Thank you Dorri for sharing a delicious farm-fresh summer salad that’s super quick and easy with 5-minute prep for busy nights. I’m hungry just looking at it. The key is just picked flavor at Gazy Brothers Farm.
We were heading to an afternoon BBQ and wanted to bring something easy but delicious … and so this salad was born.
Variations of this could include adding some feta cheese, or using cilantro/lime combo instead of basil/lemon combo for more of a salsa feel. Anyway you chop it you will be so happy you did. If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, refrigerate and enjoy over several days with the flavors intensifying in a very pleasing way.
Ingredients (party-sized to fit half a watermelon shell, adjust as needed – this is a very forgiving recipe):
4-5 large Ripe Tomato
5-6 Pickling Cucumbers
10 Small Radishes
Basil bunch
Can of Pink Beans (or kidney beans, chickpeas)
Olive oil (quarter-cup or more to taste)
White balsamic vinegar (quarter-cup or more to taste)
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste (we used 1/4 teaspoon of both as a starting point)
Watermelon shell (for easy serving at a party)
Step 1:
Wash veggies well including the basil (which you can blot or spin dry).
Step 2:
Chop, chop, chop … tomatoes, cucumbers into chunky bite sized pieces. Trim and slice thin pieces of radish. Combine in a big bowl using care to not lose the tomato liquid from chopping (so much flavor there).
Step 3:
Remove basil leaves from stems then using a scissors to cut the basil into strips and add to veggies in the bowl.
Step 4:
Rinse canned beans to reduce starch, drain and add to chopped veggies. Mix well to distribute.
Step 5:
Make the dressing by mixing oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. We started with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and adjusted after 10 minutes to taste adding more as needed. If you need more vinegar or oil add it but as this salad sits more juice is released from the tomatoes.
Step 6:
Transfer veggie salad to hollowed watermelon half (and if you are adventurous you can even add some of the watermelon to the salad)
When I think of summer I think of tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh Gazy Brothers Farm veggies. Panzanella is a great way to use leftover veggies and bread. It’s also a wonderful salad to bring to picnics and outdoor events.
For this particular recipe I started with a basic panzanella recipe from Ina Garten. Instead of a simple oil and vinegar dressing I made a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette . I really love the flavor and intensity that sun-dried tomato brings to any basic vinaigrette recipe. Sun-dried tomato vinaigrettes can be used thru the summer as a way to add a depth of flavor into any summer salad; like this panzanella.
Panzanella Ingredients: 
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Ingredients for the vinaigrette:
3-4 heaping tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Drizzle bread cubes with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place on sheet pan and toast in 325 degree oven until golden brown. It usually takes 10-20 minutes. Make sure to keep your eye on it doesn’t burn.
Make the vinaigrette by adding sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, and garlic in food processor blender. Pulse to combine. Add cherry tomatoes and olive oil – blend till smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, and basil.
Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.
Why? Reduced risk of chronic disease, plus they are packed with nutrition to fuel our bodies and minds. But the most important reason is they are easy to use, quick to cook, and oh so tasty.
Also, this is a great prep ahead and cook last minute dish.
You can switch these ingredients for so many variations, whatever is fresh and strikes your fancy at the farmers market or CSA basket. Try substituting chard for beet greens, spinach, chicory, leaf lettuce, watercress, Chinese cabbage, collard greens, kale, or arugula and you’ll still get that same great powerhouse punch.
Check out these other powerhouse foods studied for their nutrient density by the CDC.
Yield: 3 servings
Ingredients:
Rainbow chard, 1 bunch, chopped (~5 cups)
Onion, ½ large, chopped
Green garlic, 2 stalks, sliced in rounds
Baby Bella mushrooms, 2 cups
Salt and Pepper to taste (or ¼ teaspoon each)
Coconut oil, 1 teaspoon
Optional: Orange peel (can be added during sautéing for brightness)
Step 1: Prepare the chard by washing, spinning damp dry, and roughly chopping. Discard the toughest part of the stem; the rest softens a bit in cooking, but some prefer to remove the stem entirely.
Step 2: Chop onion half, slice mushrooms, and slice green garlic stalks into rounds. (We include the green tops of the stalks – yummy.) If you are preparing more items, you could hold ingredients at this step until a few minutes before eating for best flavor.
Step 3: Sauté onion, garlic, and mushroom in oil for 5 minutes to soften.
Step 4: Pile on the chopped chard and sauté, watching and turning the chard periodically and cooking until just wilted down and tender – you want to give this a quick cook so that you retain as much nutrition and flavor as possible.
