Recipe: Grapefruit Viniagrette Quinoa Salad With Grilled Salmon

The delicate, sweet tangy-ness of grapefruit lends itself well to being paired with fish, and this recipe is no exception. A slightly more complex recipe, this tasty salad is packed with flavor - from scallions to cilantro to chile peppers and ginger, accented with grapefruit-infused oil, every bite is a taste sensation! Pairs well with shrimp or meaty fish like salmon, but if you don't care for fish, you could also try it with chicken breasts.

Grapefruit Viniagrette Quinoa Salad With Grilled Salmon
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

1 medium-size grapefruit
1/4 cup olive oil
8 slices fresh ginger
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 small minced chile pepper (jalapeno or serrano)
2 minced scallions
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 large salmon steaks, cut in bite-size cubes
Skewers, for grilling
Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Use a vegetable peeler and carefully peel curls of the grapefruit rind off, being careful to avoid getting any of the bitter white pith.
• Heat grapefruit peel, olive oil, and ginger about 2 minutes in a small saucepan over medium heat. When oil starts to bubble, remove from heat. Set aside and let sit for 30 minutes, then strain and reserve the oil, discarding the grapefruit peelings.
• Meanwhile, bring quinoa, water, and 1/2 tsp salt, to a boil in a medium saucepan, reduce heat, cover and simmer for fifteen minutes, or until quinoa is light and fluffy and has absorbed the water. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork, then transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
• Remove entire peeling now from grapefruit and separate segments over a bowl to reserve juice; set grapefruit sections aside.
• Take 3 tablespoons of reserved grapefruit juice and whisk together with vinegar and honey in a separate bowl, then add salt and whisk again.
• To this mixture, slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons of the grapefruit-infused olive oil; start slowly, whisking constantly. Season with ground black pepper to taste.
• Pour this dressing into the quinoa and toss gently, then add the chile peppers, scallions, and cilantro. Set aside.
• Preheat a grill to high heat. 
• Thread salmon cubes onto skewers, brush with remaining grapefruit-infused oil, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 
• Grill salmon skewers about three minutes, turning as each side browns.
• Toss grapefruit segments into the quinoa salad and serve with salmon kebobs, or remove salmon from skewers and add to salad.

Recipe: Asian Grapefruit Orange Enhanced Tuna Steaks

This simple and tasty recipe combines the mild meatiness of tuna with the tangy flavors of grapefruit and orange and Asian seasonings for a taste combo that will make your tastebuds sing. It's a fairly easy and quick recipe, but fancy enough that your dinner guests will think you slaved over it!

Asian Grapefruit Orange Enhanced Tuna Steaks
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

2 tsp red or white wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 medium orange, peeled and sectioned
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp olive oil 
4 fresh tuna steaks
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and 1 tbsp olive oil.
• Cut grapefruit sections and orange sections in bite size pieces and add to bowl with sauce, then add the red onion, and two tbsp cilantro; then set aside.
• Prepare fish: Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add tuna steaks and cook quickly for about eight minutes, turning once. If you have good tuna, it doesn't need to be cooked through, but that is a personal choice.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. 
• Serve the fish with grapefruit orange relish spooned over.

Grapefruit: Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

When I was little, I wasn't that fond of grapefruit, but now it has become one of my favorite citrus fruits - and it's much more versatile in the kitchen than most people realize. A breakfast favorite, the large succulent grapefruit has a yellow skin and is about three times the size of an average orange. With a powerful pucker-up quality, the grapefruit needs to be fully ripe before enjoying. Not only are grapefruits a great way to start your day at breakfast, they are versatile enough to take you all the way to dessert. Let's look at this refreshing fruit and learn more.

What is It?

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tart and tangy with a sweetness that grabs your taste buds, grapefruit rivals the popularity of the orange. Although they are generally available throughout the year, grapefruit are at their peak during the winter months. Grapefruits are typically two to three times larger than their orange cousins. The Latin scientific name for grapefruit, citrus paradisi, actually means “paradise-like.” Grapefruits are categorized as white, pink, or ruby, but their color isn't evident from the outside. The classification reflects the color of their flesh.

