Best Crudite Salad A La Grecque Recipes

VEGETABLES à LA GRECQUE

Steps:

• In a pot, bring the liquids, spices and herbs to just below a boil.
• Cook each vegetable, separated by type, in the seasoned liquid. Start with the onion, then fennel, then cauliflower or mushrooms, then celery. Cook each until it can be pierced with a knife and tastes delicious. As each batch is done, scoop it out with a slotted spoon or a hand-held sieve. Place on a cookie sheet to cool.
• If spices or bits of herb stick to the vegetables, put what you can back in the pot and don't worry about the rest - everything will marinate together, so things will redistribute. When all the vegetables are cooked, layer them in a 1-quart Mason jar - it looks nice if you do mushrooms, then onions and so on. Pour all of the cooking liquid over them, without straining. The olive oil in the liquid will rise to the top and create a seal.
• Serve alone as an hors d'oeuvre, or as part of a salad, or on little buttered toasts. Or in an omelet. Or in a sandwich. Anywhere, really, but in a strawberry tart. Refrigerate for up to a month.

MUSHROOMS A LA GRECQUE

Steps:

• Cut a cross on the base of the tomatoes, immerse them in boiling water for 20-30 seconds, then plunge them into cold water; drain and peel the skin away from the cross and, discarding the juice the and seeds (see notes below), finely chop the tomatoes.
• Place the tomatoes, oil, wine, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and basil to a non-aluminium pan, add about 1 cup of water and bring to the boil; then cover and simmer for 10 minutes; then uncover the pan, add the mushrooms and simmer for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Lift out the mushroom with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a serving dish.
• Boil the cooking liquid rapidly until about 1 cup remains, remove the bay leaf, add the lemon juice and season with salt, pepper and sugar, to taste.
• Pour the liquid over the mushrooms, and leave the mushrooms to cool.
• Serve the mushrooms cold, sprinkled with the chopped parsley and the walnuts.
• Notes: Rather than wasting such juices or vegetable peelings, I add them to my container of ingredients for when I next make my Vegetable Stock Recipe #135453.

BLANCHED CRUDITES

Steps:

• Prepare a large pot of boiling salted water, and fill a large bowl with ice water.
• Remove the tough bottoms of the asparagus stalks. If they are thick, peel the stems half-way up the stalk.
• Add the carrots to the pot of boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Immediately remove the carrots with a slotted spoon and plunge them in the bowl of ice water. Drain the carrots when fully cooled.
• Add the asparagus to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Immediately remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the reserved bowl of ice water. Drain the asparagus when fully cooled.
• Slice the radicchio into wedges.
• Arrange the carrots, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and radicchio on a platter and serve with the Herb Dip.
• Place the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and blend. Serve at room temperature.

CRUDITE SALAD A LA GRECQUE

Steps:

• Combine shallots, olive oil, and dried oregano in a small saucepan, and place over medium-low heat. Let cook until shallots are translucent and very soft, about 20 minutes. if oil starts to sputter or brown, reduce heat.
• Meanwhile, cut vegetables, and set each aside in its own, separate bowl: Cut cauliflower and broccoli into bite-sized florets. Trim stems from mushrooms, and cut them in half. Slice each celery stalk and carrot into 3-inch-long, thin sticks. Slice larger radishes in half.
• Season each bowl of vegetables with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add lemon juice to shallots and warm oil; stir to combine. Pour just less than 1/6 of the mixture over each bowl of prepared vegetables, keeping in mind that the mushrooms will absorb the dressing and require a little more than the other vegetables. Toss each bowl of vegetables; let stand for between 1 and 4 hours. Arrange vegetables on platter, and serve.

VEGETABLES à LA GRECQUE

Steps:

• In a 3- or 4-quart saucepan combine vinegar, wine, olive oil, garlic cloves, shallot, bouquet garni, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, kosher salt and 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 15 to 30 minutes while you prepare vegetables.
• Add carrots to the broth and simmer 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, bring back to a simmer, and cook another 15 minutes, until carrots and cauliflower are tender but not mushy. Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables to a bowl. Some of the broth and seeds can come along with them.
• Add mushrooms to broth and simmer 5 minutes. Remove to bowl with carrots and cauliflower.
• Stir broth and ladle 11/2 cups plus some of the coriander seeds into a small saucepan. Set aside.
• Add artichoke hearts to the pot in which you cooked the other vegetables and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until tender. Transfer to bowl with other cooked vegetables. If using artichoke leaves, steam them now. When finished, discard this broth.
• Bring reserved broth in the small saucepan to a boil and cook until liquid reduces to 1/2 cup. Pour over the vegetables, add lemon juice and fleur de sel and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning. Leave at room temperature until ready to serve (for best flavor, let vegetables marinate for a few hours), or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Just before serving, garnish with herbs and, if you wish, with steamed artichoke leaves, which can be dipped into the marinade. Serve on small plates with the reduced marinade spooned on top.

WINTER CRUDITE SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine mustard and vinegar. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, and whisk until mixture is creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Peel celery root with a sharp knife. Cut root in half crosswise and slice each half as thinly as possible. Keep slices in a bowl of cold water until needed. Drain and pat dry when ready to toss with the vinaigrette.
• Place vegetables in separate bowls, season with salt and pepper, and toss well. Add about 1 1/2 teaspoons dressing to each bowl and toss again. Arrange vegetables in separate piles on salad plates and serve immediately.

TOMATOES A LA GRECQUE

Steps:

• Slice tomatoes lengthwise into quarters, through the stem. Place in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add vinegar, lemon juice, and coriander. Let simmer 1 minute.
• Immediately pour hot vinaigrette over tomatoes, and let marinate at room temperature until completely cooled. Alternatively, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, peel cucumbers, leaving on stripes of skin for decoration, if desired. Halve cucumbers lengthwise; scrape out seeds with a spoon and discard. Cut cucumber into 1/2-inch semicircles. Garnish tomatoes with oregano, and serve cucumbers in a separate bowl.

SALADE A LA GRECQUE WITH GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Brush chicken with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill, turning once until cooked, about 12 minutes total. Set aside to cool.
• In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, oregano garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
• Place the lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red pepper, onion, parsley, and mint in a large bowl; add 1/2 cup dressing, toss to coat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide salad and mound on four individual dinner plates or wide shallow bowls; sprinkle with olives and feta. Slice chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips and fan out on top of individual salads. Place lemon wedge on each plate and serve immediately.