Kardeas Chefs Salad Recipes

FOUR BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until still very crisp, 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to the ice water until cool. Cut in half.
• Whisk together the oil, honey, mustard, vinegar and garlic in a large bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the green beans, lima beans, kidney beans, white beans, almonds, cranberries and scallions and toss until everything is coated. Season to taste. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 day.

GRILLED ROMAINE CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• For the croutons: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the bread cubes with the oil and House Seasoning in a medium bowl. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and toasted, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
• For the dressing: Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, Parmesan, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the dressing is thin enough to drizzle.
• For the salad: Heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the cut sides of the romaine halves with the oil and season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Place the halves cut-side down on the pan and cook until slightly charred, about 2 minutes. Transfer each half cut-side up on a plate. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the croutons, Parmesan and lemon zest.
• Stir together the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

MARDI GRAS SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Toss together the sweet potatoes and beets on the baking sheet. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the oil over top, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread into a single layer and roast until the potatoes are cooked through and the beets are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the mustard, Creole seasoning, onion powder and sugar in a large salad bowl. Whisk in the vinegar, then whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon oil in a slow stream. Continue whisking until the dressing is emulsified.
• Add the green and red cabbage and green onions to the bowl and toss to coat with the dressing. Add the roasted potatoes and beets and toss gently to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

KALE CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• For the dressing: Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Parmesan, olive oil, mustard, anchovy paste, pepper, salt and garlic in a large bowl. Set aside to let the flavors marry.
• For the salad: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and heat another 30 seconds, then add the bread cubes. Cook, tossing often, until the bread cubes are beginning to brown and get crispy, about 6 minutes. Season with the salt and 2 tablespoons Parmesan and cook until the cubes are evenly golden and crispy, another 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.
• Add the baby kale to the bowl with the dressing. Toss gently to coat. Add the toasted bread and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan to the salad and toss once again.

WARM ASPARAGUS SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water.
• Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook until just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to the ice water. Once cooled, drain and pat dry and add to a medium bowl.
• Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the walnuts and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour mixture over the asparagus and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To serve, transfer asparagus to a platter and scatter Parmesan on top. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve immediately.

SOUTHERN TEA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• For the onion cream cheese: Stir together the cream cheese, chives, green onions and garlic powder in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the egg and bacon salad: Stir together the mayonnaise, parsley, shallots, mustard, paprika, eggs and bacon in a medium bowl. Add more mayonnaise if you prefer a creamier egg salad. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the sandwiches: Place 4 of the bread slices on a cutting board and spread each with about 3 tablespoons of the onion cream cheese in an even layer on one side. Top with a single layer of smoked salmon, squeeze some lemon juice over the salmon and then cover with a second slice of bread to form 4 sandwiches. Cut the crusts off. Slice each sandwich in half crosswise and then cut each half diagonally to create 4 triangle-shaped finger sandwiches. Place a cucumber round on top of each sandwich and arrange on a platter.
• Place 4 of the bread slices on a cutting board and spread each with about 1/4 cup of the egg and bacon salad in an even layer on one side. Cover with a second slice of bread to form 4 sandwiches. Cut the crusts off. Slice each sandwich in half crosswise and then cut each half diagonally to create 4 triangle-shaped finger sandwiches. Arrange on a platter.

LIMA BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• For the salad: Combine the lima beans, broth and bacon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the lima beans are tender and cooked through, adding the corn during the last 2 minutes of cooking, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and discard the bacon and drain the beans and corn. Set aside to come to room temperature.
• Make the vinaigrette: Sprinkle the garlic with about 1/4 teaspoon salt. Use the flat side of a chef's knife to press down on the garlic and drag it across the cutting board. Keep mincing, pressing and dragging the garlic until it forms a paste. Place the garlic paste in a large bowl. Add the vinegar, honey and celery seeds. Gradually whisk in the oil until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the lima beans and corn, tomatoes, peppers and onions and toss until combined. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve at room temperature.

FRIED SKILLET CORN SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the pork belly and cook until crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet to paper towels to drain, reserving the drippings in the skillet.
• Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the butter and heat until melted. Add the onion and bell pepper. Season with salt and cook until the vegetables are softened and begin to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the corn and season with salt and pepper, then chop the pork belly. Add the pork belly and tomatoes and cook until the corn is softened and the tomatoes begin to release their liquid, about 5 minutes more.

ITALIAN CAESAR SALAD WITH POLENTA CROUTONS

Steps:

• To make the dressing: Finely chop the garlic and anchovies in a food processor. Blend in the lemon juice and mustard. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the dressing, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• To make the croutons: Spread the olive oil over a small baking sheet. Transfer the hot polenta to the baking sheet, spreading evenly to form an 8 by 5 by 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Cover and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours.
• Cut the polenta into 3/4-inch cubes. Pat the polenta cubes dry with paper towels. Add enough vegetable oil to a heavy large frying pan to come 1-inch up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil over high heat. Working in batches of 10, carefully add the polenta cubes to the oil 1 at a time and fry until golden brown, stirring to keep the cubes separate, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the polenta croutons to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
• (The dressing and polenta croutons can be prepared 1 day ahead up to this point. Cover the dressing and polenta croutons separately and refrigerate. Rewarm the polenta croutons on a baking sheet in a 350 degrees F oven before serving.)
• To make the salad: Prepare the barbecue for high heat. Grill the lettuce until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side. Cut the lettuce into bite-size pieces.
• On a serving platter, mound the grilled chopped lettuce. Decoratively scatter the sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts. Drizzle with enough dressing to evenly coat. Sprinkle Parmesan and scatter the warm polenta croutons over and serve immediately.
• Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 12 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted.
• Lightly oil a half sheet pan. Transfer the hot polenta to the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly to 3/4-inch thick. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours.