Kale and butternut squash salad

Once upon a time, I knew nothing about kale. I was curious so I tried making the highly acclaimed kale chips. Not a fan. So I didn't buy kale again. Then I tried it in a soup. Hmmm, better. Then I joined the CSA and I had no choice but to embrace kale with open arms. I now know the difference between the types of kale. I personally like Lacinato better than the curly kind (can you say kale nerd?). I've also found several ways to prepare it. Creamed kale evoked cheers from my 6 year-old - same girl that won't eat granola and cries when I serve broccoli. But ok, she cheers for kale. Stranger things have happened.

This salad is fabulous for fall and uses not only kale but also winter squash which is making several appearances in my weekly CSA haul. I chuck the squash in the oven in the morning and then toss everything together in time for lunch. It lasts a couple of days so could be made ahead for an easy peasy lunch.

Kale and butternut squash salad
Adapted from Food52 Genius Recipes by Kristen Miglore

Ingredients

• 2 cups cubed butternut, kabocha or other winter squash
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch kale (preferably lacinato or dinosaur kale), ribs removed and finely sliced, about 4 cups
• 1/2 cup almonds, cut roughly in half
• 1/2 cup crumbled or finely chopped Cabot cloth-bound cheddar (or any good, aged cheddar)
• Fresh lemon juice
• Pecorino or other hard cheese, for shaving (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Heat oven to 425° F. Toss squash cubes in just enough olive oil to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet (lined with parchment for easier cleanup), leaving space between the cubes. Roast in the oven until tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes, tossing with a spatula every 10-15 minutes.
2. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet in the same oven until they start to smell nutty, tossing once, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl, toss the kale with the almonds, cheddar and squash. Season to taste with lemon juice and olive oil (approximately 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil).
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Divide salad between two plates or shallow bowls. Garnish with shaved pecorino cheese, if desired, and serve.

Fresh and broiled fig salad with arugula and prosciutto

Want to know one of my secrets for making great meals even on weekdays? Add one interesting (and easy) dish to a couple of simple ones. Take last Thursday for example. I cooked a chicken on the rotisserie on the grill and made some zoodles. Not exactly jaw-dropping. I served this salad alongside it. Salty prosciutto, sweet figs, arugula and balsamic. It took about 5 minutes to make but looked and tasted great. Made it feel like a weekend meal.

To make this even easier, you could skip broiling half the figs. It was nice to have a mix of textures, but the salad would be delish if all were fresh.

Fresh and broiled fig salad with arugula and prosciutto
Adapted from Simple Italian Food by Mario Batali

When you find fresh figs, grab them up for this simple, elegant salad.

Ingredients

• 6 fresh figs, halved
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 4 slices good quality prosciutto
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1-2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• Extra Virgin olive oil

Cooking Directions

1. Place 6 of the fig halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Cook under a broiler for about 3-5 minutes, until slightly caramelized. Remove to a bowl to cool.
2. Line 2 plates with 2 slices of prosciutto each.
3. Add the fresh fig halves to the bowl with the broiled ones. Add the arugula and rosemary. Drizzle the vinegar and oil over and toss gently (don't squish the cooked figs).
4. Pile the arugula and fig mixture on top of the prosciutto and serve.

Lobster, pea, and pea leaf salad

It's hot. Stinky-sweaty kid hot, thank God I run at 5:30 a.m. hot. Maybe not Texas in summer hot, but I'm a bona fide Jersey girl who has had enough of this humidity. And who wants to cook when it's like this (OK, me), let alone eat a big heavy meal.

And so for the first time in all our years of marriage and dating, I served my better half a salad for dinner. I kept it a secret til just before serving (fear of mutiny perhaps). And guess what? He loved it. Even went so far as to say it's better than my lobster BLTs. Whaaaa????

My inspiration? My CSA of course. They gave me fresh peas and beautiful lettuce. So I wanted a dish that highlighted the peas. The lobster is lightly dressed and piled on top of a bed of pea leaves and Romaine. Add red onion, bacon, peas and tomatoes and dinner is done. I find pea leaves at my Asian market. But you could swap another tender green lettuce. And if you cannot get fresh peas, just thaw some frozen ones. Easy-peasy.

Lobster, pea, and pea leaf salad

This light lobster and pea salad is perfect for a light supper on a hot summer night.

Ingredients

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. sour cream
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tbp. coarse Dijon mustard

Dressing

• Meat from 2 cooked lobsters, each about 1 1/4 pounds
• 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
• 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup grape of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 Tbsp. chopped red onion
• 2 cups pea leaves
• 6 medium Romaine leaves
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Cooking Directions

1. Whisk the dressing ingresients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Toss the pea leaves and Romaine with a little lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on 2 plates.
4. Toss the lobster meat with a little of the dressing to coat. Add more as needed, but don't overdress!
5. Pile the lobster in the center of the plate then sprinkle the peas, bacon, onion and tomatoes over the top.

Avocado salad

"The salad is delicious." Words rarely (ok never) uttered by my husband. We're talking a bunch of raw veggies with some acid and a little oil. Not what he typically gets excited about. I get more compliments on dead creatures, things with bacon, etc. Not salad.

But this salad made history by earning his praise!

It came about because I needed a side to go with Indian grilled chicken legs and some Basmati rice. So I turned to my good friend eatyourbooks.com (shameless plug for the site coming). In seconds, I can search my entire collection of cookbooks for a specific course and ethnicity. I entered Indian and salad and voila! I was presented with a list of about a dozen recipes from my cookbooks. I scanned them and this one won out because I had all the ingredients on hand and it sounded fabulous.

Although the book labels it Indian, the flavors could also go with Mexican or any Latin dish - it uses lime, cumin, and cilantro, all common flavors in those cuisines. Can't wait to make it again when tomatoes are in season and fresh from the farm.

Avocado salad
Adapted from One Spice, Two Spice by Floyd Cardoz

Fresh, bright flavors come together in this amazing salad. Make it a couple hours ahead then toss in the avocado at the end.

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 pint grape and/or cherry tomatoes (preferably a mix of different colors), halved
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, torn
• juice of 1/2 a lime, or more to taste
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 whole Hass avocados, ripe, but not too soft

Cooking Directions

1. Toast the cumin seeds in a small pan until fragrant. Cool slightly then grind with a mortar and pestle.
2. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion and cilantro. Sprinkle the lime juice over and then fold in the cumin and cayenne. Season to taste with salt. NOTE: Recipe can be made up to this point a couple hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Just before serving, halve the avocados, then carefully scoop out each half and cut into chunks. Gently fold it into the tomato mixture. Add more lime juice or salt if needed.