Tag Archives: salad

Nov7

Amelias Trattoria, Kendall Sq

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Amelia’s Trattoria – 111 Harvard Street ,  Cambridge, MA

Girls night!! I had really been looking forward to this particular girls night out with some of my favorite women in development and was excited to try Amelia’s Trattoria, which happened to be just a couple blocks from my new office. Perfect.

Amelia’s is tucked away on Harvard Street near Kendall Sq just behind Tech Sq. Its unlikely that you would find it just wandering around which is what contributes to the fact that you can actually get a table easily. We made a reservation and trickled in slowly just after. We were promptly seated and had had a very patient waiter as we mulled over the menu while waiting for our party to arrive. The chef even agreed to make us bruschetta even though it wasn’t on the dinner menu.

So we started with the Bruschetta -Grilled foccacia bread, marinated tomatoes, fresh basil & red onion. Personally, I didn’t love this dish. I thought the bread was a little hard and a little too big (hence making it messy). The marinated tomatoes were delicious though, I could eat that right off the plate – who needs bread anyways?

We then split two dishes to get more variety for our buck. We started with the Baby Spinach Salad – Baby spinach, caramelized balsamic shallots, crispy pancetta & Vermont goat cheese. Re-read that. I mean, can it get any better than that combination? This salad was delicious – salty, crispy, tart, and creamy.

We then shared a Lobster Ravioli dish which was one of Amelia’s daily specials that night. If I can give Amelia’s one piece of unsolicited advice it would be to get this item on the menu permanently. It was delicious. The raviolis were tender and meaty and the sauce creamy and bursting with flavor. I loved how saucy it was as there was just enough leftover for me to mop up with some bread. Its a keeper.

Overall, I was impressed with the ravioli and salad dishes but a little let down by our starter. Service was great and I would recommend Amelia’s for lunch, dinner, groups, or a date. The restaurant is small, giving it a cozy feel, and I can imagine sitting by the window watching snow fall with a big hot plate of pasta. I’ll be back.

How did Amelia’s Trattoria measure up? 3.25 Spoons!

 

Amelia's Trattoria on Urbanspoon

Oct15

Cambridge Common, Harvard Sq

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Where: Cambridge Common- 1667 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138
When: September 2012

I used to be a brunch person going almost every weekend -t was my Sunday equivalent of church. I would roll out of bed, put on my Sunday worst (sweatshirt, sneaks, ponytail) and head down to Sound Bites around the corner for something delicious and typically greasy. This would usually be followed by a few hours on the sofa watching mind numbing tv as I was too full to do anything else. Why did I stop, right?

Well, I moved to a different part of town but I still jump at the chance to go out for brunch so was thrilled when a friend was in town at the last minute and suggested meeting up on Sunday morning. In shorts, tees and ponytails we headed to Cambridge Common to check out their brunch menu. We sat outside in the sunshine which was just perfect. They had me at Breakfast B.L.T.

The Breakfast B.L.T. comes with applewood smoked bacon, fried egg, avocado, baby spinach, and tomato with chipotle mayo on multi-grain toast and is served with home fries and fresh fruit. The combination of the salty bacon and egg with the buttery avocado and spicy mayo is out of this world. It’s a good sized sandwich but doesn’t leave you feeling like you just ate a whole cow. The home fries were good as well – nice and crispy.

Overall, service was good and we got plenty of coffee refills (perhaps too many even). We were happy to able to sit outside as its a little dark indoors (great for nighttime though). Food was crave worthy. I’ll be back, as I always am.

How did Cambridge Common measure up? 3.75 Spoons!

May17

Spinach Avocado Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette and Fried Egg, Recipe

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You had me at Bacon Vinaigrette…

I was looking for a salad to make for a Saturday lunch and thought this was perfect. Indulgently rich and salty and yet it is a salad so it gives the impression of being healthy. Yes, sneaky deliciousness.

