Summer Harvest Salad

Summer Harvest Salad

One of the things I miss most about my time spent living in the Midwest is the changing of the seasons. Don’t get my wrong. I understand that living in Southern California, I am certainly spoiled by the weather, but with the two options being hot and hotter, I sometimes reminisce about a cool fall breeze, or a refreshing spring shower (I don’t get too carried away about missing Chicago winters, however).

Fortunately for me, we’ve been experiencing a particularly unusual summer, and have had several days of rain. If I could hand-pick any sort of rain from the sky, it would undoubtedly be a warm summer rain. I can probably count on one hand how many times we’ve had them here in the So.Cal., but I love them just the same. To me, they act as a gentle reminder to appreciate the amazing weather we have every other day of the year. But more importantly, just as April showers bring May flowers, summer rains promise even more than the average colorful and delicious bounty of crops.

My latest venture to the local farmer’s market left me overwhelmed by the season’s harvest of crimson-colored berries, stone fruit in every hue of the rainbow, and the  techni-color array of vegetables available. And after tasting my new favorite herb, the sour-lemon-like sorrel greens at the beloved Saly Cortile Cucina a few weeks back, I was pleasantly surprised to find a bundle of such greens for the picking at my favorite stand. Traditionally, sorrel is a spring green, but with Southern California’s climate the way it is, it was a welcome find on this hot summer day. Needless to say, I left the market with my arms full of produce and the wheels in my head turning.

When I got home, I knew exactly what I’d serve alongside my grilled chicken that night. Making quick work of the strawberries and plums, I arranged them atop a generous pile of peppery arugula and the tart sorrel greens. I then whipped up a quick balsamic vinaigrette, and called it a day. Kenny gave me his stamp of approval when he went for seconds of this Summer Harvest Salad a la Jenny, and I made variations for days, only stopping when I ran out of ingredients. I can’t wait to see what else they have for my salad fixings next week!

I’ve included the basic recipe for you, but know that it is very easily adaptable. Want to make this a main dish? Add goat cheese or slivered almonds for some protein. Don’t have plums? How about fresh peaches, instead? Use your imagination, and get inspired by what you find in your garden or local farmer’s market.

 

5.0 from 2 reviews
Summer Harvest Salad
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main, Side
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4
Prep time:
Total time:
 
This light, fresh salad takes the best of Summer's bounty, and combines it into one dish.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups baby arugula
  • 2 cups sorrel greens, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup fresh berries (I used strawberries, but blueberries would be nice here, too)
  • 1 cup fresh stone fruit, sliced (I used plums, but apricots or peaches would work)
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine the arugula with the sorrel greens, and toss to combine.
  2. Add the berries and stone fruit.
  3. In a separate small bowl, make your vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, and serve.

 

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Fresh Tomato Bruschetta with Grilled Crostini

Fresh Tomato Bruschetta with Grilled Crostini

I’m often asked how I got started teaching cooking classes, especially when my career is in a completely different field. Usually, I just tell people that I am very passionate about food and cooking, and I like sharing that passion with other people, but that is really the short answer. The real story is a bit more detailed than that.

It all started at a casual dinner where many of our closest family friends got together to share a meal. My lifelong friend had developed a bit of a reputation for her fear and distaste of the kitchen, and as was routine, was the butt of some jabbing jokes about the type of wife she would be, since she recently got married. These jabs and teasing were always done in good fun, but I sensed that they had begun to sting a little. So, I took my friend aside, and in secret, we scheduled a date for her to come over to my house for a fun cooking lesson. Soon, we were meeting monthly.

My goal for each lesson was to teach her an appetizer, soup or salad, main dish and dessert, so that if she were called to make any of those dishes for a potluck of sorts, she would have something she could fall back on. I kept all the recipes in a binder, with the hopes that at the end of the day, she would have her own “cookbook”  with recipes she felt confident making on her own. As her confidence grew in the kitchen, she started sharing our secret with our other friends, and little by little, everyone wanted in. What started as one-on-one lessons quickly grew to couples’ date nights and children’s classes, as well.

The two young chefs.
The two young chefs.

A few months after we initially started meeting, my friend arrived to a family party with an appetizer in tow. She had tried her hand at the very first dish we made together: Fresh Tomato Bruschetta with Grilled Crostini. She shared with me that her husband served as her sous chef, and together, they prepared this dish. I have to say that I was absolutely beaming with pride as the party guests tasted and enjoyed every bite of her appetizer until there was none left to speak of. What’s more, now that my friend is the mother of two beautiful munchkins, her confidence in the kitchen has grown in such a way that she happily makes her own baby food for the kids.

Yes, I have a passion for food and for cooking. And yes, I really do love sharing that passion with others. But watching my friends and loved ones succeed at something they were once afraid to try is precisely what fuels me from class to class.

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
Fresh Tomato Bruschetta with Grilled Crostini
 
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 8
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Kosher salt activates the natural juices in the tomatoes, and makes this appetizer a simple and delicious crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Bruschetta
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 7-8 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 three-finger pinch of kosher salt
  • fresh ground pepper
  • shaved parmesan cheese
Crostini
  • 8 diagonally sliced pieces of French baguette
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
Bruschetta
  1. In a bowl, add the diced roma tomatoes. Stack the basil leaves, roll them into a cigar, and run your knife, making thin slices. Add the sliced basil to the tomatoes. Finely mince the garlic (I use a microplane zester for this). Add olive oil, salt, and pepper.
  2. Gently stir and combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  3. Serve over grilled crostini and top with parmesan cheese.
Crostini
  1. Brush olive oil over the bread pieces, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on grill over medium to high heat, and cook until grill marks appear.
  2. Top with bruschetta, and serve.
Notes
Make sure you use good quality parmesan cheese, and not the powdery stuff that comes from the green can. It really makes all the difference.

 

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