Last week I was part of a group of four friends who hosted a dinner party for the women in our study group. We’re all happy cooks and love to entertain so we thought we had the dinner was pretty well mapped out. I decided to bring a pasta and sausage casserole with a tangy little vodka sauce and some very herby bread. The wine connoisseur among us generously provided a wonderful selection of wines, and for the other hostesses the general idea was to divvy up dessert and salad, plus pre-dinner nibbles. It seemed like a plan for the perfect evening. Right before the guests arrived, we put the casseroles in the oven, opened the wine, set out snacks, and admired our hostess’s over the top table settings. Guests came, wine was poured, gossip happened, a paper was presented, and then it was time for dinner.
The casserole smelled divine, we put the bread in baskets and then we all looked around for the salad. Guess what - it did not materialize. Somehow that particular assignment had slipped through the cracks! No need to panic- I thoroughly believe from the bottom of my heart that a potential salad is lurking in everyone’s kitchen. Our hostess was not quite as convinced, particularly when our produce search turned up three apples, a banana, and a handful of very tired lettuce. The cupboard revealed a jar of olives and a can of hearts of palm.
On a whim, I opened the freezer and was amazed to discover a virtual treasure trove. Who knew? My own freezer has never been so well stocked – something I am currently revamping. This freezer would feed a family of four for a month! I hardly ever have much on hand in the frozen vegetable section, (the ice cream takes up too much room) usually just green peas, butter beans, and maybe some corn. This miraculous freezer contained, among its many offerings, two packages of green beans, one package of asparagus, and one of shelled edamame. Now that’s an amazing “Freezer Salad” waiting to happen! We put the veggies in a big bowl and slapped it in the microwave to defrost. Further kitchen investigation yielded dried cranberries, toasted almonds, and sesame vinaigrette. When the veggies were thawed but still cool, we added some salt and pepper, stirred in the almonds and cranberries, and tossed the whole thing with the vinaigrette. This salad was just unbelievable. The guests devoured our creation and were quite sad that there was none left for second helpings!
I thought about this salad for a couple of days wondering whether it was as good as I remembered. Of course that meant that I had to make it again last night so that’s what I did. It made enough for me to give away generous portions to two friends who were equally amazed and gave “freezer salad” wonderful reviews. So I have to share this one! Even if you don’t have a salad emergency you’ll love not only the convenience, but also the fantastic flavor (plus no chopping) of this Accidental Salad. Stock your freezer ASAP and feel confident in the knowledge that a potential salad is always lurking in your own kitchen!
Ingredients
2 12 oz packages frozen green beans
1 10 -12 oz package frozen asparagus
1 package frozen shelled edamame
¾ cup Sesame Dressing (I used the recipe in my cookbook, page 38 – it’s my favorite dressing! There are many others you can buy and keep on hand.)
1 cup toasted almonds ( I toast them in the microwave on a paper towel – checking after one minute – it usually take about 2 minutes to lightly toast)
1 cup dried cranberries – or whatever is on hand, raisins, cherries etc.
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Put vegetables in a large bowl and microwave until no longer frozen, but not yet heated through. (Stir every minute to check- about 4 minutes)
Add almonds, cranberries, and dressing. Mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Catch Sallie's "four minutes of fame" Friday, April 12, 2013 on WSMV's (Nashville's Channel 4) More at Midday segment. 12:00 Noon.
