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May 20, 2013
Melissa Healy: Genetic copies of living people from embryos no longer science fiction
Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Jews Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame; Anton Yelchin co-stars in New "Trek" film; Kutcher (but not Kunis) visits Israel; Jewish TV Star Praises Jewish Rap Star
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Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas
Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate
Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility
May 6, 2013
May 3, 2013
Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine
April 29, 2013
Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust
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April 26, 2013
Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty
April 24, 2013
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Jewish World Review
Romaine, Mint and Ricotta: A Salad Combination that Steals the Show
By
Betty Rosbottom
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JewishWorldReview.com |
Salads are quintessential summer fare. They can begin or anchor a meal or play supporting roles as sides to main courses. For the latter, I typically toss fresh greens in a vinaigrette dressing or drizzle them with lemon juice and olive oil. Such salads are always good and dependable, but they never steal the show. Recently, however, I have been serving a simple romaine salad that has been garnering plenty of attention. The salad's popularity is due to two unexpected ingredients: fresh mint and ricotta.
I stack romaine leaves on top of each other, cut them lengthwise into wide strips (discarding the tough center veins), then combine these with finely julienned mint leaves. Next I sprinkle this duo with bits of ricotta and add some halved grape tomatoes. Finally, the whole mixture is tossed with fresh lemon juice and olive oil, and then seasoned with coarse salt and pepper.
Each time I have served this salad, guests have taken a bite, paused, and tried to figure out what was adding such a refreshing note. Some have guessed that it was mint, others have not, but all have loved this unusual addition. The contrasting textures -- the crunch of the romaine leaves paired with the salty creaminess of ricotta -- also add to the salad's appeal. The tomatoes provide some visual pizzazz with their rich crimson hue.
As final touches, I sprinkled the gratin with some toasted breadcrumbs to add more texture and with minced chives for color.
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I have served this salad as a garnish and offered it as an accompaniment to fettuccine tossed with steamed summer vegetables and Parmesan cheese. It would be just as tempting alongside grilled salmon or even as a partner to a chilled summer soup. This is salad season, and this one is definitely a keeper!
ROMAINE, MINT AND RICOTTA SALAD
- 2 medium heads romaine lettuce (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
- 1/3 cup thinly julienned mint leaves (see note)
- 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup ricotta (see note)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 grape tomatoes, halved
Remove the leaves from the head of romaine and rinse, then pat dry. Stack 3 to 4 leaves on top of each other, then cut 1/2 inch wide strips lengthwise from the leaves. Cut out and discard the tough center veins from all but the small inner leaves. Continue until you have 4 cups well-packed strips. (Save any extra romaine leaves for another use.) Place romaine strips in a salad bowl along with the julienned mint, and toss well to combine. Cover with several dampened paper towels and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 1 hour to chill.
Break the ricotta into small pieces and sprinkle these over the romaine and mint. Then drizzle lemon juice and olive oil over the mixture. Add the tomatoes. Season with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Toss well until the ricotta has broken into small bits. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Note: To julienne mint leaves, stack 3 to 4 leaves on top of each other, then, starting at the base of the leaves, roll up tightly into a cylinder like a cigarette. With a sharp knife, slice the roll into very thin strips.
Note: Extra ricotta is good tossed with warm strands of pasta along with grated Parmegiano Reggiano, butter, pareve sausage, chopped fresh tomatoes and torn basil leaves.
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© 2012, Betty Rosbottom. Distributed by Tribune Media Services Inc.
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