The bacon vinaigrette was delicious and everything worked really well together. The only thing I will do differently the next time is cook the bacon a little longer as, although it looked very cooked and brown while frying it, it got soft and a lighter in color once it had been made into a dressing. This is a keeper – how great would it be as part of a brunch?

I’ve posted the recipe below the photo for your pleasure!

Spinach Avocado Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette and Fried Egg
From the Tastespotting Blog

makes 4 salads (yeah right)

Ingredients
4 very large handfuls of baby spinach, washed and completely dried
1 large or 2 medium/small avocados, peeled and sliced
Bacon Vinaigrette (see below)
4 eggs, cooked sunny side up
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In each salad bowl or plate, place a large handful of spinach. Divide and arrange avocado slices on one side, then fried egg. Drizzle generously with Bacon Vinaigrette and hit with fresh cracked black pepper.

Bacon Vinaigrette
makes about 1 cup

Ingredients
6-8 slices of bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon cooking oil (I used grapeseed)
1 clove garlic finely minced
1 shallot, finely minced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste (about ½ teaspoon each)

Directions
Heat cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until cooked through but still soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and shallots and cook until garlic is fragrant (but doesn’t have to be cooked all the way through), about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and drain off as much of the bacon grease as you can.

Pour the cooked bacon, garlic and shallots in a bowl. Whisk in vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Apr15

Mixed Baby Greens with Maple Dressing, Cranberries and Apples, Recipe

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I only recently discovered how delicious salads, with homemade dressing, can be so was happy to serve one up as a starter for my recent dinner party. The entree, Fish Mollee, was on the heavier side so wanted something light but not boring. I also wanted to sneak some fruit in there as I’ve been lacking in my fruit intake lately. Enter Mixes Baby Greens with Cranberries, Apples, and Goat Cheese with Maple Dressing. It was easy (especially as you can make the dressing earlier and refrigerate until ready to use), quick, and delicious.

The dressing is quite garlicky, be warned, but it actually offsets the sweetness of the cranberries apples, and maple really nicely. By the end of the salad I couldn’t taste the garlic anymore but I am sure that’s just because my whole mouth tasted like it. I’d definitely make this again whether for a party or as a quick weekday dinner.

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Mixed Baby Greens with Maple Dressing, Cranberries and Apples

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T maple syrup
Kosher salt
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into thin strips
1 T fresh lemon juice
8 cups mixed baby greens, lightly packed
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

1. Make the maple dressing: Whisk together the oil, garlic, vinegar and maple syrup until well combined. Add kosher salt to taste. (I usually need 3-4 generous pinches, tasting after each addition.)

2. In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice to prevent browning.

3. In a large bowl, combine the baby greens, apples, cranberries and half the pecans. Toss the greens with maple dressing to taste and divide among serving dishes. Top each dish with remaining pecans and goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves: 4-6

Mar10

Life Alive, Central Sq

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Where: Life Alive – 764 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA
When: Februar, 2012

I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about Life Alive since it opened so was thrilled when an old friend and colleague, Jackie, moved back to town and suggested it to Daniela and I. The plan was lunch but since we pinned down a date I had booked a flight for a mini holiday so we moved it to brunch.

Daniela and I got there a few minutes before Jackie did so we grabbed a table and started scooping out the menu. We didn’t recognize a lot of the sauces so had a hard time distinguishing what was what and hence were no closer to a decision when Jackie arrived. After a few minutes of catching up we re-focused on the menu until we had our choices.

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I got the The Green Goddess: “Our Ginger Nama Shoyu Sauce enhanced by flax oil and garlic, empowering avocado (seasonal), broccoli, dark greens, and tofu. All are served over short-grain brown rice.” I got mine in a salad format (instead of a wrap). It was really filling and full of healthy and earthy ingredients with a zesty tangyness from the dressing. It felt really healthy, like I was doing a really nice thing for my body. It was also very garlicky. Don’t get me wrong, I love garlic but I just couldn’t get over how garlicky it was (I think I must have said “Wow, this is garlicky!” six times). It must have had 12 cloves of garlic in it. I felt bad for whoever was sitting next to me on my 3 hour flight. Yikes!

