Easy Shrimp Salad

Here is a super easy shrimp salad which I serve at Wednesday noon service lunch when I am pressing for time. Though I am very exact with measuring baking ingredients, this is one of those simple recipes that you can "throw together" yet yield great result.


Here is what I call our "house dry rub". We keep this on hand in our church kitchen to flavor and season just about everything! I know it requires a few more than a handful ingredients , but it is worth the effort and you will have great tasting rub.


We use peeled 41-50 count shrimp (number of shrimp per pound). This comes in a frozen 5 pound block (check your local seafood stores). To thaw the frozen shrimp, run cold water over the shrimp in a colander. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels, and toss the dry rub and gently mix.

You know how I love this 4-burner griddle. Get the griddle super hot, drizzle some oil, then saute the shrimp. Don't over crowd the griddle, lest the shrimp will steam. Quick saute in small batches is the best.


When shrimp is cooked, quickly spread them on a large sheet pan and cool. A little dab of Hellmann's mayo, sour cream, and salt and pepper is all you need for this scrumptious shrimp salad.


Serve it on a garden salad or on a croissant.

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Easy Shrimp Salad

Serves 2-4

1 lb of peeled raw shrimp (41-50 count)

2 teaspoon of dry rub (click here for recipe) or your favorite dry rub

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

1/4 cup of Hellmann's Mayo

2 tablespoon sour cream

1/4 cup finely diced celery (optional)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Toss together raw shrimp and dry rub. Heat a large frying pan to high until smoking point. Drizzle oil and coat the pan/griddle. Quickly saute the shrimp until cooked, 1-2 minutes. Do not over crowd the pan. Cool cooked shrimp completely. Add in a large bowl mayo, sour cream, shrimp, celery (if using). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on a bed of salad or on croissants.

Note: 10 lbs of shrimp will yield about 30 servings

Heirloom Tomato Salad

When I saw these heirloom cherry tomatoes at Davis Produce early this morning, I couldn't help myself but to snatch these up! Instead of making a typical garden salad as a side dish for Wednesday noon service lunch, I was thrilled to have these fresh organic, heirloom tomatoes to make the side instead.

Various colors and shapes made my heart happy.

No fancy ingredients necessary. Just some fresh basil, olive oil, vinegar, and garlic will do.

To keep basil leaves from bruising and turning color, chiffonade the leaves. Click here for a quick tutorial.

Simple, light and delicious side for this hot summer.

It was a perfect accompaniment with salmon wraps served at lunch today!

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Heirloom Tomato Salad

Serves 2-3

3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Red wine, or pomegranate vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dried tarragon; (or 2 teaspoons fresh, chopped)
2 teaspoons Fresh Basil, chiffonade, or thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Garlic; minced or pressed
1 pound Heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
pinch of sugar
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Feta cheese optional

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, a pinch of sugar, and dried tarragon until incorporated. Season the vinaigrette well with salt and pepper. Toss gently halved cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. Let sit in room temperature for 15-30 minutes for flavors meld.

Simple Pineapple Salsa

I had a wonderful break from work last week, and I am truly thankful for the whole week off to do some cleaning and organizing at home.

Here is a simple pineapple salsa which I served a few Sundays ago. Everyone loved the sweet and tangy flavor which beautifully complimented the pan-seared pork tenderloin.

Finely chop fresh pineapple, green & red onions, cilantro, Jalapeño peppers. Since I was making a large amount, I coarsely processed the pineapples to save some time on hand chopping.

A bit of Pantai Sweetened Chili Sauce....There are several different brands out there, but this one has the best taste. This is what I always keep in my fridge for egg rolls or anything that needs a good sauce. You can purchase these at your local Asian food markets.

If you can't find this particular brand, look for red chili sauce without MSG.

Simply mix and let the flavor meld in the fridge for an hour or more.

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Simple Pineapple Salsa
(Makes about 1 1/3 Cup)

1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple (do not use canned), click here for prep tutorial
2 tablespoons finely chopped purple onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper, optional
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
4 tablespoons Pantai Brand Sweetened Chili Sauce
2 teaspoons finely minced jalapeno pepper, optional
juice of 1 fresh lime, about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients; cover and refrigerate for an hour or more to blend flavors. Serve with grilled pork,broiled fish, or chicken. Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

Make Ahead Tip: (if you are making in large quantity)

Up to 3 days:

Pineapple can be cut in 4 wedges (Click here for how-to post), wrap in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator

All veggies can be trimmed and washed ahead, wrap in paper towel and store in zip-lock baggies.

