Salads, Potatoes & other Vegetable Dishes

Connie's Italian Bread and Tomato Salad (Panzanella)
Connie writes: "I had this first in a cute little cafe in Seattle. Perfect for a light supper just by itself -- cut the ingredients down of course, or it won't be so light..."

½ loaf day-old Tuscan country bread (don't use French bread -- it must have more substance)
¼ c. red wine vinegar (cabernet sauvignon is the best)
1 lg. cucumber, peeled, seeded, quartered lengthwise and cut into ¼" slices
12 ripe Italian plum tomatoes or 6 regular, sliced
1 large red onion, sliced thin
1 bunch scallions, minced
1 bunch fresh basil
¾ c. extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste

1. Cut the bread into ½" cubes and let stand out 1 hr. to dry.

2. In a large mixing bowl place dried bread cubes and sprinkle with red wine vinegar. Set aside to allow cubes to soak up vinegar (adjust vinegar amount if it starts to soak in too much or not enough). There should be a splash of red on each cube.

3. In a medium mixing bowl combine the sliced cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and scallions. Mix with bread and vinegar mixture.

4. Rip washed and paper-dried basil in ½ with hands and add.

5. Slowly sprinkle olive oil while mixing and add salt & pepper to taste.

Serves 6.

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Mom's Cantaloupe Salad
Mom had a gorgeous handmade blue-glazed bowl that she served this with. This dressing will keep a week or two in the refrigerator.

Citrus dressing:
½ of a 6oz. can frozen orange juice (or more, says Sue)
¼ c. lemon juice
2/3 c. salad oil
¼ c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
¼ c. onion, chopped
a few dashes pepper

Puree in blender.

3-4 c. cantaloupe, cubed into bite-size chunks
1 large avocado cut into small cubes (optional)
lettuce with lots of body like iceberg or romaine

Arrange the cantaloupe on the lettuce and add dressing over the top.

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Grandma's Cucumber Salad
This summertime salad is always refreshing.

2 hothouse (aka seedless or European) cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
10-15 mint leaves, washed and sliced into strips (optional; dill makes a good substitute)

2 Tbsp. oil
4 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper

Don't add the dressing until the last minute unless you like droopy cucumbers!

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Shirley's Yummous Hummous

Combine in a food processor
1 c. chick peas (canned are best)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
lemon juice (to taste)
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 c. tahini (roasted sesame tahini is best)
1/4-1/2 c. water
pepper & paprika

Blend until smooth, adding water until at desired consistency.

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Janos' Jicama Salad
Mom writes: "Allan worked for Janos, a famous southwest chef and learned a lot prepping for the cooks. He taught me a lot about fancy food preparation. Heaven forbid if I ever forgot to remove the hard part of the lettuce in the salad! Allan looked down his nose at me!"

Mix for dressing:
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. rice vinegar
3-4 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. salad oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper

1 can diced green chilies
1 large or 2 small jicama peeled and julienned

1/2 red onion, diced

Let sit overnight in the fridge, turning occasionally.

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Mom's Salade Niçoise
Mom's recipe owes much to Charles Clement's recipe, below.

dressing:
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon good mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Pinch of basil and oregano
½ to 1/3 cup olive oil

Marinate in about ½ of the dressing:
1/3 to ½ pound cooked string beans
6-8 boiled and peeled new potatoes

Then arrange in layers in a large salad bowl:
Romaine lettuce
String beans
Potatoes
Tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs
Tuna and anchovies

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Charles Clement's Sauce Vinaigrette
Charles was a sculptor and muralist during the 1960s and 70s in Tucson. He is best known for the sculpture that adorns the Thomas-Davis Clinic, the Administration building on campus, and the Land and Title Building on Church. He and his wife Louise were Connie's godparents, and Louise was mom's best friend. The source for this recipe is a 1960s cookbook published by the Tucson Art League.

In a cup place:

1/8 tsp. coarse ground pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Guldens dry or prepared mustard
1 tbsps. red wine vinegar

Mix these ingredients well until dissolved, then add:

1 tbsps. good imported olive oil
1 tbsp. Wesson oil

Thoroughly mix all and pour over mixed green salad just before serving.

