No need to feel guilty about this salad this time of year, everything is local except for the pecans.
Serves 4
4-6 cups arugula
1/2 cup thinly sliced mild onion
1-2 crisp apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
3/4 cup toasted pecans
Dressing made with your choice of vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Just before serving, chop arugula coarsely, add other ingredients with dressing. Toss and serve.
Brazilian Chopped Salad
This salad has a few “exotic” ingredients. I felt less guilty because I used mint from my garden.
Serves 4
1 can hearts of palm, drained and sliced 1/2 inch thick
12 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 fennel bulb, cored, stems cut off, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, diced
1/2 small red onion, cut into thin slices
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. honey
salt and pepper
Layer ingredients in large shallow bowl in order given, ending with mint. Put dressing ingredients in small jar and shake. Pour over salad just before serving and toss gently.
Baked Spaghetti Squash With Two Cheeses
Here is a recipe that can be made with all local ingredients. I think this came from a very old issue of Gourmet or Food and Wine magazine.
Makes 4 main course or 8 side dish servings
1 medium spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs.)
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic
3 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 oz. soft goat cheese
3/4 tsp. salt
pepper
To begin, either boil the whole squash for about 30 minutes or halve and bake, skin side up, at 375 for 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scrape out seeds, then scrape out spaghetti-like strands with a fork and place in large bowl.
Turn oven to 350, chop parsley and garlic, and add to squash along with salt and pepper. Place in buttered shallow 6-cup baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over the top (sometimes I use more) and bake for about 20 minutes. To finish, if desired, place under broiler to lightly brown the cheese topping. Serve immediately.