Up to 8 hours:

Chop pineapples and veggies. Combine all ingredients and cover and store in the fridge.

Chinese Chicken Salad

This past Sunday, our Sunday fellowship meal menu was very simple:

Shrimp Fried Rice (click here for recipe)

Chinese Chicken Salad

Garden Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Watermelon Slices

Lime Cheesecake

I don't need to go too far to get the most honest opinions whenever I try something new on my church family. My four children can give me the best critique on the newest dish with no hesitation whatsoever! My two older teens in particular have such developed palates that they can pick out certain spices or flavors by name. I am guilty of that.

Every Sunday night, driving home, my standard question is "How was the dinner for you and your friends tonight?" And they will give me the run down of every dish I served.

When it came to Chinese chicken salad, my first child was somewhat cautious and said, "It had a strange taste like cinnamon and I don't think kids liked it". Chinese five spice powder contains cinnamon and clove.

Even though many adults told me how much they loved this salad, I realize that it wasn't the favorite for the children! Oh well, I'll try something else next time, but I am glad the church children got to try something new!

You will need Hoisin sauce, Mung beans or threads, and Chinese Five Spice powder which can be purchased from Asian food section of your grocery store or the Asian market.

Mung beans are deep fried just for a few seconds. Do you see the utensil I am using? It's called an Asian Spider Skimmer and it is one of the most useful tool for frying. Click here for more info.

I mixed the fried mung bean threads and chicken mixture together when serving for the sake of convenience for a large crowd, but at home, you can serve it like the photo above on a bed of fried beans for a spectacular presentation.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Serves 10-12

Dressing:

3 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder

2 teaspoons sesame seed oil

1 teaspoon dry mustard

3 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 Tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed

Salad:

1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken (2 1/2 pound), regular seasoning (not bbq or lemon pepper),

dark and white meat hand shredded into 2" shreds

1 teaspoon of Chinese five spice powder

1 package 5 oz Chinese mung beans

(also called Chinese vermicelli, rice threads, or bean threads)

3 Cups of vegetable oil for frying mung beans

1 medium head of iceberg lettuce, julienne fine

4 green onions, cut into 1 1/2" pieces and julienne lengthwise

2 cups cilantro, leaves only, washed and dried

3 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, black or white

optional: Colored bell peppers julienne to add color

Take all dressing ingredients and mix well, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Gently toss shredded chicken meat with 1 teaspoon of Chinese five spice powder. Set aside.

Remove mung beans from package and break up or pull apart into manageable pieces. Do this over a large bowl or dried sink or you will have pieces of brittle mung beans all over the kitchen floor!

Heat 3 cups of oil in wok or large cast iron fryer to 375 degrees F. Place a handful of mung beans into oil, when they puff, turn over immediately and fry the other side, all in 3 seconds! They will puff up 5 times the original size of dried beans so be careful not to put too much in the oil at one time. Drain on wire rack and fry the remaining.

About 10 minutes before serving, in a large bowl, to dressing over shredded chicken and greens and mix well. Add sesame seeds. Then gently fold in fried mung beans. Reserve some to make a nest over a large platter and put mixed salad on top.

Serve immediately. This salad is best when fried beans are crispy and crunchy.

Red Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Quinoa (KEEN-wah) are technically seeds in the herb category but classified as grains. They were an important source of food for the ancient Incas, and have been wildly popularized here in US for their beautiful color and wonderful texture.

Over one-third of my church family consists of youth and children under 18 years of age (a sign of healthy, vibrant church!), and sometimes I am somewhat hesitant to introduce foods too unfamiliar to this younger group. But, I sighed a short prayer and gave this a try for our Sunday evening fellowship meal, which was well attended by 300-some people.

My heart was so glad to see children coming back for seconds! Children can be the best food critics, and I think you will enjoy this beautiful salad, too!

There are white and red Quinoa available at local health food stores. I chose red for its vibrant color!

To achieve a fluffy texture, Quinoa must be boiled in salted water first and then steamed. Put boiled Quinoa in a cheese cloth and steam in colander placed over a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. See how the red color is retained after cooking?

Rinse and drain black beans, fresh corn kernels, green onions, cilantro, tri-colored peppers, jalanpenos, and red Quinoa to make this colorful dish!

