Posted July 14, 2011
When temperatures soar, eating a heavy meal can make a person feel sluggish — if not catatonic. That is why summer is the prime time for crisp, light foods. And nothing fits the bill like a crunchy salad.
That is what many patrons are looking for when they walk into Audra Moses’ restaurant, the Purple Pickle, in Darien.
“In the summertime, people like fruity salads. We have several special summer salads. We have a mixed berry salad. That has mixed greens, strawberries, Mandarin oranges, blueberries, candied almonds, feta cheese and grilled chicken,” she said.
“We also make our own mixed berry vinaigrette. It’s a mix of strawberry and blackberry.”
Fresh veggies are another big draw. Kate Buchanan, owner of Indigo Coastal Shandy, in Brunswick, says she looks for bright salads during summer.
“I think people want something cool, crisp and creative,” Buchanan said.
Her answer to that challenge is a fattoush salad. It’s has a Middle Eastern flair but remains manageable for amateur chefs.
“You can make your own vinaigrette or buy it. Then you take leftover flat bread or pita bread, tear it into chunks, drizzle it with olive oil and toast that until it’s crisp,” she said.
In a bowl, toss either bibb or romaine lettuce. Then add vine-ripe tomatoes, cucumbers cut into chunks, diced scallions, sweet red onions and red or yellow bell pepper. Put in a rough chop of mint or parsley and a crumble of feta cheese. Add the toasted flat bread in a bowl and drizzle it with the vinaigrette dressing.
“Let it sit for a minute or two. That way the bread gets to soak up the juices of the tomatoes and the other good stuff,” she said.
At Buchanan’s restaurant, the kitchen staff adds chicken or fish to the salad to create a dinner entree.
“You can eat it on its own, with cracked black pepper, topped with a yogurt raita sauce. We grill chicken or fish to take it from a lunch salad to dinner salad. It’s a killer … super fresh with a rustic feel from the torn flat bread,” she said.
Try this at home
To make a sweet cucumber salad, assemble these ingredients:
4 cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon dried dill, or to taste
Directions
Toss together the cucumbers and onion in a large bowl. Combine the vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and pour over the cucumber and onions. Stir in dill, cover, and refrigerate until cold. This can also be eaten at room temperature, but be sure to allow the cucumbers to marinate for at least 1 hour.
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Copyright © 2011, The Brunswick News, Ga.
