Unexpected Summer Salads - The Perfect BBQ Side

Margaritas, My Official Summer Drink, Photo: NK

With Memorial Day behind us, 
Summer is most definitely in full swing. 


Happily, this means barbecues. 


As etiquette dictates, when I am invited to a barbecue, or any party for that matter, I always defer to the wishes of the host in terms of what I am asked to bring.


Goes kinda like this:


Beer? That's easy!


A side dish? Awesome! Plenty of ideas for that. 


Dessert? Ok, baking's not my favorite, but I'll buy you something really delicious. 


Only one barbecue request makes my heart sink: 


Salad. 


I have nothing against salads, and hey, like I said, I'd never ignore the requests of my hosts. But if we're being honest, the green salad (unlike his more popular cousins, cole slaw and macaroni) is always the biggest loser of the barbecue. You've seen him - he's the dish that's coldly passed over as guests rush to pile hunks of meat and corn on the cob on their plates. 


So how do I overcome salad malaise? I always make sure to choose untraditional salads that are both tasty and unexpected. Below are two can't lose salads that always make a splash with kids and grown ups alike. As a bonus, their use of fruit makes them extra light and refreshing. May you have many BBQ invites this summer, and I invite you to join me in my quest to make salads exciting again. 


Watermelon, Arugula and Ricotta Salata Salad with Mint Dressing

Wild Arugula or Rocket, Photo: NK

Adapted from Robert Irvine
Serves 4 to 6


Ingredients:


For the Vinaigrette
2 Tablespoons Champagne Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
3 Tablespoons chopped Fresh Mint
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 cup Grapeseed Oil




For the Salad
1 large bunch Wild Arugula (Rocket) or Baby Arugula (about 6 oz) washed and dried
1 small Red Onion, sliced very thinly
1 small Seedless Watermelon cut into 1 inch cubes
3 oz. Ricotta Salata or Feta Cheese cut into small uniform cubes


Method:
Vinaigrette should be prepared just before use. It will keep for an hour or two if need be, but definitely dress the salad on site if possible.
To make, add Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Chopped Mint, Salt and Pepper into a blender or mini food processor. Blend. Add the Oil in a slow stream or in several pours. Blend until fully incorporated. Add extra Salt and Pepper to taste if needed. Set aside.

Mint, Photo: NK

Seedless Baby Watermelon, Photo: NK

In a bowl, combine the Arugula and Onion and fold in the Watermelon

Watermelon, Arugula and Onion, Photo: NK

When ready to serve, gently add Vinaigrette in small increments and toss until salad is lightly coated but not soggy. 

Ricotta Salata and Mint Dressing, Ready to Assemble, Photo: NK

 Top with the Ricotta Salata cheese and enjoy! 

Finished Watermelon, Arugula and Ricotta Salata Salad, Photo: NK

Next up, an even easier salad that also uses the best fruit of the season and an unexpected green component - basil!

Grilled Pineapple, Basil and Cucumber Salad

Basil, Photo: NK

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 a cored Pineapple sliced into 1/3 inch thick rings

1 small Cucumber peeled and cut lengthwise into half, then thinly sliced into half moons

1/2 cup Basil Leaves washed and dried (torn if large)

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Freshly ground Pepper

Method:

Heat a grill pan or grill over high heat. 

Grill Pineapple rounds for about 2 minutes per side until grill marks appear. Let cool fully.

Pineapple cut into fourths, Photo: NK

Toss Cucumber with Basil leaves in a serving bowl. 

Take cooled Pineapple rounds and cut each into quarters, forming 2 to 3 inch half moons.

Fold in the cold Pineapple to Cucumber and Basil. 

Sprinkle Oil over the mixture, toss, and check for seasoning. 

Serve and enjoy! 

Grilled Pineapple, Basil, and Cucumber Salad with Jerk Chicken Breast, Photo: NK

   

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Lemon Lust - Crab Pasta with Lemon and Chive Butter Sauce

I love lemons. Always have,  always will. Even back when I was a little girl, my mother would catch me chewing on lemon wedges the way normal kids might an orange segment. I really have never been "normal." It was just that I couldn't get enough of their super tart flavor, tooth enamel be damned. 

Today, I'm still very attracted to dishes that feature lemon, so while searching for an easy but summery pasta recipe, I was thrilled to come across the Daily Crave's Crab Pasta with Lemon and Chive Butter. Really, who could say no to a lemony pasta with crab and butter? Certainly not me. 

Crab Pasta with Lemon and Chive Butter Sauce, Photo: NK

My adaptation of this recipe uses Backfin Crabmeat instead of Lump Crab. Backfin is cheaper and although the crab chunks are slightly smaller than lump, they are still substantial, sweet and tasty. 

Photo, NK 

The original recipe recommends Meyer Lemons. Meyer Lemons are slightly sweeter and more floral tasting than regular lemons. I couldn't find them in my neighborhood this time around, but I would imagine they would only increase the deliciousness of this dish. 

