Chef Michael Salmon - Join me in my Kitchen
My fresh Fennel and Orange Salad is featured on our Foodie trip to Sicily. I use blood oranges when I am in Sicily, but any citrus fruit will work. The combination of crunchy fresh fennel with sweet and tart oranges, the brightness of the mint and the saltiness of the cured olives makes for a great combination.
I started my first planting of ginger three years ago and have had a steady supply ever since. It is fun and easy to grow and does not require much maintenance.
Brussels Sprouts are one of Mary Jo’s favorite vegetables and they are showing up on menus more and more these days, usually cut in half and roasted as an appetizer. In this recipe, I shave them finely on a Mandoline and toss them with red apples, red onions and a Green Apple-Maple dressing. Mandoline’ s are essential in the kitchen to achieve a fine slice or efficient julienne, however, they are one of the most dangerous tools that home cooks use. Take your time, use the safety hand guard (or cut resistant gloves) and be careful.
This recipe for Papaya Seed Dressing is a variation of my fruit dressing recipe. My friend Carol gave me the inspiration for this recipe and introduced me to using papaya seeds in dressings. These dressings will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.
This is a light and refreshing salad that we serve on our Foodie trips to Tuscany. Freshly roasted and charred peppers have so much more flavor than the jarred or canned ones that it is worth every minute spent over the open flame. Grilled eggplant and peppery Arugula are added and then tossed with a simple red wine dressing.
Farro is an ancient whole-grain wheat and is terrific in salads or served as a side in place of rice. It has a nutty flavor and chewy texture which makes it a perfect foundation for tomatoes (roasted or sun-dried), fresh mozzarella and balsamic vinegar. This salad was always a big hit on our Foodie trips to Tuscany.
One of my favorite experiences in all of my travels is visiting the local seafood markets, and Sicily has it’s share. This salad combines some of my favorite seafood (of course I add Maine lobster and scallops to the salad when I am at home) with celery, olives, arugula and red onions and is tossed with a refreshing Lemon-Caper Dressing. Go ahead and splurge.
Every August I find myself with more tomatoes than I know what to do with. I gift some to friends and family and then head to my kitchen where I use some in more traditional dishes like this Caprese salad, while others I confit for the winter months ahead when I’ll have time to ponder my garden for next year. Maybe I wont plant so many tomato plants!
Romaine is an ideal lettuce for the grill with it’s dense structure and hearty texture. The charred flavor from the grill on the romaine and red onions adds another dimension to what would normally be a rather boring salad.
With tomatoes ripening in my garden and leftover pieces of my sourdough bread accumulating in the freezer, it’s time to whip up a Panzanella Salad. I often elevate the salad to another level with the addition of cooked seafood. You can grill, poach, steam or sauté the seafood, just be careful to not overcook it. The other option is to buy seafood that is already cooked for you like crabmeat and shrimp to simplify this recipe.
Join me in my kitchen as I prepare recipes from my two cookbooks, European foodie trips and explore new inspirations.
