I just hosted book club last week and made three salads for something easy and no-cook. They were a hit!
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Easiest: Shaved Fennel and Apple Salad
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced (2 cups)
½ large green apple, thinly sliced (½ cup)
¼ cup lemon juice
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. chopped fennel fronds
Toss together all ingredients in bowl. Let stand 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
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Most talked about dressing/sauce: Cucumber Salad w/Peanut-Lime Vinaigrette
Vinaigrette
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 Tbs. creamy peanut butter
2 Tbs. grapeseed or peanut oil
1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp. salt (optional)
Salad
4 cucumbers, peeled and sliced
2 Tbs. cilantro leaves
Whisk together lime juice and peanut butter in small bowl. Whisk in grapeseed and sesame oils until emulsified. Whisk in salt, if using.
Arrange cucumbers in single or double layer on platter. Drizzle with vinaigrette (and a touch of sriracha sauce if you want). Sprinkle with cilantro (and chopped peanuts if you want).
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Most flavorful: Heirloom Tomato and Nectarine Salad
2 1/2 lb. heirloom tomatoes (combo cherry and beefsteak/big)
1 1/2 lb. nectarines cut into wedges (says to peel; i didn't)
1 bunch green onions, white and most of green parts thinly sliced
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. orange juice
2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
2 tsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (i am veg!)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (optional)
1 cup small mint and basil leaves
Core and chunk/wedge large tomatoes; cut cherry tomatoes in half. Toss in bowl. Add nectarines and green onions.
Whisk together oil, orange juice, vinegar, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, salt. Pour over fruit/veg in bowl. Add 3/4 cup herbs and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining herbs.
All of these recipes are from Vegetarian Times, with a few modifications for laziness on my part. I didn't peel the nectarines, butchered the tomato cutting, guessed on the herbs as I grabbed them from my garden, didn't realize the maple syrup came out so fast, failed to thinly sliced the apples or fennel, doubled the apples, and only had the time to peel/cut 1 large cucumber. That's what makes salads fun, right?