Cook Like James

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Endive Appetizers

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Endive

Beet and goat cheese salad is probably one of my favorites and this recipe creates perfect individual bites. Roasting the beets gives great depth of flavor, but canned beets speeds up the process. The flavors improve as it sits, it’s great to make a day ahead. Feel free to substitute bleu cheese for the goat cheese, but either way, make sure to buy a high quality block and crumble it yourself. 

Download Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Endive recipe

1 pound medium beets, trimmed (or one15-ounce can whole beets, drained and chopped fine)

1 cup crumbled goat cheese

¼ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 small shallot, minced

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or tarragon, or combination

Salt and pepper

2 heads endive, cut in half lengthwise, leaves of each half separated

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap each beet separately in foil and roast until paring knife can be inserted with little resistance, 70 to 80 minutes. Cool until easy to handle, at least 20 minutes. Use paper towels to remove skin and cut beets into small dice. (if using canned beets, just drain and dice)

2. Whisk together vinegar, herbs, orange juice and shallot. Whisking continuously, slowly pour in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Toss beets with vinegar mixture, cheese, and walnuts. Cover and refrigerate until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes.  Spoon mixture onto each endive, garnish plate with fresh herbs and serve.

 

Cherry Tomatoes with Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing

Cherry Tomatoes with Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing

This is an easy summer salad to throw together for a weekend barbcue. The avocado dressing is fresh and creamy - use leftover dressing for a crudite platter.

Download Cherry Tomatoes with Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing recipe

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 Hass avocados, ripe, pitted, flesh scooped from skin (reserve 1 for salad)

½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

1-2 tablespoons lime juice, from 1 lime

½ cup buttermilk

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon minced red onion

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves

1 medium clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon sugar

¾ teaspoon table salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Avocado Lime Dressing

In food processor, puree 1 of the avocados, hot sauce, and lime juice until avocado is broken down, about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and process until dressing is completely smooth. (Can be refrigerated up to 1 week.)

Assemble Salad:

Cut remaining avocado into small chunks and mix with cherry tomatoes in a medium bowl. Gently stir in 3-4 tablespoons of Avocado Dressing (add more to taste). Serve on pieces of romaine lettuce and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.

 

Easy Homemade Herb Vinaigrette

 
Easy Homemade Herb Vinaigrette

Homemade vinaigrettes are so easy that there is no reason to ever slather your greens in store bought dressings. After I mix the ingredients together, I like to store mine in a small mason jar, so that I can shake it well before using (in case the oil and vinegar have separated). The addition of a small amount of mayonnaise helps keep the dressing stabilized.  I usually use Champagne vinegar, but a good red wine vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon juice will work as well. 

Download Easy Homemade Herb Vinaigrette recipe

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar (see other choices above)

1 1/2 teaspoons very finely minced shallot

1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon table salt

A few grinds of ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tablespoon fresh minced parsley or chives

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon, marjoram, or oregano

1. Combine vinegar, shallot, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste in small nonreactive bowl. Whisk until mixture is milky in appearance and no lumps of mayonnaise remain.

2. Place oil in small measuring cup so that it is easy to pour. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oil into vinegar mixture. If pools of oil are gathering on surface as you whisk, stop addition of oil and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil on its surface. Add herbs just and whisk to combine. Pour into mason jar and cover with lid. Can be made a couple of hours in advance and left at room temperature; store leftover vinaigrette in refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Black Bean Mango Salsa

  

Black Bean Mango Salsa

 

Download Black Bean Mango Salsa Recipe

I visit friends in Hawaii every year and am always inspired by the island cuisine. This salsa is great on fish, but can also be served as an appetizer with chips.

1 can (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained

2 mangos, peeled, seeded and diced small

1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced (optional)

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced small

1/2 medium red onion, diced small

½ tablespoon grated fresh gingeroot

1/2 cup pineapple juice  (or fresh squeezed orange juice)

1/2 cup lime juice from 4 medium limes, plus zest from 2 of the limes

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 

1 tablespoons ground cumin 

1 small jalapeño chile , seeded and minced

Sea Salt and Pepper

 

1.    Mix all ingredients, including salt and pepper to taste, in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors, at least 1 hour or up to 4 days.

 

Festive Arugula Salad with Clementines, Feta, and Sugared Pistachios

Festive Arugula Salad with Clementines, Feta, and Sugared Pistachios 

This is a great salad to serve around the holidays when Clementines (Cuties) are in peak season. The green arugula and pistachios, red cranberries, orange cuties, and the white feta make for a festive presentation. The sugared pistachios can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

  Download Festive Arugula Salad Recipe

 

Sugared Pistachios

1/2 cup shelled pistachios 

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1/4 cup sugar

Salad

5 teaspoons orange marmalade 

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus 2 additional teaspoons

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

1 small shallot, very finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1 tablespoon minced fresh mint leaves 

Grated peel of one clementine

Salt and pepper

5 ounces lightly packed stemmed arugula (about 8 cups)

4-5 clementines (or cuties), peeled, separated into segments, segments halved

3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)

Instructions

1.    FOR THE SUGARED PISTACHIOS: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Toss pistachios with egg white in small bowl. Using slotted spoon, transfer nuts to 8-inch-square baking pan lined with parchment paper; discard excess egg white. Add sugar and stir until nuts are completely coated. Bake, stirring mixture every 5 to 10 minutes, until coating turns nutty brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer nuts to plate in single layer to cool.

2.    FOR THE SALAD: Whisk marmalade, lemon juice, oil, shallot, mint, orange peel, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Add arugula and oranges; toss and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Divide salad among individual plates; top each with portion of feta and sugared pistachios. Serve immediately.

Mock Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons

  

Garlic croutons

4 garlic cloves

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cups bread cubes, 3/4-inch, cut from a good quality baguette

1 pinch salt

Salad

3 romaine lettuce hearts, about 10 generous cups (remove any dark green outer leaves)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise

¼ to ½  teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

5 tablespoons olive oil

¼  teaspoon salt

fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling (preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano)

Directions

To make croutons:

1.     Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 350 degrees.  Meanwhile, with motor running, drop garlic cloves through feeder tube of food processor to mince. (A blender works as well.) Scrape down sides of bowl and add oil through feeder tube. Continue to process so that garlic releases its flavor into oil, about 30 seconds. Strain garlic from oil through a fine-mesh strainer; reserve half of the pureed garlic for dressing and set aside remaining half for another use. You should have about 3 tablespoons of garlic oil.

2.    Raise heat under skillet to medium. Place bread cubes in medium bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons garlic oil evenly over bread, along with a big pinch of salt; toss to coat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil; toss again. Spread bread cubes in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet; bake, stirring occasionally until golden, 12-15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet to room temperature. The croutons can be covered and stored at room temperature for 24 hours. 

To prepare salad:

1.    Cut off bottom 1 1/2 to 2 inches of core from bottom of each romaine heart. Separate heart into individual leaves. Put leaves in large bowl.

2.    Whisk lemon juice, mayonnaise, Worcestershire and reserved garlic in a small bow (or shake in a sealed jar)  Drizzle lettuce with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss lightly, carefully, and thoroughly so that lettuce is evenly coated with oil. (Clean hands work well.)

3.    Drizzle lemon mixture over lettuce; toss again. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan over greens; toss again. Sprinkle croutons over salad, toss, and serve, sprinkling each portion with a little more Parmesan cheese.