Curried Shrimp Salad with Avocado and Orange

Growing up, I wasn't a big fan of mayonnaise, so the idea of a salad like this would've just made me turn up my nose. I blame the french fries in Montreal (and perhaps discovering that Miracle Whip wasn't really mayonnaise?) for helping me overcome my aversion. The first time I saw them, I couldn't think of a worse thing to do to french fries. A year or so later? I caught myself asking for mayonnaise when I was served fries in the US. I'm glad I've moved on because it's opened up some delicious dishes to me. This one in particular caught my eye while trying to avoid heating up the house during a heat wave (I realize that those of you heading into winter may not appreciate this as much ... or maybe you will!). Of course, the heat wave broke an hour or so before dinner (Melbourne seems to be fond of extreme temperature shifts), so my efforts were for naught, but this fresh salad hit the spot with plenty of fruit and vegetables to balance out the creamy shrimp.

She calls for boiling and chilling the shrimp yourself to add more flavour. You certainly can (and I did), but it does take this dish from super quick and easy to a bit more planning required. You first need to simmer a quick stock with 1 carrot, 1 celery stick, 1 lemon, 1/2 sweet onion, 2 bay leaves, and some salt for 10 minutes. You take some of the stock out and chill it so it can serve as the ice bath for the shrimp (using ice in ziplock bags so you don't dilute it). The rest of the stock you use to boil the shell on shrimp in for 1 minute, before you chill them, then peel and devein. I'm sure it added flavour, it's just a little bit fussy for a weeknight. So the quick and easy version below? Just buy some cooked shrimp.

Two years ago: Summer King Salmon Kebabs
Three years ago: Indonesian Spice Cake
Four years ago: Sweet and Sour Napa Cabbage
Five years ago: Beef Rendang
Six years ago: Mint Brownies

Curried Shrimp Salad with Avocado and Orange (from Lighten Up Y'all)

Ingredients
1 tbsp finely chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise (she calls for light because it is a "light" cookbook, but you know I can't endorse that)
2 tbsp finely chopped celery
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 lb cooked and chilled shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped mint
grated zest of 2 oranges, with fruit set aside
1 avocado, seeded and chopped
5 oz arugula
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
kosher salt and pepper

1. Place onion in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until just tender, 25 seconds. (You can also sweat in a skillet, but why not save a dish?)
2. Let onion cool slightly, then add mayo, celery, and curry powder. Stir to combine.
3. Add shrimp, parsley, mint, and grated orange zest to mayo and season with salt and pepper.
4. Separate orange into segments. You can use the knife to slice off the top and bottom and then cut around or if yours is easy enough to peel, you can do it by hand.
5. Combine avocado, orange segments, and arugula in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss.
6. Pile salad among 6 plates, top with spoonful of shrimp, and serve.

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Arugula and Hazelnuts

Fall has never been my favourite time of year. I know some people relish the cooling weather and changing leaves, but for me it signals the end of summer, beginning of winter, and end of most of my favourite produce. Of course, San Francisco lacks a real winter and our produce options are better than most year-round, so I'm trying to learn to embrace the change. Produce-wise, fall here means that raspberries, strawberries, and figs are replaced with persimmons and pomegranates. I had never really had persimmons before moving here and pomegranates always seemed exotic, but here the markets overflow with them in early October. The persimmons somewhat remind me of apples, so if you can't find them, I think you could get away with those as a substitute. I was completely surprised by how much I loved this salad. Crunchy, tangy, and just a little bit of sweet. It also reminded me of how much I love hazelnuts.