This salad was served with beef tacos, guacamole, and all the taco fixin's . Elvis Cream Pie (will post later) completed the meal, and everyone went home with their spirits well nourished from good preaching and their tummies satisfied. What a great way to end the Lord's Day!

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Red Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Serves 4-6

1 1/2 cups red quinoa

1 Tablespoon salt, add when boiling quinoa
1 can black beans, 14 oz, rinsed, and drained
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 2 large ears)
1 cup finely chopped colored sweet peppers, red or orange or any combination
1 jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

For dressing
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove of garlic, grated
1 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste

In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, salt, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, and cumin and add oil in a stream, whisking. Add pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a large bowl wash quinoa in at least 5 changes cold water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off most of water, until water runs clear and drain in a large fine sieve.

In a medium size pot, add 1 tablespoon of salt to 1-1/2 quarts of boiling water and cook quinoa 10 minutes. Prepare colander with cheese cloth over and drain quinoa into cheese cloth.
Add 2 inches of water into the pot and bring water to boil. Cover cooked quinoa with the edges of cheesecloth and cover with a lid , steam for additional 10 minutes. Do not let quinoa touch water. Fluff quinoa with a fork and cool.

Combine in a large mixing bowl, beans, and remaining vegetables, herbs, and cooled quinoa. Toss gently with dressing. Can be prepared a day ahead for flavors to combine. Serve room temperature.

Ellen's Crispy Beef Strips

Every time I make these Crispy Beef Strips, I think of Ellen Lew. Ellen was a renowned Savannah caterer, writer, and recipe developer in the early 90's. As a third generation Chinese-American, she came to Savannah during the early 80's, where grocers thought her crazy asking for strange green stuff like cilantro.

She had great love for cooking and even more so, teaching people how to cook. I was young and just married when I met her back 17 years ago. As a novice herb farmer selling fresh herbs and edible flowers to local restaurants and caterers, I was so excited to meet this famous caterer. Her love for cooking was contagious and soon I was cooking along side of her. She gave me the last copy of her cookbook: Ellen Lew's Far East Favorites and said that good recipes are meant to be shared. I agree.

Ellen was so gracious and taught me to love cooking, but above all, the people you cook for. With much encouragement from her, I began my own catering company. Five years after I met Ellen, she was in a tragic car accident and I lost my most beloved mentor and friend.

This recipe is from her cookbook, well loved and tattered now. I will feature her recipes from time to time. I know she would love for you to have them.


To slice beef thinly, flash freeze the meat for about 2-3 hours in the freezer.


Pour the soy marinade over sliced beef and cover and refrigerate for 2 hours (for ribeye, longer for flank) for flavors to meld.


After draining the marinade, dip slices of meat flour, egg wash, then finally Panko bread crumb.


Deep fry the pieces until bread crumb is light brown. Drain on a wire rack.

Serve over thinly sliced red leaf lettuce and garnish with green onions. Makes a beautiful appetizer. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Ellen's Crispy Beef Strips
Makes about 16-18 beef strips

1 lb rib eye steak (or flank steak), cut into strips 1/4" thick
1/3 C. soy sauce
1/4 C. dry sherry or dry white wine
4 Tablespoon sugar
1 shallot, minced very finely or pulsed in food processor
2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated with Mircoplane
1 C. flour, all purpose
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 C Panko bread crumbs
2 C vegetable oil for frying

Combine soy sauce, dry sherry, sugar, shallot, ginger in a small bowl. Marinate steak slices with soy marinade for about 2 hours (for flank, marinade 4 hours), covered and refrigerated.

Drain marinade from steak slices in colander.

Dip steak slices in flour, then into beaten egg, and then final coat with Panko bread crumbs.

Heat oil in cast iron pot until temperature reaches 375 degrees F. Fry steak slices until bread crumbs are light brown and crispy. Do not over cook. Drain fried steak pieces on wire rack until you finish frying the remaining beef strips.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or over finely shredded greens as a first course.

My Top 5 Favorite Salad Dressings

You know Georgia summer is here when you are sweating bullets while you are standing in the shade! My family is already on 14th watermelon for the season. We will see how many watermelons we go through before summer is over.

My home and church families have been craving crisp, cold foods lately and there is nothing like good salads with great, homemade salad dressings. Here are my top 5 favorite salad dressings, and I know you will love these, too!

