Salade Niçoise

In my humble opinion, this is one of those perfect summer meals. I love when a salad becomes a dinner with little effort. I was talking to my dear Mumsie while I put this together I wish she was here to eat it with me. It feels like cheating to throw together hard boiled eggs, blanched green beans, fresh tomatoes, cucumber slices, capers, anchovies fillets and tuna. I'm not sure purest would let me call this Niçoise because of the absence of those fine little Niçoise olives. Oh well, I bet even in Nice they would enjoy this combination of fresh ingredients drizzled with a garlicky balsamic vinaigrette.

spicy salad greens

Honey Creek Farms spicy salad greens brighten up my snowy day. There is so much variation in each bag. Some greens are six inches long yet some are like delicate little petals. I know Honey Creek Farm comes to the Omaha farmers markets but you can also get the greens at Wohlner’s.*

When I eat the salad by myself I like to eat with my hands. Picking each different leaf up one by one.** I don’t really think the greens are all that spicy. There are just a few real nice, bright, mustard flavor greens mixed in.

These salad greens are nice with just a simple vinaigrette and whatever ingredients you have on had. Tonight I only had chickpea, a red pepper and frozen peas and it was a nice simple meal.

*5205 Leavenworth Street

**Everything taste better when you use your hands.

fennel and blood orange salad

fennel and blood orange salad
Originally uploaded by yellaumbrella

This is such a refreshing salad. I love the crispness of fennel. And that soft fennel flavor of herb, citrus and anise. I peeled the outer layer and the stems off. I will save them for stock. Some one told me that Prometheus used a stalk of fennel to steal fire from the gods.

When I can’t get fennel I use jicama. I add pepper, radishes, apples or whatever I have on hand. A shallot orange vinaigrette works best. I change up the vinaigrette too, adding a bit of honey, garam masala or even a nice mustard where needed. I was out of shallots tonight so I added scallions for a mild onion flavor. They added a nice green element too. Thin slices of vegetables work best I think. And of course I like to supreme the oranges.

The fennel I bought seems a little milder. It still has a nice flavor just not as much anise tang as some. This salad goes well with fish or on top of some nice greens for a light meal. I also like it the next day when all the ingredients have had time to combine.