Photo: NK

Finally, I cut some of the butter down a bit. This is not a light recipe, although it tasted very light once finished and was just as decadent with half the butter. 

Enjoy!

Crab Pasta with Lemon and Chive Butter Sauce 

Adapted from The Daily Crave 

Serves 2 as an Entree, 4 as an Appetizer

Ingredients:

Half a box of Spaghettini or other thin pasta (8 oz)

1 Lb Backfin Crab Meat, picked over for shells

1/4 Cup Dry White Wine

1/4 Cup Champagne Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar

1 large Shallot, chopped finely

3/4 stick Cold Salted Butter

6 Tablespoons finely chopped Chives

1 teaspoon Lemon Zest

1/4 Cup fresh squeezed Lemon Juice

Salt

Pepper

1/4 Cup chopped Parsley

Method:

Cook Pasta according to the box directions in boiling salted water. 

Drain pasta, reserving about a 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium flame, combine Shallots, Wine and Vinegar. 

Boil until liquid is reduced to just over a Tablespoon. 

Reducing the liquids, Photo: NK

Reduce heat to lowest flame and add Cold Butter, one tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly until all Butter is incorporated. 

Turn off the heat and add 4 Tablespoons of the Chives, Lemon Juice, Lemon Zest, and a generous amount of Salt and Pepper to taste. 

Chive, Lemon and Butter Sauce, Ready for Crab, Photo: NK

Next, mix in most of the Crab Meat, setting aside about a 1/2 cup to top the Pasta with later.

Pour the sauce into a large, deep sauté pan and add the pasta. Toss and heat through, adding Cooking Water if needed a Tablespoon at a time to loosen the sauce and pasta. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. 

Plate the pasta and top with the reserved crab meat. Sprinkle with the remaining Chives and some Fresh Parsley. 

Dinner is served! 

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NK Bakes - Easy Apricot Blackberry Frangipane Tart

There's a first time for everything and today, it's NK's first baking post. 

I've mentioned before that I dread baking. I do it as little as possible. While I marvel at the creations of others, I generally prefer to cook - cooking just seems to me to be more expressive, open to interpretation, and a bit less scientific. That said,I totally admire bakers, especially my best friend who is amazing at it. I've been trying, to no avail, to get her up here for a baking guest post (ahem). When I finally wear her down, you're all in for a real treat. 

Today's tart was inspired by a delicious dessert I enjoyed last week at a very unique restaurant called Dish in Water Mill, NY. Check it out here: Dish Hamptons 

Logo Courtesy of Dish Restaurant, Water Mill, NY

Dish is a tiny little place run by a charming husband and wife team who met while in school at the CIA. The restaurant, an unassuming storefront tucked in a shopping center, gives you the feeling of being in a quaint country kitchen, and their weekly four or five course pre-set prix fixe menus are on par with some of the finest restaurants around. To add to the awesome factor, it's BYOB. Last week's meal was as usual, unbelievable from start to finish, but the Apricot Tart served for dessert was a showstopper. It was then and there that I vowed to find a way to bake a similar tart and by God, I'd find an easy way to do it. 

My baking attempt was successful and easy thanks to in-season fruit and frozen puff pastry dough. Also, I learned how easy it is to make basic Frangipane - or almond cream. Frangipane is often a component used in the best baked goods. It imparts extra richness, taste and overall moistness. 

Easy Apricot Blackberry Frangipane Tart 

Adapted from Savour-fare.com

Serves 8 - Makes 2 Tarts that serve 4 each

Ingredients:

For the Tart

One Package Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets (I used Pepperidge Farm brand which has 2 sheets)

4 or 5 ripe Apricots, pitted and thickly sliced

1 package ripe Blackberries

Raw Sugar (for sprinkling)

1 Egg, optional, for extra browned tart crust

For the Frangipane (recipe adapted from French Food -About.com)

Almond Meal, Photo: NK

1/2 Cup Ground Almond Meal 

1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Egg

3 Tablespoons softened Butter

3/4 teaspoon good quality Vanilla Extract

1 Tablespoon all purpose flour

Method:
 

Lay out two large sheets of Puff Pastry to thaw for 30 - 40 minutes or according to the package directions.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Meanwhile, prepare the Frangipane by combining all ingredients in a food processor. 

Blend until ingredients create a smooth and creamy paste. 

Frangipane, Photo: NK

Once the Puff Pastry has thawed, lay each piece on a non stick cookie tray or sheet pan.

On the first dough rectangle, carefully fold in the edges by a centimeter or so, pressing them down into the base of the tart to seal them and create a crust. Run your knife ever so lightly around the inside edge of the folded in crust. Repeat on the second dough triangle.

