When trying to figure out where I should meet Timothy for a quick lunch, we settled on one of my new favorite lunch spots, Atlantic Fish on Boylston Street. They have about 8 signature lunch salads with fresh seafood and often a "special" salad of the day. Since I am trying to make healthier choices, I went with the Grilled Scallop Salad with greens, dried cranberries, blue cheese crumbles, avocado (I asked them to add that in), and a lemon wedge; simply dressed with a light balsamic vinaigrette. As many plates of lobster salad whisked by on serving carts, I worried I had made a poor decision, however I had no regrets when my salad arrived. Warm, perfectly grilled scallops with fresh avocado and delicious blue cheese (one of my favorite cheeses).
As I devoured my scallops, an Ina Garten inspired salad recipe popped into my head. When I first read her recipe,The Cape Cod Chopped Salad, I knew I had to try it. Typically when I read recipes or prepare to make something new for the first time, I assemble about 3-4 resources, and create my own signature version dish. I decided to leave out the bacon, add in caramelized walnuts and substitute goat cheese in place of blue cheese. Cooking, baking and assembling salads is all about satisfying your taste buds or the audience you are cooking for. In this case I knew two of the five guests I was cooking for did not like blue cheese, thus I substituted something more enjoyable for them (goat cheese). WOW it turned out great! Truly "Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients", as her motto states in her book Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics. Enjoy my recipe of the day!
Ashley's Apple Goat Cheese Salad:
12 ounces of baby arugula
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup caramelized walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces of crumbled goat cheese
Toss together the ingredients for the salad 5-10 minutes before serving.
The salad dressing can be made ahead of time and may actually taste better if done 24 hrs before. Make sure to shake/mix dressing before putting on the salad.
Mix together:
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (red wine vinegar would be just fine)
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (key ingredient!)- can use lemon zest if you want a more sour taste
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice(would substitute lemon juice if used lemon zest)
3 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
2.5 tablespoons of pure maple syrup (substitutes like Aunt Jemima change the flavor profile, so stick to the good stuff)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1.5 teaspoon salt
Lastly whisk in 2/3 of a cup EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
As I devoured my scallops, an Ina Garten inspired salad recipe popped into my head. When I first read her recipe,The Cape Cod Chopped Salad, I knew I had to try it. Typically when I read recipes or prepare to make something new for the first time, I assemble about 3-4 resources, and create my own signature version dish. I decided to leave out the bacon, add in caramelized walnuts and substitute goat cheese in place of blue cheese. Cooking, baking and assembling salads is all about satisfying your taste buds or the audience you are cooking for. In this case I knew two of the five guests I was cooking for did not like blue cheese, thus I substituted something more enjoyable for them (goat cheese). WOW it turned out great! Truly "Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients", as her motto states in her book Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics. Enjoy my recipe of the day!
Ashley's Apple Goat Cheese Salad:
12 ounces of baby arugula
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup caramelized walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces of crumbled goat cheese
Toss together the ingredients for the salad 5-10 minutes before serving.
The salad dressing can be made ahead of time and may actually taste better if done 24 hrs before. Make sure to shake/mix dressing before putting on the salad.
Mix together:
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (red wine vinegar would be just fine)
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (key ingredient!)- can use lemon zest if you want a more sour taste
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice(would substitute lemon juice if used lemon zest)
3 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
2.5 tablespoons of pure maple syrup (substitutes like Aunt Jemima change the flavor profile, so stick to the good stuff)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1.5 teaspoon salt
Lastly whisk in 2/3 of a cup EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