History

Grapefruits are one of the newer fruits to be become known outside of their native area. It wasn't until the 18th century that grapefruit was found in Barbados. Grapefruit trees came to the US in the early 19th century. Scientists believe that the grapefruit was born out of a crossbreeding between an orange and the pomelo. The name 'grapefruit' actually came from the way these delicious fruits grow – hanging in clusters, like grapes, from trees.  Florida, California, Arizona, and Texas are the four top producing states in the US.

Health Benefits

Grapefruit is an incredible source of vitamin C, which helps support the immune system. Vitamin C also helps prevent free radical damage and is therefore also associated with reduced severity of inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The vitamins and nutrients in grapefruits also help promote cardiovascular health. Consumption of super-foods rich in vitamin C has resulted in a reduced risk of death from causes including heart disease, stroke and cancer. Grapefruit also protects against kidney stones and colon cancer.

Fun Fact

A study done in Austria suggests that fruits which are very ripe, almost to the point of spoilage, actually have increased antioxidant levels. So, for the most antioxidants, choose a fully ripened grapefruit. Grapefruits are naturally juicier when they're slightly warm rather than cool, so it is important to store them at room temperature if you are planning on enjoying them within a week of purchase. If you will not be eating them within this time period, store them in the refrigerator crisper where they will keep fresh for about two to three weeks. Grapefruit is a great freshener, just like lemon. Put the peelings down the garbage disposal for cleansing and deodorizing. The essential oils from grapefruit are also used in many scented products as well as beauty products.

Two empty grapefruit halves (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How to Eat

Grapefruits are citrus fruit, so you eat them like other citrus fruits. They can be eaten by peeling and separating the segments. You can also slice a grapefruit around the 'equator' and eat it like a bowl, using a serrated spoon to scoop out the sections to eat. You can cut around from top to bottom and continue to cut into wedges, just like other citrus. With the grapefruit, however, you will probably want to avoid eating the white 'pith' as it is very bitter. Beyond breakfast and snack time, the grapefruit has seen a resurgence in popularity in everything from vinaigrette to grilled meals to desserts. Check back later this week for some tasty grapefruit recipes!

This citrus, that has been familiar as a breakfast staple, is finding all sorts of new ways to make it to the table. Get familiar with this tangy sweet and juicy fruit to expand your culinary experience way beyond the ordinary.

Recipe: Asian Snow Pea Garden Salad

Peas are the perfect spring garden salad ingredient! Quick to mature and fast-growers in the cooler weather, snow peas make an excellent addition to your gourmet garden salad. This one adds the Asian flavors of sesame oil, ginger, and soy sauce for an oriental taste which goes great with the fresh, crunchy veggies - mmmm...my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Asian Snow Pea Garden Salad
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh garden snow peas, washed and strings trimmed off
1/2 cup carrots, cut into very thin strips
1/2 cup red bell peppers, cut into very thin strips
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger root
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms, your choice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp oyster sauce (optional, may substitute with 1 Tbsp more soy sauce)
salt to taste
Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions:

• Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set in sink.
• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rapid boil.
• Prepare snap peas by dropping them in rapidly boiling water for just 20 seconds; immediately drain and dump into the ice bath, then drain in colander completely.
• Put blanched peas into a large salad bowl with the carrots, red bell peppers, and water chestnuts, cover, and keep cool. 

 To prepare dressing:

•  Put sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat, add ginger and mushrooms and saute until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
• Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook an additional 1 minute.
• Stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce (if using), taste, and add salt if desired.  Allow mixture to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until well blended. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

• Prepare salad by adding dressing to fresh vegetables in salad bowl, tossing to combine.
• Serve on individual chilled salad plates with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds on each salad.

