This salad goes with anything. It has a little bit of the vibe of a deconstructed spring roll, using cabbage, young celery and green apples for crunch and sweetness, peanuts for salt and, if you are me, double the serrano peppers for a kind of heat that hurts so good you want more. You can use a jalapeno or skip the spice, too, if that’s not your thing. I usually double the recipe because it keeps well for a day or so in the fridge. Pairs perfectly with salmon or a simple marinated and grilled chicken thigh.

The hardest part of this salad is the shopping and chopping. I make chopping a little easier by using a $15 mandoline — and care not to slice off any fingertips — for the cabbage and the celery. Sometimes I have trouble finding mint or cilantro. I have tried mint alone and mint and Italian parsley. It was good, but it’s best with mint and cilantro. The salad is so flavorful that it only needs a little time in the fridge with lemon, oil and salt to make it pop.

Crispy cabbage-apple-celery salad

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients:

4 cups green cabbage, cored and very thinly sliced or shredded thin on a mandoline

4 small scallions, white and green parts, very thinly chopped

4 interior celery ribs, sliced very thin or cut with a mandolin, leafy tops included

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped into thin, bite-size sticks

1/3 cup mint leaves, finely chopped plus more for garnish

1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped plus more for garnish

1 fresh jalapeno or serrano pepper, depending on heat preference — serranos are hotter — finely chopped plus additional jalapeno or serrano sliced in rounds to garnish

1/2 cup finely chopped roasted, salted peanuts plus more for garnish

Juice of two lemons, about 4-5 tablespoons

1/3 cup good olive oil

Kosher salt to taste

Method: Toss cabbage, scallions, celery, apples, mint, cilantro, pepper, peanuts with lemon and olive oil. Adjust salt to taste. Chill for 20 minutes in the fridge and toss again. Garnish with additional herbs, peanuts and pepper rounds.

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Sometimes, in January, fresh grocery vibes get weird here. But you can always count on oranges. There are juicy navels and, if you’re lucky, pink-fleshed cara caras and the occasional blood orange. Sumos, those spendy little treats with springy juice sacs that pop in your mouth. And bright orange Blue Jay brand mandarins — I find them at Sagaya — that come with their leaves on. On occasion, you might also be able to get your hands on some Meyer lemons, which are not oranges, but still. I recently received a box of them from my family in California, picked from their tree, because they are from here and know just what kind of mood I was in.

And so I made a bright citrus salad to counter the flat gray light of this snowless January. Fennel, sweet and crunchy, shaved paper thin on a mandoline set to one-eighth — watch your fingers. A couple sliced tender-fleshed Blue Jays. Meyer lemon zest and juice. Fireweed honey and Dijon mustard. Thin-sliced manchego cheese from Costco — parm works too! — and a sprinkle of salty pistachios. Make this salad using the freshest oranges you can find of any variety, just remove the peel and pith. My dressing used Meyer lemons, but oranges work great. It looks beautiful on the plate, comes together quickly and pairs well with a simple roast chicken for a cheeky little weeknight meal. If you like, garnish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh herbs like mint or parsley.

Mandarin-fennel salad with pistachios

Serves 4 as a side

Salad:

One bulb of fennel, stalk and root removed, shaved on the mandoline using the one-eighth setting or very thinly sliced, roughly 2 cups

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

3-4 cups baby arugula or other sturdy green

3-4 juicy mandarins peeled, sliced into thin rounds or two regular oranges, peeled, pith removed, and segmented

1/3 cup shelled salted pistachios, roughly chopped

About 1/4 cup manchego or parmesan cheese shavings, loosely packed

Dressing:

1/4 cup orange juice or a 50-50 mixture orange and Meyer lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Zest of one half of an orange or one whole Meyer lemon

1 large clove garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Black pepper

Method: In a small bowl, toss the very thin sliced fennel with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, set aside. Make the dressing. Whisk together juice(s), salt, zest, garlic, Dijon, honey, oil and a few cracks of pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. If you’d like to add a little additional acid, depending on the oranges you used, try a splash of champagne vinegar or regular lemon juice. On a large plate, layer arugula and softened fennel and then lay orange slices on top. Sprinkle with pistachios. Drizzle with dressing, reserving any extra for the table. Sprinkle with shaved cheese and additional pepper. Serve immediately.