One year ago: Turkey and Sweet Corn Meatballs with Roasted Pepper Sauce
Two years ago: Aromatic Green Beans with Pounded Garlic and Cardamom
Three years ago: Lamb Stir-Fry
Four years ago: Apple and Cheddar Scones
Five years ago: Mexican Rice

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Arugula and Hazelnuts (from Sunday Suppers at Lucques)

Ingredients
2/3 cup hazelnuts
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp hazelnut oil, divided
1 tbsp finely diced shallot
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
3 tbsp fresh pomegranate juice (if you have pomegranate molasses on hand, you can cheat and use a bit of that watered down)
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 small Fuyu persimmons, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, for juicing
1/2 lb arugula

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Spread hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast 8 - 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Let cool, coarsely chop, and toss with 1 tsp hazelnut oil and a pinch of salt.
3. Place diced shallot, pomegranate juice, both vinegars, and 1/2 tsp salt in bowl. Let sit five minutes.
4. Whisk in olive oil and remaining 1 tbsp oil to pomegranate mixture.
5. In a large salad bowl, toss persimmons, sliced shallots, and pomegranate seeds with the dressing. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.
6. Toss in arugula, scatter hazelnuts on top, and serve.

Marinated Romano Peppers with Buffalo Mozzarella

Somehow with work travel, I seem to have missed most of the pepper season. Luckily, I managed to catch some beautiful looking peppers still at the farmers' market. Initially I was disappointed that my bag of lovelies wasn't all bell peppers, but then I stumbled across this recipe (and bonus we had leftover arugula and buffalo mozzarella in the fridge!). Thin skinned peppers such as romanos work great in this recipe since they aren't peeled. I think ghost peppers would also work very well here. The recipe calls for letting the peppers marinade for at least 2 hours, but mine probably had less than an hour of time marinating and we had no complaints about flavor.

One year ago: Cubed Pork with Potatoes, Yogurt, and Tamarind
Two years ago: Moroccan Carrots
Three years ago: Basil, Hazelnut, and Chocolate Cupcakes
Four years ago: Lemon and Cranberry Scones
Five years ago: Easy Buttermilk Cake

Marinated Romano Peppers with Buffalo Mozzarella (from Ottolenghi)

Ingredients
6 romano peppers
120 ml olive oil, divided
2 1/2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
2 1/2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tbsp cider vinegar
100g arugula
200g buffalo mozzarella
coarse sea salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spread peppers on a roasting tray, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix and roast for 12 - 15 minutes until tender and beginning to color.
2. Meanwhile, mix together cilantro, parsley, garlic, vinegar, and 80 ml olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Put warm peppers in a bowl, pour marinade over them, cover, and leave at room temperature for at least 2 hours (if you have the time!).
4. To serve, lay peppers and arugula on a serving plate and spoon marinade over them. Dot peppers with chunks of the mozzarella. Drizzle with remaining oil and serve.

Grilled Arctic Char with Arugula and Cherry Tomato-Anchovy Brown Butter

This dish is a celebration of summer with two types of tomatoes, basil, and peppery arugula. Grilled arctic char is served on top of a tomato and arugula salad and covered with a cherry tomato-anchovy brown butter sauce. Goin's recipes tend to be on the complex side, but this one is relatively simple and comes together fairly quickly.

Two years ago: Cucumber Cooler
Three years ago: Fig, Prosciutto, and Arugula Salad
Four years ago: Egg and Pancetta Stuffed Tomatoes

Grilled Arctic Char with Arugula and Cherry Tomato-Anchovy Brown Butter (from The AOC Cookbook)

Ingredients
1 lemon zested and 4 tsp juice, divided
6 fillets arctic char, skin on
1 tbsp thyme leaves
1/4 cup chopped thyme leaves, divided
1 1/2 lbs heirloom tomatoes
2 tbsp sliced basil
4 ounces arugula
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
8 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp minced anchovy
3/4 pint small cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1. Season char with lemon zest, thyme, and 2 tbsp parsley. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (Goin recommends this for all of her fish recipes. I rarely marinate for more than 30 minutes and sometimes not even that much. Don't let time stop you from giving this a shot!)
2. Light the grill and while it's warming up, let the fish come to room temperature.
3. Core the heirloom tomatoes and cut them into 1/4" thick slices. Season with salt and pepper and scatter basil on top.
4. Toss arugula in a large bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
5. Divide half of the sliced tomatoes between 6 dinner plates. Add 2/3 of arugula on top. Place remaining tomatoes on plates and follow with the remaining arugula.
6. Brush char with remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and grill - 3-4 minutes skin-side down and a minute or so flesh side down. Place fish on arugula and tomato salad.
7. Meanwhile, place butter in medium saute pan. Cook over high heat a few minutes until brown and nutty. Add anchovy, cherry tomatoes, 3/4 tsp salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Cook for 30 seconds and add 2 tsp lemon juice. Stir in remaining parsley and spoon over fish and around the salad. Serve.

