SALAD DAYS
There is a lot of info on this page, so scroll all the way down.

The following salad dressings are simple and a little different than store bought, if you have the time to make fresh. Always try to keep a couple of lemons and limes and a good extra-virgin olive oil in the house for whipping up fresh dressings.

First, however, here are a few simple prep directions:

Spinach: This wonder veggie is a challenge to clean properly. It grows in a rosette shape very close to the ground and tends to get gritty. To remove the maximum amount of grit in the quickest way, fill you sink with cold water and place the amount of spinach you want to use in the sink. Gently swish it back and forth, changing the water a couple of times if necessary, until the water stays clean. Drain and pat dry, trim the larger stems and it is ready to use.

Kale: Prepare it in much the same way as spinach, although it grows tall and very rarely gets gritty. Stack the washed leaves, 3-4 at a time, trim the leaf from the stems (don't discard the stems for salads) and chop or shred the leaves for fresh use or leave whole for steaming or cooking.
Chop the stems into small pieces for a crunchy and healthy addition to your salad.

Lettuce and Arugula: Rinse under cool running water.
(Click here for Food Safety Info and how to properly wash veggies)

"Italian restaurants often serve arugula on its own with a strong garlic flavored oil and vinegar dressing. Mixed with milder greens and a good dressing, arugula is less dominating."

ARUGULA SALAD
Yield: 4 servings
1 Garlic clove; peeled
1/4 ts Salt
2 tb Balsamic vinegar
1 ts Dijon mustard
1/3 c Olive oil
2 c Mixed lettuce leaves
1 c Arugula; any large stems removed
1/2 lb Mushrooms; sliced
1 Sweet red pepper
In a wooden salad bowl, rub garlic and salt into the bowl to season it. Combine vinegar, mustard and olive oil; stir. Tear lettuce into bite sized pieces, along with arugula. Add mushrooms and slices of red pepper. Toss well and serve.

SALAD DRESSINGS

"Not on the First Date" Red Onion/Shallot Dressing
1/2 C olive oil
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1 medium shallot, minced, or 2 T red onion, minced
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp general purpose spice blend
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp Seasoned or Sea Salt
Combine in blender at top speed for about a minute, so that all of the onion or shallot is reduced. The result should be a creamy pink dressing.
Chill overnight in refrigerator. The result is a mild, oniony dressing with a slightly sweet edge.
This type of dressing is good with salads containing strong greens as the sweetness is a counterpoint to the slightly bitter taste of kale, for example.

Mom's Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette 
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
4 tsp cold water
6-8 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp each of salt and black pepper
Optional: 1/4 - 1/2 tsp herbs such as dill or basil
Warm vinegar and honey in microwave for 20 seconds or more until honey dissolves in vinegar. Add remaining ingredients and whisk well. Shake vigorously after pouring into a bottle and chill before serving.

Southwestern Vinaigrette 
1/2 C extra light olive oil
1/4 C white or rice wine vinegar
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cilantro
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cumin
Shake, chill and serve. If you generally top your salad with cheese, pair this dressing with a mild cotija or colby. Avoid sharp or bitter cheeses such as bleu and feta.

Basil-Sesame Dressing 
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 T rice wine vinegar
1 T lemon juice
2 T asiago or the cheese of your choice
1/2 tsp dried basil
2-4 leaves of fresh basil
2 T chopped Italian or regular parsley
1/2 C extra light olive oil
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp black pepper
Combine in blender until thoroughly mixed. Chill and serve with a green salad. It's a spooky color but tastes great.

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette 
1/2 C extra light olive oil
2 T plain yoghurt
2 T lemon juice
2 T rice vinegar 1/4 C fresh, shreaded cilantro leaves, tightly packed
1/4 tsp each garlic powder, thyme and black pepper
1/8 tsp cumin
a squeeze of fresh lime juice - about a quarter lime Combine in a blender until fully mixed. Chill and serve.

Don't have a name for this one but this slightly herby, garlic-scented dressing is delicious tossed with mixed greens as well in a hearty chef’s salad. It can also be served as a dip for crudites.
1 cup mayonnaise 
1 cup buttermilk
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed 
1 tablespoon sliced green onion 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 
1 teaspoon dried tarragon 
salt and pepper 
1. In a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade or your blender, combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, garlic, green onion, parsley, and tarragon. 
2. Process until smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. 
3. Transfer to a bowl or jar, cover, and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend. 

Here is a quick collection of okra recipes from around the world!

KOTTOPOULA ME MPAMIEZ (CHICKEN WITH OKRA) GREEK

3 pounds Cut-up chicken parts (fryer)
Salt & peper to taste
3 pounds Fresh okra
1/2 cup Vinegar
3/4 cup Butter
1 Onion, med. -- chopped
1 1/2 pounds Tomatoes, peeled -- strained
2 cups Water
Wash the chickens. (If they are whole, cut into serving pcs.). Season lightly with salt & pepper, and set them aside to drain. Wash the okra. Remove the stems carefully, without cutting the okra. Line them up in a large flat pan and sprinkle with the vinegar; place in the sun for 30 min to 1 hour.

