What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Kitchen - Sublime Summer Salads

I was walking through the produce section of Safeway this last week and noticed a crowd gathered in the lettuce section. This was no surprise as we continued to wither in the scorching heat of a seemingly endless chain of 100+° days. Since all of Churchill County seems to be making salad simultaneously, this seems like a perfect time to highlight some of my favorite no-cook or minimal-cook, salad, no-recipe recipes.

Tangy Grilled Salmon Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• Limes
• Red and Green chiles, thinly sliced
• Shallot, thinly sliced
• Salt
• Sugar
• Fish Sauce
• Olive Oil
• Salmon
• Salad Greens
• Soft Herbs (dill, cilantro, basil, mint)
• Radishes or Cucumbers, or both

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your grill or smoker. If the salmon has skin, remove it with a sharp knife. Juice one lime into a small bowl and add sliced chiles and half of the shallots. Add in a pinch each of salt and pepper and a couple of good glugs of fish sauce. Let sit for a bit, then whisk in the olive oil (about twice as much as the fish sauce). The dressing won’t emulsify, so you will whisk it again before dressing your salad. Drizzle salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cut a second lime in half and drizzle with olive oil. Grill the salmon alongside the lime halves (cut side down) until the fish is just done, flipping halfway through (between 2-5 minutes per side). Transfer salmon and limes to a plate and drizzle with some salad dressing. In a medium bowl, combine the other half of the shallots with salad greens, a ton of herbs, and the crunchy ingredients. Toss with the remaining dressing, a squeeze of the cooked lime, and a drizzle of olive oil. Add in chunks of salmon and toss to combine. Serve.

Indonesian-Style Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups shredded chicken
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 bu green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
• ¼ c mint leaves, thinly sliced
• ¼ c cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded if you want, and minced
• 2 c bean sprouts
• 1 Romaine lettuce heart, leaves separated, washed & dried
• ¼ c lime juice
• 2 t ginger, minced
• 2 cl garlic, minced
• 1 T fish sauce
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 T crunch peanut butter
• ⅓ c buttermilk
• ¼ c roasted peanuts, coarse chop

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the chicken in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the white parts of the green onions, mint, cilantro, red pepper, serrano pepper, and sprouts. Toss well
2. Combine lime juice, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, and cayenne in a small bowl. Add the peanut butter and stir well to combine. Whisk in the buttermilk. Adjust seasoning
3. Line a dish with lettuce leaves. Toss the chicken mixture with the dressing and mound over the lettuce. Garnish with roasted peanuts and the green onion tops.

Greek Fattoush Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• ⅓ c and 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 1 cl garlic, minced
• ½ t dried oregano
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 c cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
• ½ hothouse cucumber, halved, seeded and diced
• ½ c Kalamata olives, pitted
• ¼ c parsley, chopped
• ¼ c minced red onion
• 2 T capers, chopped
• 2 ea green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 handful pita chips, crumbled
• 8 oz feta, crumbled
•  

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, combine ⅓ c olive oil with vinegar, garlic, and oregano. Season to taste
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, drizzle with dressing, and toss to combine.