Summer King Salmon Kebabs

This is a quick, easy, and light dinner. The simple seasoning on the salmon really allows the fish to shine. The original recipe calls for grilling the salmon as kebabs on skewers, but I opted to keep it simple and just pan fry. The original also suggests using mizuna greens, but suggests that arugula or frisee are also good substitutes. I went with arugula since mizuna is a bit more difficult to find.

One year ago: Indonesian Spice Cake
Two years ago: Lamb Stir-fry
Three years ago: Beef Rendang
Four years ago: Mint Brownies

Summer King Salmon Kebabs (adapted from Big Small Plates)

Ingredients
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp mustard seeds (yellow, brown, or a mix)
12 ounces king salmon fillets
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups arugula
Champagne vinaigrette
1 tbsp champagne vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 - 2 tbsp finely chopped dill, fennel fronds, or chives
salt and pepper

1. Combine vinaigrette ingredients in small bowl and whisk until emulsified.
2. Toast sesame seeds in a small pan until lightly golden, set aside.
3. Place mustard seeds in small pan, cover, and toast until they stop popping. Mix with sesame seeds. Divide into two piles - one for the rub and one for garnish. Grind the rub seeds and place on a plate.
4. Cut salmon into 6 pieces if doing kebabs or 2 if pan frying. Smear flesh side with mustard and press into ground seeds to coat.
5. Fry or grill salmon until cooked medium rare.
6. Dress greens with vinaigrette, top with salmon, drizzle with any remaining vinaigrette, and sprinkle with reserved seeds.

Halibut Soft Tacos

There are quite a few components to these tacos, but I promise that they're worth it and each part is simple. The end result is a wonderfully light and fresh tasting taco with just enough textural contrast to keep it interesting. If you don't already have cooked halibut on hand, roast at 375F for 10 minutes per inch (so 5 minutes if your fish is half an inch thick).

Two years ago: General Tso's Chicken
Three years ago: Zucchini and Goat Cheese Galette

Halibut Soft Tacos (from Big Small Plates)

Ingredients
Vinaigrette
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tacos
2 - 2.5 cups flaked cooked halibut (12 ounces)
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 scallion, white and light green parts, minced
1/2 cup minced celery leaves and stalks
1/4 cup chopped green olives (optional)
1 cup arugula
1 cup cilantro leaves
6 corn tortillas
1/2 - 1 cup tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup yogurt
1/2 cup goat cheeese
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges

1. To make vinaigrette, combine lime juice, mustard, cumin, salt, and pepper. Whisk in olive oil until emulsified.
2. To make taco filling, combine fish, 2 tbsp of vinaigrette, mayo, scallion, celery, and olives in bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together arugula and cilantro. Toss with vinaigrette.
4. Heat tortillas until warm and softened. Spoon layer of fish on tortillas, sprinkle with salsa. Top with mound of greens and drizzle of yogurt. Finish with a crumble of cheese and a slice or two of avocado. Serve with lime wedges.

Broiled Flat Fish with Arugula Pesto

This is a quick, easy, and green alternative to traditional fish fingers. The original recipe calls for flounder, but I used local sand dabs. The pesto recipe makes quite a bit more than you'll need for this recipe, but it freezes well.