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By noon his yard is partly covered in tents, birch leaves swirling noon his yard is partly cove down. His friends—many of them local chefs and restaurant workers—crowd around tables, chop onions and daikon, julienne carrots. A large plastic tote holds 105 pounds of chopped napa cabbage, wet with water and sprinkled with salt.

Shin, who works as an architect, immigrated with his mother to Anchorage in 1976 at age 5, from Incheon, in the northern part of South Korea, during a time when many people were leaving due to tough economic conditions. His mom followed a school friend to Alaska, he said. His kimchi recipe is part hers, and part his, and meant to contain the specific flavors of the place where he was born.

“You know how parents are. They never have the recipe. It’s kind of like, ‘A little bit of this, a little bit of that,’” Shin said. “This recipe is kind of a mash-up. I had to do just a bit of my mom’s sort of stuff, and then just look online, trying to figure out a northern style.”

His recipe uses napa cabbage, carrots, daikon, onions, Korean red pepper powder or gochugaru, and green onions with lots of garlic and ginger. A paste of rice flour, sugar, and Sprite fuels its ferment. Sometimes he adds fermented salted shrimp. In the southern part of South Korea, some kimchi also contains anchovy powder, and whole crab or oysters to increase the funkiness, he said.

After Shin and his mom came to Anchorage, she started and ran Soo’s Custom Tailoring in the Spenard neighborhood for 20 years. After he graduated from West Anchorage High School, he started making his own kimchi in college while studying at Rhode Island School of Design because he craved the tartness and the burst of endorphins that came with the heat.

In Korea, kimchi is traditionally made by women, always in quantity, he said. He remembers his aunts making it, and he has ten of them.

“When you make kimchi, you make a big vat because it’s like tamales, right? You don’t make two tamales; you make as many as you can,” he said.

Shin’s yard fills with more friends. The mood is festive. Some people have come dressed in bright jumpsuits, a nod to Korean K-pop style. The host lights a fire. A deejay arrives. A table fills with potluck foods— lots of types of kimchi, perilla leaves, rice, kim bob or Korean sushi, prepared vegetables called ban chan from the nearby New Central Market. Shin and friends rinse the cabbage. Wearing pink rubber gloves, he mixes in gochugaru (chili powder), rice flour paste, and vegetables. Kimchi has grown in popularity in Alaska since Shin was a kid, he said. It is even eaten on the North Slope, with whale, thanks to the influence of Korean immigrants who arrived about the time his mother did.

As the sun sets, the friends pack jars under the glow of white Christmas lights. Shin takes a break under the tent, sporting his red K-pop jumpsuit and pink gloves, taking in the scene: deejay beats, dogs, friends, and jars of kimchi in a row. No matter the culture, people have always gathered like this, doing the labor of food preparation, he said. “Food brings people together.”

Here are some tips for making his recipe: you’ll need a spray bottle and rubber gloves. For best results, avoid eating directly from the jar, as introducing more oxygen can make the kimchi age faster. If the kimchi becomes overly fermented, consider making a kimchi stew. There are plenty of recipes available online. Feel free to experiment with the ingredients, such as using only daikon or adding more carrots. Once you have it dialed in, throw a party. Invite everyone to help. Make enough kimchi for a happy army of friends.

