What kind of green salads do you like to make for dinner? Tossed salad?!

What kind of green salads do you like to make for dinner? Tossed salad?

Or do you like other kinds of side salads, like sliced tomato with oil .....or sliced cucumbers?

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Scots Pines

Tomato Salad with Field Greens

4 bunches bitter greens, such as dandelion, amaranth, escarole, chard, spinach or watercress
2 to 3 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large or 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cored
1 large chunk (about 8 ounces) aged Parmesan cheese

Wash the greens well and trim and discard any tough stems.
Bring a very large pot of water to a boil and add 2 to 3 teaspoons salt. (A large quantity of water is the key to avoiding bitterness.) Have ready a large bowl of iced water. Add the greens to the rapidly boiling water and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Drain in a colander, shaking off excess water and then plunge the hot greens into the iced water. When the greens are cool, remove any ice from the surface and drain in a colander again. Then squeeze out any excess water and place in a bowl in the refrigerator.

Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss with the cooked greens to coat thoroughly. Return to the refrigerator.

Cut the tomatoes into 1/2 to 3/4-inch slices. Arrange on 6 salad plates or a platter. Top the tomatoes with the cold dressed greens and garnish with shavings of Parmesan cheese. Serve cold or at room temperature.


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Beans-n-Greens Salad

1 head escarole, chopped
1 head green or red leaf lettuce, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Arrange the greens on a large platter or in a salad bowl. Top with beans and red onions.
In a small bowl, combine garlic, sugar and vinegar. Whisk in oil. Pour dressing evenly over the salad. Dressing may also be made in blender or food processor. Season salad with salt and pepper, serve.


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Feta Olive Salad

1 pound feta (crumbled)
1/2 small red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, zested and minced
1 orange, zested and minced
1 cup very small cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)*
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro (optional)
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint
Black pepper in a mill
Several large romaine or butter lettuce leaves

Place the feta in a large shallow bowl, add the onion, garlic, lemon zest, orange zest, cherry tomatoes, if using, green olives, and black olives. Toss lightly but thoroughly. Drizzle the olive oil over the salad and toss again. Add the fresh herbs, toss, and add several turns of black pepper. Arrange the lettuce leaves on 1 large or several individual plates and spoon the feta salad on top. Serve immediately.
*Note Use the tomatoes only when they are in season locally; otherwise, omit them.


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Greek Salad

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Greek
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head romaine lettuce (about 1 pound), trimmed of tough stems and torn into bite-sized pieces
6 ounces calamata olives, about 1 cup
1/2 pound Feta cheese, crumbled
1 English (seedless) cucumber, trimmed, cut into 1 inch chunks
12 ounces vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes and drained
1 green pepper, trimmed, seeded, and diced

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and oil. Stir in the oregano and pepper to taste. Set aside.
When ready to serve: In a large bowl lightly toss the lettuce with some of the dressing. Divide the lettuce among 4 salad bowls. Scatter the olives, cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and peppers over the top of the greens. Serve and pass the remaining dressing at the table.
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Radish and Fennel Salad

The quantities of this salad are really up to you, but I look for roughly 2 parts fennel to 1 part radish. When buying radishes look for those that are really firm. The longer, oval-shaped ones are really nice. Wash them and slice thinly. Fennel comes in two types: the thinner Fennel and a rounder, fatter variety. It is the rounder, fatter fennel buds that you want -- these are normally much more well packed, less stringy and generally have a lot more of the green tops, which you need.
Cut the tops and the excess stalk off the top of the fennel and set aside. Trim the bottom of the bulb in half and slice as thinly as possible from the root to the top. Put the radishes and the fennel into a bowl and cover with cold water, adding some ice. Leave for at least 15 minutes to get the radishes and fennel really, really crispy. Drain, spin them or pat them dry, put into a bowl and dress them with olive oil and lemon juice dressing. Chop the fennel tops and sprinkle them on top. This is great with grilled fish.

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Leftover salad

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 ripe tomatoes, cut in eighths
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, cut in julienne strips
1/2 cup ham, cut in julienne strips (or turkey or shrimp)
1/4 cup green Spanish olives, pitted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons grated Romano