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Chop Salad with Corn, Snap Peas and Bacon (Tom Douglas)

By on 5/25/2009

Mustard Vinaigrette:

2 T red wine vinegar

1 T lemon juice

1 T dijon mustard

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup plus 1 T olive oil

kosher salt and black pepper

For the salad:

1/2 pound sliced bacon

6 oz sugar snap peas (1 1/2 cups), strings removed, cut in half on a diagonal

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernals

1/2 head romaine

1 med cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch dice

1 med carrot, peeled and grated

1/2 med red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch dice

1/2 bunch radishes, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, stemmed, cut in half

1 cup fresh basil leaves (about 1 oz), cut into thin strips

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a skillet,  over med heat, fry the bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels, discarding the fat. Chop the bacon and set aside.

Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil and set up a bowl of ice water. Set a strainer filled with the snap peas into the saucepan and cook for a minute or two. Remove the snap peas and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Put the corn in the strainer and put it into the saucepan of boiling water for a minute or two. Remove the corn and plunge it into the ice water with the peas. Drain the corn and peas and set aside.

Chop the romaine leaves and place them in a large bowl. You should have about 4 cups chopped leaves. Add the peas, corn, cucumber, carrot, red pepper, radishes, scallions, tomatoes and basil to the bowl, then toss with enough vinaigrette to coat everything lightly. Add the parmesan, toss again, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle bacon on top.

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Cool Cucumber Yogurt (Tom Douglas)

By on 5/25/2009

1 cucumber (about 14 oz)

Kosher salt

3 cups plain yogurt, preferably whole-milk yogurt

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

4 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

Peel and seed the cucumber. Grate the cucumber and place it in a strainer set over a bowl. Generously salt the cucumber and let drain for half an hour, then squeeze the liquid out. In a bowl, combine the cucumber, yogurt, parsley, mint and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Smashed Greek Potatoes (Tom Douglas)

By on 5/25/2009

3 pounds small red potatoes, washed and dried

1/2 cup plus 1 T olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper

1 T Greek oregano

1 T minced garlic

Preheat oven to 450. Put the potatoes in a roasting pan large enought to hold them in a single layer and roast them until they are jut tender, about 40 to 45 minutes, depending on their size. When the potatoes feel tender, remove the roasting pan from the oven and place it on top of the stove or on another heatproof surface. Using the flat bottom of a sturdy china mup, press down on and flatten each potato, one at a time, right in the roasting pan. A smashed potato should be about 1/2 inch thick. The potato skin will break, showing some of the white flesh, but the potato should still more or less retain its round shape. Drizzle 1/4 cup of olive oil over the potatoes, season generously with salt and pepper, and return them to the oven. Roast until they are browned on the bottom, about 25 minutes, then remove them from the oven and turn them over with a large spatula. Drizzle another 1/4 cup oil over the potatoes and return to the oven. Roast until brown on the second side, about 25 minutes more, then remove the pan from the oven. Scatter oregano and garlic over the surface, season again with salt and pepper, and drizzle them with the remaining 1 T oil. Toss potatoes to distribute seasonings, then return to oven for 5 more minutes.

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Granola bars

By on 5/16/2009

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup + 1 T honey
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
  • 3.5 cups any good, not-too-sweet granola
Method
  • 1. Put the honey, brown sugar, and oil in a small pot and bring to a boil. Put the granola in a large bowl and pour the sugar mixture over the top while mixing; stir until the granola is well coated.
  • 2. Press into an 8- or 9-inch square pan and let cool in the fridge. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Variations
  • Dried Fruit Bars: Use just about any dried fruit here; dates or dried figs are great, as are dried apricots, raisins, plums, pears, and more: Substitute 11/2 cups dried fruit for the honey and brown sugar. Put the dried fruit and oil in a food processor and purée until smooth, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides if necessary. (Add small amounts of water if the fruit is dried out and not processing.) Proceed with the recipe.
  • Orange-Spice Granola Bars: Add 1 tablespoon chopped orange zest, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon each ground cardamom and ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves.
  • Nutty Granola Bars: Substitute 1 cup mixed or single toasted roughly chopped nuts and whole seeds for 1 cup of the granola.
  • Peanut (or Any Nut) Butter Granola Bars: Practically a power bar: Substitute peanut or any nut butter for the brown sugar.

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