Celebrate season with dreamy salads, huckleberry 'oldie'

We’ve finally gotten our summer and with all the activities to enjoy, who wants to cook? Now’s the time to toss a slab of salmon, a couple of chicken breasts or some big shrimp on the barbecue, enjoy with a salad, and follow it up with a bowl of fresh fruits in lieu of dessert.

Our pictured salad is a summer dream. Purchase what you’ll need for your get-together and know this one will blow ‘em away. This is my favorite salad in the whole world.

Peach/Spinach/

Bacon Salad

Rinse and pat dry baby spinach.

Peel and cut up ripe peaches into a bowl, saving the juice. Sprinkle only a pinch (1/4 tsp.) of superfine sugar over the pieces, tossing gently with the juice.

Fry or broil bacon (or soy bacon), drain, cool and cut into bite-size pieces.

Put spinach and bacon into bowl with the peaches, drizzle with Balsamic vinegar, toss gently and serve.

Tip: If you wish, you can steam the spinach lightly, cooling before use.

This is a “full-meal” salad — a great Hawaiian classic to die for.

Pineapple/Avocado

Salad

(For 8)

½ cup plain yogurt

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons cane sugar

½ teaspoon white pepper

1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

2 bunches arugula

1 small pineapple, peeled, cut into fourths, cored, then halved crosswise and cut into bite-size chunks

2 large avocados, pitted peeled, sliced and cut into half-inch pieces

Minced fresh chives

Whisk first 5 ingredients into small bowl to blend.

Cover and chill until ready to use.

Divide greens among plates; top equally with pineapple and avocado pieces.

Spoon dressing over, sprinkle with chives and serve.

A different take on coleslaw makes for a delectable crunch summer salad.

Cabbage/Bell Pepper

Slaw with

Fennel Vinaigrette

(6 servings)

1 large head green cabbage OR use half cabbage and half red radicchio

2/3 cup EACH of finely chopped red and green bell peppers

1/3 cup chopped fennel

Fennel fronds for garnish

Dressing:

2/3 cup tarragon vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

½ cup olive oil

1/3 cup sugar

2 ¼ teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed (I use a mortar and pestle)

Core cabbage(s) and peel off 6 (nice) outer leaves; cover and refrigerate in plastic bag.* Quarter remaining cabbage then thinly slice enough to measure 9 cups.

Slice and chop further to your preferred texture. Combine with chopped peppers and fennel in large bowl.

Combine vinegar, oil, sugar and crushed fennel seeds in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is melted and incorporated.

Taste for seasoning, remove from heat and cool.

Garnish the bowl of salad with chopped fennel fronds.

I recently found this great old huckleberry recipe in my files - Enjoy.

Huckleberry/Walnut

Banana Bread

2 cups walnuts, divided as follows: ¾ cup finely ground; 1¼ cups finely chopped

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cardamom

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups sugar

1½ cup huckleberries, slightly mashed

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1 cup cooking oil

Set oven at 350F. Butter and flour 2 9x5x3-inch loaf pans.

Sprinkle the fine-ground walnuts equally into the bottom of each pan. Set aside.

Put flour, soda and spices in a large bowl. In another bowl, stir together the beaten eggs, sugar, huckleberries, bananas and oil.

Add to dry ingredients, stirring until just mixed. Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Divide batter between the two pans and bake 55-60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Cool slightly on rack before removing from pans.

Allow to cool completely before slicing or wrapping to freeze.

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com. or by phone at 208-265-4688.