It’s the coldest day of the year and I realize that most people aren’t writing about salads – but here I go anyway. Call me old fashioned, but I still feel like its a “fancy meal” if a salad is served first. Now you can follow that up with a delicious pot roast or a big hearty bowl of soup, but that first course salad sets the tone for a real dinner. I am fortunate to have many friends who are excellent cooks, and I’m always asking for their tips and recipes.
When one of those excellent cooks, my friend Ina, told me about a salad that her family and friends love, I begged for the recipe, particularly when I heard the name – Celebration Salad. She got the recipe from a friend, who got it from another friend, and so on - that means – in Southern tradition – it must be pretty darn good. Well, I couldn’t wait to make it. Of course, I took one look at Ina’s recipe and said what if you added this or tried that and she gave me good advice along with a look that meant business – “just make the recipe”. She was absolutely right; it’s perfect, even my non-veggie loving husband thought it was marvelous.
The salad has wonderful fresh ingredients, Romaine lettuce, avocados, tomatoes, and onion. And it has the celebration part too – a bit of bacon and a taste of cheese.
Now I’m not saying you can’t give this recipe a tiny a little tweak. I have one friend who wouldn’t eat blue cheese if she was starving on a desert island, when I suggested she try goat cheese another friend responded- with feeling- that she loathes and despises goat cheese. I like all cheeses and I love this salad – give it a try (no matter your cheese preference) and celebrate – like the salad says!
The second salad is one I’ve been making for my son since he came home from California with the discovery that he loved beets. We call it You Can’t Beet Salad. This does not fly with SOME of my family, but I love it. It’s so simple, I roast beets wrapped in foil in the oven, I don’t even peel them, the peel slips right off when they are tender. Arugula, toasted walnuts, a sprinkle of cheese – your choice – I like Parmesan, blue, or goat best, make for a perfect flavor combination. If you don’t want to roast beets, I’ve seen them vacuum packed and jarred, which would probably work, beets just smell so yummy when they are in the oven!
The dressings for both salads are easy because you can shake up the ingredients in a jar and refrigerate until dinnertime. That’s the kind of recipe I love.
This may seem like a bit of trouble, but not only does a first course salad, turn a weeknight supper into dinner, it’s fun to surprise your family with your ability to make that roast or pot of soup feel very special. Finally another added benefit, eating salads makes you feel good, particularly if it tastes good. I can guarantee these two- so make a salad and enjoy!
Celebration Salad (an Original copy)
Ingredients
1 bunch beets (3 to 5) or jarred or vacuum sealed beets
2 garlic cloves – for roasting beets
1 bunch aragula
½ cup walnut pieces, toasted ( I use the microwave for this)
Cheese – Your choice – Parmesan, blue, or goat
Dressing:
1/3 cup balsamic, or flavored vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
I clove garlic, finely minced
½ tsp salt – or to taste
1 Tsp sugar
Optional: crumbled bacon
Directions
To roast beets, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place beets on a sheet of foil, sprinkle with about a tsp of olive oil, and add two cloves of garlic – peeling is unnecessary.
Fold foil around beets and roast for about an hour until tender.
Allow beets to cool enough to handle and peel – it does wash off your fingers!
You can squeeze roasted garlics out of their skin and into the dressing or spread them on a piece of toast and eat when no one is looking.
Shake up dressing ingredients in a jar and taste for seasonings.
To assemble; put arugula on a salad plate, add beets, walnuts, and cheese.
Top with dressing and gently combine.
Add a bit of salt and pepper if desired.
You can also add a bit of crumbled bacon for a more hearty salad!