Shin Family Kimchi

By Jae Shin and Julia O’Malley

Makes about 10 pounds, roughly 8 quart-sized jars

Ingredients:

• 8 pounds (2–3 large heads) napa cabbage
• 3 cups kosher salt
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons glutinous rice flour, or white flour
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 12-ounce can Sprite
• 3 cups daikon radish, cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 1½ cups carrots, julienned
• 12 green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 2/3 cup garlic cloves, minced
• 3 teaspoons ginger, minced
• 2 medium white onions, finely chopped
• ½ cup fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon fermented salted shrimp in brine or saeujeot chopped (optional)
• 2½ cups coarse Korean pepper flakes, or gochugaru; it comes in mild, medium, and hot, so choose wisely

Method: Slicing across the head of cabbage parallel to the base, cut each head into 2-inch pieces, discarding the hard root and any thick parts of the core. Place a layer of cabbage in a large tub or container, use a spray bottle of water to moisten it, and sprinkle a very generous layer of salt over it. Repeat until all the cabbage is moistened and salted. Allow it to sit for 3 hours. It should reduce in volume significantly. To test if the cabbage is ready, rinse a piece and taste it. It should have a snappy texture, similar to a good pickle. Rinse all the cabbage several times with cold water to remove the salt.

While the cabbage is brining, make the glutinous paste in a pot over medium heat. Whisk the water, rice flour, and sugar until it is smooth and barely simmering. Allow it to cool.

In a large bowl, pour the cooled glutinous mixture. Add garlic, onions, ginger, fish sauce, fermented salted shrimp (if using), Sprite, and Korean pepper flakes or gochugaru. Mix well. Incorporate the daikon, carrots, and green onions into the mixture. Wear rubber gloves if mixing by hand.

Mix all ingredients together with the brined and rinsed cabbage until uniform. Pack the kimchi into clean, wide-mouthed jars. Pack it tightly and leave 2 inches of space at the top. The kimchi will expand, so it is essential not to overfill.

Close the jars and let them sit at room temperature for about 3 days. Then transfer them to the refrigerator. The kimchi should be ready in a few more days, but the exact time depends on your preferred fermentation level. Properly stored, it should last up to a month in the refrigerator, but if you like it more pungent, let it sit out longer. Kimchi stew is an excellent option for old kimchi.

This recipe was originally published in Edible Alaska.

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They say that people who live in Alaska through the winter really earn the glorious summertime so they appreciate it more, and this zippy salad celebrates that feeling of accomplishment and happy anticipation. This spring-tastic recipe leans into all that’s green, showcasing a fresh, tangy version of green goddess dressing that leans on the flavors of basil, tarragon and lime.

My family is split on the anchovy in the dressing, which is traditional in a green goddess. I like it, but the kids don’t. Without it, the dressing has more of an herbal ranch vibe, and a little less umami.

Most of the work of this salad is prep — making perfect jammy 7-minute boiled eggs (remember to start with the eggs cold in the water in the pan), boiling waxy bite-sized potatoes so they are just fork tender, quickly steaming and chilling asparagus and green beans so they’re still crisp, making a very quick and dirty version of pickled shallots. All of that and the dressing can be done a few days ahead.

It’s actually ideal if you prep early and assemble the salad when all the ingredients are very cold, in a chilled bowl ideally. It’s also impossible for the salad not to be beautiful, garnished with herbs and eggs, making it the perfect side for when you find yourself in possession of that first fresh salmon fillet of the season. This recipe is written to be shared — with enough for a potluck-style barbecue or larger family gathering. If you’re making it for a smaller family meal, cut it in half.

Green goddess potato salad

Serves 6-10

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

1/2 cups Greek yogurt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 anchovy fillets (optional)

1/2 cup basil leaves

1/2 cup Italian parsley

1/4 cup fresh chives

1/4 cup fresh tarragon

1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

Juice of half a lime

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoons sea salt

For the salad:

2 1/2 pounds waxy small potatoes or potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces, boiled until fork tender and chilled

1 bunch lightly steamed asparagus or 2 cups blanched green beans or a combination, chilled

3-5 eggs, boiled for 7 minutes, cooled quickly, peeled and cut in half

Pepper

For pickled shallots:

1 large shallot, very thinly sliced

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

For garnish:

1 cup assorted chopped herbs like chives, parsley, dill, tarragon, basil and pea shoots or microgreens, capers

Method:

Make quick-pickled shallots. Stir salt and vinegar together in a small microwave-safe bowl. Add shallots. Microwave on high 30 to 45 seconds steaming and fragrant. Refrigerate.

