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Three New Summer Side Salads
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Article By: Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough
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Every month, enjoy the simple but elegant pleasures of a delicious, easy-to-prepare meal.
Busy or not, here we come. Every month “Everyday Gourmet” serves up new recipes, cooking tips and ideas for dishes that are elegant in taste and presentation, yet simple enough to prepare and enjoy in a snap.
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Summer is all about eating outdoors: grill parties, pool parties, picnics, family reunions or just a random weeknight on the deck.
But while most of us have gotten great at the grill, all those summery side salads can leave a little to the imagination. Sure, that old recipe for macaroni salad is good once a year, just for nostalgia’s sake. But it wears thin quick.
We once brought a family-favorite slaw to a barbecue, only to have one of our mothers say, “That? You made that?”
It wasn’t exactly a standing ovation for tradition.
So we’ve since tried to pump up the flavors in our salads. We’re still unabashed fans of potato salads, slaws and pasta salads. And all the better with some help. A pasta salad gets a boost from the supermarket’s antipasto bar; a slaw can turn into a delicious way to eat lots of summer’s best, freshest vegetables. Even potato salad can taste international with curry powder and yogurt, a kind of American twist on Aloo Gobi Mattar, a classic East Indian side dish.
Remember the old rule about summer salads: if it’s creamy, keep it well chilled—on ice in the cooler or in the refrigerator. If it’s vinaigrette based, let it come to room temperature before serving for the best taste.
So sit back and take summer to new heights with these twists on the classic salads. Your friends and family won’t know what hit ‘em!
About the Curried Potato Salad
Here’s a new twist on the classic potato salad, great with burgers, brats or chicken breasts on the grill. Use only frozen cauliflower florets, thawed, so their texture will match the cooked potatoes.
Curried Potato Salad
Makes 6 servings
POINTS® value | 2 per serving
Ingredients
- 1 pound red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (do not peel)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups frozen cauliflower florets, thawed
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced (1 1/2 cups)
- 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced (1 cup)
- 1 small red onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1/4 cup minced chives or the green parts of scallions
- 1/4 cup chopped gherkins or dill pickles
- 1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
- 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 to 1 Tbsp bottled yellow curry powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the potato cubes in a large saucepan; cover with cool tap water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 12 minutes.
- Drain in a colander set in the sink. Pour the potatoes into a large bowl, add the lemon juice, and toss well.
- Add the cauliflower florets, red bell pepper, celery, onion, peas, chives and gherkins.
- Whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, curry powder, salt and pepper in a separate, small bowl. Pour over the vegetables and toss until everything is well coated.
About the Summer Slaw
To shred the cabbage for this new take on the picnic classic, slice it lengthwise through the root; place it cut side down on a cutting board, slice off the root and discard it, and continue to slice up the cabbage in thin slices, separating the various strips as you go. To shred the jicama and radishes, pass them through the large holes of a box grater. Rather than a creamy dressing, this slaw uses a cumin-laced vinaigrette.
Summer Slaw
Makes 6 servings
POINTS® value | 0 per serving
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded Napa cabbage
- 1 1/2 cups peeled shredded jicama
- 1 cup shredded radishes
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Toss the cabbage, jicama and radishes in a salad bowl.
- Add the lime juice, vinegar, sesame oil, cumin and salt. Toss well to serve. (Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, omit the salt; add it just before serving.)
About the Salad Bar Pasta Salad
Talk about easy! This summery salad uses items you can find at your supermarket’s salad bar. Just cook up the pasta and the salad’s done in minutes. (Of course, you can always prepare the ingredients the old-fashioned way, too.)
Salad Bar Pasta Salad
Makes 6 servings
POINTS® value | 3 per serving
Ingredients
- 5 oz. whole wheat bow-tie pasta, cooked and drained
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup chopped, seeded red or green bell pepper
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
- 1/4 cup sliced green olives
- 2 marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 4 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- Several dashes hot red pepper sauce
Instructions
- Toss all the ingredients in a large salad bowl until well-blended.
- Serving size: 1 1/4 cups.
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