Spicy and Bright Summer Salad with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

It's officially Summer and I've already taken full advantage of the bright flavors and juicy watermelons this season has to offer.  My ice cream machine has been hard at work churning out brown sugar carrot gelato and banana pudding ice cream, and I'm trying to figure out how to make every dessert taste like a s'more…. More on that later. 

Summer is so full of inspiration, and much of that takes a sweet form, but my palate has been yearning for something light and savory -- something like a salad.

I think this will be my go-to summer salad.  Last year I made this one a lot, but this year I was looking for something slightly heartier.  I found what I was yearning for by gathering a bunch of my favorite things from the market and tossing them in a super garlicky dressing that could make just about anything become as addicting as a potato chip.  

It is incredibly simple, and you likely have all the required ingredients in your kitchen right now.  Lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, garlic, and a hearty helping of pecorino romano.  Of course, if you have parmesan lying around you could certainly use that instead.  Just make things easy on yourself.  It's Summer, after all.  

I really like having protein in my salads, because, to be perfectly honest, if I don't, I end up wanting a second lunch around 2pm.  Chicken is typically my go-to but I often forget to grill it ahead of time, and when it's time for lunch I rarely feel like firing up the grill just for a salad.  So, I turned to a cured meat, such as salami, that requires no cooking whatsoever.  

It provides me with the protein I crave and the simplicity I need.  It's also a total treat because it's rich, flavorful, and indulgent.  Win, win!

The roasted fingerlings are probably/definitely my favorite part of this salad situation.  I had to restrain myself from eating them all before they made it to the salad. 

If you would like to make this salad even simpler, just roast your potatoes ahead of time and refrigerate!  You can warm them up a bit in the microwave before adding them to your salad.  

If you have never tried marinated cherry peppers, they are very sweet and mildly spicy.  They bring a lovely element to a salad, such as a handful of olives might add.  

Assembly time!  

I love all the vibrant colors.  Don't forget to top your salad with an extra dose of grated pecorino romano!  Like anyone would forget cheese...

It's lunch time.  Step away from your desk, scroll through Instagram and enjoy Summer in salad form.  

Happy Wednesday!

Sincerely, 

   Pedantic Foodie

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Spicy and Bright Summer Salad with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

serves 2 

for the dressing

• 2 tablespoons pecorino romano, finely grated 
• 1 clove garlic, grated into a paste
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

In a small bowl or jar combine pecorino romano, grated garlic, salt, and lemon juice.  Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking constantly to form an emulsion.  Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.  

for the salad

• 1/2 lb fingerling potatoes 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• freshly ground pepper
• 5 cups spring lettuce 
• 1/4 marinated cherry peppers, sliced into strips 
• 1/4 cup sliced salami 
• pecorino romano, to taste 

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  

In a medium bowl combine olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Add fingerling potatoes and toss to coat.  Spread the potatoes evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are deep golden brown and fork tender.   Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the other salad components. 

Pour half of the prepared dressing into the bottom of a medium bowl.  Add lettuce, cherry peppers, salami, and roasted potatoes.  Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and toss to coat.  Top with an extra dose of pecorino romano and serve immediately.  Enjoy! 

Baked Caramelized Onion and Chèvre Dip

These January days can be tiring and just plain icky.  Though I love a good rainy day, the post-holiday funk is only worsened by soggy coats and damp hair.  I think January is a rough month for all of us.  It is the time where we try to get back into life and though I love routine, I crave to regain the long, lazy mornings and relaxing afternoons of December.

Try as I might, I cannot reverse the laws of time and so I must tug on my boots and re-enter the world with as much confidence and enthusiasm as I can muster.  

Cheese helps.  People help.  The worst thing for the post-holiday funk is retreating.  It is good to be around people and to laugh and eat as much cheese as possible.

I love dips, spreads, and anything which can be piled upon toasts and shoved into my mouth.  This dip is especially irresistible because it is super creamy and packed with onions which have become super sweet thanks to the magic of caramelization.  

Cream cheese, butter, caramelized onions, chèvre, and gruyere - nothing can go wrong.

