Herb Garden Salad Recipes

GARDEN ORZO SALAD WITH HERB DRESSING

Steps:

• In a food processor add lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, cider vinegar, parsley, basil. Turn on the processor and slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is blended together. Process until smooth and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• To a large mixing bowl add the raw corn kernels, diced celery, seeded and diced cucumber and whole cherry tomatoes.
• Once orzo is cooked, drain and rinse under cold water; drain well. Add cooled orzo to bowl and toss. Add dressing to salad and toss again. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve.

HERB SALAD

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, combine the vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until well mixed. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until the dressing is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
• In a large bowl combine the herbs, arugula, and fennel. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss the salad with enough dressing to coat. Sprinkle with edible flowers and serve.

GARDEN SALAD

Steps:

• Wash and dry the lettuce, leaves and herbs. Tear larger leaves into bite-size pieces and tip all the greenery into a large salad bowl.
• Put the garlic, onion, parsley and watercress or rocket into a mini chopper or food processor. Blitz until finely chopped. Add the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper and blitz briefly. Add the oil and blitz until thickened. Drizzle over the salad and toss until the leaves are just coated. You might not need all the dressing, but it will keep in the fridge for a few days.

GARDEN HERB RICE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large salad bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Whisk together oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper; pour over salad and toss well. Chill for 30 minutes.

SOFT HERB SALAD

Steps:

• Up to a day before serving, wash the herbs and greens: Fill a large bowl or clean sink with plenty of cold water. Immerse the leaves, swish around to loosen any dirt, then gently lift out. Dry in a salad spinner or by spreading them on clean kitchen towels. (If working ahead, refrigerate the dry leaves in sealed plastic bags or containers. Add a paper towel to each bag to absorb excess water.)
• Melt butter in a frying pan until it sizzles. Add almonds. Sauté over low heat, until the almonds are golden and the butter is browned. Lift out almonds and drain on paper towels, reserving butter. (Butter can be kept for 1 day. Melt and cool again before assembling salad.)
• When ready to serve, place greens in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper, chile flakes, almonds, cooking butter, lemon juice and olive oil. Toss gently and season to taste, then serve immediately.

HERB GARDEN SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. To make the toasts, arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and brush one side with one tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil about 4 inches from the heat until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the slices over and toast. Remove from the oven while warm, and rub one side of each toast with the cut surface of the garlic. Transfer to a rack and set aside.
• To prepare the salad, combine the sherry and red wine vinegars and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl. Add the greens, parsley, chives, dill, tarragon, mint, and microgreens. Season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat the greens with the dressing. Place the garlic toasts on serving plates. Divide the salad on top of the toasts.
• Herbs are the leaves and sometimes the flowers of a plant. Spices are seeds, bark, and dried berries. Some recipes and cookbooks will specify 1 teaspoon of a freshly chopped herb or 1/2 teaspoon of a dried herb. This substitution ratio assumes that the herbs are freshly dried and very potent with essential oils. The truth is, many dried herbs and spices are not stored correctly or not replaced often enough, so the herbs are actually less potent than their fresh counterparts. I almost always use fresh herbs.