Believe it or not, I’m not much of a salad eater. Don’t get me wrong … I love LOVE love salads, but, I like them to be chalk full of all kinds of veggies and typically I get a little too impatient to spend time cutting everything up. Yes, I know, I could (and sometimes do) prep stuff in advance for a few days of drool-worthy salads but other times I just don’t. Which is why I tend to order salads at restaurants … not because I’m “that” girl, but because I’m just too damn lazy to make one at home. I know. It’s weird. I’ll make a gazillion other things but salad? Eh. Go figure. Eric will, undoubtedly, have his snarky remarks to add in about this, I mean I did kinda leave the door open for it with the whole “lazy” bit … but all’s good. He knows I’m not lazy. If anything I’m far from it. I just don’t like to peel and cut stuff. So there’s that.
“TO REMEMBER A SUCCESSFUL SALAD IS GENERALLY TO REMEMBER A SUCCESSFUL DINNER; AT ALL EVENTS, THE PERFECT DINNER NECESSARILY INCLUDES THE PERFECT SALAD.” ~ GEORGE ELLWANGER, ‘PLEASURES OF THE TABLE’
Anyhoo, seeing how it’s straight up SUMMER (YAAAAYYYYYY) I thought I’d try and enjoy the bounties of nearby farmers markets and make a different salad every day—see below. But first, before I jump into the week-long field forecast (field, get it … like a field of greens … salads are typically green … no? I tried) I’m going to share this gem of a creation.
Chilled Summer Salad with Tarragon & Shrimp
PREP TIME: 15 minutes + 1 hour to chill and set the flavors before serving
- 1 to 1 ½ cups leftover cooked salmon, flaked or cut into bite-size
- 1 cup fresh green beans, cut in inch-long strips or any leftover grilled green veggies like zucchini
- 1 cup edamame, or lima beans or green peas
- ½ cup sweet corn, shaved from leftover cobs if you have them
- ½ cup asparagus tips, if you have them
- 2-3 scallions, white part only, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- 2-3 TBS lite balsamic vinaigrette of your choosing
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional, crumbled feta vegan or otherwise should you choose
- Optional, add quinoa or wild rice to make it more filling
Combine ingredients in a large bowl and lightly mix together being careful not to “hammer” the ingredients or separate the salmon too much. Ideally you want it to stay in bite-size pieces Note, tarragon has a rather strong black licorice flavor to it, which I love and think it compliments this salad well. However, some people might want to cut the amount down a bit … so start small and add as you see fit. Serve chilled with a hunk of rustic, crusty French bread and a glass of your favorite chardonnay. Enjoy!
Here are seven more salads worthy of making every night, salad night, for one delicious week …
- GREEK: Cucumber, fresh dill, thick sliced onions, kalamata olives, red wine vinegar and lots of pepper
- POTATO: Cooked and smashed red potatoes, green onion, fresh green beans, fresh parsley, white vinegar
- SPINACH: Baby spinach leaves, sliced strawberries, walnuts and crumbled vegan feta
- FRUIT: Watermelon hunks with fresh mint, crumbled vegan feta and pickled jalapenos
- CLASSIC: Spring mix with sliced red peppers, sunflower seeds
- OLD SCHOOL: Romaine hearts with shredded carrots, frozen peas, avocado, kidney beans and
- CAPRESE: Thick slices fresh tomatoes, vegan mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar
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