chop A Culinary Playground

Curried Turkey Salad

Curried Chicken Salad was a popular lunch time salad at our restaurant. It is typical country or beach club fare here in Hawaii served in a half of a papaya. 

I substituted turkey and it is just as delicious and a great late summer lunch or dinner.

Curried Turkey Salad

serves 4

1 Pound cooked turkey or chicken, cut in

   to bit size cubes

1/4  Maui onion, minced

2 Green onion, sliced, green and white

   parts

2 Stalks celery, sliced

1/4  Cup red bell pepper, diced

1/4  Cup golden raisins

1/4  Cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

1 Tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

1/2  Cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons curry powder

       Salt and Pepper

Combine the ingredients let sit in refrigerator for one hour.  Serve in a seeded half of a papaya or avocado.

Mango Gazpacho

Yes one more mango recipe. 

2    Mangoes finely diced

1/2 Cup mango puree

1/2 Red onion, finely diced

1    Small Japanese cucumber, finely diced

1    Avocado, finely diced

1    Clove garlic, minced

1/4 Cup Italian parsley, finely chopped

2     Tablespoons lime juice

2     Tablespoons olive oil

      Sea Salt

1    Dash ancho chile powder

Mix everything together and serve chilled.

Tomato Vodka Salad

Several years ago I tore a recipe out of a magazine for cherry tomatoes macerated in vodka.  I always wanted to make it for a catering job but never did because of the tedious task of  peeling the tomatoes.  I have long lost the recipe.  This year I seem to have a lot of cherry tomatoes in the garden from some rogue plants and I decide to try to make this tomato and vodka salad.

This salad would be great for brunch or a hot summer afternoon.

Cherry Tomato and Vodka Salad

serves 8

2 pints cherry tomatoes

2 cups vodka

  Coarse grain sea salt (I used Hanepepe Alae

  from our friend's salt bed) 

  Fresh basil, jullienned

Put a pot of water to boil.  Cut a X on the bottom of the tomato.  Do not cut too deep, just cut the skin.  Place in boiling water for 15 seconds, drain and place in an ice bath. Peel skin off. Place in container with vodka and basil. Macerate for 3 - 10 hours.  Drain (vodka can be used for Bloody Marys) Place tomatoes in individual glasses and top with sea salt.

This would also be excellent with some Buratta Cheese

Trio of Potato Salad

I am counting the days until the Fourth of July.  The fourth is one of my favorite holidays.  Until last year we would spend the holiday at my mother’s beach house on  the North Shore of Oahu.  The day was spent playing in the water and sand and was always capped off with a sunset BBQ with more food than we could eat.  My mother sold her house last year and this will be our second year spending the fourth in town.  We do have a great view of the fireworks, and still make too much food.

I decided to stray from the classic potato salad and made an Aegean, Moroccan and Japanese inspired potato salad.

We used to serve this salad in our former restaurant Beau Soleil.

It was really popular and the food editor of the Honolulu Advertiser had a request for the recipe. 

Aegean Potato Salad

1      pound red potatoes, quartered

1/4   cup extra virgin olive oil

2      tablespoons red wine vinegar

2      tablespoons capers

1/2   red onion, thinly sliced

1/2   cup crumbled feta cheese

2      tablespoons chopped Italian

        parsley

        salt and pepper

Boil potatoes in salted water, until fork tender.  Drain and place hot potatoes in bowl.  Do not cool.  Add the rest of the ingredients and toss.  Serve at room temperature.

Moroccan Potato Salad

This salad is flavored with Moroccan Argan oil.  I will write more about this ingredient later.

1     pound red potatoes

2     tablespoons argan oil

1     tablespoon chopped Italian

       parsley

1     cup pitted kalamata, or Moroccan

       olives

       salt and pepper

Boil potatoes until fork tender. Drain and toss with the rest of the ingredients while still hot.  Serve at room temperature.

Japanese Style Potato Salad

1     pound red or waxy potatoes

1/2  cup mayonnaise

2     tablespoons finely diced red

       onion

2     tablespoon tobbiko (flying fish     

       roe)

Cook potatoes in boiling water until fork tender.  Drain and let cool.

Mix with the rest of the ingredients and refrigerate.  Serve cold

Farm Fresh Carrots

Big Wave Tomatoes had beautiful carrots for sale at the Farmer’s Market.  I made a herbed butter to go with them.

Baby Carrots in Herb Butter

1     Pound baby carrot

6     Spring onions, bottom part

2     Table spoons butter

2     Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4     Garlic cloves

From my garden

1     Cup fresh basil leaves

1/2  Cup Italian parsley

1/2  Cup chopped green onions

  Salt and Pepper

Blanch the carrots and onions until fork tender.  Cool down in ice bath.

In a food processor, add oil, garlic, all the herbs and salt and pepper.  Process until smooth like pesto.

In a sauté pan, melt the butter, add one cup of herb puree.  Add the carrots and heat through.  Serve

Save left over sauce to serve over steak or fish.  Or mix with softened butter to make a compound butter.