How you doin’?  When preparing meals for the holidays, many people think that every course has to be over-the-top special, including the salad. Others say that might just be overkill.  For a multi-course dinner menu like a Thanksgiving Day feast, a simple salad may be the best solution.
 
A Simple Salad is usually a limited combination of various ingredients that are either raw, cooked or both. The ingredients can be any vegetable, meat, fish, fruits as a main ingredient or in combination depending on the style of salad—composed or tossed salad. If you were working in a restaurant and a guest ordered a Simple Salad. What would you serve to that guest?
 
Let us understand what a Simple Salad is. It’s simple—consisting of one or more leafy lettuces such as Iceberg, romaine and arugula, lightly tossed in a vinaigrette dressing as a base with one or two additional ingredients like tomato and cucumber, and possibly a few nuts or colorful bell pepper matchsticks for decoration or as a garnish. The secret is rubbing the bowl with a cut garlic clove.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
For the salad bowl
1 garlic clove, cut in half
4 cups greens (any combination you like)
 
For the vinaigrette dressing
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup canola oil
 
Directions

1. Wash all vegetables thoroughly (as they can be a good source of contamination) and pat dry or spin in a salad spinner to prevent the salad from becoming too watery.
2. Keep all ingredients refrigerated and ready before preparing the salad as this ensures freshness and crunchiness in salad. If you have the room, chill the plates and salad forks, too.
3. Utilize the freshest ingredients and especially those in season as this will keep nutrients intact.
4. Light leafy vegetables should be torn into bite size pieces—never cut the greens—and tossed gently in the dressing just before serving to avoid wilting of the leaves.
5. Pour enough dressing just to season—not drown—the main ingredients. Go easy… you can always add more, but if over-dressed the greens will be wilted and unappetizing.
6. Use the right plate to present the salad and garnish with an edible ingredient to give it eye appeal.
7. Never stuff the salad plate. Accommodate the salad within the dish and not on or over the edge. Remember… there’s a lot more food to come.

To make the dressing

1. In a small bowl add vinegars and lemon juice.
2. Add the salt, pepper, mustard, and paprika and mix well to blend. 
3. Whisk in the oil with fork or whisk.

To dress and serve the salad

1. Rub salad bowl thoroughly with garlic.  Discard garlic (or save for another recipe).
2. Lightly and slowly pour the vinaigrette over the salad green until leaves glisten.  Remember, less is more!  Add in select ingredients such as sliced or cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, maybe some colorful bell pepper strips and toss to coat.
3. Portion the salad onto the chilled salad plates and top with the select garnish ingredients like toasted nuts or French’s Crispy fried onions.

ChefSecret:  The following steps are involved in preparing a simple salad:

• Wash the vegetables in cold water. Hold by the root ends, plunging in and out of water to force water to center, shaking loose dirt and grit. Rinse well.
• Cut the vegetables as per the required style (cubes, threads, strips etc.)
• Keep in a cool place until required. Refrigerate the clean greens in a colander covered with damp towel or in a perforated storage bin to allow air circulation and complete drainage. This helps to keep the greens crisp until it’s time to mix all the ingredients with the dressing.
• Lightly toss all the salad ingredients together except any crispy salad toppings.
• Always keep cool—serve on chilled plates with chilled forks.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “Ran out of toilet paper and started using lettuce leaves. Today was just the tip of the iceberg, tomorrow romaines to be seen.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America.
Thanks for reading.

#Salads #Sides #Thanksgiving #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2020 #Thankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                 ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? Even though summer is in the rear-view mirror, you can still find wonderful fresh mangoes in the supermarket. Mangoes are delicious just by themselves, and they are also a very versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of savory dishes, from curries to salads.
 
