Tagged:  celery

ENTER OUR KITCHEN, WATCH & LEARN

All of the above happened to me last month. I ended up creating one of the most artistic and delicious salads I’ve ever made in my life – here it is.

Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
2 barbequed chicken legs, skin and bone discarded and meat cut into cubes
2 barbequed chicken thighs, skin and bone discarded and meat cut into cubes
2 celery stalks, peeled and thinly sliced (diagonally)
1-1/2 cups diced Cantaloup melon
1 large, vine-ripened tomato, cubed
3 tablespoons slivered Italian flat-leaf parsley (do this with cooking shears or scissors)
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lime or lemon
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl.

2. Toss and taste.

3. Adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Wine pairing suggestion: Chilled Verdejo (white).

*Note: I prefer two types of chicken: organic chicken from Wholefoods® stores; and Mary’s Free Range Chicken® (vegetarian diet; no antibiotics or preservatives).

Text & Photographs © 2011 Nancy DeLucia Real

A few years ago, while standing in the canned vegetables aisle of a supermarket, I picked up a can of hearts of palm, looked at it and thought, “I know I ate these somewhere, but they looked boring and tasted bland. Maybe tonight I can turn these ‘palmitos’ into an exciting dish”. Later that day, as I prepared dinner for my friends, I cut the hearts of palm into bite-size pieces and tossed them with olives, lemon, and other ingredients I had on hand.

My novelty appetizer-salad not only looked fresh and inviting, but my guests were amazed at how hearts of palm could become such a colorful and exquisite appetizer. That night, the Hearts of Palm & Olives must have been an instant hit because I never had a chance to put any on my plate.

Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
One 14-ounce can Roland’s® Hearts of Palm, drained and rinsed
½ cup Spanish olives
2 tablespoons chopped red onion, rinsed in cold water (excess water squeezed out of onion)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh, Italian flat-leaf parsley and 1 sprig (for garnish)
1 celery stalk, peeled and chopped into ¼-inch pieces
Juice of ½ lime
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients (except the sprig of parsley) and gently toss together.

2. Taste and adjust oil and/or seasonings.

3. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and garnish with the parsley sprig.

Serve immediately as an appetizer, accompanied by cheese, bread, your favorite wine, friends and music.

Note: “Palmitos” is Spanish for “hearts of palm”. The country with the largest production of palmitos is Costa Rica.

Text & Photograph ©2011 Nancy DeLucia Real

Before moving to LA I thought I was coming to the tropics. I arrived in the month of May and asked, “Where is all the sunshine?” Somebody answered, “Here in LA, this is sort of our winter.”

These days, while waiting for the May and June fog to burn off in the City of the Angels, I’m soooo cold and need some soup to warm up. I don’t want to be in the kitchen for hours either. I just want to eat my hot delicious soup now – it’s easy, quick and vegan, too!

Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 celery stalk, peeled
1 small carrot, peeled
1/2 brown or white onion
4 tablespoons extra virgin or vegetable oil
3 cups vegetable broth combined with 4 cups cold water
1 zucchini, julienned
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
2 to 3 yellow sunburst squash, julienned
1 potato, peeled and julienned
1 vegetable bouillon cube
Salt, to taste

1. In a food processor, grind together the celery stalk, small carrot and onion; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a 5 or 6-quart saucepot, heat the oil. Saute the ground vegetables in the oil until onion is translucent, about 1 minute. Add the broth-water mixture and bring to a boil.

3. Stir in the remaining vegetables. Bring to a boil and stir in the vegetable bouillon cube.

4. Let bouillon cube dissolve and taste the soup. If needed, add a little salt.

5. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are crunchy-tender.

Serve immediately with any type of warm bread: Italian or French; flour or corn tortilla; lavash, naan or pita.

Variation: Add other favorite vegetables such as a thinly sliced leek (white parts only), 2 cups shredded cabbage and/or 1 cup cooked beans (kidney, white or garbanzos). You may also add 1 cup frozen corn, peas, fava beans or edamame.

Additionally, you may add cooked pasta (small variety) or cooked rice (brown, white or wild).

Note: To julienne veggies, see the Tips and Tricks page.

Text and Photographs ©2010 Nancy Real