kitchen adventures
When the weather begins to warm up, it’s time to lean on interesting salads. This year, our farmers at the CSA are delivering truly excellent produce in great variety. For this warm weekend, I wanted to make a bowl of a vegetable-forward salad – but not in a huge quantity. This
Grandma’s cucumber & tomato salad is a good old stand-by for a reason: it’s a fantastic use for summer produce at its peak of flavor. Think about how people lived through hot summers before air conditioning was common! Cold suppers, cooling salads, and lots of lemonade and iced tea …
This quick arugula couscous salad is great on its own, and also provides a sort of blueprint for a summer of good eating. First, let me describe how I make this simple grains-and-greens salad, and then I’ll list some variations. start with the couscous In a small saucepan, bring salted water
Here’s a delicious beet salad with feta & walnuts: it uses summer produce along with easy to find ingredients. It can be made up to 2 days ahead of time, so plan your work to suit your schedule. It’s delicious, it’s easy to make, and it can be served either
When you think of potato salad, do you think of the typical mayonnaise-based same old stuff? If that doesn’t appeal, go Greek: try a potato salad without mayonnaise at all. This Greek potato salad is one of my secret weapons in the summertime: it’s simple to make, doesn’t heat up
My grandmother’s answer to hot summer weather was a cold supper, and it always included a potato salad. In general, I’m very much in favor of the cooking of grandmothers, but I’ve found that I prefer a lighter version. This recipe for a lemon dill potato salad is adapted from
In summer, there’s very little that’s more refreshing than a Japanese cucumber salad (sunomono). You’ll need seasoned rice vinegar – look for it at a grocery that carries a large selection of Asian ingredients. If you have only plain rice vinegar, then add a bit of sugar and a bit of soy
It’s full-on summer here, which means it’s (usually) hot and humid. Terribly, awfully, stickily humid. Even with modern air conditioning, for which I’m grateful, hot days mean cold suppers. Shrimp and avocado salad is a blessing on a sticky hot day: it’s cool and delicious, and also quick and easy to
Not all salads are based on lettuce! Horiatiki salad, a Greek classic, is a summer favorite at our house. It’s quick, easy, and delicious – especially when we grow luscious ripe tomatoes. Fresh ingredients are the star in this salad. Use ripe tomatoes and local produce, if at all possible.
Tatsoi, pak choi and other Asian greens, which are a bit tough and chewy, a bit assertive in flavor – what can you do with them? As it turns out, lots of quick and delicious things. They’re wonderful in a stir-fry, where they hold up to cooking. They’re also perfect for a
I’m Maurita Plouff, and I write about cooking and preserving the local harvest in Southeast Michigan. Any recipe you find here is something I have cooked myself, and enjoyed, and think you might like too. I invite you to try the recipes, and leave comments.