My family recently visited relatives in France and we enjoyed many of the things France has to offer, including of course, the food.
My cousin Martine is a wonderful cook who enjoys using many of the fresh seasonal foods available in Toulouse, as I do in Wisconsin. She treated us to tasty salads, home-made fois gras, and some interesting food combinations.
In honor of Israel Independence Day, we are sharing some ideas for preparing some products grown in France, the U.S., and of course, Israel. Bon appetit.
Martine’s Salad
Arrange the following ingredients in individual sections on a large platter:
Blanched asparagus
Bibb or butter lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
Sliced Belgian endive
Tomato wedges
Soy bean sprouts (or other bean sprouts)
Hard boiled eggs, cut into wedges
Young leeks that have been trimmed of the dark green portion of leaves, halved, and well-rinsed of sand and grit, then boiled gently in salted water and cut into 3-or 4-inch lengths
Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced green herbs of your choice, such as chives, dill, parsley or chervil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Pass dressing with platter of salad, allowing each person to enjoy whichever items they desire.
Spring Salad
2 cups romaine, leaf or bibb lettuce, sliced into 1- or 2- inch wide slices
3 cups sliced or slivered beets, fresh, roasted or canned (well drained)
2 navel oranges, peeled and sliced
1 cup trimmed raw aspara- gus spears (tips reserved for other use), stems cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon minced green herbs of your choice, such as chives, dill, parsley, or chervil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Arrange lettuce on plate and top with beets. Place sliced oranges in a circle over beets. Combine dressing ingredients and toss with asparagus ribbons shortly before serving. Mound asparagus ribbons in center of oranges and serve. Serves 4.
Sunny Chicken Salad with Dates
2 to 3 cups cut-up cooked chicken
3/4 cup medjool dates, pits removed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup diced celery or sliced bok choy
1 cup slivered or sliced
carrots, cooked until tender-crisp
2 kiwis, peeled and cut into eighths
1 green onion, thinly sliced, optional
1/2 cup toasted salted nuts, such as pecans, almonds, or pistachios
optional: bed of lettuce
Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange or lime peel
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger root or 1/8 teaspoon dried ginger, optional
pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
salt and pepper to taste
Place chicken, dates, cel- ery or bok choy, carrots, kiwi chunks, and green onion in a mixing bowl and set aside.
In a smaller bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour over chicken and toss gently to mix. Transfer mixture to serving dish or lettuce lined platter. Just before serving, sprinkle salad with toasted nuts. Serves 4-5.
Crema de Avocado
1 ripe avocado (avocado should yield to gentle pressure from your thumb like a ripe pear)
juice from 1 fresh lemon
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
Cut avocado in half lengthwise. Remove and discard pit. Puree avocado in food processor or blender until very smooth; add lemon juice and 2 tablespoons sugar and process again. Taste and add more sugar if desired. Transfer to 3 or 4 small bowls.
Chill avocado crème for several hours. Serve as a dessert. Serves 3 or 4.
Donna Glassman is owner and chef of Herbs and Spice LLC catering in Milwaukee. She also teaches cooking classes for adults through Milwaukee Area Technical College.
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