Summer Sides

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When a new season gears up, I am always looking for fresh food ideas. Some dishes are classics, for sure, but I also feel like I want a new round of flavors, new tastes that spark my memories and imagination.

I have been on the hunt for new sides to bring to all those pool parties, picnics and bbq’s that make getting together in the summer so easy. I think I found some new favorites. I am giving them a little roll call here in this post, and I hope you find some great ideas for your next get together. But before we get into the new kids, I just have to mention the one salad that we keep bringing back every year, in case you don’t know about it.

Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad (find the printer version here at Bon Appetite):

I have never brought this anywhere and not had someone ask me for the recipe. And plenty of friends have told me this is now their go-to salad in the summer (or fall. or winter.). I think it is just the perfect balance to fatty, juicy grilled meats. This salad’s dressing has the combo of garlic, lemon, dijon, and the pecorino has the saltiness to make your taste buds wake up and take notice. And the vitality of all that Kale and Brussel Sprout goodness makes you feel great the next day.

Ok, on for the new ideas…

Lemon Balsalmic Pasta Salad  – This one looks like such and easy pasta salad with new flavors. Plus I love pasta salad leftovers the day after a party, and often add a little scoop to my veggies salads at lunch all week. Can’t wait to try this one.

Tomato and Red Onion Salad:  This one almost doesn’t need a recipe but it is such a great dish on any buffet table. Julia Child has a version of this but adds avocados and it is amazing, so feel free to slice up one and add it to this recipe, with perhaps more seasoning.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad:  I always think of Caprese salad as an easy go to summer side but after seeing this one looks like I need to try it.

Speaking of Caprese, I so loved the idea of this Plum Caprese salad that uses light plums and cucumbers – sounds so refreshing.

Grilled Caprese Naan Pizza – And I can’t stop thinking about this new twist to one of my favorites, Naan Bread Pizza, from one of my favorite food bloggers, Courtney from A Life in Scratch. I saw her make these on Instastories and have been dreaming about them ever since (she also put caprese on top of garlic bread and that might end up being one of my favorite summer meals). Here site is full of summer ideas so poke around there.

I can’t get enough of simple cucumber salads, and this Thai flavored Cucumber Salad looks light, refreshing and so tasty.

Pickled Onions – I am on a big kick of keeping a jar of pickled onions in my fridge after I had a salad that used them at a restaurant and the cravings began. It couldn’t be easier to put together these ingredients, and if you want to add cucumbers, tomatoes, cauliflower, or carrots, who am I to stop you? But just these simple onions dress up salads, burger bars, tacos, anything your summer throws at you.

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime Butter:  This is definitely happening at our next bbq.

Bacon and Avocado Macaroni Salad:  I made this for a pool party and I loved it! My pregnancy cravings of bacon and avocado and pasta were met here and the lemony dressing has a great tang. You’ll notice I added peas to this recipe because I was just feeling it. I also left out the thyme because I was still a little averse to herbs. It was still delicious and I think made it more kid-friendly.

BACON AND AVOCADO MACARONI SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

  • 12 ounces elbows pasta
  • 5 slices bacon, diced
  • 2 avocados, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
  • 3/4 cup thawed green peas
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, for garnish (optional)

FOR THE LEMON THYME DRESSING

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (optional)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

  1. To make the dressing, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and thyme in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.
  2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
  4. In a large bowl, combine pasta, bacon, avocado, lemon-thyme dressing, salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Serve immediately, garnished with thyme.

Adapted from DamnDelicious.net

Blood Orange Salad

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This season you can find Blood Oranges in the grocery stores, and if you have ever wondered what to do with them (besides juice them and turn them into sangria or buy some of the packaged fizzy blood orange drinks and also turn them into sangria) this salad will help you out. They are segmented for the salad and used in the dressing, and their unique flavor just permeates this salad. But even if they weren’t in season I would still be craving them since I can’t seem to get enough fruit, especially citrus. (I may have eaten 2 of these salads in a row and then ate a grapefruit.)

They taste like sweet oranges, and have a gorgeous jewel color:

I love the combination of citrus fruit, goat cheese, (or blue or feta) crunchy nuts and vinegary dressing. So think of this as a template, and feel free to swap the blood orange for grapefruit or oranges, and use your favorite cheese and nuts. I used Marcona Almonds with Rosemary from Trader Joes, but I am guessing that ingredient is going to be pretty hard to find elsewhere. But I have to say, there rosemary was a really good note in this salad. So feel free to mix plain Marconas with some of this herb to eat alone or add to salad.

The dressing is really easy. Once you get the hang of making vinaigrettes, it suddenly feels so freeing and the possibilities seem endless. Basics are a 3:1 ratio oil to acid, but I actually prefer mine a little lighter and usually keep it 2:1. But the official stance on vinaigrettes is 3:1. If you want a little ‘tutorial’ I just found this post  ‘7 Tips for Making the Perfect Vinaigrette’  that is really helpful, I highly recommend looking it over if you are curious about making your own salad dressing.

I used both blood orange and red wine vinegar here, Dijion, salt and pepper are a must, since you are usually trying to season a lot of veggies and salt brings out all the other flavors. And I found that often times when my vinaigrette needed something it was usually a little sweetness to counter-balance the acidity, and a little Agave syrup or sugar does the trick.

This is such a great first course to a dinner party, or to make a big salad for a party. But it is also great for lunch for 1 or 2, and I have kept the recipe to serve 2. Don’t wait for an invitation to make this – it is too good!

 

Happy Eating, xoxo Katie

Blood Orange Salad (printer version here): 

Ingredients for Dressing:

Juice from 1 blood orange (2 T)

1 T red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon

1 tsp. agave syrup

S&P

1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Ingredients for 2 Salad Servings:

2 blood orange segmented

4 c. Mixed Greens

2 oz goat cheese

1/2 cup Marcona almonds

Directions:

Whisk all ingredients together for dressing, saving oil for the last. Stream oil in, whisking as it is added. Taste with a piece of lettuce to check for seasonings, adding more in needed.

Assemble salad with greens on the bottom. Add dressing just before serving.