Turkish/Middle Eastern Style Shepard's Salad

A couple of times this year I've eaten at Middle Eastern style restaurants in New York City. Every time I've dined at one of these places, an accompaniment to the meal has been something called a "Shepard's Salad." This delicate, light and tasty mixture of cucumber, tomato and red onion was a delight to my taste buds, every time.

Anyway, this hot summer weather seems like the perfect time for a salad like this. I could eat it by the bowlful on it's own, but it's also the perfect accompaniment to kabobs, fish, really, anything that has sort of a Middle Eastern or Mediterranean influence.

Shepard's Salad
Makes 4 servings


Ingredients
2 cucumbers, seeded and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, very finely chopped
1 large handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
6 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper



Combine cucumber, tomato, red onion and parsley in a bowl. For the dressing, in a separate bowl, combine red wine vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add olive oil slowly, whisking to emulsify. Pour desired amount of dressing onto cucumber and tomato mixture, and stir well.

Can be served immediately. I also kept some in the fridge overnight and it tasted just fine the next day. One tip: the firmer the tomatoes, the nicer the texture of the salad will be.

Fig, Prosciutto, and Fresh Mozzarella Salad with a Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

I think this easy salad is a taste sensation. The combination of flavors and textures really makes it a delight to eat. The figs are sweet, the lettuce leaves are crunchy, the prosciutto is salty, the salad dressing is a bit tart, and the mozzarella is soft, mild, and seems to balance the salad.



Fig, Prosciutto, and Fresh Mozzarella Salad with a Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients
4 ripe figs
1 bag of ready to use salad, or any mix of leaves you like in an appropriate portion for two
4 slices of prosciutto or other dry cured ham, cut into large pieces
Fresh mozzarella, cut into bite size pieces
3-4 tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp whole grain mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder or one garlic clove, crushed
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt

Prepare the balsamic vinegar dressing. Combine the mustard, salt, pepper, garlic, and vinegar. With a whisk in one hand, and olive oil in the other, slowly emulsify the olive oil into the other ingredients by pouring it in slowly and whisking vigorously.

Assemble the salad. Cut a crisscross into the figs, without cutting all the way through. Squeeze the bottom of the fig a bit to expose the pink flesh inside. Place lettuce on the bottom of the bowl, and distribute the other ingredients on top. Just before serving, lightly dress the salad with the dressing. Alternatively, you can leave the dressing on the side so that people can choose the amount of dressing, if any, they'd like on their salad.

TARRAGON CRAB SALAD

SERVES 4

• ACTIVE TIME:10 MIN
• START TO FINISH:10 MIN

• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3 tablespoons mild olive oil
• 1 lb jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
• 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon
• 3 tablespoons chopped chives
• 2 large tomatoes (1 1/2 to 2 lb total), sliced thick
• 3 cups baby romaine leaves

• Blend yolk, vinegar, water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a blender. With motor running, add oil in a slow stream.
• Toss crabmeat with dressing, tarragon, and chives.
• Season tomatoes with salt and serve topped with romaine and crab.

Salad with Mushrooms and Bacon

Ingredients: 250 gram diced bacon, 250 grams mushrooms, dash of white wine, lettuce, 100 grams of cucumber, 2 sundried tomatoes, chives,

Number of persons: 2

Bake 250 gram diced bacon crunchy. Add 250 grams sliced mushrooms and cook until it is soft. Add a dash of white wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Leave the bacon and mushrooms to cool down a bit. Add to the lettuce 100 grams sliced cucumber, 2 chooped sundried tomatoes and chives. Serve the salad with warm mushrooms and bacon. If you like add some dressing. Serve with baked potatoes. Enjoy!

Tortellini Salad

Ingredients: 1 bag tortellini with cheese filling, lettuce, walnuts, 2 sun-dried tomatoes, chives, dressing,

Number of persons: 3

Boil the tortellini with cheese filling al dente in boiling water with salt. Put the lettuce in a bowl and put walnuts, 2 chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chives and dressing at. Drain the tortellini and rinse with cold water. Put the tortellini by the lettuce. Enjoy!

Salad with Chicken and Cashew Nuts

Ingredients: lettuce, 150 grams diced chicken breast (already cooked), 100 grams cucumber, 1 tomato, 50 grams cashew nuts, 3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce, 1 teaspoon soy sauce,

Number of persons: 3

Put the lettuce in a bowl. Add 150 grams diced chicken breast (already cooked), 100 grams cucumber cut in strips, 1 diced tomato and 50 grams cashew nuts. Make a dressing of 3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce and 1 teaspoon soy sauce and mix it with the salad. Serve with potatoes for example. Enjoy!

