Tag Archives: Salads/Dressings

Charred Corn Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

June 6, 2014

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For memorial day we grilled these steak kabobs (the recipe can be used for chicken, turkey, steak, pork… all yum) and had that sugar cookie crust fruit pizza I already shared for dessert. On the side I served a Smoked Gouda pasta salad that mimics the addictive one you can find at Whole Foods (I’ll be posting it next) and this charred corn salad. Both were a bit hit. Thankfully there was so much food to go around we had a bit leftover and I hoarded them to devour the next day. And both tasted just as good- maybe better- with age.

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I charred my ears of corn on my trusty Griddler, but I bet an outdoor grill would provide even more flavor. The charred kernels are cut off the cob and tossed with red onion, cherry tomatoes, and an amazing basil vinaigrette. Think lots and lots of fresh basil with some garlic, olive oil, and cider vinegar. Let it sit a few hours to marinate if you can resist. And enjoy it all summer.

Charred Corn Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

6 ears fresh corn on the cob, shucked
1-2 Tbsp. canola oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, grated
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (10-16 oz.) container small cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 small red onion, diced

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat an indoor grill pan or outdoor grill over high heat.

2. Brush or rub each cob with some canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the corn on the hot grill and char each side, 2 to 3 minutes per side. You want the corn to get great char marks! Once the corn has charred, set aside until cool enough to handle. Once the corn has cooled, stand each ear up, stalk end down, in a wide, shallow bowl and, using your knife, slice the corn kernels off the cob.

3. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. In a food processor, add the basil and garlic and pulse until the basil starts to break down. Add the vinegar. Continue pulsing while adding the oil in a steady stream and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (I added 1/2 tsp. kosher salt.)

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn, tomatoes and red onion. Drizzle the basil vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 8.

(Adapted from Kelsey Nixon, Cooking Channel)

Greek Couscous Salad with Chicken

April 24, 2014

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I like to snoop through friends’ cookbooks. So if you ever have me over and I spot a cookbook on your shelf, I’m likely to help myself to a peek. That’s how I found those orange creamsicle cookies I posted last. My next door neighbor/friend/babysitter has the Our Best Bites cookbook and I was perusing it one afternoon as our little ones played fought and scattered toys around her apartment. The cookies sounded amazing- and they were. Well, this salad comes from that same cookbook. Nicole (the friend I just mentioned) loves it and makes it often and passed along the recipe. We loved it too.

It makes a mountain of salad. Especially if you add the chicken, which I did, to make it a heartier meal. It takes some time to prep all the ingredients, but it makes for a great weeknight dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day (or few).

Greek Couscous Salad with Chicken

INGREDIENTS

14.5 oz. can chicken broth + enough water to make 2 cups (I used 2 cups homemade chicken broth)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. crushed dried rosemary
10 oz. couscous (whole wheat if available)
2 cups diced tomatoes or 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced (I used a combination of red and green onion)
1/2 cup kalamata or black olives, pitted and halved or sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese + a bit extra for serving
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and cubed (optional)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the chicken broth/water and dried herbs in a small pot on the stove top and bring to a boil. Add the couscous, cover the pot with a lid, and remove from the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cooled couscous, tomato, cucumber, onion, olives, cheese, parsley, and chicken.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Garnish with additional feta and serve immediately or refrigerate several hours before serving.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from Our Best Bites Cookbook)

Pearl (Israeli) Couscous with Cherries and Arugula

March 20, 2014

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… and toasted walnuts, celery, shallots, orange juice/zest, and smoked gouda. Sound spectacular? I thought it was. Spell check keeps telling me that I’m supposed to capitalize Gouda. Is cheese suddenly a proper noun? Hold on.

Just did some research: Apparently, when cheese is named after a place there is controversy over whether it should be capitalized. Such a complicated world. I’ll give deference to Gouda from now on.

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P.S. If you haven’t noticed by now, I’m not an English major or altogether very good at grammar. I try. But I am grateful when you point out big mistakes, particularly any that might being confusing to a recipe.

Anyway, I can cook a few things and that’s what is most important here. I made this salad for lunch today and it motivated me to get back on here and share. Pearl couscous (also known as Israeli) is dreamy. It’s actually a mini pasta ball but I like it so much better than most pastas. Cuteness might be a factor. If you don’t have everything on hand for this salad, I’m sure it would still be wonderful with some improvisation. Another dried fruit or toasted nut, red onion instead of shallot, red pepper or carrot in place of the celery. Whatever. Just be warned that cleaning up couscous that has been enjoyed by a toddler is no fun at all.

Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous with Cherries and Arugula

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. pearl couscous (whole wheat if you can find it), cooked according to package directions
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice + orange zest, to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. honey or maple syrup
2/3 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2-3 oz. baby arugula (I used spring mix with arugula), finely chopped
2 oz. smoked gouda or sharp white cheddar, shaved or grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook couscous according to package directions. When done, spread on a large baking sheet to cool and set aside.