Variations for salad:

• Add 1 small can flat fillet of anchovies to greens.
• Add small chunks of stale french bread rubbed in garlic.
• Add oregano or basil to sauce.
• Use this sauce, together with 2 tbsps. chopped parsley and 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic as a marinade over sliced green beans (cooked) and marinate 3-4 hours. Before serving, chill.

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Grandma's Pickled Carrots

Carrots sliced into bite-size pieces & cooked al dente
Red onion sliced to ring platter
Green peppers

Dressing:
In a Pyrex 2-cup measure, pour in
¼ c. cider vinegar
salt
pepper
shot of Maggi
1/3 c. olive oil
½ c. orange juice
Whisk, let stand 10-15 minutes, then taste. If it is too oily, add more salt. If it is too sharp, add more OJ or some sugar.

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Janet Saad's Lebanese-style Tabouli
Simply the best recipe there is. Most recipes skimp on the parsley and omit the mint.

1 c. fine bulghur wheat (rinse, then soak in 2 c. water for 1 hr., drain)
2 c. finely chopped parsley
1 c. chopped scallions
1 c. fresh mint leaves
2 diced tomatoes
juice of 2 lemons
1/3 c. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. cinnamon

1. Soak bulghur in water (enough to cover) for ½ hr. then drain.
2. Put chopped vegetables in a large bowl then add the bulghur wheat.
3. Combine the lemon juice, oil, salt & pepper. Mix well then add to wheat & vegetable mixture. Toss to coat.

Serve with pita bread warmed & cut into triangles.

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Cafe Magritte's Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette
Allan says that this recipe is for a restaurant-size batch. He always has extra to give away when he makes this!

Place in a food processor:
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 bunches cilantro (no stems)
1 bunch chopped scallions
1 1/2 c. white vinegar
1 12oz. can of limeade concentrate

Blend until pureed. Keeps 3 days refrigerated.

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Cafe Magritte's Raspberry Vinaigrette
This also makes a huge batch of dressing.

In a food processor:
3 12 oz. cans frozen raspberry juice or cran-raspberry juice
1/4 c. stone ground mustard
1/2 c. frozen raspberries

Process until smooth, pour in a large container.

Add:
1 c. vegetable oil
4 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. cooking sherry

Mix thoroughly with a wire whisk.
Store in refrigerator.

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Creamed Spinach a la Berghoff
This is from Chicago's famous German restaurant! 30 min. cooking/prep time; serves 6. I like to make this for Thanksgiving dinner.

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole milk
1 tsp. granulated chicken base
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
white pepper to taste
2 boxes (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1. Make the cream sauce: Melt the butter in a non-aluminum saucepan. Add the onion and cook over med. heat until tender, 5-6 min. Stir in the flour and cook 1 min., stirring constantly. Whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring often, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Stir in chicken base, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Set aside, off the heat.
2. Squeeze the thawed spinach in your hands to remove as much water from it as possible. Add the spinach to the cream sauce and mix well. cook until the spinach absorbs some of the sauce, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately

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Grandma's Red Cabbage (Rotkohl)

1 large red cabbage
½ c. chopped bacon (4 slices)
1 Tbsp. salt
5 Tbsp. currant jelly
1 c. vinegar (½ wine, ½ white)
3 apples
2 bay leaves

Take off the outside leaves of the cabbage. halve and then quarter them. Cut out the center and cut quarter pieces into thin slices (i.e.: shred).

Brown bacon in a large, deep pot, then reduce heat to low. Add sliced cabbage.

Peel and core the apples. Add the salt, jelly, vinegars, apples and the bay leaves to the cabbage. Cover and turn up to med. heat. Cook about 1 ½ hours. Taste for salt.

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Norma's Sliced Tomatoes with Basil
This dish never fails to remind me of the glories of Norma & Carl's summertime garden.

2 med. red ripe tomatoes
Boston lettuce leaves

dressing:
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
¼ tsp. sugar (optional)
½ tsp. salt; pepper to taste
1 heaping tsp. snipped fresh basil or ¼ tsp. crumbled dried basil
3 Tbsp. olive oil

1) Dip tomatoes in boiling water for 1 seconds, peel, cut out stem ends. Slice thin and arrange slightly overlapping on lettuce leaves & refrigerate.
2) Shake dressing ingredients in a jar. Before serving, drizzle tomatoes & lettuce with dressing.