COBB & BALLS SALAD

Bob Cobb would be proud...or he might be rolling in his grave.

You can’t argue with a classic. The Cobb Salad is a staple of any lunch spot. But who says it can’t kick start a date into hyper drive? It certainly passes the health stress test with the fiber, protein and low-fat content. You almost forget how nourishing it is because each bite tastes like a magical mystery tour in your mouth. The crunch of the lettuce, creaminess of the bleu cheese, aphrodisiac avocado explosion, & meaty monkey business in the chicken and bacon all lead you to one conclusion: God-fucking-damn!

Total time: approximately 10 minutes
Projected cost: $13
Drinking Buddy: Red wine

Ingredients (serves 2):
1. ½ head of romaine lettuce
2. 1 teaspoon of olive oil
3. 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar
4. ½ teaspoon of black pepper
5. 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
6. 1 handful + 1 teaspoon of bleu cheese crumbled
7. 3 strips of cooked bacon
8. 1 cooked chicken breast, grilled or baked
9. 1 avocado diced into bite-sized pieces
10. 1 hard-boiled egg
11. 1 tomato diced

Step 1
Mix up the dressing by combining the Dijon mustard, ed wine vinegar, olive oil, black pepper and 1 teaspoon of blue cheese. Set aside.

Step 2
Wash the romaine, cut off the stock, then cut bite-size pieces of lettuce, and line the bottom of a salad bowl. Throw the chopped tomato on top. Slice the egg thinly and spread them out evenly. Chop up the bacon into bits and spread it out too. Chop the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and scatter those on top. Do the same with a handful of blue cheese and crown it all with avocado.

Step 3
Serve up the plates of salad, tonging up a plateful as is. DO NOT TOSS! You want the layers of Cobb glory to shine like a Tiffany diamond. Scoop in your desired amount of dressing and let the good times roll.

WHATEVER WAS IN THE FRIDGE SALAD

Whatever, however, whoever. Just Cook To Bang.

Admittedly, this salad’s title kind of blows. Not even with the steroids I scored from Manny Ramirez can I always bat 1000. But this salad neither blew nor sucked. It was totally off the hook yet totally unplanned. I found out way too late that the young lady who came over for dinner was a militant vegetarian. Something about a misdemeanor for chaining herself to a fur coat store in college. Note to self: stop picking up girls at yoga class. The killer Salmon that is a shoe-in CTB was well out. But the consolation prize was she loved feta cheese. So into the fridge I went and in a moment of panic grabbed everything that looked like feta-friendly. The salad before you is whatever was in the fridge and it was awesome. My hippie crusader chained herself to my bed to protest us running out.

Total time: approximately 5 minutes
Projected cost: $6
Drinking Buddy: slutty

Ingredients:
1. ½ head of romaine lettuce
2. 1 tablespoon of olive oil
3. 1 pinch of herbs de Provence
4. 1 handful of kalamata olives
5. ½ lemon
6. 2 endives
7. 3 green onions chopped coarsely
8. 2 tomatoes chopped coarsely
9. 1 steamed red beet sliced thinly
10. Steamed asparagus
11. 1 small handful of feta cheese (leave out to make vegan)

Step 1
First you must prep the vegetables. Break the romaine lettuce apart every two inches and wash it all. Slice up the endives every inch or so. Also cut the asparagus every inch or so.

Step 2
Combine the sliced endives, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, beets, olives, crumbled feta cheese, Herbs de Provence, olive oil, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Toss that salad like a pro.
Serve it up to even the crunchiest of guests.

SINFUL SALVATION SALAD

Eternal culinary salvation is at your fingertips.

Praise the Lor…no wait…praise the whores! May all the sinners of the world indulge without fear of reprisal from the cock-blocking conservatives. Who are they to say what body parts you can or can’t slather in salad dressing? Do my nipples smothered in Japanese miso dressing condemn me to eternal damnation? Alas, my conscience says NO! Fear not the reprisals from an angry God bent on you burning in hell fire with sharp pitchforks piercing your soft bum. Instead we must continue our hedonist ways for the sake of our fellow sinners. This salad is all about indulging without risking tainting your soul or your healthy diet regimen. So dig in and feel no shame. You are loved. Amen.

Total time: approximately 10 minutes
Projected cost: $7
Drinking Buddy: White wine or a PANTY

Ingredients (serves 2):
1. 1 chicken breast baked
2. 1 hard-boiled egg
3. Japanese miso dressing
4. 1 handful of dried cranberries
5. Lettuce
6. 1 tomato cut in wedges
7. ½ an AVOCADO sliced thinly

Step 1
Chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Slice the hardboiled egg thinly. Cut the chicken into long strips.