As Food & Beverage Consultants we always have an eye out for nutrition. A Thai salad is a great way to nourish both body and soul. Here’s a simple, mango salad in a delicious Thai peanut dressing that you can make all year ‘round. It is a perfect appetizer or side salad and makes an even better entrée salad. This Bangkok Mango Salad is bursting with fresh Thai flavors, bright colors and velvety peanut butter texture.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Total time:  20 minutes
Yield:  4 side salads or 2 entrée salads
 
Ingredients
For the mango salad
One head (about 7 ounces) butter leaf lettuce or your greens of choice, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced and then sliced across to make 1″ long pieces
3 ripe champagne mangos, diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion (both green and white parts)
1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium jalapeño, seeds and membranes removed, finely chopped
1/2 chopped avocado (optional)
 
For the peanut dressing
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 to 3 limes)
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes (if you like spice)
 
Directions

1. To assemble the salad, simply combine all the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl.
2. To prepare the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender jar and mix until well combined.
3. When you’re ready to serve, drizzle the dressing over the salad, and toss to combine.
4.  Serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  Why do we ask to seed and remove the membranes from the jalapeño chiles? The seeds and membranes carry the bulk of the heat. The jalapeño has a great flavor which can be masked by the burning heat. Son shut off the heat and turn on the flavor.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  Remember when “Dr. Happy“ told us it would only take 30-days to flatten out the curve? Well here we are 7 months later and now he is telling us not to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family. So, I’m now shopping for a dwarf-turkey and trying to decide where to celebrate the holidays… in the Living Room or the Bedroom.

Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are also being posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Salad #Entree #SideSalad #Mango #Peanuts #NationalPeanutBoard #MangoBoard #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                            © Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? A shrimp cocktail was ubiquitous on many upscale restaurant menus in LA for years and has kind of fallen out of favor. Why? I can’t tell you, but I still make it at home and love it today as much as I did years ago. Before I knew much about dining out, I knew that if they brought shrimp cocktails to the table as an appetizer, we were eating at a 'fancy joint’. It is a very easy dish to make, but first a little history.
 
This dish of cooked seafood with a piquant sauce of some kind is really of ancient origin and many varieties exist. Oyster, crab, lobster or shrimp dishes of this kind were popularized in the United States in the late nineteenth century. Some imagine this custom of serving of the food in cocktail glasses had something to do with the ban on alcohol during the prohibition era in the United States in the 1920’s. I’m not so sure about that.
 
The invention of the Prawn Cocktail is taken by a British television chef, Fanny Cradock in the 1960s in the United Kingdom. However, it is more likely that Cradock just popularized her version of an established dish that was not well known until then in Britain.
 
There was even a book dedicated to this famous dish--The Prawn Cocktail Years (Hopkinson and Bareha). It was once considered to be a part of the "Great British Meal" which consisted of Prawn Cocktail, followed by Steak Garni with Chips and Black Forest Gateau for dessert. Ridiculed by some, many still think this dinner is still something very special indeed.
 
While many think the quality of the Shrimp Cocktail is gauged by the quality of the sauce, much attention most go into the cooking of the shrimp itself and the flavor of the poaching liquid.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Additional: 30 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
For the poaching liquid
4 quarts cold water
1/4 onion, sliced
1/2 lemon, outer skin removed
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 sprigs fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon Old Bay® seasoning
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 bay leaf
 
For the spicy cocktail sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup chili sauce
1/3 cup prepared horseradish (more if you like Indianapolis spicy)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
 
2 pounds tail-on, de-veined jumbo shrimp (21/25)
 
Directions

1. In a large pot, simmer the water, onion, lemon, garlic, tarragon, seafood seasoning, peppercorns and bay leaf together. Cook until flavors blend, about 15 minutes.
2. Whisk the ketchup, chili sauce, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard together in a bowl. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 15 minutes.
3. Fill a large pot or bowl with water and ice to provide an ice bath for the cooked shrimp.
4. Bring poaching liquid to a rapid boil. Cook the shrimp in the boiling liquid until they are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center, about 3 minutes.
5. Using a slotted spoon, quickly transfer the shrimp to the bowl of ice water to shock them (and stop the cooking) until chilled.
6. Drain the shrimp completely.
7. Arrange cold shrimp around the rim of a martini cocktail glass and serve with chilled sauce (see ChefSecret for the perfect presentation).

