The Roanoker March/April 2022 - 13

Tricolor Quinoa Tabbouleh with
Thyme and Garlic Pita Chips
Bacon and Blue
Spinach Salad
4 servings
For the salad:
* 5 oz baby spinach
* ½ cup fresh blueberries
* 2 oz crumbled blue cheese or feta
cheese
* 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and
crumbled
* ¼ cup toasted pecans
Trim stems off spinach leaves. Divide
spinach leaves between four salad
plates. Top with blueberries, crumbled
blue or feta cheese, crumbled bacon and
sprinkle with toasted pecans. Serve with
blueberry balsamic vinaigrette.
Blueberry Balsamic
Vinaigrette
* 1 cup fresh blueberries
* ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar or
blueberry balsamic vinegar
* 3 Tbsp honey
* 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
* 1/8 tsp salt
* 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
* ½ cup olive oil
Place blueberries, white balsamic vinegar,
honey, lemon juice and salt and
pepper in a blender container. Blend until
all ingredients are combined.
With the blender running on low
speed, slowly pour in oil in a continuous
small stream until completely emulsified
and creamy.
Place vinaigrette in a covered
container and refrigerate until ready
to serve.
If you don't have time to make
a vinaigrette from scratch, Wine
Gourmet sells a delightful and delicious
Blueberry Vinaigrette Dressing
(Medmont Mercantile).
Oliveto Artisan Oils and Vinegars
stocks a large variety of balsamic
vinegars including blueberry balsamic
vinegar.
Pretty In Pink Shrimp
Asparagus Salad
The perfect salad for a spring luncheon.
2 servings
Chill salad plates and salad forks in
freezer while preparing salad.
* 12 extra-large shrimp
* 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
* ½ tsp Blackened Redfish Magic
Seasoning
* 6 asparagus spears (purchase very
thin asparagus spears for this salad)
* ¼ cup mayonnaise (preferably
Duke's)
* ¼ cup sour cream
* 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
* 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
* ¼ tsp salt
* ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
* 1/3 red bell pepper, finely diced
* Bibb lettuce leaves for serving
* Fresh dill for garnish
Fill a saucepan half full of water and
add 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning.
Bring water to a boil. Add shrimp and
cook until they are opaque (about 3-4
minutes). Drain shrimp and allow to
cool. Peel and devein shrimp (remove
tails). Sprinkle shrimp with Blackened
Redfish Magic Seasoning and toss to
coat shrimp.
Steam asparagus in lightly salted
water just until crisp tender. Drain
asparagus and " shock it " by placing ice
in pan with asparagus to discontinue
cooking.
Once asparagus is cooled, remove
any remaining ice from pan and drain.
Pat asparagus lightly with clean kitchen
towel to dry it. Cut asparagus into 6
pieces per stalk.
Place mayonnaise, sour cream,
lemon juice, dill, salt and ½ teaspoon
Old Bay seasoning in a small bowl. Stir
to combine.
Place shrimp, asparagus, red bell
pepper and dressing in a bowl. Stir lightly
to combine.
To serve: lay two Bibb lettuce leaves
on each chilled plate and top with
shrimp asparagus salad. Garnish with
sprigs of fresh dill.
Tricolor Quinoa
Tabbouleh
Yield: 4 cups
* ¾ cup tricolor quinoa
* 2 cups water
* ¼ tsp salt
* 1 medium tomato, chopped into
small pieces
* ½ English cucumber, peeled and
chopped into small pieces
* ½ cup finely chopped Italian
parsley
* 3 green onions, chopped, white
part only
* ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
* ¼ tsp ground cumin
* ¼ tsp salt
* 1 tsp Greek seasoning
* ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint or
¼ tsp dried mint
* 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
* ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Bring the quinoa, ¼ teaspoon salt, and
water to a boil in a medium saucepan
over high heat. Reduce heat to medium
low, cover and simmer until the water
is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent
and tender, approximately 10 - 12
minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and
turn it out onto a baking sheet to cool.
Place tomato, cucumber, parsley,
green onion, olive oil, cumin, salt, Greek
seasoning, lemon juice and black pepper
in a salad bowl. Stir to combine. Add
quinoa. Toss with fork until all ingredients
are combined.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
When ready to serve, let tabbouleh
sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Stir in mint. Taste to check seasoning.
Add 1 more tablespoon lemon juice and
olive oil and ¼ teaspoon more salt if
needed. Serve with Thyme and Garlic
Pita Chips.
Thyme and Garlic
Pita Chips
Yield: 40 pita chips
* 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
* 6 Tbsp olive oil
* 4 pita bread rounds
* 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 2 tsp
dried thyme
* 1 ½ tsp salt
* 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Stir garlic into olive oil. Cut each pita
into 5 strips with kitchen scissors or a
serrated knife. Snip end of each strip and
separate to make 2 single layer strips.
Place pita strips split side up in a single
layer on baking sheets. Brush with garlic
olive oil. Sprinkle evenly with thyme, salt
and pepper. Bake until crisp and golden
brown, 12-15 minutes. Cool. Serve at
room temperature. I
TheRoanoker.com
MARCH/APRIL 2022 13
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The Roanoker March/April 2022

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