Recipe: Garden Slaw With Tender Broccoli Flowers

This tasty and unique fresh salad is a great way to use up some of those broccoli plants that may start to bolt (go to flower) in the late spring.  Zesty mustard, honey, and yogurt add a kick to the mildly sweet crunch of broccoli in this new twist on the traditional slaw salad.

Garden Slaw With Tender Broccoli Flowers
(Serves 4-6.)

Broccoli buds. (Photo credit: Chiot's Run)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sliced raw almonds, toasted
1 bunch mature broccoli stems (may substitute cabbage slaw)
2 carrots, peeled
3 Tbsp light olive oil
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
fresh broccoli flowers for garnish (fresh, cleaned, and stamen or pistil removed)

Directions:

• Start by toasting the almonds: put them in a small skillet, without oil, over medium heat and shake until almonds start to get golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• Make slaw by peeling the tough skin off the broccoli stems, then using the peeler, make curls out of the tender insides of the broccoli stems. Put in bowl.
• Use the peeler to make curly slaw out of carrots, add to bowl.
• Make dressing by whisking together the remaining ingredients until smooth; then pour the dressing over the slaw.
• Add the toasted almonds, tossing to combine.
• Let stand for 30 minutes, tossing several times.
• To serve, spoon portions onto individual salad plates. Top with fresh cleaned broccoli flowers for garnish and flavor.

Edible Spring Blossoms from Unexpected Places

It's springtime, which means the start of one of my favorite seasons - salad season! While early spring may not offer as many options, this just means it's time to use your creativity in the kitchen. When looking for ways to turn an ordinary salad into a gourmet treat, many people have turned to edible flowers.  But, you don't have to make a beeline for your flower garden to find spring flowers for your salad.  Instead, you may want to take a second look at your vegetable garden, herb garden, and even your lawn.  Perhaps the blossoms you see there are more than just pretty - maybe they are delicious, too!

Edible Blooms in the Vegetable Patch

The Art of Salad (Photo credit: Chiot's Run)

Yes, many edible flowers are not actually found in your flower garden, but are actually staring right at you from the vegetable garden.  Some of these 'edible blooms' you actually know quite well, even if you haven't thought of them as the flowering part of your vegetables. The cool weather crops, broccoli and cauliflower, are both actually flowers, just as the artichoke is also the flower of the plant.

Not only are you eating a flower when you eat a head of cauliflower or broccoli, but you can also allow the flower to flower, so to speak, and enjoy that treat as well.  The pretty yellow flower of the broccoli can be picked, cleaned, and enjoyed sprinkled on top of a bed of lettuce tossed in a light vinaigrette. Watch for the flowering shoots on cauliflower and artichokes, too, and experiment with the flavors to create a gourmet salad that is both delicious and colorful.

Some of our favorite vegetables sport lovely blossoms that we watch disappear as the vegetable forms.  Zucchini, for instance, although a later season vegetable, has a brilliant yellow blossom that is absolutely beautiful to look at.  Other squash varieties share this gift, as well. But, squash blossoms have a surprise in store for us; they are also delicious! 

There are a number of ways to prepare squash blossoms, but one favorite is to pick the blossoms when they are still small and closed, then wash and prepare by dipping in a light batter and frying quickly in a hot skillet.  This makes a delicious somewhat sweet surprise on top of a mixed green or fresh spinach salad. Another favorite is to scatter the blossoms raw around the plate. No matter what, squash blossoms will turn any salad into a gourmet salad.

Herbs Doing Double Duty

We all know that fresh herbs add a gourmet touch to any salad.  But did you know that many herbs have edible blooms as well as the foliage we're familiar with?  Thyme, for instance, is a very fragrant and versatile herb, but when you harvest the flower, you'll find a secret ingredient for a gourmet salad, or even a tasty sauce or dressing.

Borage, an annual herb the leaves and flowers of which are used in cookery. The seeds are a source of oil rich in gamma-linolenic acid. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you plant basil, fennel, and cilantro, you may want to gather the flowers as well as the herb greens.  Go ahead and experiment in your favorite salads and other dishes.  A less known, but certainly valuable herb, is borage. This prolific herb will have you thinking you smell a fresh cucumber - making a great addition to a salad, and the flowers borage produces are just as tasty as they are pretty.