Spread the Frangipane over the inside of each tart crust. It should cover the inside completely but not so much that it spills over the crust edge. 

Assembled Tart, Photo: NK

Next, press your Apricots and Blackberries into the Frangipane. 

Optionally paint the crust edges with Egg White to promote a nicely browned, even crispier crust.

Optional Egg Wash, Photo: NK

Finally, sprinkle the tart liberally with Raw Sugar, and set in the oven to bake.

25 minutes should yield a perfect, golden brown and delicious tart. 

Slice into squares and enjoy!

Painless and Delicious! Apricot Blackberry Frangipane Tart, Photo: NK

Photo: NK

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Ingredient Spotlight - Rhubarb: Beyond Dessert

Photo: NK 

Rhubarb, a popular item at summer farm stands, is more versatile than you think. Beyond its common applications in pies and crumbles, Rhubarb makes a great addition to savory entrees too. Their crisp, ruby red stalks are extremely tart on their own, but once sweetened up by sugar, honey, or the addition of fruit (such as cherries or raspberries), rhubarb yields an amazing sweet/tart flavor that complements meats and even salads and vegetables.

A few facts about Rhubarb*:

~Rhubarb is related to buckwheat. Who knew?

~Rhubarb is a veggie, not a fruit.

~First used for medicinal purposes, Rhubarb originated in China. It is an ancient plant and appears in food history as early as 2700 BC. 

~The green leaves of the Rhubarb are poisonous when ingested in large quantity. Eat only the stalk!

*Info courtesy of an amazing source of Rhubarb facts, The Rhubarb Compendium - www.rhubarbinfo.com

Rhubarb Stalks, Photo: NK

To fully discover Rhubarb, I decided I would not only make a traditional dessert preparation - a Rhubarb Compote suitable for topping all manner of sweet treats - but I also thought it would be fun to find out how Rhubarb works in a savory dish. Check out the results and give this stalk a chance if you are looking for a great seasonal ingredient this summer. 

Pork Chops with Rhubarb Cherry Sauce 
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves 4 

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Dried Cherries 
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Chopped White Onion
3-4 Stalks of Rhubarb - tops and bottoms discarded, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces (2 Cups)
3 Tablespoons Sugar
Pinch of Ground Allspice
Coarse Salt and Ground Pepper
4 Bone-In Center Cut Pork Chops 1 Inch Thick- frenched if possible
1 Cinnamon Stick - optional 

Cherries Soaking, Photo: NK 

Method:
In a bowl, combine Cherries, Balsamic Vinegar 
and Cinnamon Stick with 1/4 cup hot water.

Let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil in a small saucepan. 

Add Onion to the saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened - 8 to 10 minutes. 

To the softened onions, add Cherry Mixture, Sugar, and Rhubarb.


Bring Mixture up to a boil.

Photo: NK 

Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

Remove mixture from the heat and stir in a pinch of Allspice and Salt and Pepper to taste. Warm again just before serving.

Season the Pork liberally on both sides with Coarse Salt and Pepper. 

Heat 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil in a large skillet over Medium High Heat. Cook in batches if pan will be too crowded.

Once Oil is extremely hot, add Pork Chops and cook for 3 Minutes on one side. Flip, and cook another 3 to 3.5 Minutes on the other side. 

Remove from skillet and stack the chops, one on top of the other, on a plate. Cover with foil and let sit for 3-4 minutes for a perfect medium rare. 

To serve, rewarm the Rhubarb-Cherry sauce if needed. Uncover Pork Chops and arrange them on plates, pouring the juices from the chops over each. Top with the Cherry-Rhubarb Sauce and serve right away. Enjoy!

Pork Chops with Rhubarb-Cherry Sauce, Photo: NK

Next up, a more traditional preparation fit for topping any dessert, the Rhubarb Compote. This recipe, again adapted from Martha Stewart is, as one online commenter put it, the easiest recipe in the world. Using just three ingredients, you can make a great compote in a flash that works well on just about any sweet treat. The Rhubarb actually creates it's own cooking liquid, so water is not even needed. This compote also makes a tasty topping for healthier foods like yogurt. 

Easiest Ever Rhubarb Compote
Adapted From Martha Stewart
Yield - about 2 Cups

Ingredients: 
3-4 large stalks Rhubarb, tops and bottoms discarded, chopped into 3/4 inch lengths: 2 cups
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried Ginger

Method:
Put Rhubarb in a medium sauce pan and cover with Sugar and Ginger.
Let sit about 10 minutes until liquids begin to leach from the Rhubarb.

Rhubarb and Sugar, Photo: NK

Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. 

Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook another 5-7 minutes until Rhubarb breaks down.

Let cool fully before using as a dessert topping. Enjoy!

Rhubarb Compote pictured with Philly Fluff Pound Cake and NY Cheesecake 
from the most fantastic bakery, Natale's in Summit, NJ
Photo: NK

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