Eye for a Recipe

Pasta salads are a summer staple for us and this recipe from Chatelaine introduced me to a great tip: if you can, cook the pasta the night before and refrigerate it until you are ready to assemble and dress the salad. Cooling pasta in the fridge overnight allows it to firm up, so it will have a firmer texture and won’t absorb all the dressing and dry out.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I use Eden Organic red wine vinegar, which contains only naturally occurring sulphites.

Classic pasta salad

Ingredients:

Salad

8 oz (227 g) rotini, fusilli or gamelli pasta

1 cup (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup (250 ml) diced cucumber

2 tbsp (30 ml) minced parsley

Vinaigrette

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

2 tbsp (30 ml) red or white wine vinegar

1 tsp (5 ml) minced garlic

1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) pepper

1 shallot, finely chopped

Preparation:

Cook pasta in salted water, following package directions, until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Refrigerate overnight if possible.

Vinaigrette: Whisk oil with vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and shallot in a large bowl.

Add pasta, tomatoes, cucumber and parsley to bowl. Toss to combine. Serves 6.

From Chatelaine

This recipe from America’s Test Kitchen combines grilled shrimp with tangy charmoula, a condiment that originated in North Africa. For the sauce, combine pepper, onion and spices in a pan and cook until the vegetables soften. Add cilantro and lemon juice just before serving. Cook’s note: I made the sauce on the stovetop instead of the barbecue and I used parsley instead of cilantro. If you are using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes so they don’t burn up on the grill.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the dried spices to be sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Look for shrimp preserved in salt only.

Grilled shrimp with charmoula sauce

Ingredients:

Sauce

1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced very small (about ½ cup/125 ml)

4 tablespoons (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

½ small red onion, minced (about ⅓ cup/82.5 ml)

1 teaspoon (5 ml) paprika

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cumin

¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) cayenne pepper

3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon/15 ml)

⅛ teaspoon (0.6 ml) table salt

Disposable 10-inch (25-cm) aluminum pie plate

⅓ cup (82.5 ml) minced fresh cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon

Shrimp

1 ½ pounds (680 g) extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on

2-3 tablespoons (30-45 ml) olive oil for brushing skewers

¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) sugar

Lemon wedges for serving

Preparation:

Sauce

Combine oil, bell pepper, onion, paprika, cumin, cayenne, garlic, and salt in pan. Cook over hot side of grill, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes (2 or 3 minutes longer if using gas grill); transfer to cooler side of grill and proceed to grill shrimp, adding cilantro and lemon juice just before serving.

Shrimp

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread shrimp onto 3 skewers, alternating direction of heads and tails. Brush both sides of shrimp with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each skewer with sugar.

Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals into grill; build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover one-half of grill, piling them about 3 briquettes high, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grate clean with grill brush.

Set disposable aluminum pie plate with sauce ingredients over hot side of grill and cook, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 1 1/2 minutes; transfer plate to cooler side of grill. Place shrimp skewers, sugared sides down, on hot side of grate; use tongs to push shrimp together on skewer if they have separated. Grill shrimp, uncovered, until lightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip and grill until second side is pink and slightly translucent, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Using potholder or oven mitt, carefully lift each skewer from grill; use tongs to slide shrimp off skewers into pie plate with sauce. Toss shrimp and sauce to combine and transfer pie plate to hot side of grill; cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque and fully cooked, about 30 seconds. Remove from grill, add remaining sauce ingredients and toss to combine. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges. Serves 4.

From America’s Test Kitchen

If you are looking for a tasty, light meal on a warm summer day, try this salad from NYT Cooking. Make the dressing and toss it with the chickpeas, tomatoes and spinach. Sear the halloumi until browned on both sides. Add lemon juice, honey and sesame seeds to the pan and toss until the halloumi is glazed. Arrange halloumi on top of salad and serve.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and pure honey. I used Kevala organic tahini and President’s Choice halloumi, which are free of additives and preservatives. Unico and Blue Menu chickpeas are free of additives and preservatives or you can soak and cook 1 cup (250 ml) of dried chickpeas. Make sure the sesame seeds do not contain preservatives or anti-caking agents.

Honey sesame halloumi spinach salad

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, divided

3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon (15 ml) tahini

1 tablespoon (15 ml) plus 1 teaspoon (5 ml) honey, divided

1 (15-ounce/443 ml) can chickpeas, rinsed

2 cups (500 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

5 packed cups (1.25 L) baby spinach

Salt

8 ounces (227 g) halloumi, cut into ½- to ¾-inch- (1.25- to 1.88-cm-) thick slices, blotted dry

1 tablespoon (15 ml) white sesame seeds

Preparation:

In a large serving bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, the tahini and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) honey until smooth. Toss in the chickpeas, tomatoes and spinach; season with salt and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the halloumi to the pan; cook until the bottom is browned and it easily releases, 2 to 3 minutes. Use tongs to flip the halloumi and cook until just browned on the other side, about 1 minute more.

Top the halloumi with the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey and the sesame seeds, and shake the pan to mix it together. Continue to turn the halloumi over, using them to stir the liquid and honey together, until browned all over and coated with the glaze and any seeds in the skillet, 1 to 2 minutes more. (If the honey threatens to burn, remove from the heat.)

Arrange the glazed halloumi on top of the salad and serve right away. Serves 2-4.

From NYT Cooking

Greek Chicken Orzo Salad

This recipe from Half Baked Harvest is great for a summer lunch or dinner. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Grill the chicken and chop into bite-sized pieces. Cook the orzo, drain and add to bowl with the salad dressing. Add the chicken and remaining ingredients and serve warm or cold. Cook’s note: I did not use pesto or pepperoncini. I garnished the salad with basil leaves. I used half the amount of orzo called for in the recipe.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Eden Organic red wine vinegar, President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon mustard, Acetaia La Bonissma balsamic vinegar, Tre Stelle feta and Martelli black olives. All are free of additives. Use pure honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice. I have not been able to find pepperoncini that do not contain sulphites. You can omit them or substitute additive-free pickled jalapeno peppers, such as La Costena brand.

Greek chicken orzo salad

Ingredients:

Dressing

2/3 cup (165 ml) extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice

1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard

1 shallot, chopped

½ cup (125 ml) chopped herbs, dill, basil, oregano, and/or thyme

Kosher salt and black pepper

Salad

1 pound (454 g) boneless skinless chicken tenders (omit if vegetarian)

1/3 cup (82.5 ml) basil pesto

2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar

1 pound (454 g) dry orzo

2 cups (500 ml) cubed feta cheese

2 cups (500 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

2-3 Persian cucumbers chopped

1 cup (250 ml) pitted kalamata olives

2 roasted bell peppers, sliced

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped pepperoncini

Preparation:

To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl.

Toss the chicken with pesto and balsamic vinegar. Set your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Give it a chop.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente. Drain. Add the hot orzo to the salad bowl full of dressing. Toss, toss! Add the chicken, feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, peppers, and pepperoncini. Toss, toss! Serve warm or cold. The salad will develop more flavour as it sits. Serves 6.

From Half Baked Harvest