With a patch of dill you'll have plenty to experiment with.  Harvest the yellow tops as they appear, but before you see the seeds form. Sprinkle on your green salad or use in a creamy yogurt dressing.  Dill is the perfect flowering herb to add freshness to any salad.

Unexpected delights can be found when you allow an onion or garlic bulb to blossom. Designate a little patch of these plants to flower, and enjoy a delicious surprise in your salad.  Instead of clipping your chives down to the ground, allow the pretty blue flowers to just open, then cut them immediately and serve on top of a spinach salad for a real gourmet look and taste.

A Weed by Any Other Name

You may want to pay attention the next time you're mowing your lawn, too. Those dandelions you've been cursing could be your next tasty gourmet salad. This weed is actually an herb with edible flowers and greens. Pick the flowers while they are still closed buds for a sweet taste similar to honey. Once the flower opens, it will be bitter. Aside from the buds, the dandelion greens make a wonderful salad, but again, pick them while they are very young and small. Who knew that pesky little weed could be so tasty and elegant! (Be sure not to eat dandelions from lawns treated with chemicals.)

Clover is another tasty treat that may be hidden away in your lawn. You may have seen either red clover or white clover growing among the grass.  Some regions produce an edible clover that produces both a leaf and stem to enjoy as well as a small flower. When identifying clover to eat, be sure to check your region's type of clover before you proceed.

Now that you know just how many options there are for finding gourmet ingredients right in your own vegetable garden, herb garden, and even your lawn, maybe it's time to take a closer look.  Those buds and blossoms that are so pretty may also provide you with some gourmet salads.  The general rule is if you can eat the plant, you can usually eat the blossom.  However, not all vegetables, herbs, or weeds produce a blossom that's edible, or tasty, or that should even be eaten, for that matter.  Before you bite in, do a bit of local research. Then you can enjoy the brilliance that these blossoms can add to your gourmet spring and summer salads.

No New Recipes this Week...

I do apologize, but we won't have any new recipes for you this week - I'm recovering from a severe bout of back pain, and haven't been able to sit at the computer all week. It looks like things are improving now though, so by next week we should be back to our regular posting schedule with some yummy spring recipes for you!

Have a great week, and enjoy this lovely weather!

Rose.

Recipe: Holiday Leftovers - Ham Salad Sandwiches

If you've still got some ham rattling around in the fridge, check out this recipe for a tasty yet simple twist on the ham sandwich. Mustard, pickle, and onion gives it a kick, but rather than the usual sliced ham, this ham salad incorporates the spices right into the meat, so you'll get a yummy flavor combo in every bite.

Enjoy!

After The Feast Ham Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup leftover ham, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp pickle relish
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp grated onion
salt and pepper to taste
kaiser rolls or other sturdy bread

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, put the ham and pulse until finely minced.
2. Put in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients; taste and season as desired.
3. Spread mixture on bread, bun, or crackers for a quick lunch or dinner the next day.

Recipe: Leftover Ham And Cheese Stratta

Yum - this makes a great breakfast!  Or even lunch, for that matter.... This is a great way to use up some of that leftover ham from your Easter dinner. Breakfast favorites you probably already have on hand like milk, eggs, and bread are spiced up with green onions, mustard, and cayenne pepper, while bacon adds its signature smoky flavor to the mix. Use whatever cheese you like - from fancy to simple - it will be delicious either way!

