Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: salads (page 2 of 4)

BLUEBERRY-CUCUMBER-FETA SALAD

July 10, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I’ve never been a fan of fruit salads—until I came across this one. Where I got it from, I have no idea. But it was another hot day, and the thought of heating up the stove for a meal, was just unthinkable. So, I decided, let’s try this one, just for the hell of it.  It’s got blueberries, which I like, and feta, one of my favorite cheese. The result was magnificent. In fact, fabulous. The mild acidity of the blueberries meshed well with the salty feta and sharp tasting mint. Just in case, I added a bit of honey; and that made it scrumptious. Note that this dish can be served as an appetizer or, as we had it, a main course. Add a crusty loaf of bread and a nice white wine, and you’re set for great summer dining.

Please do not forget to rinse blueberries, scallions, spinach and mint under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels. Just basic hygiene, and it never hurts.

BLUEBERRY-CUCUMBER-FETA SALAD

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 cups fresh blueberries
2 cucumbers, peeled, with seeds scraped out, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 bunch or bag of spinach, chopped, if desired
2 cups lightly packed fresh mint

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.
2. In a large serving bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add dressing and toss to combine. Serve.
Yield: 4 or more servings.

 

 

 

PANZANELLA (TOMATO-BREAD SALAD)

June 25, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Panzanella (pant-sa-nella) is a tomato-bread salad that hails from Tuscany. Historians state that it’s origins is the 16th century, when Italians started mixing onions, oil and vinegar with bread.  It wasn’t until the 20th century when tomatoes were added, and that has become the norm. It makes for a great summer salad.

PANZANELLA
(Tomato-Bread Salad)

Ingredients:

1 baguette or country bread (about 8 ounces), day old is fine
1½ to 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Cube or tear bread into bite-sized pieces and place in a salad bowl.
  2. Add tomatoes, onion, cucumber, garlic and basil. Using your hands, toss together in the bowl. Sprinkle with oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and toss again. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

ENSALADA DE ALMEJAS CON AGUACATE Y TOMATES

June 23, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Summer time again. The weather heats up and the thought of cooking over a stove, even with air conditioning, is insufferable. So here’s a quickie salad you may consider but may not have thought of.  It’s a salad of clams with avocado and tomatoes. A clam meat salad, you say? Yes, minced clams. In my family, back on the block, we loved minced clam meat. My mother would make a great salad with it which we all savored. Now, this was not necessarily whole clams and their contents, but clam meat that comes in cans. Yes, cans.  I know, the elites among you may turn up your nose at opening a can for dinner since it’s so . . . so déclassé. Well, I still love tuna fish sandwiches, and crabmeat, and they all come from a can. Yes, I’m a philistine and proud of it.  Besides, this salad makes it so easy. Mix some clam meat with olive oil and herbs, and add avocado and tomatoes, and you have a great salad for a hot humid day. Add some crusty bread and some good white wine like a Verdicchio or Pinot Grigio, or beer, and you have a summer banquet.

ENSALADA DE ALMEJAS CON AGUACATE Y TOMATES
(Clam-Avocado-Tomato Salad)

Ingredients:

5 (or 6) 6.5 ounce cans minced clams
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 lemon, cut in half
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper  taste
1 fully ripened avocado
2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
1 head lettuce (escarole, leaf lettuce, romaine, etc.) or a bunch of fresh spinach

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine minced clams, olive oil, vinegar, juice of ½ lemon,  garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well.
2. Cut avocado in half, peel and remove the pit. Cut each half into 6 to 8 wedges. Squeeze remaining lemon juice over avocado to prevent discoloration.
3. Make a bed of crisp lettuce leaves or spinach on a salad plate  or serving platter. Place clam meat in center of serving platter. Arrange  avocado and tomato wedges alternately around the clam meat. Sprinkled lightly with salt and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

ZUCCHINI SALAD

July 31, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Summer is zucchini time, what some call summer squash (as opposed to winter squash). Any amateur gardener knows how prolific the little suckers can be. Thus we have an abundance of zucchini, and an abundance of hot weather. Combine the two for better affect when  the humidity is high, and you got Zucchini Salad.

Initially, when I prepared zucchini salad I would use regular mayonnaise and, maybe, a touch of olive oil. Then I discovered Herb Mayonnaise and the rest, as they say, is history. With a crusty loaf of bread and a good white wine or even a rosé, and you have a great summer meal.  Buen Gusto.