2. While the couscous is cooking, combine the orange juice, oil, vinegar, and honey or maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the cherries and remove from the heat. Lit sit about 5 minutes until the cherries are plump and soft.

3. Once the couscous has cooled to lukewarm, place it in a large bowl and pour the cherries and liquid over top. Toss to coat. Add the walnuts, celery, shallots, arugula, cheese, and a bit of orange zest to taste and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately or after refrigerating.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from theKitchn)

Farro with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, and Pomegranate Seeds

November 25, 2013

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It’s finished! (Well, almost.) Welcome to the new A Hint of Honey. I hope you’ll take a look around and enjoy the new space. I love it and think you will too! You’ll find all the original features, plus a few. I’ve updated the about page with new photos. The recipe index is still under construction, but hopefully by the end of the week it will be updated with photos of every recipe and be much easier to navigate. If you have any questions or comments or notice any issues, don’t hesitate to let me know. You can reach me via the contact form or on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.

A huge thank you to Maggie Waller from Type and Title for her talent and hard work over the last few months. She designed and implemented everything you see and is so wonderful to work with! Check out her site and work here.

Now for today’s recipe- Farro with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, and Pomegranate Seeds. Farro is one of my favorite foods right now. It’s chewy and nutty and filling and pairs well with so many other ingredients. Here roasted onion and sweet potato are spiced with cumin and coriander. The kale is lightly sauteed with garlic and olive oil. And the salad is topped with toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds and finished with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil. It makes a large bowlful (more than is pictured here), so gather a few forks and a few friends and try your best to share.

Happy Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful week!

Farro with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, and Pomegranate Seeds

INGREDIENTS

1 cup semi-pearled or regular farro
1 medium onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided + enough to coat the onion for roasting
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/4 cups)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
3 packed cups roughly chopped kale
1 large clove garlic, minced
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste (up to 1 Tbsp.)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook farro according to package directions. Drain excess water, then place grains into a large bowl and allow to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss onion with enough oil to lightly coat, but not soak. Spread across the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss sweet potato with enough oil to coat and spread on a separate sheet pan. Sprinkle with cumin, coriander and a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place both baking sheets in the oven and roast until the vegetables are tender and onions have begun to brown. The onions will be done before the sweet potatoes. Stir and turn vegetables at least once during cooking.

3. To toast the walnuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook until golden and fragrant, tossing frequently. Set aside to cool.

4. While vegetables and nuts cook, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Add kale and garlic and lightly saute until the kale has wilted but is still bright green in color.

5. Combine cooked greens and farro in a large bowl. Add sweet potato and onion. Fold the ingredients together, then drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice to taste (about one tablespoon or less). Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently stir in walnuts and pomegranate seeds.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from Food 52)

Israeli Couscous Salad with Smoked Paprika, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella

May 20, 2013

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Here’s another Giada recipe. (Four of the last five I’ve posted have been hers- not purposefully.) And I have another one I made today that’s on its way. I must be inspired by her use of fresh healthy ingredients. It’s almost summer after all. Time for meals from the garden (or farmers market if you live in the city and don’t have a single square foot of soil to call your own). And cooking and dining outdoors.

We had our first barbecue with friends last weekend. And this salad was my contribution. Trying something new to serve at a gathering is a bit risky. (I’ve had my share of public failures, too.) But this time I got lucky. This dish was phenomenal! Just the right thing to serve with burgers hot off the grill.

Israeli couscous is actually a type of pasta. The mini balls are made with semolina flour. And they’re hard to find, but they also make them with whole wheat! All of the ingredients listed below (including an 8-oz. box of the couscous) can be found on a trip to Trader Joes. Regular (not white) balsamic vinegar can be used in a pinch, but white is preferred for its lighter taste and coloring. The smoked paprika (which can be found at almost any grocery store now days) is essential though. Might as well buy a big jar- you’ll want to add it to everything. (I practically do.)

Israeli Couscous Salad with Smoked Paprika, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/3 cups (8 oz.) Israeli couscous, also known as pearl couscous or maftoul (whole wheat if you can find it)
generous pinch salt
2 cups packed baby spinach leaves, chopped
12 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed (or 4 oz. feta, crumbled)
1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and diced
1/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped (or fresh mint)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the coucous, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Cook the couscous, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the couscous is just tender and the liquid is absorbed, 9 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. To make the dressing, whisk the oil, vinegar, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.

3. Mix together the spinach, tomatoes, cheese, peppers, parsley, almonds and basil in a large bowl. Add the couscous and the dressing. Toss until all the ingredients are coated. Season to taste with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve. (Can be prepared ahead of time and served chilled.)

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from Food Network)