Warm Cabbage Salad with Bacon and Roquefort Recipe

4 oz. thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 C. dry white wine
1 small shallot, finely minced
1/4 C. plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 t. Dijon-style mustard
salt
3 C. finely sliced green cabbage
3 C. finely sliced red cabbage
1 T. white wine vinegar
1/2 C. crumbled Roquefort

In a large heavy skillet over moderate heat add the bacon pieces, generously season with ground pepper and cook until crisp. Transfer the cooked bacon to paper towels to drain and remove the skillet from the heat.

In a small saucepan combine the wine and shallots and simmer until reduced to a thick syrup. Whisk in the cream, mustard, salt and pepper and continue to simmer until thickened slightly.

Heat the skillet with the bacon drippings over moderately high heat and cook the green cabbage, stirring, until it just begins to wilt, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the wilted cabbage to a bowl and cook the red cabbage in the remaining drippings in the same manner. Return the wilted green cabbage to the skillet, add the vinegar and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Stir in the cream mixture and cook, stirring, until cabbage is crisp-tender. Serve the cabbage warm topped with the crumbled Roquefort and bacon.

Creamy Crunchy White Fish Salad Recipe

3 1/2 lbs. white fish fillets (cod, haddock, whiting, hake)

Sauce:
4 T. finely chopped cucumber
4 T. finely chopped green pepper
4 T. thinly sliced radishes
3 small cartons natural yogurt
salt and pepper
lemon
bay leaf
peppercorns

Poach the fish in boiling salted water, flavored with lemon ends, bay leaf and peppercorns, for 3 minutes. Remove and drain. Cool. Combine the vegetables for the dressing. Stir in yogurt. Season and mix well. Pour the chilled dressing over the flaked fish.

To garnish sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serves 10.

Erin Go Slaw Recipe

1 head of cabbage, white leaves shredded
2 medium carrots, julienned
6 green onions with stems, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 scallions, finely chopped

Mix well.

Toss with a dressing made from:
6 T. safflower oil
3 T. cider vinegar
1/2 t. each of white pepper and salt.

Refrigerate and let sit for at least an hour. Toss again before serving.

Corned Beef Salad Recipe

1 package (3 oz.) lemon-flavored gelatin
1 C. boiling water
3/4-1 C. of mayonnaise
1 can (12 oz.) corned beef
1 C. chopped celery
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
lettuce

Combine gelatin and boiling water in a large bowl; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Let mixture come to room temperature. Add 3/4 cup mayonnaise and mix well. Fold in corned beef, celery, green pepper and eggs. Mix well. If needed, add remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise.

Turn into a lightly oiled 13 x 9 x 2-inch dish or 1-quart ring mold. Refrigerate until set. Serve on lettuce-lined salad plates.

Apple and Bacon Salad With Cheese Dressing

4 slices bacon

2 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled and chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2/3 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon apple cider

2 ounces peeled Camembert cheese, chopped

Dash of cider vinegar

2 small heads of butter lettuce, torn into pieces

2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain.

Return skillet to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and apple.

Saute apple for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make the Cheese Dressing, in a small saucepan over medium heat whisk together sour cream, cider, cheese and vinegar.

Whisk for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Divide lettuce among 4 salad plates. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice.

Distribute warm apples and bacon over the lettuce and spoon dressing over top.

Serves 4.

Salad of Smoked Salmon
with Creamed Mixed Pickle and Cucumber Dressing

4 slices of smoked salmon
Creamed Pickle:
4 ounces smoked salmon trimmings
1/4 cup gherkin pickles and pickled vegetables, chopped
7 ounces double cream

Dressing:
1 cucumber
1/2 cup olive oil

Garnish:
Selection of seasonal salad leaves
1 lemon
1/4 cup capers or caperberries, see note

Cook’s Note: Caperberries are imported from Spain and are about the size of a cocktail olive.

