Older Bolder Life

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Recipe: Salads

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 30 December: Blue Cheese Pecan Slaw

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Many of the revered smokehouse and barbeque joints around Texas and the South serve some version of a Blue Cheese Pecan Slaw; this is the version we’ve come to adopt as our favorite.

We’re big fans of great slaws and salads around our camp, and have often taken to incorporating a head of radicchio into our slaws of late, along with the occasional parsnip and grated or shredded beet.

The combination of sour cream and avocado oil mayo as the dressing base is a great one, just tart enough, and of course there’s a bit of vinegar, hot sauce, and celery seeds thrown in.

The pecans and blue cheese add a tasty crunch and salty, funky flavor that only blue cheese can bring to the table and are a wonderful change of pace from simpler slaws and salads. By the way, you’ll often see this served with sweetened dried cranberries mixed in; for those moderating their carb intake, those little sweetened carb-bombs cross the line, though unsweetened dried cranberries add a burst of fruity tart flavor and a bit of color during the holidays.

1 head green cabbage, cored and shredded
Up to 1/2 head purple cabbage, cored and shredded
1 large carrot, shredded
1 large head radicchio, cored and shredded
1 bunch green onions, trimmed, white and green parts thinly sliced
Optional: 1 parsnip, peeled and shredded
Optional: 1 golden beet, peeled and shredded

1/2 cup (or more) toasted pecan pieces

Dressing
1 and 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese, divided
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup avocado or olive oil mayo (use this recipe)
1/4 cup apple cider or distilled white vinegar
2-3 jalapeno hot sauce (we use Green Tabasco here)
2 tsp good salt
1-2 tsp celery seeds
1-2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Toast the pecans in a 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes; set aside.

Meanwhile, prep and combine the cabbage(s), carrot, radicchio, green onions, and other vegetables of choice in a large bowl; toss gently to mix well. Throw the bowl in the fridge if you’re not using right off the bat.

Mix 1 cup of the crumbled blue cheese with the remainder of the dressing ingredients, combine well. When ready to serve, pour over the cabbage mixture, add the toasted pecans, and toss gently (use your hands here) to coat the vegetables well.

If using a serving bowl at the table, transfer the dressed slaw, then sprinkle with the remaining blue cheese.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Salad Sunday 16 December: Apple Cider Vinaigrette

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I’ve been on a mission lately to deconstruct and recreate at home one of our favorite salads from an eatery here in DFW called Whiskey Cake; the salad is their Bacon and Egg salad, featuring shaved raw Brussel sprouts and kale, with a handful of chopped cherry tomatoes, crumbled crispy bacon, a very thin apple slice here and there, peppadew peppers, and crumbled blue cheese.

The salad is amazing, and is pulled together with a surprisingly tart, simple vinaigrette. I’d been debating as to whether it was champaign vinegar or apple cider vinegar based; several weeks ago I finally pestered our waitress to ask for me, and to my surprise one of the chef’s came out and chatted about it with us (very nicely played by the Whiskey Cake team, and it was apple cider vinegar).

We came home and started experimenting that night, playing with the classic 1:2 vs 1:3 vinaigrette acid:oil ratios, and kept coming back interestingly to Zatarain’s Creole mustard both for flavor and as an emulsifier. (For whatever reason chemically, I’m getting the best results making avocado oil mayo with this mustard too – in terms of mayo texture (emulsification) and taste.)

We think this is better with a small shallot very finely chopped and mixed in, along with a bit of Cajun spice. Chef Libby has played with this one, and prefers it with a bit of raw honey and just a whisper of cinnamon. Play around with this one and see what you think.

I’ll be posting a recipe for the bacon and egg salad here in the next few weeks…

1/2 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp (generous) Zatarain’s Creole mustard, or whole grain Dijon
1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
Good salt and pepper to taste

Optional:
1 small-medium shallot, finely chopped
1-2 tbsp good raw honey or maple syrup, start with one
1/4 tsp (or more) of your favorite Creole/Cajun spice mix OR
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Making this one is a walk in the park. Combine the first 8 ingredients along with whatever optional goodies in a small mason jar (lidded container of choice) and shake until emulsified. You don’t have to go crazy here, shake until well combined and homogenous, then taste again and adjust for salt, pepper, and sweetness IF you’ve chosen to sweeten (see above).

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 9 December: Chile Lime Vinaigrette

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There are a gazillion recipes for good vinaigrettes out there; we seem to stir or whisk up a vinaigrette four or five nights per week these days.

Of all the recipes we enjoy, this Chile Lime Vinaigrette is probably my personal favorite and one that we serve on a simple slaw (green and a little purple cabbage, thinly sliced green or red onions, maybe some grated carrot or beet, slivered bell pepper, and pending the protein, usually a handful of cilantro leaves) at least once a week.