Brown the butter in a pot, add the chicken, and saute until brown, then add the onion and let it brown. Add the tomatoes and boil for 3 to 5 min. Add water. Simmer for 30 min. Add okra and continue to simmer, covered, until tender. Watch carefully as this may need a little more water. The okra will have absorbed the liquid and only the oil should remain when the dish is cooked.

OKRA BEIGNETS

2 cups Okra -- Very Thinly Sliced
1 cup Onion -- Minced
1/4 cup Green Bell Pepper -- Minced
1/2 cup Cooked Rice
3 tablespoons Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 each Egg
1 tablespoon Water
1/2 teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce -- Such As Tabasco
6 tablespoons vegetable oil -- *preferably peanut
Interesting Note: This recipe was adapted from one in the late Bill Neal's "Southern Cooking" (University of North Carolina Press, 1985), where he wrote that he would like to persuade theater owners to sell fried okra instead of popcorn! His beignets are terrific as appetizers or a centerpiece to a vegetarian meal.

Mix all ingredients except the oil,which is for frying,in a large bowl. *You can get the pan fairly hot if you use peanut oil. Otherwise, watch carefully and don't burn.
Spoon the okra mixture into the skillet by the tablespoonful. Fry for about 2 minutes, or until nicely browned. Turn and cook the other side. Remove to absorbent paper and keep the beignets warm until all are cooked.

OKRA ITALIANO

1 Onion -- chopped
1 Clove garlic -- sliced
4 lg Tomatoes -- coarsey chopped
1 lb Okra -- cut into 1/2" thick -rounds
1/2 c Wine, white
1 Bay leaf
1 t Oregano
pn Sea salt
pn Black pepper
6 c Rice -- cooked, hot
2 tb Parsley, fresh -- chopped
2 tb Olives, ripe -- sliced
Combine onion, garlic, tomatoes, okra nad wine in a lare skillet and bring to a boil.

Add bay leaf and oregano. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Season with salt and pepper and ladle over rice. Garnish with parsley and olives.

SWEET & SOUR OKRA

14 oz Young okra, trimmed & cut -- into 2" lengths
7 ea Garlic cloves
1 ea Dried red chili
7 tb Water
2 ts Cumin
1 t Coriander
1/2 ts Turmeric
4 tb Vegetable oil
1 t Cumin seeds
1 t Salt
1 t Sugar
4 ts Lemon juice
Blend the garlic, chili & 3 tb water into a paste & empty into a bowl. Stir in the ground cumin, coriander & turmeric. Mix. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the cumin seeds & let them sizzle for a few seconds.
Slightly reduce the heat & pour in the spice paste. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the okra, salt, sugar & lemon juice along with remaining water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover tightly & cook over a low heat for 10 minutes.

PICKLED OKRA

This is really easy to make and is a great dill pickle alternative. I don't make mine so hot as these. And be sure you use the uniodized salt per the recipe or your okra will turn dark brown.

1 qt White vinegar
1 c Water
1/2 c Uniodized salt
Fresh okra
Dill seed
Hot red peppers
Hot green peppers
Garlic cloves
Place 1/2 t dill seed in bottom of each sterilized qt jar. Pack washed fresh okra as tightly as possible in each jar being careful not to bruise the okra. Add 1/2 tsp dill seed, 1 hot green pepper, 1 hot red pepper and 1 clove of garlic to each jar. Bring to boil the vinegar, water, and salt. Cover okra with hot mixture. Seal jars and allow to stand two weeks. Serve icy cold.

TAGINE OF OKRA & TOMATOES
(I put this recipe here because it is just strange.)

1/2 lb Okra
4 1/2 lb Tomatoes, peeled, seeded & -- chopped
2 tb Parsley, chopped
1 1/2 ts Sweet paprika
1 t Garlic, chopped
Salt
3 tb Vegetable oil
Wash, top & tail the okra. String together with thread into a "necklace". Over high heat, cook the tomatoes with the parsley, paprika, garlic, salt & oil, mashing down the tomatoes as they cook. After 10 minutes, lower the heat to medium, add the okra & begin to poach iti n the sauce. From time to time lift up the necklace to stir.

After the okra is tender, remove & keep warm. Continue to reduce the tomatoes until all the water has evaporated & the oil is released. Fry the tomatoes in this released oil, stirring continuously. Gently pull out the thread, place the okra in the serving dish. Pour the sauce over the top. Serve hot or lukewarm.

Roasted Potatoes and Shallots with Grilled Mushrooms and Arugula

Roast potatoes/shallots:
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
1/2 pound shallots, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 pound portobello or shitake mushrooms sliced 1/2" thick
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 Cups Arugula, washed, stems removed

Dressing:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Directions: 1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss potatoes, shallots, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper together in a 13 x 9" baking pan. Roast 1 hour, shaking pan occasionally during roasting. Combine dressing ingredients; set aside. 2. Drizzle mushrooms with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Grill 3 to 4 minutes per side until cooked and tender 3. Toss arugula with 2 tablespoons dressing. Add remaining dressing to potatoes and shallots; toss. Serve arugula topped with the potatoes, shallots and mushrooms.