For the creamed pickle: Puree the smoked salmon trimmings. Pass through a fine sieve. Chop the mixed pickle finely and mix with the salmon. Whip cream and fold into the puree. Correct seasoning.

For the dressing: Blend cucumber in a processor or blender and pass through a fine sieve. Add olive oil and season.

Presentation: Layer the creamed pickle and smoked salmon slices. Garnish with seasonal leaves. Moisten with cucumber dressing, and serve with a garnish of capers and lemon wedges.

Note: Irish Smoked Salmon can be purchased from: Dean & DeLuca (800) 221-7714; Irish Food Distributors (800) 366-3773.

Source: David McCann, executive chef, Dromoland Castle, Ireland

Corned Beef Potato Salad

1 can corned beef (the kind you have to open with the attached key), chilled, fat scraped off, and cut into 1/2" cubes
3 large potatoes, any kind, about 1 1/2 lbs.
4 green onions, minced
1 can (about 1 1/2 c.) sauerkraut, drained and rinsed and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped/diced
1/3 c. minced dill pickles (Clausen brand is the best)
1 small jar diced pimientos (optional, for color)

Dressing:
1/2 c. low-fat mayo or salad dressing
1 c. low-fat sour cream
2-4 T. prepared mustard (we like the spicy brown mustard)
1-2 T. horseradish
1/4 c. milk or broth or pickle juice
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine last 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Boil whole potatoes in skins until barely tender. Peel and cut into large pieces (2" x 2"), and place in dressing mixture while still warm. Toss to coat thoroughly. Stir in other ingredients. Refrigerate. Taste and adjust for salt several hours later.

Serve cold on lettuce. Garnish with cherry tomatoes, sliced.

YIELD: 4-6 Servings as a Main Dish

St. Patrick's Day Leprechaun Mold

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 C cold water
1/4 C green Creme de Menthe
1/4 C white Creme de Cocoa
1/2 C sugar, divided
1/8 tsp. salt
3 eggs, separated
1 C cream, whipped
1/2 tsp. vanilla
green sugar sprinkles

Sprinkle the gelatin over water in a medium saucepan.

Add 1/4 C of the sugar, the salt,and the beaten egg yolks, Stir until thoroughly blended.

Place over low heat and stir constantly until gelatin dissolves and mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the liqueurs. Chill, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.

Gradually add the remaining 1/4 inch sugar and beat until very stiff.

Fold in gelatin mixture. Beat the cream stiff and fold in the vanilla. Fold into the mixture and

Turn into a six cup mold. Chill. Unmold onto a green glass plate and sprinkle with sugar sprinkles.

Irish Cabbage and Potato Slaw

2 medium white potatoes (8 oz.), peeled and cut in 1/2�?slices
1 small Savoy cabbage (about 1 1/4 lb.) or 1/2 medium head green cabbage
1 carrot, shredded
4 scallions, green part only, chopped
2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper, or to taste
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/4 cup fat-free or low-fat buttermilk

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with cold water to a depth of 2 inches. Cook over medium-high heat. When the potatoes still have some resistance to a thin knife, drain them. Cut them into 1/2�?strips and set aside.

While potatoes cook, quarter the cabbage, cut away the core and shred into 1/2-inch strips. (There should be about 6 cups.) Place cabbage in a large mixing bowl. Add carrots and scallions.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, mustard powder, sugar, salt and pepper, mixing until sugar dissolves. Mix in the oil. Pour dressing over vegetables. Using hands, mix to coat vegetables with dressing. Add potatoes and mix again. Cover slaw and set aside for 15 minutes to wilt cabbage.

Pour in buttermilk and mix again. Cover and refrigerate slaw until ready to serve, or up to 6 hours. The slaw is best when the cabbage and carrots still have some crunch.


SERVES 16

Per serving: 35 calories, 1 g. total fat (0 g. saturated fat), 6 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. protein, 2 g. dietary fiber, 196 mg. sodium.