ChefSecret:  Give the Shrimp Cocktail the royal Hollywood treatment. Coat the rim of martini glasses with lemon juice and celery salt. Line the bottom of each glass with one medium size romaine lettuce leaf filled with chopped celery. Put a splash of cocktail sauce over the celery and line the edge of the glass with 5-jumbo shrimp (about 3 to 4 ounces). Then, top with another splash of cocktail sauce. The shrimp draped over the edge of the glass will resemble a Busby Berkeley movie with synchronized swimmers from an old Hollywood musical number--Crustaceans on Parade, which when you think about it, sounds more important than just a Shrimp Cocktail. Oh, very important, don’t forget the little oyster crackers. Left over sauce makes a great Bloody Mary, too.
 
Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  This morning I saw my neighbor talking to her cat. It was obvious she thought the cat understood her. I thought the confinement was driving her crazy. I came into my house and told my dog… we both laughed a lot.
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Appetizer #Shrimp #ShrimpCocktail #CocktailSauce #BusbyBerkeley #Horseradish #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                  ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? Let’s try something a little different today--FARRO. Do not say “ick” to farro.  Farro is considered one of those magical ancient grains. Farro is an ingredient composed of the grains of certain wheat species—an ethnobotanical term for three species of hulled wheat: spelt, emmer and einkorn. Hulled wheat is wheat that cannot be threshed. Farro is sold dried and prepared by cooking in water until soft. It is eaten plain or is often used as an ingredient in salads, soups, and other dishes.
 
This Mediterranean Farro Salad is filled with fresh ingredients, lots of chewy delicious farro, and it’s tossed with a light Greek vinaigrette. Perfect as a side dish or main course, and for taking with you to a potluck dinner! Any ingredient that sounds good to you can probably be included in this salad.
 
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes 
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
For the farro
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup uncooked farro, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon kosher salt
 
For the salad
1 large cucumber, seeded and finely diced
2/3 cup finely diced roasted red peppers (orange or yellow peppers are also acceptable)
1/2 cup finely diced sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives (back or green olives are also acceptable)
1/4 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
 
For the Greek vinaigrette
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon find grind black pepper
 
Directions
For cooking perfect farro every time use an Instant Pot. If you don’t have an Instant Pot cook the farro according to the directions on the package.

1. Add farro, water and salt to the kettle of an Instant Pot.
2. Manually set to HIGH pressure for 10 MINUTES for al dente (great for salads).
3. QUICK RELEASE after 10 MINUTES before releasing pressure.
4. Fork stir the farro to fluff.
5. Transfer the farro to a large mixing bowl and chill for a minimum of 45 minutes.

To make the Greek vinaigrette

1. Whisk all ingredients together until combined. Use immediately.

To make the salad

1. Fork fluff the farro again and add the remaining ingredients, including the vinaigrette. 
2. Toss until well combined.
3. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

 
ChefSecret: If you have a sensitivity to raw red onion reduce the amount or delete the onions altogether.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “If there is a second part to this quarantine, do we have to stay with the same family or will the US Marshalls relocate us?”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Salad #SideDish #Farro #AncientGrains #MediterraneanSalad #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                               ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? 你好嗎 (Nǐ hǎo ma). Do you know who reinvented the original Chinese Chicken Salad? It was Sylvia Cheng, aka Madame Wu. According to the late Merv Griffin, aside from being a successful restaurateur, "Everybody in this town knows Madame Wu. One of the dearest, sweetest, most elegant women I've ever known."

Sylvia Cheng was born into a wealthy, cultured family in Jiujiang, China in 1915. She was raised by her grandfather, who owned a bank and a department store—showering her with gifts and special treats, but he was also wise enough to teach her discipline. She was brought up in the traditional fashion, learning respect and good manners. She did not have a deprived childhood. When not away at boarding school, mooning over photos of Cary Grant, she would spend many hours covertly watching her grandfather's servants preparing delicious delicacies in the off-limits kitchen. As she wrote in her book Cooking with Madame Wu, she learned that "eating well-balanced meals containing selected herbs and spices would improve health, beauty, sexual vitality and longevity."

After her beloved grandfather's death and the outbreak of World War II, Sylvia’s life changed. Her extended family moved to Shanghai and then to Hong Kong. A free flight to Calcutta resulted in an offer that would change Sylvia's life. A friend in India was about to join his wife in the U.S. He said she could come along if she agreed to go to college there. While pursuing an education degree at Columbia University, she became acquainted with King Yan Wu, a successful engineer from a distinguished Chinese family (both his father and grandfather served as China's ambassador to the U.S.). They were soon married and had three children.

