California Grain Salad Recipes

CALIFORNIA SALAD WITH HARD-BOILED EGGS

Steps:

• Put the eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool; set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chickpeas and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the chickpeas are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the pepitas and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes; let cool.
• Make the dressing: Whisk the yogurt, 2 tablespoons water, the vinegar, chives and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• Peel and roughly chop the hard-boiled eggs. Toss the greens, sprouts and radishes in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Top each serving of salad with the chickpeas and pepitas, eggs and sliced avocado. Drizzle with the dressing and top with more chives.

CALIFORNIA GREEN SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk dressing ingredients; cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, toss together romaine, avocado, onions, almonds and blue cheese in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Whisk the dressing and pour the over salad; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

CALIFORNIA ROLL SALAD

Steps:

• Place rice and water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Set aside to cool.
• In a large serving bowl, toss together the lettuce, cucumber, avocado and imitation crabmeat. Stir in cooled rice. In a small bowl, stir together the wasabi powder, mayonnaise, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and sesame oil. Toss salad with dressing (recommended), or serve with dressing on the side.

CALIFORNIA ROLL SALAD

Steps:

• Into a large saucepan of salted boiling water stir rice and boil 10 minutes.
• Drain rice in a colander and rinse.
• Set colander over a kettle of boiling water (rice should not touch water) and steam rice, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, 10 to 15 minutes (check water level in kettle occasionally, adding water if necessary).
• While rice is steaming, in a small saucepan bring 1/4 cup vinegar to a boil with sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and remove from heat.
• In a dry small skillet toast sesame seeds over moderate heat, stirring, until golden and fragrant and transfer to a small bowl.
• Transfer rice to a large bowl and stir in vinegar mixture.
• Cool rice and stir in sesame seeds, remaining 3 tablespoons vinegar, oil, ginger, scallions, carrot, and cucumber.
• Salad may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Bring salad to room temperature before proceeding.
• Dry-roast nori, 1 sheet at a time, directly above moderate heat (gas or electric burner), holding it at opposite corners and moving it back and forth, until it turns bright green, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• With scissors cut nori into thin 2-inch-long strips.
• Peel and pit avocado.
• Quarter avocado and cut crosswise into thin slices.
• Add avocado to salad with surmimi if using and two thirds of nori strips and toss well.
• Make dressing: In a small bowl stir wasabi powder into hot water and stir in cold water, soy sauce, and ginger juice.
• Serve salad sprinkled with remaining nori strips and drizzled with dressing.

"CALIFORNIA ROLL" SALAD

Steps:

• Into a large saucepan of salted boiling water stir rice and boil 10 minutes. Drain rice in a colander and rinse. Set colander over a kettle of boiling water (rice should not touch water) and steam rice, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, 10 to 15 minutes (check water level in kettle occasionally, adding water if necessary).
• While rice is steaming, in a small saucepan bring 1/4 cup vinegar to a boil with sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and remove from heat. In a dry small skillet toast sesame seeds over moderate heat, stirring, until golden and fragrant and transfer to a small bowl.
• Transfer rice to a large bowl and stir in vinegar mixture. Cool rice and stir in sesame seeds, remaining 3 tablespoons vinegar, oil, ginger, scallions, carrot, and cucumber. Salad may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before proceeding.
• Dry-roast nori, 1 sheet at a time, directly above moderate heat (gas or electric burner), holding it at opposite corners and moving it back and forth, until it turns bright green, 30 seconds to 1 minute. With scissors cut nori into thin 2-inch-long strips.
• Peel and pit avocado. Quarter avoado and cut crosswise into thin slices. Add avocado to salad with surmimi if using and two thirds of nori strips and toss well.
• Make dressing:
• In a small bowl stir wasabi powder into hot water and stir in cold water, soy sauce, and ginger juice.
• Serve salad sprinkled with remaining nori strips and drizzled with dressing.