Tag Archives: salad

Oregon Coast Fresh Vegetable Salad

24 Oct

After a relaxing but indulgent vacation in Napa, D and I hit the road driving up the California and Oregon coasts to spend Labor Day in Washington state. After a full day of driving, we watched the sun set in to the Pacific Ocean and then set about finding a place to eat. Not such an easy task when Oregon coast towns are spaced pretty far apart and most restaurants close by 8 pm – a far cry from restaurants in New York that don’t have a first seating until then! We were incredibly lucky to stumble upon Anna’s by the Sea, a charming restaurant in Gold Beach, Oregon that we found on Yelp and was willing to squeeze one last two-top in for the night, even if they had already sold out of their signature potato puffs! This place instantly reminded me Westville, one of my favorite NYC restaurants – simple recipes made with the freshest of fresh ingredients. Because of the open kitchen plan, we were able to watch the chef prepare our meals and chat with the host/waiter about Oregon wines (Anna’s is also a wine shop). While everything was excellent, our favorite dish was a raw vegetable salad made with a simple lemon and olive oil dressing and garnished with a LOT of dill. Since it’s unlikely that we will be back in Gold Beach anytime soon, I set about to recreate this recipe at home. Here is my version of their raw vegetable salad below. If you’re ever on an Oregon road trip, I highly recommend a stop by Anna’s. You won’t be disappointed!

veggie saladRaw Vegetable Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus
1 cucumber
1 head celery
1 sweet yellow or vidalia onion
Handful fresh dill
3 large lemons
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Directions:
1. Roughly chop each of the vegetables into small bite-sized pieces.
2. Mix together in a large bowl.
3. Chop the dill in to small pieces.  Throw a heaping handful into the bowl of veggies.  You really can’t over do it on the dill here so go nuts! 🙂
4. Gradually add in equal parts lemon juice and olive oil until the vegetables are lightly coated with dressing.
5. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Anna’s by the Sea
29672 Stewart Street
Gold Beach, OR 97444
Phone: 541-247-2100
http://www.annasbythesea.com

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Easy End of Summer Salad: Grilled Salmon Salad with Grapefruit

6 Sep

After a week-long vacation through CA wine country (more to come on that in a later post), D and I had reached our limit of wine, cheese and hearty foods and were in need of a major detox for dinner tonight.  Despite Labor Day yesterday and the chilly, rainy NYC weather, we weren’t quite ready to let go of summer cooking, so I found and adapted a summer salad recipe I found on Real Simple, one of my favorite websites.  This salad is light, fresh and citrusy.  It also provides heart healthy omega-3s from the grilled salmon and antioxidants from the grapefruit.  Plus, it’s delicious and really easy to make – it took me less than a half hour start-to-finish!  I added some whole wheat Annie’s macaroni and cheese as a side to add some fiber, complex carbs, and complete the meal.

Grilled Salmon Salad with Grapefruit
Serves 2 (entree size) or 4 (appetizer size)

Ingredients:
1 pound filet of salmon (skinless, if possible)
1 grapefruit
5 cups mixed greens (I used a fresh herb salad mix from Whole Foods)
1 avocado, diced
1/4 small red onion, diced
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
1.  Season salmon with salt and pepper on both sides.  Using a grill pan on medium heat, cook salmon approximately 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through.  (Note: I made a HUGE mess of my grill pan when I did this.  For easier cleanup and a less fishy smell in your home, baking the salmon in the oven at 350 for 12-15 minutes, is a similar alternative.)
2. Once salmon is cooked, transfer to plate and refrigerate for 5 minutes.  Remove and break into large pieces (about the size of a wine cork) with a fork or your fingers.
3. While salmon cooking, cut a grapefruit into 8 wedges.  Using a sharp knife, cut away the peel and rind, leaving only the pulp.  Dice each grapefruit wedge into 2-3 pieces.
4. Mix greens, avocado, onion and grapefruit together in a serving bowl.
5. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.  Dress salad immediately before serving.
6. Transfer salad mixture to plates and top with salmon.

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