Summer Salad with Herbed Dressing

Summer Salad with Herbed Dressing

1 big head of lettuce - any variety
Toppings: Your choice of thinly sliced vegetables - for example: radish, turnip, cucumber or snap peas.
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic scape
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk vinegar and salt til salt dissolves. Add dill, mustard and garlic scape and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking slowly, 'til emulsified. Shred lettuce and add other vegetables. Pour dressing over salad and toss til coated.

This dressing comes from Kitchn.com - it's delicious and also inspiring as an example because there are lots of dressing recipes out there, and a new dressing flavor can change the salad game completely.

Napa Cabbage and Tofu Salad

1 (16-ounce) block extra firm tofu (try Vermont Soy from the farm shop)
Zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot chili oil
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1-inch piece fresh or frozen ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
6 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
1 cup julienned Asian pear, tossed with juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup julienned French breakfast radishes
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon seeds, toasted


 Rinse and drain tofu. Cut tofu into 1/2-inch thick slices and place between clean kitchen towels (or paper towels). Place a heavy object such as a skillet or cutting board on top to press out excess liquid. Let sit 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, rice vinegar, sesame oil, hot chili oil, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic. Cut tofu into 1/2-inch cubes, place in a shallow dish, and cover with half of the dressing. Let marinate for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet and spread the tofu cubes evenly on the sheet. Bake tofu for 15 minutes and flip over. Continue baking for about 10-15 minutes until tofu is toasted and chewy. Remove from oven and let cool.

Toss Napa cabbage, pear, radish, and tofu with the remaining dressing and sprinkle almonds and sesame seeds on top.

Recipe by Emily Ho, thekitchn.com

Couscous with Kohlrabi and Chermoula Dressing

2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp minced cilantro
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp grond cumin
salt
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
2-3 c cooked couscous, cooled to warm temp
2 c peeled kohlrabi
1/2 c diced radish
16 kalamata black olives (optional)
1/2 c crumbled feta (optional)
 Mix garlic, cilantro, parsley, paprika, cumin, and salt to taste. Stir in lemon juice and olive oil. Toss this mixture with couscous. Bring to room temperature. Gently toss with kohlrabi, radishes, and olives (if desired). Serve as is, or sprinkle with feta cheese. Makes 6 servings

Mushroom, Snow Pea, and Spinach Salad

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup tarragon vinegar
1 tsp minced fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1 1/4 lb snow peas, strings removed
1 bunch spinach, stemmed
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 large radishes, thinly sliced

Whisk oil, vinegar, tarragon and mustard in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring large pot of salted water to boil, add snow peas, blanche for 45 seconds. Drain, run peas under cold water, drain again. Combine peas, spinach, mushrooms, and radishes in large bowl. Toss salad with dressing to lightly coat. Serve remaining dressing on the side. 6 servings.

From: Bon Appetit, 1991

Couscous with Kohlrabi and Chermoula Dressing

Ingredients:

2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp minced cilantro
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
2-3 c cooked couscous, cooled to warm temp
2 c peeled kohlrabi
1/2 c diced radish
16 kalamata black olives (optional)
1/2 c crumbled feta (optional)

 

Mix garlic, cilantro, parsley, paprika, cumin, and salt to taste. Stir in lemon juice and olive oil. Toss this mixture with couscous. Bring to room temperature. Gently toss with kohlrabi, radishes, and olives (if desired). Serve as is, or sprinkle with feta cheese. Makes 6 servings

Rustic Radish Soup

This recipe is from Food52.com (with only very slight modifications and notes). You can use any type of radish. Currently both the meat radish bulbs and greens are beautiful and are delicious in this soup. Great with crusty bread. If you prefer a totally smooth soup, just throw all ingredients together and cook until soft and then puree.

Ingredients:

  • 2 meat radishes including their greens or 1 bunch regular radishes(your choice to peel or not-peel for a milder, smoother soup)

  • 2tablespoons butter

  • 1large red onion, chopped

  • 1large leek, sliced

  • 4 small potatoes, cut into eighths (your choice to peel or not-peel for a smoother soup)

  • 1small achovy, packed in oil and chopped (optional for flavor)

  • 1/4cup flat leaf parsley

  • Pinch of sea salt to taste

  • Pink or black fresh milled peppercorns, to taste

  • 3/4cup light cream or half and half

  • water

  • Flat leaf parsley and fresh radish rosettes for optional garnish

Directions:

  1. As soon as you get home, remove the leafy greens from your radishes. Wash them thoroughly and use them in this recipe well before they begin to turn ugly and useless. Saute the chopped onion and leek in butter.

  2. Add the potatoes (peeled or not) and optional chopped anchovy. Cover with water (@1 inch above contents); add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are completely soft (@30-35 minutes).

  3. Add the fresh radish greens and chopped parsley. Simmer about 5 minutes. Let cool a bit and puree using an immersion blender or transfer to a blender/food processor.

  4. Return to pot, if you have transferred to process. Bring back to a simmer. Finely chop about 1/2-3/4 cup of the fresh radishes and sprinkle with salt. Add these to the pot and cook until tender. Cut some additional raw radishes as rosettes and place in ice water in fridge for an optional garnish later if you like, either in the soup or alongside in a salad.

  5. Stir the cream in to the pot, warm, but do not boil. Serve with an optional garnish of chopped parsley with a radish rosette, finishing salt and pepper to taste, and a toasted and buttered slice of artisan bread.

Radish and Pesto Crostini

INGREDIENTS

1 baquette, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 cup of garlic scape, basil or cilantro pesto (see basic pesto recipe)

1 bunch or radishes (or turnips), thinly sliced

Coarse sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400. Brush baquette slices on both sides with olive oil. Bake on cookie sheet until golden brown, approximately 3-5 minutes per side.

Slather a bit of pesto on each slice of baguette, arrange a few slices of radish or turnip. Sprinkle with sea salt. Yum, perfect appetizer or side dish.

 

Braised Radishes

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch of radishes or turnips, tops trimmed to 1 inch above roots

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar or honey

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

 ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place the radishes in a large skillet and add just enough cold water to cover, about 1 to 1 1/4 cup.  Add the butter or oil, sweetener, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to simmer until the radishes are tender when pricked and the liquid has reduced to a glaze, about 5 - 12 minutes.

If the radishes are tender, but the liquid hasn't reduced sufficiently, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a serving dish and continue reducing the liquid. Spoon it over the radishes and serve with buttered crusty bread.