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Grandma's Weinkraut with Apples

Grandma apparently adapted two recipes from Luchow's German Cookbook (pp. 168 and 86 if you are curious). Serves 4-6.

Stewed apples:
2 lbs. apples
2 Tbsp. butter
½ c. sugar
½ c. water
½ c. white wine

1. Wash apples; peel and core them and cut into thick slices.
2. Sauté in butter 2 or 3 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar.
3. Add water, wine and cover; cook slowly until apples are tender.

1 qt. sauerkraut or canned weinkraut
¼ c. sliced onion
2 Tbsp. butter or bacon drippings
stewed apples (see above)

1. Drain kraut slightly.
2. Cook onion in butter or drippings until transparent.
3. Add sauerkraut; stir; cook slowly.
4. Transfer the kraut to an oven-safe dish and add stewed apples; cover and finish cooking in a moderate oven (325°) for 30 min. longer.
   

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Grandma's Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelklösse)
This is the one dish that Mom & Grandma always served with Sauerbraten and Wine braten. The goal is to make them as light as possible. Grandmother's floated away! This recipe makes 8-9 large dumplings.

approx. 5 lbs. Idaho potatoes, peeled & cut into uniform chunks
croutons (stale bread cubes lightly sautéed in butter)
4 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp. Salt
nutmeg
¾ c. farina (do not use instant or quick-cook farina)
¾ c. flour
pot of salted water

1. Boil potatoes in salted water and rice them.
2. Add the salt, nutmeg, farina and flour to the riced potatoes. Gently mix together and then add the slightly beaten eggs. Blend, using your hands.
3. Form the dumplings around a couple croutons.
4. Bring your large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in dumplings & let boil, then let them stand 15 min.

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Grandma's Potato Pancakes (Reibekuchen)

3 large Idaho potatoes, peeled & grated
1 med. onion, grated
1 egg
nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
Maggi
scoop of flour
peanut oil

Mix ingredients well and fry in hot peanut oil. Serve with applesauce.

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Grandma's German Potato Salad (as written by Norma)
What can I say? This is legendary stuff.

3 lbs. small red potatoes
boil potatoes, let cool, peel and slice

1 beef or chicken cube
½ c. water
1 med. onion, chopped
fine white pepper to taste

Put chopped onions on top of sliced potatoes. Bring water and bouillon cube to boil and our over potatoes and onions. Add a dash of pepper. Let potatoes stand and marinate a while.

Dressing:
Boil in sauce pan:
1 c. white vinegar
a bit of water
Maggi
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Sugar

Pour vinegar mixture over potatoes, mix.

Add:
2 Tbsp. olive or salad oil
1 raw egg yolk
bits of fried bacon
hot bacon fat

Mix all ingredients together. Let stand.

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Connie's Nearly Fat-free Red Potato Salad
Connie made these tasty spuds for Allan's wedding BBQ.

4 lbs or 9 cups cubed red potatoes (cooked and drained, skin on)

Toss with 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar and 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Dressing:
1 cup light mayonnaise (or Light Miracle Whip)
1 cup plain non fat yogurt (you can also use light sour cream)
1-2 Tbsp. coarse brown or dijon mustard
1 ½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 cup red onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. dry dill weed, or 2 Tbsp. if fresh

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Pat's Decadent Sweet Potatoes
Mom's friend Pat made this one Thanksgiving and I get requests for it every year.

8 large red yams
milk
¼ c. butter
brown sugar
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ c. bourbon

1. Boil yams 'til soft.
2. Remove, cool, peel and remove the centers; mash like potatoes.
3. Beat in the milk, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon & bourbon.
4. Grease a soufflé dish with butter and line it with chopped pecans.
5. Add the potato mixture and top with more pecans; sprinkle with brown sugar.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.

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Grandma's German Style String Bean Salad
Allan says he associates this salad with summer and Tupperware containers in Mom's fridge. It keeps well, so it can be made ahead.

1 lb slender green beans, ends removed, then cut into 1"- 1 1/2" pcs. drop into boiling water for 4 minutes, them immediately into cold water. Drain when cool.

Add:
1/4 sweet onion (Vidalia or Walla Walla), minced
1/4 cup parsley, minced

The dressing:

1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tbsp canola oil
salt, pepper to taste

Stir very well and chill in refrigerator 2-3 hrs before serving.

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