Just Picked

New Item: Homemade Caramel Apples

Say what you will about the continuing dip into cooler weather, but there are some things about fall that everyone looks forward to. Fortunately for us most of those things involve food. Warm apple crisp, fresh cranberries and a wide variety of winter squash are just some of those autumn items that get us excited for the season.

Another of those seasonal treats is caramel apples. Rich, buttery caramel and sweet, crisp apples are a magical combination. We just started dipping our own caramel apples in both our Milton and Hingham stores. Just this morning, Sandy and Lisa were hard at work preparing a new batch (pictured here). Get them before the season is over.   

Getting the Most From Our Salad Improvement Plan

A good customer of ours - Robin from Canton, MA - recently wrote to us and asked a great question:

"Love the salad improvement plan! However, any tips on how to shop cost effectively for the week so as to feature 2-3 of these salads in my home menu without letting extra fruits and veggies go to waste? How about a menu grouping for a week - putting three or four salads together in a bunch that have crossover greens or other ingredients?"

To help everyone get the most from our Salad Improvement Plan, we've organized below, according to main ingredient, most of the Plan recipes. Hopefully this will provide some guidance when shopping as you can now view three to four recipes that use the same greens.

Also, here are two links that will explain how to extend the life of your greens: one from Chocolate and Zucchini and one from Splendid Table.

Salad Improvement Plan - Indexed by Main Ingredient

Arugula

Strawberry Arugula Salad

Arugula, Blueberries and Smoked Almonds

Watermelon, Feta and Arugula

Arugula, Zucchini and Fennel Salad

Melon, Serrano Ham and Arugula

 

Baby Spinach

Baby Spinach with Pecans and Gorgonzola

Rita Z's Spinach Salad

Baby Spinach, Carrots, Celery and Radicchio Salad

Baby Spinach with Cranberries and Pine Nuts

 

Endive

Asparagus, Orange and Endive Salad

Frisee and Endive Salad with Warm Brussels Sprouts

Watercress and Endive Salad

 

Fennel

Arugula, Zucchini and Fennel Salad

Mache with Fennel, Oranges and Olives with Citrus Vinaigrette

Fennel and Watercress Salad

Roasted Vegetable Salad

 

Frisee

Carrot and Frisee Salad

Chopped Frisee and Radicchio

Roasted Apple, Bacon and Frisee Salad

Frisee and Endive Salad with Warm Brussels Sprouts

 

Mache

Mache, Goat Cheese, Tomato and Plum Salad

Mache with Fennel, Oranges and Olives with Citrus Vinaigrette

Mache and Pear Salad with Roquefort Dressing

Roasted Vegetable Salad

 

Radicchio

Chopped Frisee and Radicchio

Fancy Egg Salad in Radicchio Bowls

Baby Spinach, Carrots, Celery and Radicchio Salad

Grilled Radicchio with Sherry-Mustard Dressing

 

Watercress

Roasted Beet, Avocado and Watercress Salad

Chicken, Nectarine and Watercress Salad

Fennel and Watercress Salad

Watercress and Endive Salad

Tina's Autumn Salad

Salad Improvement Plan - Mixed Greens with Oranges and Citrus Dressing

For our final Salad Improvement Plan recipe, we're once again featuring a recipe from Betsy, our demonstration coordinator in our Hingham location.

Mixed Greens with Oranges and Citrus Dressing

For the salad

Your choice of three or more of the following: mache, baby spinach, radicchio and frisee - enough to fill a large serving bowl

2 large oranges

1/2 a red onion

For the dressing

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. honey

1/2 tsp. whole grain mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Wash greens. Dry with paper towels and remove any tough stems. Chop any large leaves. Place all greens into a large serving bowl. Take oranges and slice off top and bottom with a sharp knife. Remove peel. Carefully slice between membranes to remove individual segments. Add to serving bowl. Finely chop onion and add to serving bowl. Mix all dressing ingredients together and drizzle over salad just before serving.

Salad Improvement Plan - Mache and Pear Salad with Roquefort Dressing

We're nearly at the end of the month, which means our Salad Improvement Plan is nearly over. To finish out our Plan, we're featuring two recipes (one today, one tomorrow) from our "Try-It-Lady", Betsy Elhers.

Mache and Pear Salad with Roquefort Dressing

1 1/4 oz. Roquefort cheese

2/3 cup low-fat, unsweetened yogurt (Fage 0% is recommended)

2 Tbsp. snipped chive

Ground pepper to taste

2 ripe pears

1 bag Fruit Center's Mache blend

Whole chives to garnish

To make the dressing, place cheese in a bowl and mash with a fork. Gradually add yogurt and stir with the cheese to make smooth. Add snipped chives and ground pepper.

Place mache on a large platter. Quarter and core the pears, then cut into slices - arrange over greens. Drizzle dressing over the salad and garnish with chives. You can also add caramelized pecans.