Step 5: Salt and pepper to taste, toss thoroughly. Eat and enjoy.
Serving suggestion – this makes a great breakfast or brunch dish with a poached or fried egg on top.
Nutrition Analysis
Recipe yields 3 servings. Per serving, using ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper: 51 calories, 8 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams dietary fiber, 2 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 3 grams protein, 503 milligrams potassium, 329 milligrams sodium, 189 micrograms vitamin A.
Type of dish: Condiment, Salad, Side Dish
For salad
8 firm-ripe Bosc pears (4 lb), peeled, cored, and each cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
1 1/2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small head chicory
1 small head escarole
1 small head radicchio
1 bunch watercress, coarse stems discarded
1 bunch mizuna, coarse stems discarded
1 small head romaine
For dressing
1 Tablespoon finely chopped shallot
2 1/2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Roast pears and make salad:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
Toss pears with oil and spread in 1 layer in a 17- by 12-inch shallow baking pan, then season with salt and pepper. Roast pears, stirring and turning over twice, until pears are tender and beginning to brown, 20 to 30 minutes, then cool about 15 minutes.
While pears are roasting and cooling, tear enough tender chicory and escarole leaves (discard ribs) into bite-size pieces to measure 6 cups total. Tear enough radicchio, watercress, mizuna, and romaine into bite-size pieces to measure 10 cups total. Toss torn greens in a large bowl and reserve remaining greens for another use.
Make dressing and toss salad:
Whisk together shallot, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.
Just before serving, add roasted pears and dressing to greens and toss to combine well.
Salad greens can be washed and dried 1 day ahead, then chilled, wrapped in paper towels, in a sealed plastic bag.
Pears can be roasted 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.
Recipe courtesy of Gazy Brothers Farm
Type of dish: Condiment, Salad, Side Dish
My kids will ask if I’m pickling beets every time they see beets in the house, and will fight to be the first to get a taste. They absolutely love pickled beets!
1 pound fresh small beets, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon pickling salt
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
Place beets in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes depending on the size of the beets. If beets are large, cut them into quarters. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the beet water, cool and peel. If you’d like, you can slice the beets at this point (which I often do).
In a saucepan, combine the sugar, beet water, vinegar, and pickling salt. Bring to a rapid boil. Pour the hot brine over the beets.
For canning: Sterilize jars and lids by immersing in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Fill each jar with beets, pouring brine over beets in jars.
Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
Recipe courtesy of Gazy Brothers Farm
Type of dish: Salad, Side Dish
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Cook green beans in boiling salted water to cover 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain and pat dry. Place in a serving bowl; cover and chill at least 2 hours.
Add chopped onion and Lemon Vinaigrette to beans, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with feta and walnuts. Garnish, if desired.
Type of dish: Condiment
Lemon Vinaigrette
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a small bowl; gradually whisk in oil until blended.
Recipe courtesy of Gazy Brothers Farm
Type of dish: Salad, Side Dish
1 pound fresh kohlrabi, trimmed, peeled, grated or cut into batons with a Benriner
2 apples, peeled, grated or cut into batons (try to keep equivalent volumes of kohlrabi:apple)
DRESSING
1/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon good mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt & pepper to taste – go easy here
Fresh mint, chopped
Whisk cream into light pillows – this takes a minute or so, no need to get out a mixer. Stir in remaining dressing ingredients, the kohlrabi and apple. Serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy of Gazy Brothers Farm
Type of dish: Salad, Side Dish
2 beets, scrubbed
1 bunch lettuce, rinsed and dried
1 bunch arugula, rinsed and dried
2 fresh peaches – peeled, pitted and sliced
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped
1 (4 ounce) package goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375° F. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil, and place on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the beets are tender, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Allow the beets to cool slightly, then remove the skins. Let the beets cool to room temperature, or refrigerate until cold. Once cooled, thinly slice the beets.
Place the lettuce and arugula into a large mixing bowl. Add the sliced beets and peaches; sprinkle with the shallots, pistachios, and goat cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper until emulsified, and pour over the salad mixture. Toss well, and serve.
Recipe courtesy of Gazy Brothers Farm
Type of dish: Salad, Side Dish
1/3 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 shallots, sliced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 lbs mizuna, chopped
Heat oil in large sauce pan. Saute shallots, then add garlic and heat about 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in vinegar, and pour over washed greens.
Serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy of Gazy Brothers Farm