Fun Summer Salads from Napa Valley

We’re in for a treat today! We’re hooking you up with exclusive recipes from the finest chefs from Napa Valley. Are you craving the perfect summer salad that’s fresh, delicious, and easy to prepare? Well here are two recipes that fit the bill. Grab some fresh ingredients with your loved ones from your local Farmer’s Market, get in the kitchen and start chopping! If you’d like to learn more about Napa Valley and their culinary delights check out their official site. Meanwhile, try these new summer salads out and serve them as a meal with some protein or alongside your dinner.

ROASTED BEET AND ARUGULA SALAD

By Executive Chef Kevin Miller, The Vintage Estate, Yountville

Serves 4 to 6

1 lb. roasted chioga and golden baby beets (may use red, but will turn dish red)
lb. baby arugula
1 pint fresh figs halved (use dry if fresh not available)
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese (may substituted feta)
bunch dill torn into fronds
1 cup honeyed balsamic vinaigrette
To taste salt and pepper (black and white preferable)

METHOD:

1. Place the arugula first on bowl. Very lightly dress and toss

2. Arrange on plate as bed for rest of salad

3. Combine the beets and figs. Add the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Delicately mound on top of arugula

5. Garnish with cheese and dill fronds.

Honeyed- balsamic vinaigrette:

cup golden balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 cup grapeseed oil
salt and white pepper

METHOD:

1. Combine the vinegar, honey and dijon mustard and blend it.

2. With the blender running add the grapeseed oil little by little,

3. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Roasted beets:

METHOD:

1. Top baby beets and toss in olive oil, salt, white and black pepper unpeeled

2. Slow roast in 300 degree oven until tender.

3. Remove and allow to cool (can be left in refrigerator overnight)

4. Once cool, skins should peel right off

5. Quarter or cut into bite sized pieces

HEIRLOOM TOMATO AND PEACH TERRINE

By Christopher Kostow, Restaurant Chef, The Restaurant at Meadowood

Serves 6 to 8

10 medium sized Early Girl Tomatoes
7 large Yellow Slicer Tomatoes
2 Yellow Peaches
2 large leaves of Purple Shiso
Tomato-Peach Consomm (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 250F.

Blanch tomatoes for 5-8 seconds then peel. Quarter tomatoes and remove seeds. Cut into petals (reserve interiors of tomatoes for the consomm). Toss with olive oil, salt and sugar. Keeping colors separate, lay out on sheet pans and place in a convection oven, with fan on, for 25 minutes. Flip tomatoes and cook 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool. Peel peaches and slice 1/8 inch thick. Toss in olive oil and salt. Lay out on parchment lined sheet tray. Place in 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for five minutes more. Remove and let cool. Blanch shiso leaves in boiling salted water for 10 seconds and refresh in ice water. Cut peach slices and tomato petals in 1 by 1 inch squares. Cut shiso leaves in inch wide ribbons.

Line a 1 x 2 x 18 inch terrine mold with plastic wrap. Dip tomatoes in tomato-peach consomm and then place in terrine mold with out overlapping. Start with a row of red tomatoes, then yellow, peach, yellow, red. Inlay the shiso ribbons then repeat order of tomato, peach. Press with light weight. Let chill and slice thin.

Tomato-Peach Consomm:

8 ounces soft peaches, diced
14 ounces tomato scraps (reserved tomatoes from above)
3 ounces water
2 tsp. grey salt
1 tsp. ginger
tsp. sugar
20 sheets bloomed gelatin

METHOD:

Combine all ingredients and blend well. Pour into colander sitting in rectangle glass or stainless baking pan lined with double layer of cheesecloth. Let drip over night. Measure liquid, discarding solids. For every pint of liquid add 20 sheets of bloomed gelatin. Note: 3 to 4 sheets equal 1 envelope gelatin.
The chef serves the terrine with a salad of peach, tomato, ricotta and shiso.