Bonne Femme Green Salad

I picked up a fun new cookbook recently that I've really enjoyed browsing through and cooking from!  "Bonne Femme Cookbook" by Wini Moranville.  Written by an American that spent time in France (and much like me) fell in love with the country cuisine.  I like that the recipes are interpreted by an American, as there are just a few ingredients that you cannot find in America that are quite common in France.  I also like the fact that many are quick recipes for everyday versus long, involved recipes that are quite common in French cookbooks.

I recently tried the "Green On Green" Salad.  John and I both enjoyed it, and I changed a few things the 2nd time around to fit our tastes.  It's perfect for springtime in Michigan and I loved using my homemade Violet Vinegar in the dressing!  I like the addition of the daikon radish as I thought the salad needed more crunch and a bit of spicy.  If you're using arugula or spicy greens, you could omit the radish.  I also prefer the understatement of chives versus fresh green onions.

SALAD;

4 cups Romaine Lettuce or any greens, chopped
1/2 cup cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/4 cup daikon radishes, thinly sliced
1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced

VINAIGRETTE;

1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon Violet Vinegar or Rice Vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha Sauce or any hot sauce you like
Salt & Pepper to taste
4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Sunflower Oil

In a small bowl, combine garlic, lime juice, vinegar, honey, sriracha sauce, salt & pepper.  Blend with a whisk.  Whisking constantly, drizzle in oil until emulsified.

Toss with salad greens using just enough dressing to thinly coat, but not drown your lettuce.   Plate lettuce and garnish with cucumber, radish, avocado and chives.  Pour a thin stream of dressing over the additions and enjoy! 

Warm Leek & Bean Salad

Several months have gone by and I still miss my local Borders bookstore.  I can't even drive by without whining "I miss Borders....".  John was tired of hearing it, so he took me up to the Barnes & Noble on the other side of town.

Barnes & Noble is nice.  Parking is a stinker, everything fun is upstairs, I can't find anything without scanning EVERY dang title, there are no 40% off coupons, but it's ok.  What'cha gonna do?

On my last visit, I picked up River Cottage Everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingsall (seriously, I had to copy and paste his name :)) which I am loving!  Simple, interesting recipes with a seasonal/local flair that are easy to get on the table with a minimal amount time.  Love it!   I adjusted it a bit to suit my tastes.

Last night John and I grilled a bit of pork and shared this salad after a day of cleaning out the garage and basement...omg.  We wrangled, hauled, burned and swept the winter right out of the place.  It was satisfying and horrible, filthy and muscle burning.  Its finished.

This salad was amazing.  Fresh and green, yet warm, hearty elements created a comfort food feeling!  It would also be fantastic with grilled romaine lettuce!

LEEK & WHITE BEAN SALAD

2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

2 large leeks, cleaned and sliced in ¼ inch slices

1 can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

Lettuce

1 Tablespoon whole grain mustard

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Salt & pepper to taste

Pinch of sugar

Heat a skillet to medium, add olive oil and sauté leeks until tender, about 7 minutes.  You don’t want them to brown, so you may need to adjust heat. 

While leeks cook, combine mustard, vinegar and seasons in a small bowl.  Slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified.

When leeks are tender, stir in beans until heated through.  Remove from heat and toss with parsley, salt & pepper.  Pour dressing into skillet and stir to coat evenly.  Pile a bit of lettuce onto plate and top with leek mixture.  Serve immediately.

  

Lentil, Watercress & Manchego Salad

I have been so bored with food and recipes lately.  So bored that I bought Mussels.  Except I don't really like mussels all that much.

They taste fine, but they look so unappetizing that I end up just not wanting to eat them.  I only like the ones that look like this:

They are beautiful and pink and tasty.

I picked up a new cookbook for inspiration, "Plenty" by the owners of Ottolenghi, a deli in London.  I found some inspiration and new taste combinations.  I didn't have everything on hand for their lentil salad, but found a few good substitutes lurking in my kitchen.

We are big lentil lovers as of about 2 years ago.  I usually prefer the Du Puy green lentils from France as they are quite flavorful.  As I poked through the cabinets, I found 4 packages of different lentils with each containing about 2 tablespoons....no, I cannot throw them away.  I mixed them up to equal a cup, hence the uneven colors and sizes. It still tasted great!

I love dressings that you incorporate the oil with freshly ground herbs or greens, they seem to meld all of the flavors together quicker than a vinaigrette and look so beautiful!  It's also wonderful on a plain vegetable that might otherwise be a bit bland.  Not to mention, a little goes a long way!

LENTIL, WATERCRESS & MANCHEGO SALAD

1 cup green lentils
a bundle of fresh herbs (I used sweet marjoram, thyme and fresh sage)
4 cups watercress, stalks removed
2/3 cup parsley
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt & pepper to taste
3 ounces Manchego cheese (I used a raw milk, 12 month aged)
walnut oil or other nut oil
1 fresh lemon wedge

Pick over lentils and rinse under cold water.  Place in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add herb bundle and bring to a boil.  Turn down heat to a simmer and let cook 15-20 minutes until tender, but not mushy. 

While the lentils are cooking, put half of the watercress, parsley, oil, garlic, salt, pepper and vinegar in a food processor and process until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.  Pour dressing into a bowl.

As soon as the lentils are done, drain and remove herb bundle.  Pour directly into bowl with dressing and toss to coat.  I add a drizzle of nut oil at this point and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  Toss in the remaining watercress and Manchego cheese.  We had this as a side to some locally made sausages, it was a match made in heaven!