Grilled Prawn, Roasted Baby Tomato & Chipotle Mustard Bread Salad

Grilled Prawn, Roasted Baby Tomato & Chipotle Bread Salad

One fine day, as the song goes, I got a note from Colette Becker of Saucy Mama (@SaucyMamaCafe on Twitter). She invited me to participate in this year’s Saucy Mama food blogger contest. Well, it’s hard to say no when an invitation is extended so graciously and a promise of a heap of Saucy Mama products is part of the gig. So of course I said, “Count me in.”

When the package arrived a couple of weeks later, I ripped into all the bottles and tasted each one. I especially loved the Chipotle Mustard and the humongous Garlic Stuffed Olives, so decided to use them together in some sort of easy summer main course. This flavor packed Italian Panzanella is the result.

Spicy Penne & Chicken Salad with Chipotle Lime Dressing

Spicy Penne & Chicken Salad with Chipotle Lime Dressing

THE BIG DAY–July 4th—is almost here, and I’m scurrying to post this wonderful and oh so easy salad so that you will have time to add it to your picnic spread or buffet table. It’s different enough from traditional Old-Fashioned Creamy Macaroni Salad that I often present it as a spicy alternative or adjunct.

There is something about this salad that keeps folks coming back for second, third, and yes, even fourth servings. I love having it on hand during intense work weeks (like this past week), as I seem never to tire of it. I have been known to eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but don’t spread that around.

Old-Fashioned Creamy Macaroni Salad

Old-Fashioned Creamy Macaroni Salad

America has been having a love affair with pasta salad since at least 1920, when early recipes began appearing in American cookbooks. At first, the salads were mainly side dishes in diners and delis, but eventually they achieved much higher status to become rock stars of the picnic buffet table. To give these salads “gourmet’ allure, the standard elbow macaroni was replaced with more “exotic” pasta shapes, such as penne, farfalle, cavatappi, fusilli, radiator, gemili, and conchiglie. And the simple mayonnaise or vinaigrette dressing took on bold new flavor profiles.

Northwest Early Spring Farro & Lentil Salad

Northwest Farro & Lentil Salad with Chorizo, Bell Peppers & Baby Greens

was surprised and thrilled last Saturday at the Seattle University District Farmers Market at how much fresh produce is available this early in the season. Wow!

This particular farmers market is one of the few in the region that is open all winter. This past week there were sparkling bundles of tender chickweed, plump sunflower seed sprouts, tiny yellow flowering bok choy, sorrel, baby arugula, dandelion greens, and mint. I bought way too much and then had to quickly devise a few salads to use the bounty.

Roasted Fall Vegetable Salad with Warm Goat Cheese & Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Roasted Fall Vegetable Salad with Warm Goat Cheese & Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

We are in love with full-meal salads in the OtherWorldly Kitchen, and I scramble every week to come up with a couple of new and memorable offerings. However, it’s challenging to make a salad an entire meal if seafood, poultry, or meat is not included.

Enter the indispensible log of mild goat cheese. It’s always on hand in my kitchen, because it lends itself to so many dishes. I wouldn’t want to be without it.

Caramelized Pear Salad with Gorgonzola, Candied Spiced Walnuts & Spicy Orange Vinaigrette

COPYSCAPE

Pears have a flavor affinity with creamy blue cheeses, such as Cambozola, Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Roquefort, as well as with balsamic vinegar, red wine, oranges, toasted walnuts, and the caramelization technique. I’m exploring these marvelous affinities this fall as new-season local pears fill the farmers markets.

If you are interested likewise in exploring the wide range of possible flavor affinities with pears as the star, I highly recommend The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg. I use the lists in this book constantly to push myself into new directions.

Indian Summer Tomato, Orange & Sweet Onion Salad

Indian Summer Tomato, Orange & Sweet Onion Salad

September is perhaps the most rewarding and enticing month of the year for Northwest cooks. Much of summer’s fruit and produce is still available, while the first of the apples, pears, and winter squash are arriving at farmers markets. Days are still delectably warm, but evenings have begun to cool. I am rustling through leaves on my evening walks through the lovely neighborhoods of Northwest Portland.

Spanish Broccoli & Prawn Salad

Spanish Brocoli & Prawn Salad

I created a version of this salad for Cooking Light magazine many moons ago. I remember being so relieved to have salads to work on for awhile, as the editors too often threw me the dessert assignments. Trying to craft hundreds of memorable and satisfying desserts (over a few years), each with such a low calorie ceiling was making me crazy.