A Trio of Summer Salads
In the absence of travel overseas again this year I am basking in the memories of vacations past. Images of the clear blue seas, skies, and sandy beaches of the Aegean surrounding the Greek Island of Skiathos are a reminder of another world out there.
Skiathos, Greece 2017
This summer my simple habit is to come downstairs early in the morning, throw open the patio doors and make fresh hot coffee as the light floods in.
I light a kitchen candle housed in a bright Mediterranean blue glass jar, and enjoy the fresh scent and the quiet. I have found these small rituals important in keeping me grounded.
As we take a mini-break from blogging for the remainder of this month I’ve chosen three salads to share. Enjoy the new addition, Panzanella – Italian Bread Salad, simply on its own or alongside a steak, chicken thighs, or pork chop. The fresh basil is a robust flavor and goes well with grilled meats.
Southwest Grilled Chicken and Quinoa is a meal of its own, and Herbed Potato Salad delicious with grilled fish or slices of pork tenderloin.
Panzanella – Italian Bread Salad
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sugar or agave
- 1 Tuscan blend
- 8 oz stale* ciabatta French bread, or Sourdough cut into 2 cm cubes
- 1/2 small red onion finely chopped
- 1 lb mixed tomatoes 2cm slices
- 3 tbsp capers
- 15 basil leaves
- salt to taste
- optional: 8 anchovy fillets chopped. 1 red pepper, diced.
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix the olive oil, red wine, sugar, and Tuscan blend together
- Stir in the bread, red onion, tomatoes, capers, and basil
- Leave to rest to allow the flavors to soak into the bread
Notes
Southwest Grilled Chicken & Quinoa
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 lbs chicken thighs boneless & skinless
- 1 Southwest Fiesta blend
- 1 tsp 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup lime juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Salad
- 3 cups black quinoa, cooked*
- 2 bell peppers; green red or yellow deseeded & diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 cups cucumber diced
- 1 avocado diced
Dressing
- 1 cup yogurt + 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 serrano chili optional
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Add the chicken & the marinade ingredients to a small container with a lid or a ziplog bag; massage the ingredients together & leave to rest in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
- When ready to cook, preheat the grill to 325F.
- Cook the chicken thighs for 8 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F, brushing with the marinade once during cooking
- Remove the chicken from the grill; cover & allow to rest while you prepare the salad & dressing ingredients
- Slice the chicken and toss into the salad; season & spoon the dressing over the top.
Herbed Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs baby potatoes
- 2 eggs hard boiled, chopped
- 1 cup (1 small) red onion small dice
- 1/3 cup capers
- 1 Coq au Vin blend
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- cook the potatoes in boiling salted water; drain and cool
- in a large bowl mix the potatoes, egg, onion and capers
- in a medium glass jar or a bowl shake (or mix) the dressing ingredients; Coq au Vin blend, yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt
- combine the potato mixture with the herb dressing and serve alongside your favorite sausages
Zen Moment
“Take a break… Pause… Rest… Start walking! That very brief space is to let the intelligent guide.” ― Rekha