ZUCCHINI SALAD

Ingredients:

1 pound zucchini, peeled and coarsely grated
Salt to taste (optional)
Herb Mayonnaise (see below)

Herb Mayonnaise:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill or ¼ teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives or 1 teaspoon dried
Fresh black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Spread grated zucchini on 3 layers of paper towels, sprinkle with salt and let stand 1 hour.
  2.  Meanwhile, prepare Herb Mayonnaise by stirring together all ingredients in a large bowl. Add zucchini to herb mixture and stir to mix. Spoon into a serving dish and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPINACH-GARBANZO SALAD

July 20, 2019 / / 0 Comments

It’s as hot as you know what. The heat wave if infesting almost the entire country. These are salad days. No heating up that kitchen stove. Instead, how ’bout a nice Spinach-Garbanzo Salad. By garbanzo, I mean chickpeas, as they are called in these parts. With a nice chilled white wine (a pinot grigio, or, if you want something a bit sweeter, a nice Rhine wine, perhaps) and a crusty loaf of bread; you’re set. Enjoy the breeze.

SPINACH-GARBANZO SALAD

Ingredients:

1 (15-os.) can garbanzo beans
1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed and wiped
1 bell pepper (either green, red or yellow) seeded and diced
4 ounces sliced salami (or pepperoni)
Garlic Dressing (see below)
1 large tomato, cut into wedges
Fresh basil

Garlic Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
Salt and  fresh black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine garbanzo beans, spinach, bell pepper and salami slices in a bowl.
2. Prepare garlic dressing and pour over salad. Stir to mix.
3. Top with tomato wedges, garnish with basil, and serve.
Yield: 4 servings

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENSALADA DE REMOLACHA (Beet Salad)

July 27, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Recently a friend gave us a bunch of fresh beets that she had just grown in her garden. So, the question was, What do we do with beets? I guess one could make Borscht. What else? There’s always beet salad.  But you really have to like beets to eat beet salad. Beets, like some foods is an acquire taste. Kids do not like beets. I away s did (I was a weird kid). In the family we had Ensalada de Remolacha or Beet Salad. And we all loved it. It contained onion, tomato, lemon juice,  olive oil, and a little sugar. From the youngest to the oldest, we would scarf it up.The perfect side dish to steak, ham, chicken or lamb.

Kiddies, here it is, the the beet recipe everybody will love—by way of Nuyorican cuisine.

ENSALADA DE REMOLACHA
(Beet Salad)

Ingredients:

1 pound beets, trimmed of leaves
Salt to taste
1 small onion, slice into thin rounds
1 small tomato, about ¼ pound, cored and cut into thin slices
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil

Instructions:

  1. Put the beets in a kettle or saucepan, add water to cover and salt. Bring to  boil and let cook, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until beets are tender. Cooking time will depend on the size and age of the beets.
  2.  Drain the beets, peel them, and place in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix gently. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with basil before serving..
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

Tofu Salad

August 19, 2017 / / 0 Comments

Waning days of summer, but it’s still hot in certain areas; and salads are king. Which means one has to become inventive.  There are so many ways of making a  good salad, and so many ingredients that can be used, apart from the usual greens and tomatoes. You have seafood salads, beans salads, pasta salads, steak salads, ext. So, how about a tofu salad? Why not? Everything else has been added to the canon. With tofu we have a unique, healthy alternative to the usual  norm.

Tofu is an acquired taste. An there’s a reason fort that. The problem with tofu is , that on it’s own, it’s rather bland. And, ironically, this is also its greatest asset: it can take on whatever flavors are added to it via herbs, spices or seasonings. In this tofu rending I gave it an Asian slant using using soy sauce and sesame oil along with basil, garlic, oregano and scallions rounding out the dish. You can have it as a salad entrée by itself; or you can serve it over plain steamed rice for variation.

TOFU SALAD

1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
1 package (20-oz) extra firm tofu, rinsed and sliced into 1/2-inch cubes or chunks
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup shopped scallions
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Freshly ground  black pepper to taste
A pinch of brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

  1. In a salad bowl (or any medium bowl that’s convenient), toss the tofu with the tomatoes.
  2. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, scallions, oregano, garlic powder, pepper and sugar. Stir gently to combine.
  3. Stir in basil and mint, and serve.
    Yield: 4-5 servings.

 

 

Steak Salad

August 6, 2017 / / 0 Comments

Summertime is salad time. But one gets tired of the usual greens topped with dressing. So, how ’bout a steal salad? That’s right: a Steak Salad. If you like steak and who doesn’t? (Unless your a vegan). And if you like salads, this is tailor-made.

Now, for a steak salad you can use whatever steak meat you like, even chuck steak—which is perfect for this entrée, since the meat is cut thin and doesn’t need prolonged cooking. I used top round; but want to go with something fancier, no problem. The carnivores in your family will love this dish, even if it is a “salad.”