Though it’s typically a tad more than 3 tablespoons, I always count on using two limes, and pending how spicy the chile paste (or garlic chile paste) jar happens to be this time around, may use a bit more to spice things up.

This vinaigrette not only plays well on slaws and salads, but roasted vegetables and even occasionally as a dipping sauce for roasted or grilled chicken and more.

The brown sugar is of course optional; even the 1/2 teaspoon adds just the tiniest hint of sweetness that adds to the flavor package here.

1/4 cup avocado oil (or EVOO)
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp good fish sauce
1 tbsp fresh chile paste or chile garlic paste
3/4 tsp salt (or more to taste)

Optional
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp brown sugar

This one couldn’t be easier. Combine the first six ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine, pour over your slaw, salad, or vegetables. Best made right before use.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 2 December: Broccoli Caesar

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Back in late August I shared about how much we love a great Caesar salad around our house, though we struggled for years to find a dressing recipe we truly loved and could make at home without an advanced food degree or pestering our friend Chef Libby to work her magic.

Though not a new concept, we’ve been making this Broccoli Caesar as often as a traditional Caesar of late; the cruciferous crunch is delicious, especially when topped with this Homemade Caesar Dressing with Avocado Oil Mayo you’ve prepped in your own kitchen.

The shaved Parmesan is always a great touch – that nutty, salty Parmesan flavor is essential in our book, and the toasted walnuts will make you forget there’s not a crouton in sight…

One recipe Homemade Caesar Dressing with Avocado Oil Mayo

2 medium to large heads of broccoli
1/4 head Napa cabbage (more to taste)
Good salt to taste

Shaved Parmesan
Fresh lemon zest
Freshly ground (coarse) or cracked black pepper

Optional: Toasted Walnuts

Trim any rough, darkened ends from the broccoli stems, and remove the florets as close to the dark green flower buds as you can, then trim or break into bite-sized segments, placing in a large bowl. Now slice the stems into thin rounds, starting with narrow stalks that held the florets.

When trimmed down to the main stems, peel the tougher outer layers off, exposing the more tender inner cores, then slice crosswise into narrow discs and add to the florets.

Slice thinly/shred the cabbage (add more if you like) and stir into the broccoli pieces.

Now pour the dressing over, salt to taste, stir to coat, and let rest in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

When ready to serve, stir once more, topped with shaved Parmesan, the lemon zest, and the pepper. Add toasted walnuts if desired.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 25 November: Thai-Inspired Celery Salad

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Here’s a nifty salad to get you back on track if you’ve wandered a bit during the holiday break – a Thai-Inspired Celery Salad.

Celery doesn’t necessarily get a lot of love in many kitchens beyond nut butter and pimento cheese-stuffed celery sticks (if you grew up in the South, you know what I’m talking about with the pimento cheese…).

We’re long time celery fans around our camp; for instance, I can’t imagine serving a chicken or tuna salad without celery included, celery leaves work wonders in flavoring soups and other dishes, and a crispy, crunchy stalk or two, sliced thinly, winds up in most of the salads we serve as well.

Finally, celery packs a host of health benefits in its long, green stalks, including a very low soluble carb burden, and meaningful amounts of vitamin K, folate, vitamins C, B6, and A, as well manganese, calcium, riboflavin, and manganese. Celery packs a host of phytonutrients too; perhaps we’ll spend a bit of time at some point digging a bit deeper into those, though in the context of today’s recipe, we like celery because it tastes great in this salad too…

Update: I came back and updated this recipe on the 25 of February, after making a few changes along the way since last November – another dressing option and 1/2 of a large sliced and peeled cucumber…

The final winning point for this recipe – ten minutes or less prep time even with average “knife skills”.

8-9 celery stalks, with leaves, thinly sliced on a diagonal
2 small or 1/2 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, thinly sliced
7-8 trimmed green onions, thinly sliced
1-2 red chiles (think a Fresno here), stemmed, thinly sliced
1 and 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems

Dressing #1
4-5 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1-2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1-3 tsp red chile pepper flakes
Good salt and pepper to taste

Dressing #2
4 tbsp avocado or EV olive oil
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp good fish sauce
Good salt and pepper to taste

Optional
1/3 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts (or nut of your choice)
1-2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

Combine the prepped celery, green onions, chiles, and cilantro; toss to combine evenly. Whisk the dressing one final time, pour over the salad, and toss to coat well. Sprinkle with the peanuts (if using) and go to it.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 18 November: Our House Guacamole

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The Primal/Paleo crowd doesn’t need to be reminded that avocados happen to be one of those superfoods that not only support great health but just taste damn good.

Most avocado fans know that avocados are packed with Vitamin K, Folate, Vitamins C, B5, B6 and E, and offer a good dollop of potassium too, though their principle benefit is the 15 grams (on average) of monounsaturated fat, most of it the monounsaturated fatty acid oleic acid (high in good olive oil too).

