Red Hot Mamas In Charge of Change.
By: Red Hot Mamas
Published: August 29, 2014
Recipe # 1: Your Basic Salad Supper
Total preparation time 20 minutes
PREP MATERIALS:
1. Grill pan or heavy duty fry pan if protein source is steak, pork loin or tofu; steamer if shrimp/prawns/fish
2. Salad bowl
3. Chef’s knife; cutting board
INGREDIENTS:
1. “Protein:” Steak (Round; Sirloin or New York) or pork loin or tofu or prawns or salmon or ?
2. Salad greens Be inventive: Asian greens, spinach, arugula, leaf lettuce etc.
3. Veggies. Be inventive: tomatoes, red Italian od bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, cucumbers, broccoli, asparagus etc. Cut into whatever size you like.
4. “Other stuff” Be inventive: avocado, walnuts or other nuts,, dries cranberries, raisins, apples, strawberries, cheese chunks, etc.
5. Loaf of your favorite bakery bread; olive oil.
6. Salad dressing. Can be commercial but here’s a great home-made recipe:
Four-fifths oil (olive, walnut, safflower, etc.) to one-fifth acid (vinegar, lemon juice or combo….half lemon juice, half seasoned rice wine vinegar.)
Add good quality hot/sweet mustard (small amount).
Add some sort of herb, fresh is best (dill or basil); small amount crushed garlic (1 clove); fresh ground pepper.
A bit of sugar to balance the lemon juice/vinegar.
You can make just enough for the meal, put it in a bowl with a small whisk for serving or (better) make a big jar of it refrigerate for ongoing use…
PREPARATION:
1. Prepare the “protein.” If prawns, steam them for 1-2 minutes & place in refrigerator; If salmon, steam or poach or grill or whatever; If steak or pork loin, season & grill on stovetop (BBQ grilling OK as well, but may add another layer of complexity…) When “done” set aside to retain juices and cut into thin strips and set aside. If tofu, cut into bite-sized chunks and season (garlic salt, herbs, etc.—go light…) and quick saute (not > 5 minutes) and set aside.
2. Prepare the salad: Lettuce into bowl, topped with as much of the veggies ‘n “other stuff” you have around the kitchen. Top with the “protein” (tofu, meat, fish…)
3. Cut bread; pour good quality olive oil (? With a few sprinkles of Balsamic vinegar…) into small dipping plate.
4. Pour salad dressing into bowl with small ladle-type spoon for everyone to dress their salad themselves.
…So long as the salad is undressed, what’s left over may be containerized for “lunch”.
