Tag: Side Dish

Avocado, Tomato, and Cucumber Salad

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Here’s the world’s easiest (and most satisfying) summer salad for when you’re short on time but need something to go with that barbecue or potluck. Use top-quality produce here for a salad that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

Ingredients:
  • 2 large heirloom tomatoes, washed and cored
  • 1 large avocado, halved, pit removed, and peeled
  • 3 Persian cucumbers
  • 1/2 small red onion
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Quarter the heirloom tomatoes and cut them into thin slices, then place in a large bowl. Thinly slice avocado halves and gently add to the bowl. Thinly slice cucmbers and red onion and add to the salad bowl.
  2. Top vegetables with grated garlic, vinegar, parsley, and olive oil, then gently toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Corn, Okra, and Red Pepper Skillet

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If you’ve know me at all then you know okra is my favorite vegetable, and this blog is a no-okra-slander zone. This easy summer skillet pairs okra with corn and peppers for the ultimate summer side dish. Eat it with rice and chicken or even better, by itself. (I paired it with Iranian dolma here, because why not?)

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon avocado oil
  • 2 slices turkey bacon, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • 10 okra, stemmed and sliced crosswise
  • 4 ears corn, shucked, kernels sliced off (or one 10-ounce package frozen corn, about 2 cups)
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Do not wipe out the pan.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet and add garlic, shallots, bell pepper, and jalapeno and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high, add okra and corn, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in green onions, reserved turkey bacon, and remaining butter and season with salt and pepper.

Hearts of Palm and Avocado Salad

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This salad is so easy that it hardly qualifies as a recipe, but the combination of creamy hearts of palm and acidic dressing is a perfect pairing. To be honest, I could eat hearts of palm straight out of the can, but avocados make everything taste even better.

Ingredients:
  • 1 15-ounce can hearts of palm, rinsed, drained, and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • 2 slightly firm avocados, peeled and diced
  • 3 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar or lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  1. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a serving bowl. Add the hearts of palm, tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro and gently mix until the vegetables are coated. Serve immediately.

Avocado, Mango, and Orange Salad

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This is the perfect tropical-esque salad to bridge that time of spring when the weather is intermittently cool and warm. Got some winter citrus leftover in the fridge? Toss them in with creamy avocados and mangoes and you’ve got a bright, tart and slightly sweet salad that comes together in a matter of minutes.

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 orange, peeled and cut into 1-inch segments
  • 2 teaspoons unsweetened shredded dried coconut
  1. Whisk together parsley, oil, lime and orange juices, jalapeno, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add mangoes, avocado, and orange and toss gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
  2. To serve, transfer salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with coconut.

Salmon and Corn Chowder

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This soup is perfect for the springtime as the weather (finally) warms up. It’s lighter than clam chowder and the addition of corn is like a harbinger of sunnier days. Serve this with some toasted sourdough and a salad and you’ve got a perfect casual seafood meal.

Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 8-ounce salmon fillet
  • 3 slices turkey bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 3/4 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 cup half-and-half, warmed
  • 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 3 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
  • Black pepper
  • Chopped green onions, for serving
  1. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 teaspoons of the olive oil around the pan, add the salmon, skin side down, and cook until the skin is golden brown and releases easily from the pan, about 4 minutes. Flip the salmon over and continue cooking for another 4 minutes. Transfer the salmon to a plate to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a medium Dutch oven over medium heat, then drizzle in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the turkey bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, thyme, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are soft, another 3 to 5 minutes. Add the flour, salt, Old Bay, paprika, and basil. Cook for another minute or two, then slowly add the half-and-half, stirring the vegetables well as you add it so that there’s no clumping. After the mixture thickens and bubble again, add the chicken stock, corn, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender throughout, about 20 minutes.
  3. Remove the skin from the salmon, break it into bite-size chunks, add it to the pot, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with green onions. (You can let the soup cool and store it in the refrigerator up to 3 days before reheating to serve.)