Southern California Cooking from the Cottage (12 page)

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

GRILLED SALMON SALAD

T
his light and refreshing salad, so good with cucumber dill dressing, has been a staple at the restaurant for as long as I can remember. It can be made ahead and assembled right before serving, which makes it great for home entertaining.

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets

4 cups salad greens

½ cup Italian dressing (we use Lawry's)

½ cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 large ripe tomato, chopped

¼ cup diced red bell pepper

8 tablespoons Cucumber Dill Dressing (page 114)

1 lemon, cut in wedges

Heat the grill to medium-high and brush it with the oil. Grill the salmon for 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through, turning once. The fillets should feel firm and break into clean flakes. When the fillets are ready, remove them from the grill and keep warm. In a large salad bowl toss the greens with the Italian dressing. Divide the greens among four individual serving plates or bowls. Arrange the artichokes, tomato, and bell pepper over the salad greens. Place a salmon fillet on top of each salad. Spoon the cucumber dressing over the salmon. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

JAMAICAN SHRIMP SALAD

L
ight and very colorful, this summertime favorite has a real Caribbean feel. If you can't find jicama in your supermarket, ask the produce man to order one for you. It is tasty and can be served so many different ways.

4 cups salad greens

½ cup plus 4 tablespoons Jerk Dressing (page 118)

½ cup chopped papaya

½ chopped red bell pepper

½ cup diced jicama

1 avocado, cubed

20 medium cooked shrimp

4 tablespoons shredded coconut

In a large salad bowl combine the salad greens and ½ cup of the dressing. Divide the salad among four individual serving plates. Place the papaya, bell pepper, jicama, and avocado on top of the greens. Warm the shrimp in the microwave or in a bowl of warm water. Place the shrimp on top of the salads. Sprinkle with the coconut. Drizzle the remaining 4 tablespoons dressing on top.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

ORIENTAL SALAD

O
riental Salad is a favorite of many regulars, including Marcia G., a thirty-four-year resident of La Jolla who you will usually find occupying a booth. Nina P. of San Diego called it, “Robust in flavor and extremely satisfying!” Mary B. of Lake Oswego, Oregon, tells us, “This salad is loaded with cashew nuts, and the chicken is tender and tasty.”

4 cups salad greens

1 plus 1 cup Oriental Dressing (page 116)

2 cups canned Mandarin orange segments

1 cup cashews

½ cup crunchy chow mein noodles

4 cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

In a large glass bowl toss the salad greens and 1 cup of the dressing. Divide the greens among four serving plates. On each plate place ½ cup orange segments, ¼ cup of the cashews, and 2 tablespoons of the noodles. Slice each chicken breast into ½-inch slices, and place on top of each salad. Drizzle the remaining 1 cup dressing over each salad.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

SAN FRANCISCO-STYLE BAY SHRIMP
LOUIE SALAD

W
hen Bill Goldblum was a guest chef at the restaurant, he urged us to put Shrimp Louie on the menu. It has since become a hit among customers, and a favorite at home. It's the dressing that really makes the salad.

1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded

½ cup shredded red cabbage

1
cups plus 4 tablespoons Louie Dressing (page 119)

1 pound peeled, cooked, and chilled shrimp

1 avocado, sliced

4 Roma tomatoes, quartered

4 hard-cooked eggs, halved

½ cup sliced green olives

In a large salad bowl toss the lettuce with the cabbage. Add 1
cups of the dressing and toss to coat the lettuce. Divide the lettuce among four serving plates. In the center of each plate, mound one-fourth of the shrimp. On the side of each plate, add one-fourth of the avocado. Arrange 4 tomato wedges and 2 egg halves around each plate. Sprinkle the olives on top of each salad, and drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Louie Dressing.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

THAI SALAD

W
hen we first took over the Cottage, Thai Salad was on the menu and was one of the first salads that John and I fell in love with. Being a serious peanut lover, John ate it daily. It is more work than some of our simpler salads, but the taste is worth it. Look for Thai base at a specialty store if your local market doesn't carry it. It is a key ingredient in this recipe.

Thai noodles:

2 quarts (8 cups) water

½ teaspoon salt

1 plus 2 tablespoons canola oil

½ pound linguini

2 teaspoons Thai base

Thai dressing:

1 cup Italian dressing

cup peanut butter

1 tablespoon Thai base

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup canola oil

teaspoon cayenne

½ cup water

Salad:

4 carrots, julienned

1 zucchini, julienned

½ red bell pepper, julienned

bunch cilantro, chopped

bunch green onions, chopped

5 cups salad greens

1 pound grilled skinless, boneless
chicken breasts, sliced

For the noodles, combine the water, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the linguini and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the Thai base.

To make the dressing, whisk the Italian dressing, peanut butter, Thai base, honey, oil, and cayenne. Add a little water at a time to get desired thickness. (We like it to be as thick as heavy cream, but you can make it as thick or as thin as you want.)

For the salad, toss the carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, cilantro, and green onions in a bowl. Divide the salad greens among four individual salad bowls or plates. Sprinkle the veggie mixture over the greens. Place
cup of the noodles onto each salad. Add ½ cup of the sliced grilled chicken. Pour the dressing over the salad.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

WINDANSEA

T
his is one of the best-known surfing beach on earth,” John Wolfe says as we stand over a palm shack on the sand at the foot of Nautilus Street just north of Big Rock and south of Simmon's Reef. Known as Windansea, it has been a surfers' Mecca since the 1940s. Its rickety beach hut, built by surfers returning from World War II and blown away by storms, but rebuilt, is a landmark (and a designated historical site). Peter L. Dixon in
The Complete Book of Surfing
(1965) noted that Windansea was a place watermen treasured for its
big surf
, meaning twelve-foot waves. “The change from riding small, shore-break surf to big surf is like stepping from a skateboard to a 500cc motorcycle,” Dixon wrote. “When a surfer conquers the big waves, it becomes “a day to remember for the rest of his life.”