Show Archive

Tuesday 1st June 2021.

June 1, 2021

 

Theatre is coming back, slowly but surely. And to talk about a production which will be performed at the Teatro la Estacion is Rob Getman and Tito Vallarino. Concentrated Theatre every Wednesday of June. Six, ten minute plays to keep you entertained.

Tuesday is Feisty Foodie Sara:  Since CoolFM is focusing on Italy this month and Gerry asked me for salad recipes, I thought I’d combine the two ideas and discuss a delicious Chopped Italian Salad for the Recipe of the Month!  We’re going to layer some beautiful Italian themed ingredients over fresh lettuce and make a lovely, zesty vinaigrette. While we’re talking about Italian salads, the Caprese is one of my favourites!  There are a lot of different ways to present this salad, depending on what kind and format of cheese is available, plus what kind of tomatoes you prefer!  The key is fresh ingredients!  Burrata or fresh mozzarella, tomatoes (cherry, heirloom or vine ripened), fresh basil, good olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and black pepper.  You can even roast the cherry tomatoes and top it with some lightly toasted pine nuts! The combination of the creaminess and acidity with the herbaceous basil is just delightful! I even love this salad on skewers as an appetizer!  Have fun with it…with good ingredients and love, it will be delicious!

 To round out our salad-centric show, we’re going to discuss one of my favourites…The Cobb Salad!  This salad is high protein and can be adapted for people on Keto.  If we don’t have time for this one (because of the cocktail), we can save it for next week.

Since we did the Negroni a couple of weeks ago, let’s give CoolFM another with a classic Italian cocktail, the Aperol Spritz!   Salud!

Italian Chopped Salad

INGREDIENTS

For the Dressing

1 cup fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, loosely packed, chopped (measured into 1 cup before chopping)

1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 clove garlic minced

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

Zest of ¼ lemon

Freshly cracked black pepper and fine sea salt

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

 For the Salad

1 large head Romaine lettuce washed, dried and cut into bite-sized pieces

3/4 cup small cucumbers (pepino chino), halved and quartered

1/2 cup artichokes drained and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup grape tomatoes halved

1/3 cup pitted black olives halved

3-4 pepperoncini

1 large avocado, chopped or thinly sliced (optional)

Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese , optional to top salad with

Croutons store-bought or homemade, parmesan cheese, added to preference

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Make the dressing: Combine the chopped parsley, chopped basil, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, honey, lemon zest, salt and pepper (to taste, I use 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 3/4 teaspoon salt) in a food processor or blender and pulse to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until combined. Refrigerate in a jar while preparing the salad. Shake to recombine dressing ingredients before adding to the salad.
  2. Place the chopped lettuce in a large bowl. In groupings, add the cucumbers, artichokes, tomatoes, olives, Parmesan cheese and croutons in a circular formation on top of the lettuce.  Add the pepperoncini in the middle for presentation. Right before serving, coat with half of the dressing and toss well. Add more dressing as needed, making sure to generously coat the lettuce (you’ll likely use more dressing than you think to really get the flavor perfect!). Add some more salt and pepper (to taste) and serve immediately.

TIP:  Only add avocado, dressing, cheese, and croutons to the amount of salad that will be finished immediately. This salad doesn’t sit well with the dressing. The croutons will get soggy and the avocado will brown in any leftover salad.

Cobb Salad

Ingredients

 Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp honey

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

1/2 tsp pepper

 Salad

1/2 head romaine lettuce washed and dried, coarsely chopped

1/2 head iceberg, washed and dried, coarsely chopped

4 large eggs, boil until semi hard (or harder, if you prefer)

6 slices bacon cooked until crisp and chopped

2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

6 oz cherry tomatoes, halved

1 avocado, thinly sliced

4 oz blue cheese crumbled, or feta cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the dressing:  Add all the dressing ingredients to a jar, close the lid and shake it well. Set aside.

Boil the eggs for 8 minutes, let cool and cut in half.

Cook the bacon in the oven on parchment at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes.

Meanwhile season the chicken with salt and pepper and pan roast chicken in a little olive oil over medium high heat for 7 minutes a side, until 165 degrees, set aside.  Rotisserie leftover chicken could also be used.

Assemble the salad: Spread out the romaine & iceberg lettuce on a large serving platter or bowl, then top with chicken, avocado, bacon, cheese, tomatoes and eggs.

Toss the salad with the dressing: Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well. Serve.

Aperol Spritz

You’ll simply fill a wine glass with ice, then add Aperol, Prosecco, club soda and a slice of orange.

INGREDIENTS

  • Ice
  • 3 ounces (1 part) Aperol
  • 3 ounces (1 part) dry Prosecco
  • 1 ounce (a splash) club soda or unflavored sparkling water
  • Orange slice, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Add ice to a wine glass until it is nearly full. Pour in the Aperol (I usually eyeball this and pour until I’ve filled about one-third of the glass).
  2. Pour in an equal amount of Prosecco. Top your drink off with a splash of club soda and add a slice of orange. Enjoy!

TIP:  The generally accepted ratio is equal parts Aperol and Prosecco plus a splash of club soda.

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