Southern Spoonful: Rainbow Salads

by

The story below is from our March/April 2022 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you! 

Create spring salads that are “over the rainbow” with bright colors and delectable flavors.

Fresh produce in all of the colors of the rainbow is abundant in the spring. As the sun warms the earth, our gardens come alive with tender asparagus, leafy greens, crunchy radishes and aromatic colorful herbs. As the days get warmer, celebrate this magical season with my recipes for Rainbow Salads. Each of these salads has one or more colors found in the rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.  And as an added bonus “eating the rainbow” is healthy too!

While preparing salads, place salad plates and salad forks in freezer to chill for service.

Rainbow Melon Salad

The perfect salad for a weekend brunch.

2 servings

  • ¼ honeydew melon
  • ¼ cantaloupe melon
  • 3 oz prosciutto, baked and crumbled
  • 2 tsp fresh lime juice
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Garnish: fresh sprigs of mint

To bake prosciutto: place prosciutto slices on a rack fitted into a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 – 15 minutes or until the prosciutto is crispy.

Peel melons and remove seeds. Cut the melons into strips with a vegetable peeler. Place melon strips on salad plates. Sprinkle the crumbled proscuitto over the melon strips. Drizzle the melon with lime juice and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh sprigs of mint.

Bacon and Blue Spinach Salad

4 servings

For the salad:

  • 5 oz baby spinach
  • ½ cup fresh blueberries
  • 2 oz crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
  • ¼ cup toasted pecans

Trim stems off spinach leaves. Divide spinach leaves between four salad plates. Top with blueberries, crumbled blue or feta cheese, crumbled bacon and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Serve with blueberry balsamic vinaigrette.

Blueberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar or blueberry balsamic vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup olive oil

Place blueberries, white balsamic vinegar, honey, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a blender container. Blend until all ingredients are combined.

With the blender running on low speed, slowly pour in oil in a continuous small stream until completely emulsified and creamy.

Place vinaigrette in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

If you don’t have time to make a vinaigrette from scratch, Wine Gourmet sells a delightful and delicious Blueberry Vinaigrette Dressing (Medmont Mercantile).

Oliveto Artisan Oils and Vinegars stocks a large variety of balsamic vinegars including blueberry balsamic vinegar.

Pretty In Pink Shrimp Asparagus Salad

The perfect salad for a spring luncheon.

2 servings

Chill salad plates and salad forks in freezer while preparing salad.

  • 12 extra-large shrimp
  • 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • ½ tsp Blackened Redfish Magic Seasoning
  • 6 asparagus spears (purchase very thin asparagus spears for this salad)
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise (preferably Duke’s)
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/3 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • Bibb lettuce leaves for serving
  • Fresh dill for garnish

Fill a saucepan half full of water and add 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning. Bring water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until they are opaque (about 3-4 minutes). Drain shrimp and allow to cool. Peel and devein shrimp (remove tails). Sprinkle shrimp with Blackened Redfish Magic Seasoning and toss to coat shrimp.

Steam asparagus in lightly salted water just until crisp tender. Drain asparagus and “shock it” by placing ice in pan with asparagus to discontinue cooking.

Once asparagus is cooled, remove any remaining ice from pan and drain. Pat asparagus lightly with clean kitchen towel to dry it. Cut asparagus into 6 pieces per stalk.

Place mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, dill, salt and ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning in a small bowl. Stir to combine.

Place shrimp, asparagus, red bell pepper and dressing in a bowl. Stir lightly to combine.

To serve: lay two Bibb lettuce leaves on each chilled plate and top with shrimp asparagus salad. Garnish with sprigs of fresh dill.

Tricolor Quinoa Tabbouleh

Yield: 4 cups

  • ¾ cup tricolor quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped into small pieces
  • ½ English cucumber, peeled and chopped into small pieces
  • ½ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
  • 3 green onions, chopped, white part only
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Greek seasoning
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint or ¼ tsp dried mint
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Bring the quinoa, ¼ teaspoon salt, and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and tender, approximately 10 – 12 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and turn it out onto a baking sheet to cool.

Place tomato, cucumber, parsley, green onion, olive oil, cumin, salt, Greek seasoning, lemon juice and black pepper in a salad bowl. Stir to combine. Add quinoa. Toss with fork until all ingredients are combined.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

When ready to serve, let tabbouleh sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Stir in mint. Taste to check seasoning. Add 1 more tablespoon lemon juice and olive oil and ¼ teaspoon more salt if needed. Serve with Thyme and Garlic Pita Chips.

Thyme and Garlic Pita Chips

Yield: 40 pita chips

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 6 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 pita bread rounds
  • 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir garlic into olive oil. Cut each pita into 5 strips with kitchen scissors or a serrated knife. Snip end of each strip and separate to make 2 single layer strips. Place pita strips split side up in a single layer on baking sheets. Brush with garlic olive oil. Sprinkle evenly with thyme, salt and pepper. Bake until crisp and golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Cool. Serve at room temperature.

The story above is from our March/April 2022 issue. For more stories, subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!