Creoleautumnsalad Recipes

AUTUMN PANZANELLA

Steps:

• For the croutons: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and cook until it foams. In a large bowl, pour the butter over the 12 cups cubed bread and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to season all of the bread. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet.
• Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Croutons can be made 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container.
• *Michael's Notes: I use a serrated knife to remove the crust from day-old bread, then switch to a chef's knife to cut the cubes because it doesn't tear the bread. Also note that I recommend grating the Parmesan finely so that it will stick to the bread better.
• For the dressing: Melt the butter in a small skillet over moderately low heat. Add the yellow onion and saute until soft, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the vinegar and stir with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the skillet. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add 1/2 cup of the olive oil, then the water. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• For the salad: Heat a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add 1/4 cup olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke, sprinkle in the mushrooms. Don't stir! Let them sizzle until they have caramelized on the bottom, about 2 minutes. If you toss them too soon, they will release their liquid and begin to steam. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss the mushrooms, reduce the heat to moderate, and continue to cook until well browned. Stir in the thyme and garlic and cook for about 1 minute to release their fragrance. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, combine the croutons, the mushrooms, and the onion dressing. Toss well to coat. Add the celery, red onion, and arugula or spinach and toss again gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Grate fresh Parmesan on top and serve immediately.

CREOLE SALAD

Steps:

• Coarsely chop the tomatoes, green pepper and olives.
• Whisk together the remaining ingredients.
• Toss with vegetables.

CREOLE AUTUMN SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle chicken breasts on both sides with Creole seasoning.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Place chicken in single layer in skillet. Cook 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Place chicken in baking dish, cover and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Set skillet aside.
• While the chicken bakes, pierce potatoes several times with a fork. Cook in microwave on HIGH 4 to 5 minutes or until just tender. Cool slightly; peel and dice.
• Place the remaining oil, potatoes, apple, celery and undrained tomatoes in skillet used for chicken. Place over medium heat and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until celery is crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar, mustard and salt.
• Cut each chicken breast into thin slices. For each serving, top 1 cup lettuce with about 1 cup apple-sweet potato mixture, 1 sliced chicken breast and 1 tablespoon pecans.

CREOLE CAESAR SALAD WITH CORN BREAD CROUTONS

Steps:

• For the salad:
• Place half the fried okra in a large bowl and add the romaine, corn, corn bread, tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Add the dressing and toss until well coated.
• Divide the salad among six serving plates and top evenly with the remaining okra. Serve immediately.
• For the Creole Caesar dressing:
• In a small saucepan, combine the oil, garlic, and onion. Cook over low heat until the garlic and onion are golden and tender, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic and onion to a food processor; reserve the oil.
• Add the vinegar, bell pepper, celery, sugar, cayenne, mayonnaise, Parmesan, and a pinch each of salt and black pepper to the food processor. Pulse until smooth. With the machine running, add the oil in a thin stream and process until emulsified. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

AUTUMN PANZANELLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the bread in a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat. Arrange the bread in a single layer on half of a baking sheet. Spread the nuts in an even layer on the other half of the baking sheet. Put in the oven and bake until the bread and nuts are golden brown and toasted, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in the same large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard and remaining 1/2 cup oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the Brussels sprouts and apple and toss to combine. Season again with salt and pepper.
• Add the warm bread and nuts to the Brussels sprout mixture and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.
• Add the blue cheese, gently toss to combine and serve.