One year ago: Watermelon Salad with Feta and Olives
Two years ago: Bell Pepper Sauce with Sausages
Three years ago: Arugula, Strawberry, and Caramelized Pear Salad

Broiled Flat Fish with Arugula Pesto (from Fish Without a Doubt)

Ingredients
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
4 (5 - 6 ounce) flounder of other flat fish fillets, about 1/2" thick
coarse salt and pepper
2 tsp grated lemon zest
4 tbsp Arugula pesto
2 tsp dry bread crumbs
lemon wedges

1. Season flounder on both sides. Dip in melted butter.
2. Rub 1/2 tsp of lemon zest on top of the skinless side of each fillet. Spread on heaping tbsp of pesto and sprinkle on 1/2 tsp of bread crumbs. Set on greased baking sheet.
3. Set an oven rack 5" below heat source and heat broiler.
4. Slide baking sheet under broil and broil for 5 minutes until browned and oil bubbles.
5. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Arugula Pesto
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup pine nuts
6 ounces arugula
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Put garlic and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
2. Add arugula by the handful, pulsing after each addition.
3. Turn on processor and add oil in a steady stream until formed into a paste.

Sauteed Cod with Chorizo, Orange and Wild Arugula, Sherry Vinaigrette

While I love our seafood box, sometimes it becomes a bit overwhelming. Each drop is supposed to give us one meal, but we usually find it's enough fish for two meals, so half of the bounty gets placed in the freezer. Black cod was threatening to overtake the freezer, so I decided to take back control of it. Luckily, someone had also brought home a dried spicy sausage that week, so I decided to appropriate it. The fantastic thing about this recipe is it gives you a complete meal in less than 15 minutes.

Sauteed Cod with Chorizo, Orange and Wild Arugula, Sherry Vinaigrette (from Radically Simple)

Ingredients
2 oranges
8 tbsp olive oil, divided (I used a bit less)
3 ounces dried chorizo, sliced 1/4" thick
2 tbsp sherry vinegar, divided
3 ounces mixed wild arugula and mesculin
4 thick code fillets, 6 ounces each

1. Cut rind and pith from oranges. Cut between membranes to release segments. Save 2 tbsp of juice.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large skillet. Add chorizo and cook over high heat for 2 minutes until crispy.
3. Whisk together 6 tbsp oil (I used less), 1 tbsp of vinegar, and salt and pepper.
4. Toss greens with dressing and divide among 4 plates.
5. Top greens with orange segments, chorizo, and pan drippings.
6. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to skillet. Season fish with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat until firm, 3 minutes per side.
7. Add remaining 1 tbsp vinegar and orange juice and cook for 30 seconds.
8. Place fish on greens, drizzle with pan juices, and serve.

Seared sirloin with rocket and balsamic vinegar

This isn't really a recipe, but it worked for a great quick and easy weeknight dinner. I used olive oil infused with chile to give the dish a little bit of an extra kick.

One year ago: Lamb with Celeriac
Two years ago: Green Curry Shrimp with Rice
Three years ago: Almost Eggs Benedict

Seared sirloin with rocket and balsamic vinegar (from Twelve)
Ingredients
500g sirloin steak (1" thick)
120g arugula, rinsed, dried, and trimmed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. On either a cast iron griddle on stovetop or an outdoor grill, cook stead for 6 - 8 minutes on each side until nicely seared. Transfer meat to cutting board and sprinkle with salt. Let rest.
2. Cut meat into 3/4" slices, slightly on the diagonal.
3. Divide arugula onto plates. Add meat over arugula. Drizzle with oil and vinegar. Grind on some pepper and serve.

Figs with Young Pecorino and Honey

This salad is an excellent mix of sweet figs and honey, salty pecorino, and peppery arugula. Don't be confused by the cheese. This recipe isn't calling for the hard cheese similar to Parmesan. It wants the young kind, a soft sheep cheese. You could probably also go with a soft goat cheese here or something similar.

One year ago: Celery Root and Apple Puree

Figs with Young Pecorino and Honey (from Ottolenghi)

Ingredients
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp olive oil
600g ripe green or black figs
300g young pecorino or similar cheese
80g arugula
10g basil
coarse salt and black pepper

1. Whisk together honey and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cut figs into quarters and tear cheese into chunks.
3. Arrange arugula, basil, figs, and cheese in layers on individual plates. Drizzle with honey dressing and serve.