Make the dressing. In the bowl of a food processor or powerful blender, add yogurt, mayo, anchovies if using, herbs, garlic, lime juice, zest, vinegar, olive oil and sea salt. Process or blend until herbs are fine ground with the other ingredients, giving the dressing a green tint. Taste and adjust the acid/salt.

Toss 1 cup of dressing with the cooked potatoes and add a few good cracks of black pepper. Scoop into a serving bowl. Garnish with pickled shallots, asparagus and/or green beans, eggs, herbs, capers and microgreens and a few cracks of pepper. Serve immediately.

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Back in Alaska, I recreated the salad using smoked salmon, and added rye bread croutons for a robust main dish. I had never done much with radicchio, a hearty form of leaf chicory often used in Italian cooking, but I noticed that it’s almost always in stock in the produce section. It’s my new favorite experimental food. An important tip: soak the leaves in ice water for about a half-hour before using, which takes down some of the inherent bitterness. (Skip this step if you are into that kind of thing.) I combined it with my favorite lazy blender Caesar dressing. This recipe makes a generous amount. You can leave the egg out of the dressing, but the emulsification will not be the same. Smoked salmon’s flavor can be stronger than steelhead’s. If you happen to have smoked trout or cod, you could experiment with those.

Serves 4, generously

For the salad:

• 1 head radicchio, torn into bite-sized pieces, soaked in cold water for at least 30 minutes and dried
• 3 slices rye bread, crust removed, cut into bite-sized squares
• Roughly 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• 4 ounces smoked fish: trout, salmon, halibut, or cod, drained of any oils
• ½ cup Parmesan, grated, for garnish
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, for garnish (optional)
• Lemon wedges, for garnish

For the dressing:

• 1 egg
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
• 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3–4 canned/jarred anchovies
• 1 cup Parmesan, grated
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Pepper
• ½ cup flavorful olive oil

Method:

Heat the oven to 350° F. Lay bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet, drizzle generously with olive oil, toss to coat, sprinkle with salt. Bake for 7 minutes, turn them over using a spatula, and bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes until they’re toasted but not burned. Set them aside.

Crack an egg into the blender. Add lemon, vinegar, Worcestershire, Dijon, garlic, anchovies, Parm, salt, and a couple of good cracks of pepper. Turn the blender on medium speed, remove the small round cap in the center of the lid, and drizzle the oil in while the bender is running. Stop the blender and adjust salt. Add more oil if the dressing is too tart for you.

To serve, toss the radicchio and croutons with about ½ the dressing, the additional Parmesan and another crack or two of pepper. Crumble the fish on top of the salad. Sprinkle with fresh dill, if desired. Serve with lemon wedges and extra dressing.

First published in the Summer 2023 issue of Edible Alaska.

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For those of you out there prepping lunch on a Sunday night for weekday, workday lunch, this is a solid choice because all of the vegetables keep well for several days in the fridge. You could prep this salad in a Mason jar, putting the dressing and edamame in the bottom, and layering the rest of the salad on top. Then — bam — pour the whole thing out in a bowl for lunch. If you need a protein hit, add baked tofu, grilled chicken and/or some peanuts or cashews. If you want to make it a family meal, double the dressing and add cooked, cooled rice or soba noodles.

This salad looks beautiful on a platter in a potluck or barbecue dinner setting. You can get pretty creative with the herbs, if you like. Cilantro and Thai basil work great, but as we move into chive season, you might throw some chive blossoms on for extra glamor. Alaska limes tend to be dry, so you might buy an extra or two just in case. A note of caution on the heat: if you’re sensitive to heat, start small with maybe just a quarter of a chili, give the dressing a good shake, let it sit for five minutes and test it, then add more if you like. You can also remove the chilis before serving.

