Salads With Spin

If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, chances are you're sweltering and uncomfortably hot right now. It's definitely the season for salads.They're easy to make , easy to eat and easy to put you to sleep. It's time to take this summer staple and give it a new spin.

 Home chefs and foodies have been avoiding romaine lettuce since the whole salmonella scare back in April. That's over and it's time to rediscover this tasty leaf.Romaine leaves are used mostly in Caesar salads which is a fine salad. Liven it up with un-traditional- add ins like seared scallops or crumbled bacon.Steak - always good on its' own adds an unami flavor to the mix and makes it more filling. If there's any leftover put it on a hero roll and turn it into a sandwich for the beach or the park.  Wedge salads are making a big  comeback, especially with romaine and iceburg heads. It's a nice alternative to a traditional mixed salad and makes for a filling lunch or dinner. It's quartering the heads and then pouring on the dressing. You want to use a lot of dressing so that it dribbles down into the nooks and crannies , sort of like butter seeping into an English muffin.Top with anything crumbled like bacon or soy bacon , almonds or sunflower seeds. Should any other veggie share the plate with it? Think sliced cherry or grape tomatoes for color and flavor. Another spin is roasting the wedges. Rub oil on them , season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and place on the barbecue, roasting for thirty seconds on each side.

Another spin on salads is adding the fruits of the season. Cherries are in season right now. Those ruby red, rich in flavor gems would be perfect in a salad that features chicken or steak, To emphasize the flavor, you can also make a cherry infused  vinaigrette. Use Bing cherries , mix them with oil and apple cider vinegar and pinches of rosemary, garlic and allspice. Strawberries, good on their own, add a sweetness to a grilled chicken salad. Combine the two with red onions and almonds with torn romaine leaves as the base. You can try a peach version subbing in mixed spring greens  for the romaine. A fun variation is combining the peaches with cut nectarines.Blueberries are chock full of antioxidants and flavor. Imagine adding them to any salad. Combine them with a creamy feta cheese to balance the fruity flavor. Greens don't have total domain over salad. A refreshing one is a Neopolitan bread salad which pairs cubes of Italian bread with sliced vine ripe tomatoes.Bathe in olive oil infused with mashed garlic and basil leaves. For more bite toss in sliced red tomatoes.Broccoli and string beans make for excellent salad bases Sliced ham and shredded cheddar pair well with the first, although just a plain broccoli salad with garlic is a nice lunch. Add chopped onions to the string beans for a refreshing break from the usual mixed greens. Corn salad is both fun and tasty. It can be combined with all sorts of ingredients for a cool meal.

Liven up salads with meats and fruits for a refreshing new spin. They give a summer classic more zing and flavor. Try them for a tasty hot weather lunch or dinner.

Outside The Thanksgiving Box

Everyone expects the ususal Thanksgiving main meal and sides. Yet sometimes, it pays to cook outside the proverbial holiday box of recipes. It could mean experimentation. It could be a meatless day. It could be falling back on family recipes and the exotic ingredients that come with them. It could be a welcomed break from the usual , too.

Everybody has turkey on Thanksgiving.Or do they? What do vegans and vegetarians eat? Or those averse to the taste of gamy bird? Many vegans turn to Tofurkey , a soy substitute that sort of tastes like the real thing.A better idea is making the loaf yourself. Try a stuffed seitan loaf which is basically wheat glutens mixed with nutritional yeast to create a kind of meat loaf . Soy sauce is added to give it a nice brown color, similar to turkey.It can be stuffed, usually with a mix of firm tofu blended with cut carrots, onions and celery, Another idea is wild rice and mushroom casserole that was the topic of Melissa Clark's  A Good Appetite column in yesterday's New York Times Food section.It is also chock full of white beans and spinach too.Fennel and leeks are added to give it a sweet ,flavor and it's topped with  a mix of Panko bread crumbs, rosemary, lemon zest and garlic. Parmesan cheese can also be sprinkled on top if wanted. Ms. Clark also suggests variations to suit the crowd. Brown rice can be subbed in for the wild, Cilantro is used for color and taste but home chefs can also use basil. The bread crumbs can be nixed if guests have celiac disease.

What about those sides? Most will insist on having the usual bread stuffing , along with yams turned into candy  and some kind of green veggie. Yet if that's not part of the anyone's  culinary heritage, don't make them. They'd probably just sit there on the table and then just sit there in the fridge.Ask any Southern Italian or  Greek family who has served manicotti or dolmades with the bird.If your family has kim chi at every holiday , then serve it .If your family likes river weed, a popular green used in Vietnamese cuisine, then put that on the table instead of Brussels sprouts.The same goes for spicing. If you're hosting a multicultural dinner, then think outside the usual salt and pepper. Zing up greens and salads with various ones such as garam masala or paprika.  The last adds color to every dish and can make the ordinary extraordinary. As for bread, the usual is a prim, little roll on a plate Serve warm , crusty baguettes instead. French and Italian bread is excellent for soaking up thick turkey gravy and wonderful for creating sandwiches afterwards. If the family is used to naan or pita, then serve that. The same goes for dessert. Not everyone likes pumpkin pie. Serve fresh fruit or puddings if you want.

Think outside the Thanksgiving box. It's not writtten in stone what you have to cook and bake. Be true to your heritage.Or be different. The end result is a different holiday meal everyone will enjoy.