Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: salads (page 1 of 4)

GREEK PASTA SALAD

August 2, 2023 / / 0 Comments

This is a unique Summer salad tailor made for this current weather. It’s fast, easy, and delicious. I got the recipe years ago from someone who called it ‘Greek Pasta Salad.’ The recipe calls for fresh broccoli, but you can also use frozen broccoli. The other prime ingredients is feta cheese which, in our family, we love.

The dish contains, preferably, round or small pasta such as bow-tie (farfalle),  elbows or wagon-wheel. We did it with radiatore, and it came out great.

GREEK PASTA SALAD

Ingredients:

 8 ounces small pasta (3 cups)
½ of a large bunch broccoli, stems peeled and cut in chunks, florets cut in bite-sized pieces,  about 3 cups.

DRESSING:
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 can (16 ounces) chick-peas, rinsed and drained
1 can or jar (6½ ounces) pimentos, drained and cut in thin strips
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

Instructions:

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding broccoli 2 to 3 minutes before pasta is done. Drain in a colander, rinsing under cold water.
  2. Whisk dressing ingredients in a large bowl until blended. Add pasta and broccoli, then chick-peas, pimentos and feta cheese. Toss to mix and coat. Serve immediately
    Yield: 4 servings.

SPINACH AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD

July 14, 2023 / / 0 Comments

This is a salad dish that is tailor made for the dog days of Summer. You know, those times when the thought of cooking over a hot stove, even with AC, is just unbearable. It’s a quick, jiffy recipe that goes great with a hearty, crusty loaf of bread and a lightly chilled white or rosé wine. It calls for blue cheese as the main staple (along with spinach). Any good blue cheese will do be it Danish, Stilton, Gorgonzola or Roquefort. So, beat the hot Summer blues and enjoy this treat.

SPIANCH AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Ingredients:

1 bunch or package fresh spinach, about 10 ounces
3 ripe tomatoes (about 1¼ pounds), washed and cut into wedges
4½-oz. piece blue cheese, crumbled
1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Wash spinach under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels, or dry in a salad spinner.
  2.  Place spinach on a salad platter. Arrange tomatoes on top. Sprinkle cheese over the tomatoes and lettuce.
  3.  Mix the mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil in a bowl or cruet bottle. Spoon this dressing over the salad and serve immediately.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

TURKEY-AVOCADO SALAD

September 1, 2022 / / 0 Comments

This recipe is my version of turkey salad, with some avocado thrown in. In some parts of the empire, it is still very hot weather-wise. Thus, salads are still a viable option. This is a salad you can prepare in no time. With some crusty bread and a light, chilled wine, be it white or red, you have yourself a top of the line summer meal.

TURKEY-AVOCADO SALAD

Ingredients:

7 oz. package turkey breast (smoked or roasted), cut into bite-sized pieces
Half an onion, peeled and chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-sized pieces
½ cup black olives, rinsed and sliced
1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions:

  1. Layer turkey, onion, tomato  mozzarella, olives and avocado in a serving dish or platter.
  2.  Mix lemon juice and olive oil in a small cup and drizzle  over salad. Season with salt, pepper and oregano, and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

Salmon Salade

August 1, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Yep, another salad. Hey, it’s still hot out there. This time we have salmon salad (I call it ‘Salmon Salade’ to give it a continental twist—even though the salmon comes from a can). A very simple rendition, this one. Just take favorite herbs, mix it with mayo and mustard and that’s it. With a crusty loaf or even over rice, quinoa or pasta, it makes for a fine summer dish.

SALMON SALADE

Ingredients:

1 (14-oz.) can wild caught Alaskan salmon
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard, preferably Dijon
1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill or ½ teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro or ½ teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 tablespoon chopped onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup olives (either black olives, Kalamata olives or pimento stuffed olives)
Salad greens or fresh spinach leaves
cherry tomatoes for garnish

Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, mix salmon, mayo, mustard and herbs. Stir in olive oil and olives.
  2.  Place salad greens or spinach on a serving platter and top with the salmon.. Garnish with tomatoes (and peach slices, if desired) and  serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

SALADE Ὰ LA CRÈME

July 27, 2022 / / 0 Comments

 

Global warming is still with us and our eating habits have changed accordingly. More nutritious light meals is the norm, and the recipe given today reflects that fact. A classical salad dressing that enhances any veggie combination. What we offer is Salade à la Crème. A basic translation would be ‘cream salad.’ Simple enough: combine pepper, salt, red wine vinegar, cream and olive oil, and serve over greens or any vegetable of your choice. In this case we opted for zucchini, tomatoes and smoked turkey on a bed of spinach topped with stuffed Spanish green olives,. You can add, change or modify the ingredients to suit your palate. As I’ve said times before, you’re only limited by your imagination.

SALADE Ὰ LA CRÈME

Ingredients:

1 (5-oz.) package fresh spinach
3 zucchini, washed and sliced thin
18-20 cherry tomatoes, slice in half
1 (7-oz.) pack turkey breasts (smoked or oven roasted)
1/3 cup pimento stuffed Spanish olives, sliced in half

Salad Dressing:
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
5 tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Rinse spinach under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels or salad spinner.
  2. In a salad platter, arrange spinach in a circle. Add zucchini and garnish with tomatoes. Layer with turkey breasts and stuffed olives
  3. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, cream, pepper and salt. Beat with a whisk for 20-30 seconds. The mixture should be creamy and foamy. Add olive oil and mix with a spoon to blend. Drizzle dressing over salad and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

CUCUMBER SALAD

July 25, 2022 / / 0 Comments

It’s been a hot, gruesome summer in most places and the idea of cooking over a stove is anathema to most, even with air conditioning. The Cucumber Salad recipe we have today will improve the situation. It’s a chilled cucumber salad, no fusing with cooking. Now, some  would never consider cucumbers for a salad dish. Cucumbers are normally relegated to a sometime appetizer, if that. This dish transforms it to a savory lunch or even main course for a hot humid day. It’s perfect with lots of bread. You can garnish it with tomatoes or eggs or anchovies, or  whatever else is available on the cupboard. Take a bite out of summer with this easy and unique cucumber salad.

