…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? Joan told me last week, “too many desserts… not enough salads.” I hear and obey. So, Miss Joan, here you go. This is one of my favorite spring and summer salads. It is made with crisp shaved curlicues of asparagus and crispy, young, baby arugula greens. They’re both peppery and herby and make a complementary flavor thrill for all the other “orts” (goodies) I’ve added to them—sweet blueberries (just a sprinkle) and shaved nutty Parmesan cheese and wonderfully unctuous prosciutto ham. Add a fresh and tangy blackberry vinaigrette and what have you got?… a positively sumptuous summer entrée. In Paris, when the first harvest of asparagus comes into season, produce vendors run through the street yelling, “ASPERGES!” That’s how Parisiens know for certain, spring has sprung. This recipe can be the perfect salad on a brunch buffet, or you can also top salmon cakes with this leafy dish for a satisfying lunch or a light dinner. Prep time: 20 minutes Chill time: 60 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1/2 bunch asparagus (about 10 stalks), trimmed 2 cups baby arugula 1 small bunch chives, cut into batons 2 ounces very thin shaved prosciutto (I prefer Spanish style) 1/4 cup fresh blueberries 1/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish 1/2 bunch watercress, stems trimmed 3 tablespoons blackberry vinaigrette (recipe below) Directions
ChefSecret: Don’t skip the step to soak the asparagus shavings in ice water. That’s what gives the shavings their delightful curl and crisp texture! Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette This recipe will enhance any salad it touches, and it's also a fantastic marinade for chicken. Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 3 minutes Yield: Makes about 1 cup Ingredients 3/4 cup fresh blackberries 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1-1/2 Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoons granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Directions
ChefSecret: Vinaigrettes with EVOL may set up when refrigerated. Take the vinaigrette out of the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before using it to bring it back to room temperature. Quip of the Day: Man cannot live by bread alone. Every once in a while, he needs a salad. Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #Salad #Asparagus #Prosciutto #BlackberryBalsamicVinaigrette #ParmigianoReggiano #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023
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…from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? Summertime is picnic time and the perfect menu for such an occasion is Cold & Crispy Chicken, Cabbage Coleslaw and Potato Salad—South Carolina All Seasons Potato Salad. Whether dining at the local park or enjoying a bedspread picnic, this menu will be enjoyed by all in attendance. So where did this side dish originate? It was first introduced to Europe from the New World by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. The early potato salads were made by boiling potatoes in wine or a mixture of vinegar and spices. The more American version of potato salad is rooted in German cuisine and came here with European settlers. My potato salad includes eggs, celery, carrots, relish, scallions and peanuts, and can be served chilled or warm. The results will be Spud-Tacular! This salad is made with mayonnaise. If you’re taking this potato salad on a summer outdoor picnic, keep it chilled at a safe temperature (ideally below 40 degrees). Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Yield: 8 servings Ingredients 6 to 8 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1-inch cubes 4 large chopped hard cooked eggs 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup shredded carrot 1/4 cup sweet relish 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons prepared mustard salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup chopped scallion tops 1/4 cup chopped peanuts Directions
ChefSecret: For easy-to-peel and the creamiest hard cooked egg yolks, place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water just to a boil; cover, remove from heat and let eggs stand in the hot water for 12 minutes. Strain the hot water off the eggs and run cold water with ice cubes over the eggs to let them cool completely. When the eggs are cool peel and chop; set aside. Quip of the Day: Q. Why did the potato blush? A. Because it saw the salad dressing. Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Salad #PotatoSalad #YukonGoldPotatoes #HardCookedEggs #SouthCarolina #Scallions #ChoppedPeanuts #NationalPeanutBoard #NPB #HappyIndependenceDay #Cheers #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen ow you doin’? Spring has sprung and there are lots of terrific seasonal vegetables available in the supermarket and at farmers’ markets. At this time of year I always consider a nice, fresh salad for either lunch or dinner. For my tastes salads are all about texture and my Spring Chopped is no exception. It’s got a bit of everything in it: crispy romaine and sweet red onion, crunchy radicchio, pepperoncini, juicy cherry tomatoes, starchy chickpeas and creamy provolone. My vinaigrette is a simple Mediterranean classic: lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced shallots, garlic and fresh oregano. It is so simple. It lightly and evenly coats and adds even more brightness and verve to the salad. We especially love how it contrasts with the bitterness of the radicchio, the smokiness of the cheese, and the subtle heat and bite of the pepperoncini. My Chopped Salad recipe is easy to toss together, however, there is quite a bit of chopping (it’s in the name, after all). Just take out a giant cutting board so you have plenty of space and set the salad bowl nearby for smooth transferring and you’re ready to go—chop, chop! Prep time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings: Ingredients For the Mediterranean vinaigrette 1-1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon minced peeled shallot 1 tablespoon garlic, grated or pressed clove 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground course black pepper, plus more to taste 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil For the salad fixin’s 3 fresh romaine hearts, trimmed and torn bite-size 1 head radicchio, quartered, cored and chopped bite-size 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in halves 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 8 ounces diced smoked provolone 8 pepperoncini, stemmed and sliced Directions To make the vinaigrette
ChefSecret: Try making my Chopped Salad 100% sustainable to help save the planet. Use a plant-based, smoked provolone from Violife that adds depth to all of the fresh ingredients and makes this salad perfect for vegans, the dairy-averse, and those of us who are trying to eat a little more sustainably. Personally, I do not eat a vegan diet (I’m a carnivore through-and-through) and I like to add a 1/4 cup of pepperoni or dry salami to my salad greens. Quip of the Day: What did the preacher say to the salad before he ate it? “Lettuce pray.” Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Salads #ChoppedSalads #MediterraneanSpringChoppedSalad #Vinaigrette #Provolone #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? If you’re bored with the same-old, same-old salads, try adding a tangy twist to your repertoire. This tangy and flavorful dressing has a smooth 'zip' to it because of nutritional yeast and garlic powder. It's a great dressing for salads of any kind. It works great as a dipping sauce as well. Anyone who is looking for something different will definitely enjoy this dressing. The best part is that it takes only minutes to make. Vegetarians will love it for its protein- packed, light, clean taste. Prep time: 10 minutes Yield: 2 cups—16 servings Ingredients 1 cup olive oil 1 cup nutritional yeast (I prefer Bragg) 2/3 cup tamari (gluten-free soy sauce; I prefer Kikkoman) 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup lemon juice 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme Directions
ChefSecret: The lemon juice is the key ingredient to heighten freshness and brightness of flavor. Adding a thin slice of lemon to a sandwich does the same thing. Quip of the Day: “Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? 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. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #SaladDressing #AsianDressing #Tamari #Bragg #CiderVinegar #VeganDressing #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Holiday KitchenHow you doin’? When preparing meals for the holidays, many people think that every course has to be over-the-top special. Others think 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, or 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? A Simple Salad generally consists 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, that are used 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) cherry tomatoes (or tomato chunks) cucumber mixed color pepper slices topping of your choice (croutons or nuts) 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
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.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #Breakfast #SimpleSalad #MixedSalad #Vinaigrette #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2022 #BeThankful #QuarantineKitchen #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 |
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