Archive for September 2013

Oriental Pasta Salad

6 servings

1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
8 ounces penne pasta, cooked
1 head white Salad Savoy, shredded
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons sliced green onions
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients except the sesame seeds; toss with the dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Garden Quiche

Garden Quiche 2_c6 to 8 servings

6 cups finely chopped white Salad Savoy®
1 cup water
2 eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
One 9-inch ready-to-bake deep-dish pie crust

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the Salad Savoy® and water in a large soup pot. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain, let cool, and drain again, squeezing out any excess water.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and half-and-half until well combined. Add the Monterrey Jack cheese, Swiss cheese, Salad Savoy®, onion powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; mix well then pour into the pie crust.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until firm. Let sit for 5 minutes then cut into wedges and serve.

 

PREPARATION TIP:
To separate Salad Savoy®  leaves, place the core of the head on a firm surface. Place your hands over the leaves and push down with a sharp, quick motion.

 

Greek Strudel

Garden Quiche 2_c
6 to 8 servings

Imagine sinking your teeth into this flaky pastry stuffed with a flavorful filling of feta cheese and sautéed Salad Savoy® . It’s perfect for holidays and ‘regular’ days!

8 cups shredded Salad Savoy® , with stems removed
2 cups water
2 eggs
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons onion soup mix (from a 2-ounce package)
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, slightly thawed (from a 17.25-ounce package)

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. In a medium saucepan, bring the Salad Savoy and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low then cover and steam for 7 minutes, or until tender; drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
  3. In a medium bowl, beat 1 egg then add the feta cheese, onion soup mix, and cooled Salad Savoy; mix well. Place the pastry on a baking sheet and unfold. Spoon the mixture lengthwise down the center of the dough. Cut slits in the dough 1 inch apart lengthwise down each side of the filling.
  4. Beat the remaining egg and brush it over each 1-inch dough strip; alternately fold the dough from each side over the filling. Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg.
  5. Bake the strudel for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. Remove it from the baking sheet and cut into strips. Serve immediately.

Hearty Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup_c10 to 12 servings

Minestrone soup has been a classic favorite in Italian cooking for ages. When you add Steamin’ Greens to the mix, it becomes not only extra-hearty, but extra-scrumptious! Why, a serving of this soup is sure to bowl you over

4 cups Steamin’ Greens, chopped
3 cans (14 ounces each) ready-to-use beef broth
1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans
1 can (14 to 16 ounces) cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 package (10 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

  1. In a soup pot, combine all the ingredients except the macaroni and Parmesan cheese. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then add the macaroni. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the macaroni is tender.
  2. Serve topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, if desired.

GREAT GO-ALONG:
You’ll want to serve crusty Italian bread with this one so your family can sop up every last bit of tasty soup.

Pesto Linguine

Pesto Linguine 1_c4 to 6 servings

A new generation of Swiss chard, Bright Lights is a vegetable that really proves the saying, ‘We eat with our eyes!’ Its stems are any of a variety of colors from gold and white to orange, pink, and red, and give everything from our salads to pasta dishes a whole new look. Wait ’til you see how it transforms itself in this delicious pesto!

2 cups chopped and lightly packed Bright Lights
1 pound linguine
1 cup olive oil
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup walnuts
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips

  1. Cook the linguine according to the package directions; drain.
  2. Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine all the remaining ingredients except the sun-dried tomatoes; blend until smooth.
  3. In a large bowl, toss the linguine with the pesto sauce and sun-dried tomatoes. Serve immediately.

SERVING SUGGESTION:
Top with additional shaved Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Easy Stuffed Greens

Easy Stuffed Greens 1_c8 servings

If you’re looking for a change-of-pace entrée, look no further! Here’s an updated version of classic Stuffed Cabbage that’s sure to solve any weekday dinner dilemma. See for yourself!

1 bunch Bright Lights, washed and trimmed
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (16 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 jar (28 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
6 gingersnap cookies, crushed

  1. Cut the extended stems off 8 whole Bright Lights leaves and set aside the remaining part of the whole leaves. Chop the stem ends, along with any remaining leaves, and place over the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt, and pepper until well mixed. In a large bowl, combine the cranberry and spaghetti sauces, the lemon juice, and brown sugar; mix well.
  4. Lay the reserved Bright Lights leaves on a flat surface and place equal amounts of the meat mixture at the stem end of each leaf. Fold up envelope-style and place seam side down on top of the chopped leaves in the baking dish. Pour the cranberry sauce mixture over the top of the rolls and sprinkle with the crushed gingersnaps.
  5. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until tender and no pink remains in the beef.

DID YOU KNOW…that thanks to its oversized leaves, Bright Lights is perfect for this twist on Stuffed Cabbage? And since the leaves are so pliable, there’s no steaming needed to make them easy to roll around the scrumptious filling!

Very Veggie Lasagna

Very Veggie Lasagna_c

6 to 9 servings

Adding Steamin’ Greens to everyday lasagna is a great way to give it a garden-fresh twist. Just you wait – when greens are made this way, even the kids will love eating them!

8 cups packed and chopped Steamin’ Greens
9 lasagna noodles
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 jar (16 ounces) Alfredo sauce
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

 

  1. Cook the lasagna according to the package directions; drain. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Add the Steamin’ Greens and reduce the heat to medium-low; cover, and cook for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the Alfredo sauce, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; mix well.
  4. In a 9″ x 13″ baking dish, layer one-third of the sauce mixture, 3 noodles then one-third of the vegetable mixture and one-third of the sliced tomatoes. Repeat the layers 2 more times, ending with sliced tomatoes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.
  5. Remove from the oven and uncover; sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese over the top and bake uncovered for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Bright Lights with Risotto

6 servings
From the Executive Kitchen of Salad Savoy Corp. and Tony Merola, Executive Chef
Dry white wine
5 cups homemade or canned chicken broth
2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
1-1/2 cups Arborio or white rice
1 bunch Bright Lights coarsely chopped Swiss Chard leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a simmer; cover and keep warm.
  2. In a heavy large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and chard; stir until chard begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add a splash of wine, and simmer until absorbed, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 4-1/2 cups hot broth.
  3. Simmer until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy, stirring frequently and adding remaining 1/2 cup broth by 1/4-cupfuls if mixture is dry, about 20 minutes. Mix in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer risotto to medium serving bowl. Serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese for topping.

Nutty Bright Lights

6 servings
From the Executive Kitchen of Salad Savoy Corp. and Tony Merola, Executive Chef

2 pounds Bright Lights Swiss Chard®
1 small sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
1 handful pine nuts (pignoli)

  1. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, trim off the tricolor stalks from the green Bright Lights Swiss Chard® leaves.
  2. Add the stalks to the boiling water, and boil for about 5 minutes. Add the leaves, and boil for 2 minutes longer. Drain, and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water so that the leaves remain green. Drain and squeeze out any excess water.
  3. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add Bright Lights Swiss Chard® and pine nuts gently, stirring occasionally for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
  4. Arrange the chard on a platter; serve hot.

Signature Salad

8 servings

From the Executive Kitchen of Salad Savoy Corp. and Tony Merola, Executive Chef

3/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, pressed
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons snipped fresh chives
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 to 3 heads white and violet Salad Savoy® leaves
2 ounces blue cheese
2 ounces goat cheese
2 ounces toasted pecan pieces

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, chives, salt and pepper. Let stand for 1 hour or longer to blend flavors.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Toss with the salad dressing, and serve.