Salad Improvement Plan - Melon, Serrano and Arugula Salad

One of our favorite cheeses here at the Fruit Center is Manchego, a sheep's milk cheese from Spain. It's a savory, salty cheese that marries well with Serrano ham (a Spanish-style ham) also included in this recipe. The original version of this recipe can be found at Food Reference.com.

Melon, Serrano and Arugula Salad

3 Tbsp. sherry vinegar

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. molasses
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
8 cups loosely packed trimmed arugula
1 ripe cantaloupe, peeled and cut into thin slices
3 oz. Serrano ham, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved Manchego cheese

In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, molasses, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper, stirring well with a whisk. Arrange the arugula in an even layer on a serving platter. Top with the cantaloupe slices and ham, and sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Pour over some of the dressing and serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Salad Improvement Plan - Watercress and Endive Salad

This recipe can be found at EatingWell.com

Watercress and Endive Salad

3/4 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

4 cups watercress, tough stems removed

2 hard-boiled eggs, (see Tip), grated through the large holes of a box grater

1/2 cup fresh corn kernels

2 heads endive, trimmed and leaves separated

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

Whisk lemon zest, lemon juice, oil and salt in a large bowl. Add watercress, egg and corn; toss to combine. To serve, arrange about 6 endive leaves on each salad plate in the shape of a star and top with about 1 cup of the salad. Season with pepper.

 

Salad Improvement Plan - Fennel and Watercress Salad

This recipe can be found at All Recipes.com

Fennel and Watercress Salad

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 bunches watercress - rinsed, dried and

trimmed

3 bulbs fennel - trimmed, cored and thinly

sliced

3 small heads radicchio, cored and chopped

1 cup pecan halves, toasted

 

 

In a bowl, combine the cranberries, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, garlic and salt. Whisk in the olive oil.

In a large salad bowl, combine the watercress, fennel, radicchio and pecans. Stir the vinaigrette and pour over salad. Toss well and serve at once.

Salad Improvement Plan - Baby Spinach with Cranberries and Pine Nuts

(You can find this original recipe at Fine Dinings.com)

Baby Spinach with Cranberries and Pine Nuts

2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 oz. package Baby Spinach Leaves, rinsed
2 Tbsp. dried cranberries
3 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted

Make the dressing ingredients by whisking together in a small bowl the orange juice, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Put baby spinach in a large bowl.  Wait until the last minute to pour dressing over, tossing lightly before serving, sprinkle with dried cranberries and pine nuts. Serves 2 to 4.

 

 

Salad Improvement Plan - Kale Salad with Grapefruit

Kale is one of the elite superfoods. Widely cited as a cancer-fighter and detoxifier, kale is regularly promoted as an essential part of a good diet, but most folks never seem to get enough. Well, that time is over. Have a go at this recipe and discover a tasty way to add kale to your diet.

The original recipe can be found on Chow.com.

Kale Salad with Grapefruit

1 bunch kale

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Celtic sea salt

1 lime

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 grapefruit, sliced and chopped

 

Chop the kale into thin ribbons

Drizzle the olive oil onto the kale and then massage the kale with your hands

Sprinkle with salt, then add lime juice and vinegar

Add grapefruit to kale and toss salad

Allow to sit for 15 minutes so that kale softens and flavors integrate

Serve

Salad Improvement Plan - Arugula, Zucchini and Fennel Salad

As we've been rolling out our Salad Improvement Plan this month, we 've been making an effort to feature recipes from our Fruit Center staff as well as some of our local friends. We discovered today's recipe on La Tartine Gourmande, a beautiful blog created by Béa who, along with being an amazing cook and photographer, is also a local Bostonian.

When preparing this recipe we'd certainly recommend Béa's "first presentation" (pictured at left) - what a spectacular way to impress your dinner guests!

Arugula, Zucchini and Fennel Salad (Original recipe can be found at La Tartine Gourmande)

1 bulb of fennel

1 medium-sized zucchini

1 cup of fresh arugula

1 Tbsp fresh dill

2 Tbsp lemon juice

3 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 Tbsp pine nuts

1/4 cup fresh feta, crumbled

Steps:

Wash the fennel and the zucchini.

Remove the hard part of the fennel (the core).

Slice both vegetables paper thin (use a good knife or a mandoline).

Chop the dill.

Toast the pine nuts (in a frying pan, with no oil, for about 3 to 4 mns, or until golden.)

Place the vegetables in a bowl.

Mix together the lemon juice and oil.

Toss with the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.

Cover with a plastic film, and place in the fridge for 1 hour.

Wash the arugula and dry it.

 

First Presentation:

Take individual serving plates.

Take a ring mold and use long strips of zucchini to line the inside of the mold.

Mix together the fennel, zucchini and the arugula.

Divide the greens between the plates, by placing them in the middle of the mold.

Remove the mold carefully.

Decorate with crumbled feta, pine nuts and more dill.

Enjoy!

Second presentation:

Much simpler as you will toss all of the ingredients together and divide them between plates.

Serves four.