20120229-165757.jpgDaniela got the The Adventurer: “Our Sesame Ginger Nama Sauce combines with a colorful mix of corn, beets, broccoli, dark greens, shredded cheddar, tofu & tamari
almonds over quinoa & short grain brown rice.” This was recommended by one of the staff members when she asked for a suggestion. He said this is their most popular item on their menu.

20120229-165746.jpgJackie got The Explorer: “Our scrumdelyishus homemade lowfat Red Lentil Hummus, paired with sesame crunches, sundried tomatoes, cucumber, corn, spring mix and a sprinkle of shredded carrots and beets all traveling together with our fantastic honey wasabi vinaigrette. A dreamy destination!” What a description!

Both Daniela and Jackie said they liked their wraps a lot and both took half home as they were so filling (I ate all of mine, ahem).

Overall, I think Life Alive is a great bite place. They don’t have table service so the feel is very casual, more like a cafe, but comfortable. I think its a great alternative to grabbing a burrito or something a little less healthy when you need a quick lunch. I’d definitely go back when I want to grab a quick healthy, filling bite.

How did Life Alive measure up? 3.75 Spoons!

Life Alive on Urbanspoon

Feb24

Provençal Chicken Salad with Roasted Peppers and Artichokes, Recipe

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We outgrew our office space years ago so anytime we hire a new employee it’s like playing tetris trying to figure out where to put people. Our newest addition was squeezed into Alicia and my current office which turned out to be a great fit (while it lasts as we are moving next week)! Maeve quickly caught on that Alicia and I are obsessed with food and with my recent salad obsession she brought in a beautiful salad themed cookbook, Raising the Bar, for us to thumb through. I photocopied a few recipes and here’s the first I tried which is definitely share-worthy and worth a repeat. Can’t get enough of salads these days!

Provençal Chicken Salad with Roasted Peppers and Artichokes
From Raising the Salad Bar

Ingredients
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 can (14 ounces)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt & pepper
1 roasted bell pepper, cut into strips
3 tablespoons minced parsley
4 cups mixed baby lettuce greens, washed and dried

Dijon-Herb Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pepper

Place sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let rest until softened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain tomatoes and mince them. Rinse the artichoke hearts and cut into quarters, then pat dry wit paper towels.

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Remove tenderloins from the chicken breast and pound the chicken to an even thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Oil the grill and either grill or pan fry the chicken 4 or 5 minutes on each side until just cooked. When cool enough to handle, slice into 1/2-inch wide strips.

I’m a large bowl, combine the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, and parsley.

To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk all of he dressing ingredients; season with salt and pepper. Before serving, whisk dressing again and combine with the chicken salad.

To serve, place baby greens on a platter and top with the chicken salad or serve on individual plates the vinaigrette from the salad will seep through to flavor the greens below.

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Feb9

Superfood Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, Recipe

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Superfood! Just that term alone gets me giddy about all the super I am putting into my body. When I first pulled this recipe I didn’t necessarily think it would taste super, I pulled it because of the nutritional benefits of all the ingredients. But! It actually tasted delicious as well. I modified the original recipe a bit… I omitting pomegranate seeds as I couldn’t find pomegranates at the store but feel free to add them. I also halved the olive oil as I didn’t think a whopping 6 tbsps is really necessary.

This is a great Monday night salad to try to undo a lot of the weekend damage.

Superfood Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Adapted From Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1 orange, peeled and segments chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1.5 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper

For the Lemon Vinaigrette:
2 lemons, juiced (need 1/4 cup juice)
2 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely minced
dash of sweetener (agave nectar, stevia or white sugar)
salt & pepper
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside to cool.

For the Lemon Vinaigrette: combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid, and shake to combine. Or, add lemon juice, garlic, sweetener, salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk in oil.