1. Spiced Salad Dressing (like Catalina dressing but with wonderful flavor), see previous post
2. Savannah Mustard Dressing (Mustard, slightly sweet and wonderful)
3. Pacific Rim Caesar Dressing(No raw eggs! Caesar dressing with Asian influence)
4. Green Goddess Dressing (Ranch like dressing with lots of fresh herbs), see previous post
5. Greek Salad Dressing (Great basic oil and vinegar dressing), see previous post



Green Goddess Dressing (Click for recipe)


Greek Salad Dressing (Click for Recipe)


Pacific Rim Caesar Dressing

A wonderful dressing with an Asian flavor. I love the taste of fresh ginger and lime juice in this dressing. Great with any seafood dish.

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced lemongrass or lemon zest
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla)**
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce**
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1large head of romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 15 cups loosely packed)
1 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

Combine lime juice and next 7 ingredients in processor; process until well blended. With processor running, add vegetable oil in slow stream; process until slightly thickened. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Can be made 2 days ahead. Stir well before using.

Place lettuce in large bowl. Add dressing and 3/4 cup Parmesan; toss to combine. Divide salad among 6 plates; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and toasted sesame seeds.

* Available at Asian markets and in the produce section of some supermarkets.

Savannah Mustard Dressing (All time favorite dressing by church family!)

1 cup Yellow Mustard, French's
1 cup Red wine vinegar
1-1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon granulated garlic

3 cups of canola or vegetable oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Whisk first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Slowly pour oil and whisk until mustard mixture is well blended. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate.

Green Goddess Dressing

As a coastal southern gardener, we have a wonderful advantage of extended months of gardening. My herbs are ready for harvest already and I can have a second planting few months later and have fresh basil, chives, and parsley until frost, which can be as late as late October or early November!

I was giddy as a school girl gathering these fresh herbs for this Green Goddess Salad Dressing. This creamy dressing with vibrant green color is wonderful with salad or as a veggie dip.


All herb flowers are edible and can be sprinkled on top of salads to add color and flavor.


Makes 2 cups

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
6 tablespoons sour cream
2 medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or grated on Microplane zester
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper


Process all of the ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth, about 20 seconds. Store in refrigerator up to 2 days. Whisk well before using.

Greek Salad

Usually on Sunday nights, I go home and eat of bowl of Kashi cereal. After cooking, tasting, smelling, and handling food all afternoon, my olfactory receptors are overloaded and my tummy refuses to receive any of that yummy food I cooked.

But this past Sunday, I took home some of this refreshing Greek salad. It was so delicious even though the Romaine lettuce has lost some of its vigor.

This would be a perfect warm weather supper, topped with grilled chicken or salmon!

Greek Salad Dressing
Makes 2 1/2 cups

1-1/3 cups red wine vinegar
2-3/4 teaspoons garlic powder
2-3/4 teaspoons dried oregano
2-3/4 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Pinch of sugar
1 cup olive oil

Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients first eight ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously 1 cup of olive oil into vinegar mixture until well emulsified. Add salt to taste.

About 15-20 minutes before serving, toss with

Chopped Romaine Lettuce
Sliced Red Onions
Tomato slices
Thinly sliced cucumbers
Olives
Artichoke Hearts
Crumbled Feta Cheese

Fried Oyster Po' Boy

Fried oysters are so delicious when they are prepared well. Living in Savannah, I have tasted a good amount of fried oysters : a few good ones but mostly not so good.

Batter coating that is too thick seems to be the most common problem, and over frying is another. Here are some helpful tips you can apply to achieve crispy and tender fried oysters at home.

Fried Oysters on Salad with Pacific Rim Caesar Dressing (Will post this recipe soon)


Dredging oysters in flour/cornmeal mixture absorbs any exterior moisture. And since Panko bread crumbs are much airier than regular bread crumbs, coating stays crispy longer. A good thing when you are frying 8 pounds of oysters!


* 1 pint “select” oysters (yields about 2 dozen)

Mix #1
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
*3/4 cup cornmeal
*1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning or Dry Rub (See previous post)
* A pinch of Salt and pepper

Mix #2
* 2 large egg
* 4 tablespoons buttermilk
*1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning or Dry Rub

Mix #3
* 2 cups panko crumbs (can be purchased in Asian Store or Asian food aisle)
*1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning or Dry Rub

* Canola or vegetable oil for frying, about 3 cups

Drain the oysters well in a colander. Pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, seasoning, salt and pepper on one shallow pan. Place the egg, seasoning, and buttermilk in a bowl and whisk to combine. Place the panko crumbs and seasoning on another shallow pan. Set a rack on a small sheet pan.

