Tag salad

Parties That Cook’s Spring Forward Recipe: Salad of Shaved Brussels Sprouts

You just moved your clocks ahead. Now it’s just too bad you can’t fast forward all the way to beautiful weather! Then again, who said you can’t transport yourself with the help of a great meal?! Studies show that this fresh, crunchy salad has the power to elevate your mood and make you look ten years younger push you through the final few weeks of winter.

Salad of Shaved Fresh Brussels Sprouts with Marcona Almonds and Pecorino Romano
This recipe can also be found in our Soups, Salads, and Pasta Recipes Section!

Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
3 lemons, preferably Meyer lemons
2 small navel oranges
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups olive oil

Salad:
8 large eggs
7 dozen (about 10 cups) Brussels sprouts
1 cup Marcona almonds, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated Pecorino-Romano

Methods/Steps
Prep 1 Lemon and 1 Orange: Cut off and discard the stem ends of 1 lemon and 1 orange. Cut the stemmed fruit (peel on) into quarters and cut out the white core. Remove any seeds that you see and discard. Place the fruit quarters into the blender.

Make Vinaigrette: Squeeze all the juice from the remaining lemons and orange and add the juice to the blender. Add the shallot, vinegar, salt and pepper. Blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. The dressing should be thick, almost like mayonnaise in consistency. If it’s too thick, thin it by adding a little hot water while the machine is running. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer vinaigrette to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until service.

Boil Eggs: Gently place eggs in a large pot. Add water to cover. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Drain and gently crack eggs while running under cold water.

Sieve Eggs: Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Push through a large hole sieve into a large salad bowl. Alternatively, chop eggs with a knife.

Slice Brussels Sprouts: Working in batches, slice the stem off each sprout and feed them through the shredding blade of a food processor. Transfer shredded sprouts into the large bowl with the eggs. Roughly chop the almonds and add them to the bowl as well. Grate the cheese and set it aside for garnish later.

Serve: Add the vinaigrette to the bowl and toss. Lay out all of the salad plates in a single layer. Divide the salad among the plates. Top with Pecorino. Wipe plate rim and serve.

Serves/Makes
Serves 16 – 20

Recipe adapted by Parties That Cook® from Bottega.

Parties That Cook Winter Heat Wave Recipe: Salad of Orange, Avocado and Black Olives

Unusually warm weather for January calls for the perfect salad. With citrus ingredients to remind you that it’s still Winter, this Salad of Orange, Avocado and Black Olives provides a much-needed break from comfort food cravings!

Salad of Orange, Avocado and Black Olives
This recipe can also be found in our Soup, Salad & Pasta Recipes Section!

Ingredients
Salad:

1/4 small red onion, sliced thinly, top to bottom
3 Tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 navel oranges
2 blood oranges, can substitute regular oranges
4 kumquats, thinly sliced
3 medium ripe avocados
3/4 cup black Kalamata olives, pitted and cut in half from top to bottom
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup pistachios, toasted

Salad Dressing:
2 Tablespoons reserved orange juice
2 Tablespoons champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Methods/Steps
Soak Onions: Soak the red onions in the vinegar for 30 minutes. Strain and reserve.

Section Oranges: Holding 1 orange over a medium bowl, grate enough zest to measure 1 teaspoon and set aside for the dressing. Using a sharp knife, cut the top and bottom off each blood orange to reveal the flesh. Trim all of the peel so that no white pith remains. Over a bowl, cut the oranges crosswise into ¼-inch slices reserving 2 Tablespoons of orange juice. Set aside. Slice kumquats into very thin slices. Set aside.

Avocado: Cut the avocado in half from top to bottom. With a sharp knife blade, tap the avocado pit enough that it dislodges in the pit. Twist the knife slightly to remove the pit. Discard. With a large spoon, remove the flesh of the avocado in one piece. Cut each avocado half into 8 slices. Place face down on a plate to prevent browning.

Make Dressing: In the bowl containing the reserved orange zest, whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Compose Salad: Place the various citrus on a serving plate, intermixing with slices of avocado. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the oranges and avocado. Garnish with olives, kumquats, red onions, cilantro and pistachios. Serve immediately.

Serves/Makes
Serves 8