Combine cooled quinoa with red onion, orange segments, avocado, beans, corn, cilantro, salt and pepper. Pour Lemon Vinaigrette over the salad and stir to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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Jan31

Fall Salad with Roasted Pears and Blue Cheese, Recipe

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I’m on a salad kick! Who would have thought in the middle of a New England winter to boot? Well, its almost Springlike here in Boston so that might explain it…

Here’s another good one I have found, I’m loving the roasted pears and hope you do too. Make sure you get good blue cheese, nothing will ruin a dish quicker than a cheap and smelly blue.

Fall Salad with Roasted Pears and Blue Cheese
From Confections of a Modern Bride (Adapted from Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics)

Ingredients20120128-102840.jpg
3 ripe but firm red Anjou pears
juice of 3 lemons
3 oz coarsely crumbled sharp blue cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup apple juice
3 Tbsp Port
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups of Arugula (or your favorite salad greens)
Black pepper
Salt

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375.
Peel the pears and cut in half length-wise. Use a melon baller to remove the cores and seeds. Cut a small slice away from the rounded side of each pair to keep it steady when filling and baking. Toss the pears with lemon juices and arrange them core side up in a baking dish.
Toss the blue cheese, cranberries, and walnuts together and divide among the pears. Combine apple juice, port, and brown sugar, whisking together until sugar dissolves. Drizzle over and around the pears. Bake the pears, basting every 5-10 minutes with the apple-port mixture, until tender (about 40 minutes in my oven). Remove and let cool to warm or room temp.
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the basting liquid. Toss with the arugula and divide among 6 plates. Top each salad with a pear half, season with salt and pepper.

Jan23

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette, Recipe

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I’ve never been a a creative salad 20120123-215353.jpgperson, always reverting to the standard restaurant side salad of iceberg lettuce, julienned carrots, celery and bottled vinaigrette dressing. Sometimes I would get crazy and add cherry tomatoes. Quite boring really. Last summer I discovered beets so I really branched out and made salads with beets, goat cheese, pecans and, again, bottle vinaigrettes. That was as adventurous as it would get.

Then I discovered this Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette. I wasn’t too sure of the vinaigrette as I was making it as it tasted very tart but once it was on the salad it came together beautifully.

This salad is delicious, and not at all boring. It’s a meal, a side, a snack. It’s warm, sweet, crunchy, tangy, and salty. It’s easy but good enough for company (thanks for being my taste tester, Alyssa!). A fantastic winter salad that is sure to break you out of your salad rut as it did for me.

Never again will you see me shaking that store bought salad dressing. NEVER! Well, maybe sometimes but not as often…

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
From Ina Garten

Ingredients
1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
Good olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Jan16

Veal Scaloppine, Herb Roasted Potatoes, Carrot Salad and Molten Chocolate Cake, Recipes

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I don’t have guests over for dinner very often (New Years resolution to do that more) so when I do I spend an exorbitant amount of time pouring over tastespotting looking for the perfect recipe. This time I was looking for the perfect menu for a dinner at my place. I was excited.

So I searched for something both special but simple. How about Veal Scaloppine with Mushrooms & Marsala, Herb Roasted Potatoes, Carrot Salad with Lemon and Herbs, and Molten Chocolate Cake? Well, I’ve never cooked veal before and I’m not even sure I have ever had it before. But it sounds kinda fancy but looks kinda easy so lets do it.

I found both the Veal Scaloppine recipe and Herb Roasted Potatoes on Kitchen Runway’s blog, the Carrot Salad recipe in the NY Times Dining & Wine section, and the Molten Chocolate Cakes on Culinary Covers as it was featured in Woman’s Day magazine last year. Hows that for research and siting my sources?

Everything was fantastic. The recipes were all easy to follow and I was able to do 95% of the work before my guests even got to my house allowing me to enjoy time with them. The veal was tender and the sauce was rich and velvety. The potatoes were flavorful and the  thyme running through made them a natural pair with the veal. The carrot salad was light and a good alternative to a more typical greens salad. But then there is the cake… Mmmm the cake. The cake was so simple (5 ingredients which you could prepare ahead of time) and plated beautifully. The outside was set and firm like a cake but the center was gooey and spilled out like lava. My ramekins were a little wider than I wanted (or maybe I should have filled them up higher!) so the cakes came out a little short but they were delicious and beautiful. This recipe is for two cakes which you can double if you’d like (but its actually nice not to spend the following day eating leftover cake batter out of its bowl as I watch bad TV).  Its definitely a keeper (scroll all the way down for it).