Leftover Ham And Cheese Stratta(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

Preparing for strata. (Photo credit: digitalprimate)

2 cups milk (preferably whole, organic, and non-homogenized)
1 cup chopped green onions
4 eggs (free range)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
10 cups bread, cut into cubes
1 cup diced ham
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Gruyere or any cheese you have
4 natural-cured bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

1. Lightly spray or rub a baking dish with oil.
2. In a large bowl, combine milk, green onions, eggs, mustard, and pepper, and whisk until well blended.
3. Add bread cubes and ham to the bowl and stir to combine. 
4. Pour mixture into baking dish, then sprinkle cheese evenly over the top.
5. Cover and put in refrigerator overnight.
6. When ready to bake, remove dish from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature while you preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Uncover dish, and bake for 20 minutes.
8. Fry the bacon and sprinkle over the top of the dish, then put back in oven and continue baking for 15 minutes or until hot and eggs are set and cheese has started to brown. (Serves 4 to 6 and can easily be doubled.)

What to Do With Easter Dinner Leftovers?

The day after a holiday, often leftovers become old news. We eat them, because we don't want all our hard work of the day before to go to waste, but really we're not that enthusiastic about them - they've kind of lost their appeal. But your leftovers don't have to be a reheated repeat of last night's dinner. You can take your leftovers in a whole new direction by thinking about them in a whole new way.  It can be a challenge to arrange your leftovers into a main course without getting bored, but it can be done. Let's take a look at how to serve up a follow-up meal with as much excitement as the first time around.

Spicy Moves

Yay! Love those leftovers.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Trying to remake your leftovers into a main dish can seem pretty overwhelming at first. But, just like cooking a dish the first time, often the end result depends on the spices and seasonings. Take a look in your spice cabinet and you'll probably see a dozen or more ways to perk things up again. Open your refrigerator and look at the different mustard, salsas, hot sauces, vinegars, and other ingredients that can add new life to your leftovers.

Leftover green bean casserole can be given a new Asian inspired direction. Heat with teriyaki, soy sauce, and maybe a little sesame oil, toss with bean sprouts and chopped water chestnuts and wrap in wontons or serve over cooked rice. Instead of just using your leftover ham in yet another sandwich remake classic, marinate cut up chunks Cajun style in a little cumin, cayenne pepper, thyme, hot sauce, smoked paprika and a bit of oil and vinegar and add to gumbo or jambalaya. Think of the seasonings you like in other meals and take your leftovers for a trip to that side of the taste palate.

Put On a Fresh Face

Leftovers are often unappreciated as a replayed main course because the dishes just don't have the pizazz they did the night before. One of the reasons is that chilled foods can lose their color, aroma, or texture. It is important, if you want to successfully use your leftovers as a main course, to recreate the appeal in new ways.

If mashed potatoes are on the menu two days in a row, using the leftovers the second night takes some planning. The first night you may want to have smashed potatoes instead. Just lightly smash the potatoes with a hand-held masher with butter, salt and pepper and serve. These rustic potatoes are very appealing the first night, but boring the second. For the repeat, throw the potatoes in a bowl, add room temperature cream cheese, a touch of sour cream, more butter, and even some chopped chives, then whip with an electric mixer until fluffy. Blending in fresh herbs with leftovers that have lost their appeal overnight in the refrigerator is often all it takes to bring back the excitement of your favorite dishes.

Leftover ham (Photo credit: kregarious)

Costume Change Time

It is believed that almost 80% of a dish's enjoyment comes from senses other than taste, like aroma and appearance. If you take the time to make your dish look appealing and smell divine, it will usually taste better, too. This is especially important for leftovers since you have already experienced the flavors and your palate could get bored if repeated.

When you dish up that leftover piece of ham, is there a pleasing aroma that makes you anxious to enjoy it?  The spices and seasonings from the first night's dinner have probably faded in the refrigerator.  Kick it up a notch by refreshing the seasonings, or pop it in the oven for a few minutes with sprinkling of brown sugar on top - that will really get your taste buds going! A variety of color, textures, heights, and aromas can, and does, make your leftovers taste better the second time around.

There are lots of ways to turn your leftovers into a great main course the second, third, or even fourth time around. It takes imaginative seasoning, creative construction, an eye for style, and a nose for all the fabulous aromas that cooking has to offer. Does that sound like a tall order?  It really isn't, all it takes is experimenting with what you already know to find the talent waiting in the wings (or fridge)!