Spicy Rainbow Salad

Serves 4, generously

Ingredients:

1/4 cup tamari or low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

The juice of two small limes, roughly 2 tablespoons

2 small cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/3 cup avocado oil or light olive oil

Half a thai chili or red jalapeno, thinly sliced, or more to taste

4 cups chopped or shredded napa cabbage

2 cups chopped or shredded purple cabbage

1 cup carrots, shredded

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup shelled edamame

1/2 cup cilantro or Thai basil or a mix, chopped

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup crushed peanuts (optional)

Lime wedges to garnish

Instructions:

Make the dressing. In a lidded jar, combine tamari, sugar, lime juice, garlic, oil and chili or jalapeno. Screw on the lid and shake vigorously, taste and adjust heat and acidity. On a platter, arrange the salad, layering the green cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots, peppers, and edamame. Top with herbs, green onions, and crushed peanuts, if desired. Drizzle 2/3 of the dressing over the platter and serve the rest on the side for people who want a little extra.

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A person could get on a high horse. They could ask: is it really cooking if you are just opening boxes and freezer bags and cans? Is it really salad? But that person would misunderstand Alaska, especially mid-century Alaska in places off the road system, where most everything in the wintertime, especially fruits and vegetables, had to come from the pantry or the freezer. Our sacred jello salad canon should not be written off, because some of these salads are actually pretty good. Especially the ones that feature local berries and can be paired with savory meats like lamb or turkey.

Those of you catching my Jell-o vibe might want to make this highly delicious and most nostalgic salad from my old Anchorage O’Malley side. The recipe was first given to me by my Aunt Molly and it is entitled “Mrs. Volper’s PTA Salad.” In advocating for the generous use of sour cream, it notes “don’t be mingey.” ( I had to look that up.) However, as these things tend to go, my other Aunt, Peggy, says it’s from a person called Ginny Wampler and she calls it “Ginny Wampler’s Mother’s Molded Jell-o Salad.” (Should any Volper or Wampler reading this want to clarify, please email). Peggy uses light sour cream.

The recipe is a good use for frozen Alaska berries and features a tart ribbon of sour cream running through the center. The recipe calls for gelled whole cranberry sauce, but you can also try frozen cranberries or blueberries. I’d go with about a cup. You can make it in a jello mold, a bundt pan or, if you don’t want to deal with unmolding it, a lasagna pan. It goes well with roast chicken, turkey or pork and can also be dessert unto itself. 

Mrs. Volper’s/Wampler’s Cran-Raspberry Jello Salad 

Makes 12 cups

1 large 6 ounce package cherry or strawberry jello

1 1/2 cup boiling water 

1 14 ounce can whole jellied cranberry sauce 

1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, with the juice

1 pint sour cream

1 large 6 ounce package raspberry or cranberry jello

1 1/2 cup boiling water 

2 cups frozen unsweetened raspberries

Method: Spray a 12-cup bundt pan or jello mold with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, dissolve cherry or strawberry jello with 1 ½ cup boiling water. Once the jello powder is dissolved, stir in cranberry sauce, breaking it up with a spoon until it’s well combined. Then add undrained crushed pineapple and stir until well mixed. Pour into the bundt pan. Refrigerate until set, about 3 to 4 hours. Gently spread a layer of sour cream on the top. Refrigerate at least an hour. Make the last layer. Combine the cranberry or raspberry jello with 1 ½ cups boiling water. When the jello powder is dissolved, stir in the frozen raspberries. Carefully spoon the jello/berry mixture into the mold, careful not to disturb the sour cream. You may have a little more jello than you need. Refrigerate the mold at least four hours or overnight. When you’re ready to unmold the jello salad, take a clean, dry finger and gently just slightly pull the edge of the top of the jello away from the side of the bundt pan, working all the way around the pan and around the center. Dunk the bottom of the pan in a bath of hot water for about 10 seconds, submerging it ¾ of the way up the side, but being careful not to get any water on the jello. Invert onto a serving plate.  

This recipe originally appeared in Edible Alaska. Subscribe!

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This salad makes a beautiful light dinner for company (hint: an excuse to make a rich dessert!). Lately, I’ve been seeing okra in the grocery store, so I crisped some to add to the plate, but it isn’t essential. You can also used pickled okra. Or, just think green and see what you can find. You can slice and add fat green canned olives. Some years, when there’s a good deal on artichokes, I’ll steam one and add it to the plate. I’ve included toasted Brussels sprouts. I’ve added steamed broccolini and grilled bok choy. I’ve scattered the plate with near transparent shaved radish moons and pepitas.

