A Date With Flavor » salad http://adatewithflavor.com with Ali LaRaia Mon, 29 Nov 2010 01:23:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 FB Farmer’s Market Salad http://adatewithflavor.com/fb-farmers-market-salad/ http://adatewithflavor.com/fb-farmers-market-salad/#comments Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:11:44 +0000 Ali http://adatewithflavor.com/?p=637

After spending some quality time at Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Building this past Tuesday, I fell in love with Rogue Creamery’s, Crater Lake Blue. The second I tasted this intense and complex cow’s milk blue, in my mind I immediately paired it with my favorite Creme di Balsamico. Walking through the vendors out front, I noticed my favorite green, Chinese mustard lettuce. This is so different from your typical mustard green. The Chinese lettuce gives a burst of robust mustard as you chew. Then I thought, salad. I bought the greens and perfectly ripe strawberries, then threw this together.

It is almost impossible to ignore the aromas and not stop at Acme Bread when you are in the Ferry Building. On that note, I got a fresh baguette to toast up for crostini. I put a little salad on top, drizzled the balsamic reduction and viola!

]]> http://adatewithflavor.com/fb-farmers-market-salad/feed/ 7 Pink and Avocado Salad http://adatewithflavor.com/pink-and-avocado-salad/ http://adatewithflavor.com/pink-and-avocado-salad/#comments Fri, 24 Oct 2008 02:13:58 +0000 Ali http://adatewithflavor.com/?p=131

Pink and Avocado Salad

Salad:

  • 1-2 Whole Avocados
  • 2 cups Baby Spinach
  • Half of Small Red Onion (sliced paper thin)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. Fresh Chopped Cilantro
  • 1 Small Jalapeño (sliced paper thin)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. White Pomegranate Seeds**
  • Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Dressing:
  • 3 Tbsp. Chopped Red Onion
  • 3 Tbsp. Fresh Chopped Cilantro
  • 1/2 Tbsp. Chopped Jalapeño
  • 2 Tbsp. Pink Lemon Juice**
  • 2 Tbsp. Pink Pomegranate Seeds**
  • 6 Tbsp. Champagne Vinegar
  • 1 Tsp. Salt
  • 1 Tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
  • 4 Tbsp. Light Olive Oil
(Makes two individual salads)

  1. Slice half of the red onion and 1 jalapeño into paper thin slices.  Drizzle a few drops of pink lemon juice and sit aside.
  2. In a food processor, put the first 8 dressing ingredients until puréed.
  3. Slowly add olive oil to create an emulsion.  Set aside.
  4. Cut Avocados in half, twist and remove seeds with knife.
  5. Thinly slice avocado while still in skin, around 5-6 slices.  Scoop out with large spoon and repeat.
  6. To plate:  Take one bunch (about a cup per plate) of baby spinach and create a mound in the middle of the plate. (I usually dress the spinach with a little lemon juice before plating)
  7. Lay avocados along side of the spinach, top with sliced red onions and jalapeños (that have been soaking in lemon juice), pink pomegranate seeds, and chopped cilantro.
  8. Drizzle about 1-2 tablespoons of dressing per salad and finish with freshly cracked black pepper.
  9. Enjoy it!
**Both pink lemons and pink pomegranates may be replaced with meyer or regular lemons, and regular pomegranates.
I found the pink lemons and pink pomegranates at the Civic Center Farmer’s Market in SF.  The pink pomegranates are so similar to a red pomegranate that it doesn’t matter which one you use, I was just going for a pink and green theme.  The pink lemons on the other hand were out of this world!  They almost taste like lemonade…very sweet, tangy, perfect in so many ways.  A mix between a sweet meyer lemon and a regular acidic lemon may create a similar flavor combination.
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