 STEAK SALAD

1 large potato, scrubbed but not peeled, cut into  1/2 to 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (can substitute mozzarella, if desired)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds steak,  about 1 to 1 1/2-inches thick
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 1 tablespoon dried
1 package spinach, rinsed and dried
2 large tomatoes, cut into small chunks
2 medium zucchinis. sliced into rounds, then each round sliced in half

  1. Place potatoes in a medium pan with water to cover, and boil until tender (5-6 minutes, depending on thickness of potato chunks).
  2.  Meanwhile, while potatoes are cooking, whisk together in a small bowl the vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Add the olive oil slowly in a stream, whisking it in. Whisk in the sour cream and stir in the blue cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  3.  Season steak on both sides with salt, pepper, and oregano. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add steak and cook for 5 minutes on each side for medium rare (longer for medium or well-done). Transfer the steak to a platter and let it rest for about 8 minutes. Add any juice from the steak skillet to the blue cheese dressing.  Slice the steak very thinly at an angle across the grain.
  4.  In a a large salad bowl, combine the spinach with the tomatoes and zucchini. Add the salad dressing and toss the salad. Top with the steak slices.
    Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

 

 

 

 

Dressing Up Potato Salad

July 21, 2016 / / 0 Comments

 Potato salad is everywhere during the summer—in Church socials, picnics, barbecues, outdoor grilling, you name it. And usually it’s always the same: boiled and cubed potatoes drenched in mayonnaise with some salt and pepper. But there are ways to dress up this favorite so it doesn’t get boring.

Basic potato salad involves placing 1-2 pounds potatoes (could be either new potatoes, russets, or specialty potatoes) in cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender (10-15 minutes, depending on size). Drain under cold running water, cut in half, quarter or slice, and gently toss with the desired dressing. My preference is for the potatoes not be peeled. They should be cooked with their skins on. Nothing could be easier. It’s how you dress them up that counts. Following are some ways to dress up the spuds and give this common dish some new zing.

Basic Salad Dressing

In a bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried), and salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the potatoes and serve.

Chimichurri Potato Salad

To the basic Salad Dressing above, add 1 small red or green chili; 1 clove minced garlic; 1/4 cup chopped scallions; and 4 strips of lemon zest, thinly sliced.

Potato Egg Salad

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons sour cream; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 teaspoon white vinegar; 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped. Stir in 4 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped; and 2 half-sour pickles, cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Toss with the potatoes, and serve.

German Potato Salad (an Old World favorite)

In a large bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Toss lightly with the potatoes and serve.
Note: In some recipes, 1 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber is added to the potatoes. Then paprika is sprinkle over the dish and served. 

Waldorf  Potato Salad

(Presumably created by chef Oscar Tschirky of the Waldorf  Astoria Hotel in New York sometime in the 1890s)

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons sour cream; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon white vinegar; 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard. Toss with the potatoes and add 1 cup small red grapes (cut in half); 4 stalks thinly sliced celery; and 1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts.

There you have it. Go at it, and enjoy.

Aloo Ko Achar – Nepalese Potato Salad

October 10, 2015 / / 0 Comments

For the record, I am not at all familiar with Nepalese cooking. Or, as it is called these days, Nepali cooking. But I did come across this one recipe from that repertoire that simply enthralled me. That is Aloo Ko Achar. Nepali cooking is a time honored Middle Asian cuisine. And, admittedly, not most of us are ignorant of it, myself included. But when I came across this gem, I was hooked.

Aloo Ko Achar (or Aaloo Ko Achar/ Aalu Ko Achar) is a popular Nepali dish that is normally served as an appetizer or with a main course. I’ve discover, as many have others, that it makes a great vegetarian meal. It’s  mainly a spicy potato salad. In some versions it’s pickled potatoes, inclusive of asafoetida powder (heeng) to give it that extra tang. In other variations, cucumber is added to make it a spicy-cucumber potato salad. I decided to experiment by adding onions and tomatoes to it, and the result is the recipe given below. To purists, it may not be a true Aloo Ko Achar, but to my palate it’s a great vegetarian dish which (sacrilege!) can be served over steamed white rice for a great veggie dinner.

ALOO KO ACHAR (my version)

3 large potatoes
1/2 cup sesame seeds
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (found in Asian, Indian, or other food markets)
2 green chilies, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder (optional, unless you want it real spicy)
Salt to taste
1 medium onion, sliced into thin rings
2 large tomatoes cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Juice of 1 lime
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish (about 1/4 cup)

1. Cut potatoes into cubes and boil until tender. If organic, do not peel.
2. In a medium pan or skillet (I use cast-iron), roast sesame seeds unto they turn light brown and start to crackle and pop (just like the cereal). Place in a small dish or cup and set aside.
3. In the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add fenugreek seeds and cook until seeds turn dark brown (2-3 minutes).
4. Add green chilies and stir fry for about 20 seconds.
5. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric, red chili powder (if using), sesame seeds, and salt. Lower heat and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
6. Add onion, potatoes, tomatoes, and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Add lime juice and mix to combine.
8. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.
    Yield 4 or more servings.

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