SALAD DAYS

SALAD DAYS

No, not “salad days” as defined by my trusty Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: “time of youthful inexperience or indiscretion, when ‘I was green in judgment’” or “heyday”… but, literally, days to eat salads.

Now, I’m not one of those people who likes a lot of rabbit food.  I do like a good chicken Caesar, cobb or chopped salad for lunch, but I can’t remember a time EVAH where I wanted or ordered a salad for dinner (until...).  I mean, why? 

Well, some time ago our friends Chris and Sandy had us for dinner. It was hot summer night and after an array of cheeses and appetizers, Sandy served a salad for the main course and changed my whole way of thinking green.

The salad was made with chopped/shredded cabbage (see there is more use for cabbage besides a boiled veggie to go with corned beef on St. Patrick’s day), sunflower seeds, grilled chicken and whatever else you want to put into it… Richard adds dried cranberries and shaved carrots.  But, it’s the dressing that makes it stand out.  It’s light and as lemon-y as you want. 

So now that the hot weather is here and the stew pots have been put in the back of the pantry, I welcome these salad days.  I even crave this cabbage salad (don’t tell Paula Deen) – so much so, Richard made it for me the other night.

Join me in my cabbage heyday.

CABBAGE SALAD

Ingredients:

Raw cabbage – chopped or shredded

Grilled, broiled boneless or baked, skinless chicken breast (or try it w/ grilled/sautéed shrimp)

Roasted sunflower seeds

Dried cranberries

Shaved carrots

Directions:

Put everything in a bowl and toss.

Dressing Ingredients:

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt to taste

Note: Use more fresh lemon juice if you like it really lemon-y.  Richard usually eyeballs it and gives it the finger-lick test.

Directions for dressing:

Put all ingredients in a bowl and whisk away.

Tip from Sandy:  Mash garlic w/ salt first in a mortar & pestle. This reduces the harshness of the garlic.

Or…

Tip from Richard:  Heat garlic in milk for a few minutes in a small sauce pan, then drain (this takes away the sharp bitterness)

Pour on top of cabbage mixture, toss and serve.

A slice of crusty, country bread and chilled glass of chardonnay or rose are the perfect complements.

Welcome to the salad days!