Some of my favorite local grocery items in Anchorage are the widely available, various hydroponic herbs, sprouts, and micro-greens you can find year-round. Those are great to toss in and really on brand for a spring salad. I especially like onion or sunflower sprouts. The dressing relies heavily on fresh herbs, though it’s also flexible for substitutions. You can add more parsley if you can’t find basil and vice versa. You can skip mint and add fresh tarragon if you’re into that kind of thing. Don’t skip the chives, green onions, and garlic, though. You need them to give the dressing the right savory zip.

And, lastly, a note on eggs. They really take the salad over the top with their sunny pop on the platter. It’s a lot of fun when you can find and use ones of different sizes. I’ve had great luck in Anchorage finding quail and duck eggs at Asian markets, like New Sagaya Midtown Market. They can also be found at farmers markets or in friends’ coops. I include instructions on how to cook them so the yolks turn out just right. Another bonus to this salad: all the components can be made ahead.

(This recipe first appeared in Edible Alaska. Subscribe!)

Ingredients:

• Roughly 2 pounds mixed green vegetables like haricots verts, long beans, asparagus, or broccolini, lightly steamed but still “al dente,” cooled
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 4 ounces butter lettuce or about 2 loosely packed cups tender arugula
• 1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced on the bias
• 6 eggs, from assorted fowl if possible (add a few more if using quail eggs)
• 1 cup micro-greens or pea shoots
• ½ cup basil leaves

FOR THE CRISPY OKRA

• 2 cups fresh okra, tops removed, halved lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt

FOR THE DRESSING

• 1½ cups Greek yogurt
• 3 fillets anchovies
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1 cup Italian parsley
• ¼ cup fresh chives
• ¼ cup fresh mint
• 3 green onions, both white and green parts
• 1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ teaspoons sea salt
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Lime slice

Prepare the okra. Preheat oven to 425° F. Arrange sliced okra, seed side down, on a sheet pan. Make sure the pieces are not touching. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast 10–15 minutes, until they are golden and crispy on the seed side. Set aside to cool. (During this time, you can also quickly steam green vegetables and cool under cold water.)

Make jammy eggs. In a saucepan, cover eggs with cold water and place over medium heat on the stove. When the pot begins to boil, set a timer for 6 minutes for chicken eggs, 7 for duck eggs. (Quail and bantam eggs will need less time.) When the timer sounds, place the pan in the sink and run cold water into it until the eggs are cool to the touch. Peel them carefully and slice in half lengthwise.

Make the dressing. In a food processor or high powered blender, add yogurt, anchovies, basil, Italian parsley, chives, mint, green onions, garlic, lime juice, zest, olive oil, and sea salt. Blend until smooth. If it is too thick for your taste, thin with water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

On a large platter, arrange greens and basil, and top with cucumber, steamed vegetables, and eggs. Drizzle with good olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve dressing in a bowl in the center of the salad. Garnish with lime slices.

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This recipe puts the humble acorn squash on display. Here’s the edgy part: you can totally eat the skin. Wash it well, slice it super thin and roast it. It turns into a sweet, crunchy bit that adds nice texture. You can also sub in butternut, but in that case, you have to peel it and make sure the slices are really thin so they roast well. If you have access to a Thai chile, you can sub that in for the red pepper flake as well. And any roasted nut can take the place of pepitas.

Cilantro-lime squash salad

Serves 4

One medium sized acorn squash

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

8 cups mixed greens

1/2 cup dried sour cherries or cranberries

1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles

1/2 cup roasted pepitas

For the dressing:

½ cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

1 ½ to 2 tablespoons lime juice

½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, depending on desired heat

½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. With a sharp knife, slice the squash in half from stem to tip. Scoop out the seeds. Working from the bottom up, slice each squash half into very thin, approximately ⅛ inch thick, moon-shaped slices. Lay the slices on a large metal baking sheet. They should not overlap at all, so use two sheets if necessary. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Put in the oven to roast for 25 minutes. When the squash is done, it should be soft and golden on the edges. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Make the dressing. In a small blender or food processor, place cilantro, olive oil, 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice, desired amount of red pepper flakes and sea salt. Blend until the leaves are totally pulverized and the dressing is smooth and green. Taste. Adjust salt if desired. Add additional lime juice, if you’d like it brighter.