Ziti with Arugula and Jaggery

I wasn't sure about this dish after the first bite. It seemed a little too sweet, but after a few more, the flavours blended perfectly. The bitter arugula, the sweetness of the jaggery, a little bit of heat from the chiles, but most of all the fennel. This comes together easily. The original calls for finely chopped tomatoes, but I pulled out some tomato puree from the freezer. The author suggests macaroni, mostaccioli, and orecchiette could be used as pasta laternative. I used orecchiette. I forgot the parmesan I had grated and didn't miss it.

You might get slightly better results with the arugula if you wilted it directly into the sauce and pasta. Otherwise, it clumps quite badly. Original directions are included below.

Two years ago: Broccoli Spears in Garlic Sauce

Ziti with Arugula and Jaggery (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
450g ziti pasta
450g arugula, washed, stems discarded, large leaves torn
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 - 4 dried Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed
3 large tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
1/4 cup crumbled jaggery or firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
freshly grated parmesan

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta and cook until fork-tender.
2. In the last minute of pasta cooking, add arugula. Drain pasta and greens and shock with cold water.
3. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and chiles. Cook until chiles blacken and seeds smell nutty, 20 - 30 seconds.
4. Stir in tomatoes and jaggery and simmer uncovered until tomatoes are warmed through, 5 minutes. Stir in salt.
5. Toss pasta and arugula into sauce and simmer until rewarmed, 3 - 5 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Roasted Peach and Arugula Salad with Gorgonzola

The original recipe calls for apricots, but apricots aren't quite in season here right now, so I used peaches. This is a great salad. The bitter radicchio, creamy gorgonzola, and sweetness of the peaches work very well together.

One year ago: Chicken in Peanut Sauce
Two years ago: Heirloom Tomato and Rice Tart

Roasted Peach and Arugula Salad with Gorgonzola (from Raising the Salad Bar)

Ingredients
4 peaches, halved, pits removed
olive oil
6 to 8 cups baby arugula, washed and dried
1 cup thinly sliced radicchio
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
5 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Brush peaches on both sides with olive oil and place flesh side up on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast until cooked and slightly softened, 15 - 18 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. To make dressing, whisk together oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
3. In large bowl, toss arugula and radicchio with enough dressing to coat leaves.
4. Divide salad among 4 plates and top with peach halves. Top with gorgonzola and drizzle with remaining dressing.

Raw Rhubarb, Cucumber, and Mint Salad

This salad is a change of pace from a normal salad routine. It's a bit tart and very refreshing. The author suggests serving it with olive oil poached salmon.

Raw Rhubarb, Cucumber, and Mint Salad (from The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen)

Ingredients
2 young rhubarb stalks
1 crisp medium cucumber, peeled
2 tbsp coarse salt
2 handfuls arugula
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded mint leaves

1. Cut rhubarb and cucumber into very thin slices.
2. Toss rhubarb and cucumber with coarse salt and let stand 10 minutes. Rinse and drain.
3. In a salad bowl, toss rhubarb and cucumber with arugula. Drizzle on lemon juice, scatter mint leaves on top, and serve.

Cucumber and Almond Salad with Arugula

This is a very flavourful salad that's perfect for the summer. The original recipe calls for Kirby cucumbers, but I had a 1kg English cucumber that needed to be put to good use. The original also calls for a garnish of chopped shiso leaves, but I decided to toss the salad with some baby arugula instead. I also followed the optional addition of grape tomatoes for my portion.

Cucumber and Almond Salad with Arugula(adapted from Cook This Now)

Ingredients
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
225g cucumbers, skinned and chopped
2 1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp lime juice
a few handfuls baby arugula
cherry or grape tomatoes
sea salt to taste

1. In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, and lime juice.
2. Toss dressing with cucumbers, almonds, arugula, and tomatoes.
3. Sprinkle with salt and serve.