You can serve this dip alongside a toasted baguette or crackers, it's really all about getting the cheese into your mouth.  

Is it too early to start thinking about Super Bowl parties?  This would make an awesome addition to your game day menu.  

Break out some board games and invite some sweet humans into your home.  Let's conquer this January funk.  

Wishing you all a splendid week!  

Sincerely, 

   Pedantic Foodie

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Baked Caramelized Onion and Chevre Dip 

serves 6 or one very hungry lady 

• 2 medium sweet onions, sliced
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 bay leaf 
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 5 ounces chevre goat cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups gruyere, grated 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a medium skillet melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium high heat.  Add the onions, bay leaf, and kosher salt to the melted butter and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and deep amber in color.  Remove from heat and remove bay leaf and set aside. 

In the work bowl of your stand mixer combine cream cheese, chevre, and grated gruyere.  Beat on medium speed until the cheeses are well combined.  Fold in caramelized onions.  

Spread the cheese mixture out into a 9-inch baking pan.  Bake for 15-10 minutes or until the dip is bubbling and the surface has deepened in color.  

Serve immediately* alongside toasts or crackers.  Enjoy!  

*If you wish to make the dip ahead of time it can be placed in the refrigerator and reheated when ready to serve. 

Baked Brie with Caramelized Apples

We are getting really close to that wonderful holiday where it is completely socially acceptable to have four different carbs on your plate at one time.  Thanksgiving is an amazing product of commercialized American heritage, and I love every single part of it.

This is the time where everyone is telling you how to bake the very best mashed potatoes, that are undeniably different than any other recipe for mashed potatoes, and which turkey brine you simply have to use.  (I highly recommend Alton Brown’s.)  Unfortunately, with all this attention directed to the lavish array of side dishes and the iconic Norman Rockwellesc turkey, the prelude to the feast is often grossly overlooked.  We must not let another year go by without reclaiming the first course and bringing it back to its full glory!  Ready?  Let’s get started.

Thanksgiving is a game of time.  It requires strategic planning and precise execution, so the last thing we need is one more thing to take up a lot of preparation or oven time.  This is why many choose to mitigate the homemade appetizers and settle for a boring crudites.  I promise that with minimal effort, you can create an appetizer which is equally as tempting and delicious as your second course. 

If I could only eat one cheese for the rest of my life I would unreservedly choose brie.  It’s rich, creamy, and oh-so-versatile.  

For this recipe we begin by caramelizing some apples with brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.  You can caramelize your apples ahead of time and heat them up just before serving to save yourself some time. 

The brie is baked for a few minutes, just to warm it up.  The hot caramelized apples are poured directly over the brie along with a good sprinkling of sliced almonds.  

I like to serve mine with crostini but you can certainly substitute crackers if you wish. 

It takes me exactly 7.36 minutes to demolish 1/4 pound of brie.

 Let’s make our first course as spectacular as our second this year.  Happy Holiday!!

Sincerely, 

  Pedantic Foodie

P.S. If brie is not your jam then you might want to try out this Balsamic-Roasted Grape Crostini.

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Baked Brie with Caramelized Apples 

serves 6 (or one very hungry lady) 

- 1/3 cup brown sugar 

- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

- 1 large apple, peeled and sliced (about 1 1/2 cups) 

- pinch of kosher salt 

- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

- 1/2 lb triple cream Brie 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

In a small bowl combine cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt.  Sprinkle over apples and toss to coat.  

In a small sauté pan melt butter over medium heat.  When the butter has melted add apple mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-12 minutes or until the apples are soft and a thick caramel has formed.  Remove from heat and reserve. 

Place the Brie on a baking sheet lined with parchment.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the Brie begins to melt.  

Pour the caramelized apples over the baked Brie and serve immediately with crostini or crackers.  Enjoy!! 

For crostini:  Set your oven to its broiler setting.  Slice a baguette into slices 1/2 inch thick. Brush one side with olive oil and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment.   

Bake for 2-4 minutes or until the toasts are golden brown.  Can be made one day in advance.