CUCUMBER SALAD

Ingredients:

3 cucumbers
Salt to taste
1 quart sour cream
fresh finely chopped dill, about a 3 tablespoons or as much as you want
Juice from ½ lemon

Instructions:

  1. Peel cucumbers and slice thin. Add lots of salt, place in refrigerator and leave there to chill until serving.
  2.  Mix dill with sour cream.  Stir in lemon juice. Place in fridge till just before serving.
  3.  Tale cucumbers and drain extra water from dish. Mix cucumber with the sour cream dressing and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

ENSALADA DE HONGO Y ACEITUNAS (Mushroom and Olives Salad)

July 6, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Simmer time is salad time, especially when the thermometer rises and the thought of turning on the stove is anathema to most mortals (even with air conditioning). Following that vein, here is a quick Nuyorican salad that was popular back on the block. If you like mushrooms, this salad is it. Simply, it’s mushrooms mixed with pimento stuffed Spanish olives and herbs. With a crusty loaf of bread and a light wine (or light red, if that’s you preference) it’s a luscious summertime lunch or dinner.

ENSALADA DE HONGO Y ACEITUNAS
(Mushroom and Olives Salad)

Ingredients:

1 pound mushrooms of your choice, washed and thinly sliced
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 teaspoon fresh chopped cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
Black ground pepper to taste
½ cup pimento stuffed Spanish olives
1 bay leaf
Lettuce or spinach leaves for salad plate

Instructions:

  1. Place mushrooms in a bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, thyme and pepper. Mix well.
  2. Add olives and bay leaf. Toss to blend and refrigerate for ½ hour.
  3. Discard bay leaf and make a bed of crisp lettuce or spinach on a serving platter. Spoon mushroom olive mix on top.
    Yield: 4 servings.

AVOCADO SALAD

August 17, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Mid-summer, and it’s still hot in most places. And, of course, global warming isn’t helping any. For days like these, here’s a recipe that was a favorite in our family back on the block. The recipe is easy, quick and delicious; and it’s appropriate now that good, ripe avocados are still in season. The result is a compendium of buttery chunks of avocado, with hints of radish heat, sausage, and a simple vinaigrette that gives you a crisp and refreshing salad. With some crusty bread and a good wine, red or white, it makes for a fine summer meal.

AVOCADO SALAD

Ingredients:

¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 (6-8 oz.) firm-ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 head lettuce (it can be Bibb lettuce, romaine, or as we did it, mesclun mix) torn into 1-inch pieces
3 medium radishes, thinly sliced
6 ounces thinly sliced sausage (pepperoni, salami, or other favorite)

Instructions:

  1. In a small bowl or cruet, whisk together lemon juice, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil.
  2.  Toss greens, radishes, sausage, and add just enough dressing to coat.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

ENSALADA DE TOMATE, QUESO Y CEBOLLA (Tomato Cheese and Onion Salad)

June 9, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Here’s a quick summer salad that, back on block, was popular with my family: Ensalada de Tomate, Queso y Cebolla (Tomato, Cheese and Onion Salad). It’s easy to prepare and goes great with a crusty loaf of bread and a chilled white wine (or lightly chilled red like a Gamay or Bardolino).

ENSALAD DE TOMATOE, QUESO Y CEBOLLA
(Tomato, Cheese and Onion Salad)

Ingredients:

5 medium ripe tomatoes (about 1½ pounds), cored and thinly sliced
2 medium red onions, peeled and cut in thin slices
1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or ¼ teaspoon dried
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup fresh shredded basil

Instructions:

1. Arrange alternating layers of tomatoes and onions on a large serving platter. Top with cheese slices.
2. Combine oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a cruet or tightly covered jar. Shake and pour over salad.
3. Sprinkle with basil. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Yield: 6 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

CAPRESE SALAD

July 15, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Caprese Salad is a popular Italian salad made with mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, salt and olive oil. It sometimes contains arugula. The following recipe is my adaptation which has loose leaf lettuce rather than arugula. I happened to have loose lettuce on hand and used that. Also, the mozzarella is not cut into slices. It’s a whole ball of mozzarella centered in the middle of the salad. This is not my original idea. Credit goes to the cookbook writer Chrissy Teigen who does her caprese salad that way. Where she got the idea, I do not know. But credit is given where credit is due.  Again, with a crusty loaf of bread and some nice chilled white wine (or red, for that matter), you’ve got yourself a perfect summer salad, either as an appetizer or main course.

CRAPESE SALAD

Ingredients:

1 (16-ounce) link sausage, either Italian sausage, Andouille, keilbasa, bratwurst, etc., even plant based sausage
1 bunch salad greens
1 (8-ounce ball) mozzarella cheese
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into slices
10-12 pitted Kalamata or black olives
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Cook sausage: If sausage has a casing, remove the casing. Cut sausage into small rounds and cook in a pan with a little oil until sausage loses its pink color, about 6-9 minutes. Note: if it’s pork sausage, it should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees).  Set aside.
  2.  Scatter the salad greens on a serving platter. Cut a small opening in the mozzarella ball so you can see the center.  Place cheese in the in center of the greens. Arrange the tomatoes and olives around the cheese ball. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.
  3.  Season the entire salad with salt and pepper. Top with the sausage and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

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