Step 2
Lay out each plate in this order: lettuce, tomato, avocado, chicken, egg, cranberries and lastly Japanese miso dressing at your discretion.

Serve up without shame or fear of religious reprisal.

GRAB ASS GRAPEFRUIT SALAD

Grab ass graciously.

How about a little game of grab ass? With an ass that fine I imagine you’ll be doing a shit ton of grabbing. But how do you grab a handful of cheek without coming off like a perv? First off, you shouldn’t care if they assume you’re perv. The Cook To Bang readership is all pervs and I love you all for your debauchery. But in the effort to maintain a non-creepy mystique, here’s my suggestion: serve this salad. Then blame the grapefruit. All that vitamin C is going straight to your head and making you perform irrationally. Taking a firm hold of their bum is the only natural reaction one could expect with all those healthy ingredients. Chances are that your date will be just as randy since they too indulged. So go with it and grab ass!

Total time: approximately 7 minutes
Projected cost: $4
Drinking Buddy: RAGING HARD

Ingredients (serves 2):
1. 1 tbsp olive oil
2. 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3. 1 tsp brown sugar
4. 1 AVACADO
5. 2 grapefruit
6. 1 red cabbage

Step 1
Create the dressing by mixing the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and brown sugar.

Step 2
Remove grapefruit peel and separate sections. Chop the red cabbages into strips. Peel the avocado and cut into slices.

Step 3
Toss the cabbage, grapefruit and avocado with the dressing.

Serve them up on a plate solo or with a kick ass SINWICH

CHEEKY CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD

The Chinese have given us so much: taoism, kung fu and food fusion.

This Salad is so goddamn precocious. It thinks it can get away with anything because it is so nutritious and low fat. I turned my back for a second and it had already invited all its buddies over to my place for a salad tossing party. Don’t mistake me for some prude. I do a website called Cook To Bang after all. But these salads got buck wild under my roof. They drank all my booze, wore all my favorite clothes and one them took a joyride in my car. If you see a driving a Volvo be sure to tell it to return my wheels. But in spite of all the annoyance, I have such a soft spot for Chinese Chicken Salad that I’ll let it go. Not sure I could say the same for the

Projected cost: $9
Drinking Buddy: Arnold Palmer…w/ vodka

Ingredients (serves 2):
1. 2 tbsp soy sauce
2. 1 tsp sesame seeds
3. 1 tbsp
4. 1 can water chestnuts
5. 1 can/jar mandarin oranges
6. 1 tsp minced
7. 1 carrot shredded
8. 1/3 red cabbage cut in strips
9. 1/3 green cabbage cut on strips
10. 1 chicken breast

Step 1
Pan-steam the chicken in a thin layer of water, flipping once (approx 15 min). Cut the meat into cubes.

Step 2
Create the dressing by whisking together the soy sauce, honey, sesame seeds and ginger.

Step 3
Toss the green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, drained water chestnuts drained mandarin oranges and chicken with the dressing.

Serve up on plates for a perfect lunchtime quickie.

Seared Tuna with Avocado Grapefruit Salad

It’s Valentine’s Day, and instead of braving the crowds at some fancy expensive restaurant, we decided to cook our own gourmet meal. We splurged on some sushi-grade ahi tuna, and the results were gourmet indeed. Not to mention the entire meal cost us maybe $15 tops. I dare you to find a meal like this for a price like that!

Avocado Grapefruit Salad with Citrus Mint Dressing

(Recipe from: Sunset, with a few modifications)

INGREDIENTS
2 red or pink grapefruit (3/4 lb. each)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon shallot, finely minced
2 firm-ripe avocados (10 to 12 oz. each)
2 blood oranges (optional)
1 package baby greens, rinsed
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
Cut peel and white membrane from grapefruit. Working over a strainer set over a bowl, cut between inner membranes and fruit to release segments into strainer. Squeeze juice from membranes into bowl (discard membranes); you need about 1/4 cup juice (reserve any remainder for other uses). Do the same with the blood oranges (if you’ve got them).
Add lemon juice, mint, shallot, and honey to grapefruit juice, and mix.
Peel and pit avocados; cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange a handful of greens on each of 4 salad or dinner plates and arrange equal portions of grapefruit segments and avocado slices on top.
Spoon dressing evenly over salads. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cumin Crusted Tuna

INGREDIENTS
Sushi grade tuna
Cumin
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS
Rub tuna with salt, pepper, and cumin. You can be pretty generous with the cumin.