I recently shared about this recipe on Chi Wulff (a fly fishing blog) –

…my lovely wife has been something of a guacamole ninja since we enjoyed four years in San Antonio years ago during my graduate training; we learned to enjoy authentic TexMex and Mexican guacamoles and still have a batch 2 or 3 times a week to this day.

There are a lot of fancied up recipes for all sorts of up-town guacamoles out there today, and you probably have a family favorite, but what follows is Our House Guacamole recipe we’ve evolved over the years. While I’m working on the rest of dinner, ME can have a batch of this done, ready to savor, in under five minutes.

Being good Texicans, we consider a big bowl of guacamole to be an all purpose condiment (try it slathered over your steak or grilled chicken tonight), or a super-vegetable / all purpose side for any meal. (Some nights a double recipe of guacamole is dinner with a pile of crunchy crudite to dip)…

We don’t measure any ingredient when putting this together anymore; she just drops things in “until it looks right” – give this one a spin if you don’t have a house favorite yet…

2 large, ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, mashed with a fork
3 – 4 tsp fresh lime juice, maybe more to taste
1/2 small red onion, minced
2-4 tbsp finely chopped, seeded roma tomato
1 medium garlic clove, minced, then mashed with salt to a paste
1/2 – 1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp good salt
Generous sprinkle of good paprika/smoked paprika

Consider adding
1-2 stemmed, seeded (membranes too) and diced serranos or jalapenos
3-4 tbsp chopped cilantro (fresh of course)

Start by mashing the minced garlic clove with the salt (you’re making a paste), then combine the remainder of the ingredients and fold roughly wth a fork (we like some texture in ours). Don’t forget the peppers and cilantro either…

While it’s best uber-fresh, if not eating immediately, drop one of the avocado pits in the bowl, spritz with fresh lime juice, then cover tightly with plastic wrap, and throw in the fridge (no more than 2 hours!).

Sprinkle with the paprika before serving.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 26 August: Homemade Caesar Dressing with Avocado Oil Mayo

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As the summer heat drags on here in Northeast Texas, we find ourselves reaching more and more often for a cool salad topped with a tasty and chilled grilled protein.

My wife and I love a good Caesar, and have played around for years looking for a Homemade Caesar Dressing that tasted like a great Caesar should and yet didn’t require an advanced food science degree to pull off.

Thanks to several friends, including Chef Libby in Austin, we’ve settled on this amalgam of several good recipes, which is build around a cup of a healthy and tasty avocado oil (or good olive oil) mayo made right in our / your own kitchen.

If smashing anchovies and garlic into a paste with the back of a spoon doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, track down the very reasonable substitute anchovy paste, though we agree with the many traveling this road before us that the real thing packs a bit more funky, umami punch, and just tastes better.

Most recently we’ve been topping Caesars with either a Cajun-spiced grilled chicken or shrimp, though Judy’s salmon, grilled and chilled, is tough to beat too.

2-3 small garlic cloves, minced
1-2 small anchovies
1 cup freshly made avocado oil mayo
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 and 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp good Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp good salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

This one is a piece of cake to pull together.

Mash the minced garlic and anchovies into a smooth paste in a small mixing bowl; whisk in the next 6 ingredients until smooth and creamy. Stir in the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (I’ll sometimes add a bit more) and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Stir into that masterpiece of a Caesar salad you’ve built and go to it.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 22 July: Ring the Bell (Pepper) Salad

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Here’s another incredible offering from the kitchen of our catering chef buddy Libby in Austin – her Ring the Bell (Pepper) Salad.

Great looking bell peppers are available in abundance right now; she (and we) like to use orange, yellow, and red peppers as they make for a stunning presentation with the onion and herbs, and they simply taste great.

It’s easy as pie to stir together, and you can sub in whatever herbs float your boat, though this is the original recipe as written from Libby. She occasionally crumbles in some feta or Cotija cheese (my wife prefers the feta), and we like it best with a really good avocado oil drizzled in…

2 orange bell peppers, thinly sliced into rings
2 yellow bell peppers, thinly sliced into rings
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced into rings
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 tbsp red wine vinegar (or Sherry vinegar)
Good salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley (flat leaf), chopped
1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
Optional: 1 tsp fresh thyme
2-3 tbsp EVOO or good avocado oil

Optional: Crumble in some good feta or Cotija cheese just before serving

This one couldn’t be easier to put together. Wash and slice the bell peppers, then combine with the sliced red onion. Sprinkle with the vinegar, salt, and pepper, toss to coat, then let them sit for 15-20 minutes to soften and absorb a bit of the vinegar.

When ready to serve, add the herbs and oil, toss to coat, and go to it.

Enjoy.