Groundhog Day Corn Salad

Last week I indulged in shopping at our regional high-end supermarket--Metropolitan Market.  If you should shop there, plan to leave a lot of money in exchange for some very tasty and uncommon foods!  It is heaven for a foodie like me!  I was viewing the options in the deli case when I spotted Corn Salad.  I think of corn in the summer, on the cob and purchased at our local farmer's market.  We don't eat corn much the rest of the year.  I consider it a "lesser" vegetable.  Meaning its nutritional content is that of a starchy vegetable (like potatoes) or a grain.  When I'm considering a menu, corn goes in the slot for starch/carbohydrate and I'd rather "spend" my carbs on potatoes, rice or pasta.  But since corn says summer to me, it caught my eye.  Who doesn't long for summer on Groundhog Day?  This corn salad had a vinaigrette dressing, cherry tomatoes and diced red onion in it.  It was mostly corn--I actually had only one cherry tomato in the 8 ounce carton that I bought.  But I had plans for that corn salad--this was just the beginning!

I picked up a few more fresh vegetables, came home and got busy.  Below is the corn salad I came up with.  I like the sharp crunch of summer vegetables, salty taste of a light vinaigrette dressing and a whole lot less starchy carbs.  Weight Watchers might even call it a "free" food!  Aren't all non-starchy vegetables free?

Groundhog Day Corn Salad

3/4 cup frozen (but thawed), canned or fresh corn
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
1/2 English cucumber, quartered and sliced to approximately 1/4" dice
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped to approximately 1/4" dice
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
6 to 8 radishes, thinly sliced
2 T chopped Italian parsley
4 green onions, sliced thinly
1/2 tsp dried dill or 2 T chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste, but be generous
2 T wine vinegar
1 T extra virgin olive oil (EVOO--thank you, Rachael Ray!)

Mix the vegetables together, corn through dill.  Add salt, fresh ground pepper and vinegar.  Toss well to thoroughly distribute the ingredients.  Add the EVOO and toss again.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Serve cold.

I think this would be a great salad for a summer grilling party!  For a nice smoky flavor roast the corn on the cob until singed, let it cool, remove it from the cob and use it in the salad.

You can change the ingredients, the amounts, whatever as salad recipes like this are all about personal taste.

Being primarily a herbivore, maybe Punxsutawney Phil would be favorably enticed out of his den for some corn salad?  Maybe he really pokes his head out to see if the grill is ready?

Comfort Food: Potatoes!

When the term "comfort food" comes up, I immediately think of potatoes--white potatoes.  I can't think of a potato dish I don't like.  Mashed potatoes were a daily staple on my grandmother's dinner table.  With gravy.  Yum!  I remember reading a short story in school where the husband and wife peasants only had potatoes and bread, bread and potatoes to eat.  At the time, it sounded like a great menu!  Potatoes with their skin are a good source of Vitamin C, the B Vitamins and fiber.

Potato Hash with Smoked Salmon is quick and easy to make.  The recipe is based on one from Sunset magazine, March 2009.

Potato Hash with Smoked Salmon

3/4 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 red Bell pepper, chopped
1 T. olive  oil
1/2 tsp. smoked or regular paprika
Salt and pepper
2 to 3 oz. smoked salmon, pulled apart into bite sized pieces
2 T. chopped fresh dill
2 tsp. lemon juice
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix potatoes, onion, peppers, olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika.  Stir to coat all pieces.  Bake in a single layer on a baking or cookie sheet until tender and slightly caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes.  In the last five minutes of cooking, add the salmon pieces.  Just prior to serving, sprinkle with the dill and lemon juice.  Stir to distribute the seasonings.

Meanwhile, bring a large, deep frying pan with two inches of water to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer, crack one egg at a time and slip into the simmering water.  Poach the eggs until desired doneness.   Divide the hash between two plates and top each with two eggs.  Sprinkle a little pepper on top and serve immediately. 

Makes two servings.  Nutritional information per serving:  429 calories, 36 grms carbohydrates, 25 grms protein, 20 grms fat, 3 grms fiber.