 shallot, halved and very thinly sliced
Coarse salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Make the salad: Quarter fennel bulb lengthwise, and cut out core. Very thinly slice fennel lengthwise into strips using a mandoline or sharp knife. Cover with a damp paper towel in a glass dish.

Grate carrots, then beets, on the large holes of a box grater. Arrange side by side with fennel. Keep covered with damp paper towel, and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the vinaigrette: Toast fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl, and add orange juice, vinegar, lemon juice, shallot, and 1 teaspoon salt. Gradually whisk in oil.

Toss fennel, beets, and carrots with vinaigrette in a large bowl. Serve immediately.

Here is a link that might be useful: Beet, carrot and fennel salad
mustangs81
11 years ago
Darlene, Your menu looks good!
I recently revisited a favorite and easy salad; I don't know why I have neglected it for several years since it's tasty. I won't bother with the history and silly name for it:
Romaine hearts
1/2 bunch watercress
Cup chopped walnuts
1 can sliced water chestnuts
4 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Balsamic vinaigrette (I just use 3 to 1 EVOO & balsamic with a dash of garlic)
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Ditto about the salad, most people these days seem to expect and enjoy a salad with their meal. A few months ago, I had some of dd's friends over. I put out a bowl of mixed greens. I have a pretty ceramic popover pan (7 cups, for some odd reason), that I filled with things like: dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, nuts, crumbled blue cheese, etc--sort of a salad bar, but since we were eating family style, the multi-cupped serving piece made it easy to pass the toppings. The guests all loved the salad, and really dug into it. As to the second main dish, I'd go with something lighter, remembering that some people don't eat pork for religious or health reasons. And a lot of people don't eat red meat, either. If the idea is to give your guests a real choice, then I'd think chicken or fish, served in a light style, would be a good choice. There's a good orange chicken recipe that's all over the web--google Orange Walnut Chicken and look for a recipe that uses orange juice concentrate. I've made it several times--it's easy, light, and always a hit with guests.
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This is my current favorite dressing for spinach salad. I've been putting it over plain spinach, but you could certainly add a few strawberries to the salad, and or pine nuts, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds. Good luck - the rest of the meal sounds wonderful! ****************************************************** Strawberry Balsamic Dressing 1 cup of fresh hulled strawberries 3 tablespoon of canola oil (or other flavor neutral oil) 1-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar (to taste) 1 teaspoon sugar (or to taste depending on the sweetness of the strawberries) Cracked black pepper Salt Cut the strawberries into chunks and mix with the sugar. Let sit for about 15 minutes until they are very juicy. Put the macerated strawberries into a blender with the balsamic. Blend until smooth. Add the oil and blend for a few seconds until completely emulsified. Add cracked black pepper and salt to taste. ************************************************************* I also have been making the following for an appetizer for every get together for the last couple of weeks: Asparagus Wrapped in Crisp Prosciutto with Balsamic glaze Ingredients: Â½ cup balsamic 1 tbsp honey 1 tablespoon olive oil 16 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed 16 slices prosciutto Coarse salt and cracked pepper Directions: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat with olive oil. Put balsamic in small non-reactive sauce pan. Add honey and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 min or so until reduced by about half and it is thick and syrupy. Wrap one slice of prosciutto around each asparagus spear, starting at the bottom, and spiraling up to the tip. Place the wrapped spears on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove, and shake the pan back and forth to roll the spears over. Return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes, or until asparagus is tender, and prosciutto is crisp. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the spears and serve immediately
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Goodness! I completely forgot! It was a crazy busy week. I am just on my way out the door I will post the results, and how I ended up making it later this evening. LOL Glenda! I eat everything in blue jeans! :-) BJ
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I would want what I call a classic Italian salad...mixed greens including arugla and radiccio, with tomatoes and green peppers and onion, dressed with a good olive oil, salt and pepper, a pinch of sugar red wine vinegar and if possible some fresh basil and oregano....if not fresh, r\dried will work. Just toss the greens with the oil, add the seasonings and herbs, add the tomatoes, onions and peppers and toss with the vinegar....taste and add whatever it needs.
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emerogork
11 years ago
Simple wedges of Iceberg Lettuce with Thousand Island Dressing.

P.S. Did you know that Iceberg lettuce was on the menu for that last night on the Titanic?

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