Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Tangerine Salad

A light, crisp, and fresh Tangerine Salad that's perfect to enjoy during the end of summer days.

Well it's been quite a summer and I made it to my 20th installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series where we talk about quick and easy meals that use summer's fresh produce.  Today I'm bringing you a wonderful fresh salad and it goes perfect with my last post of the Italian Layered Picnic Sandwich, as well as about anything else as a main dish.

Today's recipe is all about using fresh greens along with citrus to make a light summer salad.  Green leaf lettuce, green onions, and tangerines are mixed and topped with almonds for crunch, then doused with a light cider vinaigrette for a salad that is perfection!

I have a thing about tangerines in salads.  They remind me of my favorite salad growing up, which was a Chinese Chicken Salad.  There is something about little juicy tangerines that just make the salad special to me.  The sweetness of the tangerines lend a light and bright feeling to the salad and provide a wonderful pop of flavor.  No wonder I keep a can of mandarin oranges or tangerines in my pantry at all times!

You really will enjoy this salad.  It's light, crisp, and fresh and perfect to enjoy in the warm summer months.  A few more post to come with some end of summer favorites so stayed tuned.

Enjoy!

Summer Fresh Recipe Series

• Italian Layered Picnic Sandwich
• Spicy Grilled Eggplant
• Carrot and Almond Bulgur Salad
• Tomato Avocado & Grilled Corn Salad
• Spinach Orzo Salad with Chickpeas 
• Cherry Almond Muffins
• Watermelon Salad Mediterranean Style
• Chicken Fajita Kabobs
• Refreshing Melon Salad
• Peach Blueberry & Ginger Crisp
• Grilled Sirloin Steak with Garlic Herb Vinaigrette
• Grilled Vegetable Platter
• Sirloin Steak topped with Herb Salsa with Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Grilled Honey Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots & Brocollini
• Lemon Raspberry Dutch Baby
• Simple Mediterranean Salad
• Grilled Chicken Kofta
• Greek Cobb Salad

Tangerine Salad

serves 6

1 11 oz. can of mandarin oranges or tangerines, drained
6 cups of green leaf lettuce
3 green onions, sliced, dark and light green parts only
1/2 cup almonds, rough chopped
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

On a large platter place lettuce and top with green onions, and tangerines.  Sprinkle with almonds.  In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper.  Pour over salad and toss to coat.

Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Italian Layered Picnic Sandwich

This BIG sandwich is layered with all sorts of flavor bursting ingredients making for one heck of a meal!

Here's something light and easy that requires no cooking for my 19th installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series.  We're making sandwiches!

Inspired by a sandwich we had down in Santa Monica at the famous "Bay Cities Italian Deli" this huge sandwich is layered to the brim with all kinds of goodies.  You can't beat a good sandwich for a light supper, lunchtime, picnic, or as a potluck item.  This sandwich is my variation of an Italian layered submarine sandwich and it is packed with flavor!

Using an uncut loaf of French bread as the starting point, you can make this sandwich ahead and take it along with you, then cut it as you serve.  Perfect for a block party or a small family reunion.  We made this one hot summer evening when it was even too hot to grill outside.  I served this with a wonderful Tangerine Salad (recipe coming) and it made a wonderful dinner.

The layers include salami, mortadella, turkey, and even chicken deli meats.  The addition of fresh basil, marinated artichokes, spinach, fresh mozzarella, and onion all add tremendous flavor and take this sandwich to new heights!  

Kids as well as adults will all love this sandwich, and the best part is there is NO COOKING involved! Gotta love that when it's even too hot to grill. So go pick up a fresh loaf of french bread, some deli items and sit back and relax with a big filing slice of heaven.

Enjoy!

Summer Fresh Recipe Series

• Spicy Grilled Eggplant
• Carrot and Almond Bulgur Salad
• Tomato Avocado & Grilled Corn Salad
• Spinach Orzo Salad with Chickpeas 
• Cherry Almond Muffins
• Watermelon Salad Mediterranean Style
• Chicken Fajita Kabobs
• Refreshing Melon Salad
• Peach Blueberry & Ginger Crisp
• Grilled Sirloin Steak with Garlic Herb Vinaigrette
• Grilled Vegetable Platter
• Sirloin Steak topped with Herb Salsa with Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Grilled Honey Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots & Brocollini
• Lemon Raspberry Dutch Baby
• Simple Mediterranean Salad
• Grilled Chicken Kofta
• Greek Cobb Salad

Italian Layered Picnic Sandwich

serves: 8-10 depending on the size of the loaf

1 un-sliced loaf of French Bread
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 lb cotto or hard salami, thinly sliced

6 slices fresh mozzarella

8-10 fresh basil leaves

1 1/2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/4 lb mortadella

1 6 1/2 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered if whole

spinach greens

1/4 lb turkey slices

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 lb chicken slices

kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

Cut loaf in half horizontally.  Pull out some of the bread filling from the tops and bottoms.  Combine the olive oil and the garlic in a small bowl.  Brush tops and bottoms with oil mixture.  Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.  

Layer bottom loaf with 1/2 of each:  salami, mozarella, basil, tomatoes, mortadella, artichokes, spinach, turkey onion and chicken.  Repeat layers.  Season with salt & pepper.  Place bread tops on top.  Slice into good sized wedges.  Serve.

Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Spicy Grilled Eggplant

Grilled eggplant graced with just the perfect amount of lime and spicy heat makes this a side dish that's hard to resist.

Well it's September and we're having a heat wave in Los Angeles, breaking temperature records all over the place.  It was 118 degrees yesterday so it's safe to say that summer's not over by a long shot.  So we are grilling out hearts out trying to keep the meals simple and the house cool.

Labor day is tomorrow and today's recipe is a wonderful summer side dish.  As my 18th installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series (which is soon coming to a close), this features eggplant as the star of the dish.   Eggplant is a great vegetable that can be cooked in a variety of ways.  Today we are prepping it with a spicy rub and grilling it for outstanding flavor!

This would be the perfect side dish for any grilled meat, and would go great with the Grilled Ranch Chicken Burgers for a nice Labor day cookout.  Eggplants are perfect for grilling.  Their skin becomes soft once cooked and the flesh inside is meaty and tender.  We used lime juice and Cajun seasoning which adds the right amount of flavor and heat. 

You can't beat this as a side dish, one that everyone will be choosing over all the others.

Enjoy!

Summer Fresh Recipe Series

• Carrot and Almond Bulgur Salad
• Tomato Avocado & Grilled Corn Salad
• Spinach Orzo Salad with Chickpeas 
• Cherry Almond Muffins
• Watermelon Salad Mediterranean Style
• Chicken Fajita Kabobs
• Refreshing Melon Salad
• Peach Blueberry & Ginger Crisp
• Grilled Sirloin Steak with Garlic Herb Vinaigrette
• Grilled Vegetable Platter
• Sirloin Steak topped with Herb Salsa with Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Grilled Honey Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots & Brocollini
• Lemon Raspberry Dutch Baby
• Simple Mediterranean Salad
• Grilled Chicken Kofta
• Greek Cobb Salad

Spicy Grilled Eggplant

serves 8

1 large or 2 small eggplants, cut into 1/2" rounds
1/4 c olive oil
2 Tbsp lime juice
3 tsp Cajun seasoning

Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil.  Drizzle with lime juice and sprinkle on the Cajun seasoning. Grill over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes per side.

source:  Taste of Home American Summer Cookbook