I need to make those cakes again, who wants to come over so I have an excuse??

Here are the recipes – enjoy!

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Veal Scaloppine with Mushrooms and Marsala  adapted from Mario Batali

Prep:  15 minutes        Cooking time:  ~30mins            Serves: 4

Ingredients:
¼ C extra-virgin olive oil
¼ C all purpose flour
salt and fresh ground black pepper
8-10 (2oz) veal medallions (scaloppine)
2 C sliced crimini mushrooms
1½ C sweet Marsala wine
3 Tbs cold unsalted butter
2 Tbs fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp corn starch, 1 Tbs cold water (optional – if you prefer a thicker sauce)

Directions:

  • Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat until the oil is almost smoking
  • Place flour in a shallow dish (i.e. rectangular tupper-ware), season with salt and pepper
  • Dredge the veal in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess flour
  • Placed dredged veal into hot pan and cook until golden brown on both sides (about 2 minutes each side)  Make sure to only turn once
  • Place cooked veal on platter
  • Add crimini mushrooms to the same pan and saute until tender, browned and the juices have evaporated.
  • Add Marsala wine and bring to a boil.  Cook until wine has reduced by 1/3
  • Add butter and place veal back into the pan.  Bring back to a boil and reduce heat.  Then simmer for 5 to 6 minutes
  • Mix corn starch and cold water, slowly add to pan and stir to thicken the sauce
  • Add thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper
  • Place veal on platter and pour the sauce over the meat and serve immediately

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Herb Roasted Potatoes 

Prep time:  5 mins  Cook time:  45-60 mins

Ingredients:
2-2½ lbs. assorted small potatoes (Fingerlings, Red Bliss, Yukon Gold)
¼ C extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs fresh rosemary
1 Tbs fresh thyme
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp garlic salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 400º.
  • Place the clean potatoes in a large bowl.
  • In a measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, garlic salt and pepper.  Pour olive oil mixture over potatoes.
  • Using your hands, combine the ingredients and make sure the potatoes are well coated.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil for easier clean up.  Using your hands, transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet.  Make sure the potatoes are in a single layer.  Save any unused oil from the bowl to dizzle over the potatoes after roasting.
  • Place baking sheet on the middle rack and roast for 45min to 60mins, until fork tender.  Turning the potatoes every 20 mins to prevent burning.
  • Remove from oven and add reserved oil to the potatoes, toss and serve.

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Carrot Salad With Lemon and Herbs

Adapted from “The Complete Robuchon” by Joël Robuchon (Knopf, 2008)

4 large or 6 medium carrots, peeled
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil (or use more olive oil)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, tarragon or a combination
Salt to taste

Buttery crackers, small biscuits or toasted slices of baguette brushed with olive oil, for serving.

Grate carrots in a food processor or by hand. Transfer to a bowl. Whisk lemon juice and oils together, pour over carrots, and toss. Add herbs and toss. Add salt to taste. Serve with crackers, biscuits or toast.

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Molten Chocolate Cakes
Source: Women’s DayFebruary 2011

ingredients:
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for the ramekins
1 Tbsp. flour, plus more for the ramekins
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

instructions:
1. Heat oven to 450°F. Butter two 6-oz ramekins and dust the inside with flour.
2. Place the butter and chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high in 20-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg, egg yolk and sugar in a medium bowl until thick and lighter in color, about 1 minute. Add the melted chocolate mixture and flour and beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
4. Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins. Bake until edges are set and center still jiggles slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Let stand 15 seconds. Run a knife around edge, then invert each cake onto a plate. Dust with confections’ sugar and serve with fresh mint or berries, if desired. Serve immediately.