Sylvia settled into the role of sophisticated housewife and hostess. A personal chef, provided by her mother-in-law, assisted her. Eventually, Sylvia began to cook more herself and claimed she could prepare a full Chinese dinner for her family in under an hour. This was preferable to the Chinese restaurants in New York, which often left her disappointed. She was appalled by the manners of the waiters and the heavy faux-Cantonese dishes.

By 1959, the Wu’s were living in Los Angeles. When her children were in their teens and didn't need her much, she began to think about getting a job. One day she told King she wanted to open a Chinese restaurant. Thinking she wasn't serious he made no objections, so she drove around and found a location in West Los Angeles. When King realized she wasn’t kidding and it wasn’t a whim, he tried to talk her out of it. In those days, most people who opened a Chinese restaurant were former waiters or cooks with no business sense. Sylvia had good sense.

In 1959, Madame Wu's Garden opened on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica. The intimate space seated fewer than 50 people. They had just two cooks, two waiters and a dishwasher. Coming from a wealthy family Madame Wu had friends in high places. One such friend was the president of NBC who helped her write a letter promoting the opening of the restaurant, which she sent to the membership of her church and her daughter's exclusive school. That letter really brought the customers. Later Sylvia recalled, "We sold out the first night and people were lined up outside for six months." My parents were in the opening crowd which became an instant hit with the Hollywood in-crowd who were, charmed by Sylvia's impeccable manners and discreet, reverential treatment of them.

Sylvia knew what her customers wanted and reinvented a brand of Cantonese signature dishes suited to the less sophisticated and informed American palate. Her Chinese friends would criticize the food, saying it wasn't authentic. But she was laughing all the way to the bank and telling them, “Look around, honey. Do you see any Chinese [people] dining here?'"
Her spareribs, Peking duck, crab puffs, and shrimp toast were legendary. Her teen-age crush, Cary Grant (who would become a close friend), told her about a shredded chicken salad he had enjoyed at another restaurant, so she developed her own Shredded Chinese Chicken Salad, which is now imitated at restaurants around the globe.

Prep time:  45 minutes
Cook time:  12 minutes
Put together time:  5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
 
Ingredients
Peanut oil for deep frying
8 won ton wrappers, refrigerated cut in 1/8-inch strips (store bought)
1/3 (6-ounce) package white fine rice noodles
2 chicken thighs or breasts, skin on—bone in
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons toasted almonds, slivered
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, white parts only
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded (or greens)
 
Directions

1. Heat the oil for deep-frying to 360°F in a wok. The oil is hot enough when a few noodle strands dropped into the oil expand rapidly and rise to the surface.
2. Drop the won ton strips into the hot oil and fry until light golden, about 1 minute. Remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
3. Divide the noodles into four piles and deep-fry separately. Remove from the hot oil with tongs as soon as the noodles pop to the surface. Drain the noodles on paper towels. Set aside.
4. Deep-fry chicken pieces for 8 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Cool. Remove meat from bones and cut into strips with or without skin. Set aside.
5. Place cooked chicken strips in a large salad bowl. Add mustard, five-spice powder, sesame oil, soy sauce, almonds, green onions and salt. Mix well.
6. Add crisp-fried won ton strips and noodles. Mix thoroughly. Noodles will break into small bits when mixed. Pile salad mixture over a bed of shredded lettuce. Do not toss before serving or salad will become soggy.

ChefSecret: Are you feeling really lazy or just don’t want to fry today? Here is an easy option—substitute leftover turkey or store-bought rotisserie or barbecued chicken for the cooked chicken. Substitute 2 cups of canned shoestring potatoes and one cup of canned fried onions instead of the fried won ton strips and rice noodles. It’s not the same, but it is passable.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Starbucks’ pandemic special--'I’ll have a café mocha vodka valium latte, to go please.’”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entree #Salad #Chicken #TheChinaRoseCollection #ChineseChickenSalad #AsianChickenSalad #ChineseCuisine #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                                ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020