To assemble the salad, place the greens on a platter or four individual plates. Arrange squash slices on top of the greens, sprinkle with roasted pepitas, dried cherries, and goat cheese. Drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.

The post Cilantro-lime squash salad for your fall table appeared first on Julia O'Malley.

My version is heartier and Alaska inspired. It serves as a filling main course, using grilled salmon and vegetables with a ranch-like dressing (a nod to the fact ranch was invented in Alaska). Feel free to riff. If you don’t have a grill, you could use leftover baked salmon or smoked salmon and steamed vegetables. If carrots are in season, you could thinly slice, roast, and include them as well. I don’t use potatoes, but it’s easy to include them, throwing them in with the eggs as they boil.

All the fresh flavors are marvelous, but I will say the real standout is the dressing. It’s a grown-up version of that fave salad bar staple, brightened with lemon and made more complex with a big handful of fresh herbs. That, too, is adaptable. If you don’t have access to herbs, you can use ½ teaspoon each of dried chives, dill, parsley, and basil. You can use milk instead of buttermilk. I like to cook the eggs so they are still a little jam-like in the center, but you could cook them longer, depending on your preference. The recipe makes extra dressing. It’s so good, you’ll want to put it on everything.

Alaska-Style Nicoise Salad with Grilled Salmon and Fresh Herb Ranch Dressing

SERVINGS: 4 GENEROUSLY SERVING(S)

• 1½ pounds fresh salmon fillet
• One softball-sized head butter lettuce, leaves removed
• Roughly ½ pound green beans, stems removed
• Roughly ½ pound asparagus, tough ends removed
• One bunch radishes, greens removed, washed, quartered
• ½ cup olives, niçoise, kalamata, green, in any combination
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 eggs
• 1½ cups fingerling potatoes, boiled (optional)
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Juice of half a lemon

FOR THE DRESSING

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• 1–2 teaspoons fresh chives, chopped
• ¼ cup dill, Italian parsley, basil, tarragon, and/or mint, in any combination, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Juice of half a lemon

Submerge eggs in a pan of cold water on the stove over medium-high heat. When the water comes to a boil, set a timer for 7 minutes. (If you are using fingerling potatoes, toss them in with the eggs.) When the timer rings, remove the pan to the sink and run cold water into it until the eggs have cooled enough to handle. Peel them and set them aside until ready to compose the salad.

Start the grill and heat to about 350–375° F. Ready a grill basket or a piece of heavy-duty foil for the vegetables. Lay salmon, green beans, and asparagus on a sheet pan. Drizzle with a generous coat of olive oil and a generous sprinkle of sea salt.

When the grill is ready, place the fillet, skin down, over the heat. Put the vegetables in a grill basket or on a piece of foil over the heat and close the top. After 3 minutes and 30 seconds, open the grill and toss the vegetables with a set of tongs and then close the top again. After another 3 minutes and 30 seconds, remove the vegetables to a large plate. The fish should be just about done after 7–8 minutes on the grill. To test for doneness, slide a knife into the thickest part of the fillet, it should be a little translucent in the very center. Remove salmon to the plate. Squeeze half a lemon over salmon and vegetables.

To make the dressing, whisk mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, chives, herbs, salt, and lemon juice together until smooth.

To compose salad, arrange a quarter of the lettuce leaves, radishes, olives, green beans, tomatoes, asparagus, olives, and if using, potatoes on each plate. Portion the salmon, and put a quarter of the fillet on each plate. Slice eggs in half and put one on each plate. Portion the dressing into small individual cups (you will likely have some left over) and place on each plate. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Serve immediately.

This recipe was originally published in Edible Alaska magazine.

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