*Make sure oysters are well dried

Dredge the oysters first in the flour, then the eggs, then the panko, shaking off any excess. Place on the wire rack. When all of the oysters are coated, place the pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This step is important since chilling the oysters before frying ensures that they won't be over cooked.

Meanwhile, pour enough oil into a heavy duty frying pan to come up about 2 inches. Heat over medium-high until hot, about 370° F. Use a thermometer to check the oil temperature.

Fry the oysters in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, until light golden, about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Do not over crowd the pan or the oil temperature will lower too quickly and you will have soggy fried oysters. Terribly Sad it will be!

Remove oysters and place on wire racks to drain. Serve immediately on a soft hoagie bun or salad as shown with Remoulade sauce.

For additional help on frying see "Cooking Tip : Frying".

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

You will re-think about this very common salad dressing once you try this recipe! Packed with fresh herbs blended with mild tang of buttermilk is wonderful. Missions Conference attendees really enjoyed the salad made with this dressing.


This used to be what my husband had when he came home for lunch before I started working as a church cook! Those were the days....

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise
6 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley
1 medium clove garlic , minced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Make the dressing a day for the flavor to blend. Do not use dry herbs. Refrigerate up to 5 days.

Note: For reduced fat, you can substitute Non-fat buttermilk, sour cream and low-fat mayo (Hellmann's light). But increase lemon juice to 2 Tablespoons and the pepper.

Orzo with Mixed Vegetables

Past two years at the IPC Missions Conference Dinners, I have served rice pilaf with Tim's world-famous grilled chicken. You would think an Asian cook wouldn't have any trouble cooking rice, but no. Cooking rice pilaf for my family of six could not be applied to cooking rice pilaf for 200.

To avoid another too dry or too gummy rice pilaf with no character, I have opted to make Orzo salad, rice shaped pasta. It was a much better option! I won't give up on rice pilaf for 200 people, yet. Will let you know when I get it right.

Vibrant colors of tri-colored pepppers and fresh Italian Parsley livens up this salad.


Salad:
12 ounces orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
2 tablespoons to coat pasta
1 1/2 cups crumbled seasoned feta cheese (such as basil and tomato; about 6 ounces, or 4 cheese blend (Parmesan, Asiago, etc)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper, sauteed and cooled
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper, sauteed and cooled
3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup of chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 cup of jarred grilled artichoke hearts
Optional: grilled veggies of your choice

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic
1 whole shallot
3 sun dried tomato pieces (oil packed)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (optional)

Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but not too soft. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

In a blender put lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, shallot, sun dried tomato pieces, oregano, mustard and cumin. Blend for about 30 seconds, then with machine running, slowly pour 1/2 cup of oil until well emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

Add dressing to orzo, vegetables, and cheese and toss to blend.

Note: Both dressing and pasta can be prepped two days in an advance.

Wrap it up!

Wraps are so fun and healthy alternative to breads.
Fried Chicken in Tomato-Basil wrap.


Blackened Salmon in Spinach Wrap.

Salsa Verde Salad

A blend of fresh lime juice and cilantro with nutty avocado is simply wonderful. This Tex-Mex style of chopped salad is refreshing accompaniment with any meal.

Vegetables are prepped and ready to toss. Addition of lime juice in dressing wilts greens quickly so you need to toss the greens 15-20 minutes prior to serving.


These Tomatillos, also called Mexican Green Tomatoes, gives a good acidic flavor. Look for fresh husks and firm fruit inside. Only the green fruit should be eaten since other parts of plants are toxic.


Cleaned and quartered.



Colorful medley of veggies brightens your plate.


Dressing
3 tomatillos, husked, quartered
1/3 cup (lightly packed) cilantro
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chopped jalapeño chili
1 garlic clove, peeled
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Puree well in a blender. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use. Will keep up to three days.

Salad
2 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped green cabbage
3/4 cup chopped seeded tomatoes, drain in colander
3/4 cup chopped purple cabbage
3/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, diced
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

All veggies can be prepped a day ahead. 15-20 minutes before serving, stir dressing well and gently toss until well blended. Serve.

Note: To keep your chopped avocado from turning brown, quickly dip them in fresh lime juice and drain. Will keep for a day or more without turning brown.