Category: Salads

No. 534Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Green Olive, Celery & Parsley Salad

Green Olive, Celery & Parsley Salad |Bijouxs Little Jewels

Today I share a fresh winter salad that brings together bright lemon, crispy celery, buttery olives & fresh Italian parsley all winter produce available–No. 534 Green Olive, Celery & Parsley Salad a recipe for the Membership Cookbook Collection.

WINTER SALADS

We all crave the warm sunny days of Summer, but we have to get through Winter first, then Spring can open the door. Salads are a great way to keep freshness and brightness in the dark days of winter. There are many salads in the Membership Cookbook Collection to choose from with the convenient search “salads”.

PANTRY RECIPES

I love pantry recipes, they make life in the kitchen easier. This salad/condiment makes use of many on-hand ingredients in your pantry. I always keep jars of olives handy and the green Castelvetrano olives from Sicily are a favorite. They have a rich buttery taste, easily available in the supers. Celery is always on hand for snacks. Italian parsley, easy to find and even easier to grow, I have a bumper crop!

I have always loved the books from the Canal House Series, I think I have them all. The food style and photography feels much like my own. Simple beautiful food for the home cook. The Pronto Cooking is a favorite. Simple recipes to love and where I adapted this recipe. The orginal recipe calls for fennel, but my on-hand peeled celery delivered the same crunch.

Green Olive, Celery & Parsley Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

CITRUS SEASON

Late November is the start of citrus season along the Cali coast. Here in California we really do mark our calendars for the citrus to arrive. This salad uses the pulp of the lemon to create the bright fresh dressing for the salad. Seedless lemons, found at Trader Joes, are perfect, they made is so easy supreme the sections used for the dressing. Supreme means removing the bitter peel and pith and removing the membranes around each segment so the juicy flesh is exposed. It’s often seen when citrus is added to fruit salads or used as a garnish.

Green Olive, Celery & Parsley Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

SALAD VERSATILITY

Green Olive, Celery & Parsley Salad of course makes a light side salad along any main course and a great topper for grilled fish. Some other ideas to for the salad include tossing with noodles or pasta for a on-the-go lunch salad or top your avocado toast for a change.
Small plate salads on hand are always a treat served alongside almost any meal. I like to keep a variety of small plate salads on the ready to serve with cocktails, as an appetizer or a meal side option.

 

Green Olive, Celery & Parsley Salad, another little jewel added to the growing Recipe Membership Cookbook.

 

No. 510Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Cherry Tomatoes w/ Sumac Shallots

Cherry Tomatoes w/ Sumac Shallots Bijouxs Little Jewels

This salad is a case in point of simply beautiful food from the home kitchen and no special skills are required. Sumac, a spice to become friendly with adds to easy-to-find produce for a salad layered with flavors. Cherry Tomatoes with Sumac Shallots- Beautiful Food by Design.

CHERRY TOMATOES W/ SUMAC SHALLOTS

Sumac plays the star role in the salad do not skip this step .Preparing the marinated shallots is simple and well worth the effort. Sumac is easily ordered online.

SIMPLE SALADS

Cherry tomatoes, basil leaves and crunchy pistachios blend to create a simple, yet complex flavored salad. This recipe is adapted from the master of using spices and seasonings to ramp up the flavors of just about everything, Yotam Ottolenghi. I have learned to use so many new spices from his many great cookbooks. I made a few small changes to the salad based on my on-hand ingredients, using only Heirloom cherry tomatoes and toasted pistachios instead of pine nuts. This is an in-the-moment salad, toss ingredients, plate and serve immediately.

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Cherry Tomatoes w/ Sumac Shallots | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

 

No. 509Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Farmers Market Sunny Salad

Farmers Market Sunny Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A trip to the Farmers Market today brought a sunny smile to my face and this salad to my table. Farmers Market Sunny Salad is an easy ray of sunshine, another Little Jewel from the Kitchen.

FARMERS MARKET

It’s been way more than an minute since the local Farmers Market has been up and running at full speed. Most of the vendors are back. Splendid butter lettuce, radishes, heirloom cherry tomatoes, and my favorite edible flowers, along with the elusive mulberries.

Farmers Market Sunny Salad |Bijouxs Little Jewels

EDIBLE FLOWERS

What a quick way to add a smile to any dish by adding edible flowers. They are in season at the Farmers Market and I wanted a fresh, cheerful salad to serve. Although you usually see edible flowers in restaurants, they are becoming more available to home cooks. I added them to my plates when I worked as a private/personal chef years ago. I am happy to see them back in the market today.

PROBIOTIC COCONUT WATER

I have been making some healthy changes to my routines after reading the book Fatal Conveniences, yikes, we are exposed to sooo many toxins. Time to begin some simple changes. As a chef, the freshest organic produce is always my choice. I found Inner-Eco Probiotic Coconut Water. (No, this is not sponsored, just me here) I used it in this light dressing for the salad, Balsamic vinaigrette which includes the probiotic. An easy add-on to a health routine.

FARMERS MARKET SUNNY SALAD

This is a light, bright salad that includes butter leaf lettuce, radishes, heirloom cherry tomatoes tossed with Balsamic vinaigrette and of course edible flowers. I love the pansies smiling faces. Treat yourself as if you were someone you really loved. This is a nice way to look at self-love and eating healthy food is a part of that equation. Sending bright and sunny Spring wishes to all from the Bijouxs Kitchen. Thank you for your support.

 

No. 507Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Puy Lentils with Roasted Tomatoes & French Triple-Cream Blue

Puy Lentils with Roasted Tomatoes & French Triple-Cream Blue | B ijouxs Little Jewels

French Puy lentils, the smallest, deep green lentils make the most interesting salads. Today a delightful salad, Puy Lentils with Roasted Tomatoes & Gorgonzola–another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.

PUY LENTILS

If you have not tried Puy lentils from France, this salad is a great entry point to these lovely little jewels. Lentils are one of the most comforting legumes, like pinto beans and chickpeas, however Lentils du Puy are immediately different to the eye from the usual brown or red lentils. With a unique blue-gray green hue and small is size, Puy lack the mushiness of other lentils. This firmer texture make them an excellent fit for salads.

PLENTY

One of my forever favorite chefs is Yotam Ottolenghi. I bought the first version of the famed restaurant’s cookbook name Ottolenghi when it was first published in England, all recipes were in grams. The platters of food in the restaurant are displayed in the most appealing manner, it was immediate love.

Puy Lentils with Roasted Tomatoes & French Triple-Cream Blue | Bijouxs Little Jewels

VEGETABLE RECIPES

It is always a blessing to lay back on the heavy foods and concentrate on fresh vegetables and legumes. The vegetable recipes featured in Plenty are among my favorites. This salad is a take from one in the cookbook, I took a slightly more French spin. A great ingredient in this salad are the roasted tomatoes, with the effort, don’t skip these.

Puy Lentils with Roasted Tomatoes & French Triple-Cream Blue | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Puy Lentils with Roasted Tomatoes & French Triple-Cream Blue | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Puy lentils and French style triple cream blue, a semi-soft cheese cross between blue and brie, are the changes. Savor this Little Jewel salad from my kitchen to yours.

 

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