Heat olive oil in hot pan and sear tuna for about 2 minutes per side (more or less depending on how ‘raw’ you want it).

Slice and enjoy!

Middle Eastern Pita Salad

Another refreshing dinner… this one is super quick to prepare. The only cooking involved is toasting the pita chips, how much easier does it get? If you can eat it (sigh), top it with feta cheese for an added kick. We eat it as a main dish with a side of basmati rice, but it could also be a great side dish for something else.

Middle Eastern Pita Salad

Recipe from Epicurious

INGREDIENTS
1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1-1/2 large (7-inch) pita loaves, cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 tomato, chopped fine
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves

DIRECTIONS
In a sieve sprinkle the cucumber with a pinch of salt, let it drain for 20 minutes, and pat it dry. While the cucumber is draining, in a baking pan bake the pita pieces in the middle of a preheated 325°F oven, shaking the pan occasionally, for 18 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crisp, and let them cool slightly.

In a large bowl whisk together the oil, the lemon juice, the garlic, and the salt and pepper to taste, whisking until the dressing is emulsified, stir in the bell pepper, the tomato, the scallion, the chopped mint, the pita pieces, the cucumber, and more salt and pepper to taste, and toss the salad to combine it well.

Zucchini Panini with Strawberry Spinach Salad

Panini – take 2. Taylor liked this version better. Maybe he’s not a fan of the artichokes. The good thing about Panini is you can put whatever you’d want in, so he added prosciutto and cheese, I opted to skip those. Again, a different recipe for aioli which works well with the salad (which, did I mention, is one of my favorite salads of all time?!).

Zucchini & Mushroom Panini

A recipe of our own invention, on the fly, based on what was in the fridge and fresh at the farmer’s market. Recipe makes 3-4 sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS
Focaccia bread
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
fresh basil, roughly chopped
provolone cheese (optional)
olive oil

For Aioli:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp honey mustard
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp poppy seeds

DIRECTIONS
To make aioli, combine all ingredients and stir well to combine.

Cut focaccia bread into two pieces, then slice each piece in half. Note that if your bread has a “curved” top, you might want to gently slice it so the top is flat. Your sandwich will grill better this way.

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in skillet. Add zucchini, mushrooms, and onion, sauté for about 5-10 minutes, until tender.

To assemble sandwiches, generously spread 1/4 of the aioli on the inner side of each bread slice. Sprinkle with basil. Carefully spread zucchini filling onto bread halves. Top with cheese (optional) and other half of bread, and brush both sides with olive oil.

Grill sandwiches in panini maker or in skillet with a foil-wrapped brick until golden and filling is hot and bubbling, applying pressure to flatten sandwiches. Slice in half and serve warm.

Ok, so it might seem like a strange combination, but it is amazing. You must try it once. Not only is it beautiful, but the dressing is sweet and tangy and perfect. You’ll be eating it every day if you’re not careful.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

INGREDIENTS
1 package raw spinach
2-3 pints fresh strawberries
1/2 bunch green onions
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, combine sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, worchestershire sauce, and poppy seeds (this can be prepared ahead and refrigerated.)

Place washed spinach, sliced strawberries, and chopped green onions into serving bowl. Toss with dressing and serve immediately.

Burgundy Steak Salad

Sorry for the long post delay, we went out of town for the weekend and didn’t get to the grocery until this morning. But we’re back with a fast and flavorful recipe that’s definitely one of our favorites!

Burgundy Steak Salad

The cut of meat isn’t so critical for this, we’ve never actually used ‘top loin’. Try a sirloin or a ribeye, both will do just fine. Also, 2 cups of shallots?!? That’s nuts I tell you! We use more like 1/2 cup. Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 boneless top loin steaks (10 oz each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 head escarole, torn into 1-inch pieces or bag of mixed greens

DIRECTIONS
Stir together salt, pepper, and cumin in a small bowl. Pat steaks dry and sprinkle spice mixture evenly on both sides, rubbing to adhere.

Heat oil in a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook steaks, turning over once, until thermometer inserted horizontally registers 115°F, about 12 minutes total.

Transfer steaks to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered, 10 minutes. (Beef will continue to cook as it stands.) Add shallots to skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until just softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in wine, vinegar, and brown sugar and cook 3 minutes. Add butter and cook, whisking constantly, until butter is incorporated and sauce is slightly thickened. Pour any meat juices accumulated on cutting board into sauce.

Cut steaks into 1/4-inch slices and serve over escarole. Spoon shallots and sauce over steak.