Gulf Coast: Louisiana Sunburst Salad

The salad is dressed with an unusual and wonderful cinnamon and Tabasco vinaigrette.

Salad:

24 ounces mesclun mix (mixed baby lettuces, like mâche, frisée, radicchio, baby spinach, etc.)
2 ounces dried cranberries
2 ounces almonds, sliced and toasted
2 ounces crumbed Stilton cheese (or blue cheese) - we used blue, Stilton is for the really intense cheese-eaters out there
2 ounces ruby port wine

Vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ounce vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ounces raspberry vinegar
1 ounce water
5 dashes of Tabasco

Soak dried cranberries in port - leave overnight.

Combine cinnamon, vegetable oil, raspberry vinegar, water, and Tabasco in small bowl. Whisk until emulsified. Toast almond slices with a tiny drop of canola oil. Lightly dress the greens and garnish with the almonds, cranberries, and blue cheese.

The recipe for this bright, delicious salad was adapted from a salad served by Chef Robert Bruce at the Palace Café on Canal Street in New Orleans -- a beautiful restaurant located in the old Werlein's for Music building.

Farmer's Market: Summer Lettuce Salad with Marinated Potatoes and Green Beans from Emily

Recipe
Salad
1 pound green beans (can be replaced for roasted asparagus when in season)
1 quart redskin potatoes
10 ounces mixed spring lettuces
1 large radish or a couple small radishes
One block of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved into curls with a vegetable peeler
Marinade
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Dressing
1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
1/8 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Wash and quarter potatoes.
Drop potatoes into boiling water for 10 minutes or until soft.
Steam green beans.
Combine marinade ingredients and whisk.
Mix cooked green beans and potatoes in the marinade. Let marinate in the refrigerator (the longer the better - over night is best).
Slice radishes into thin circles.
Combine lettuce, radishes, potatoes and green beans.
Shave Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into curls on top of salad.
In a separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients and whisk until salt and sugar dissolve.
Drizzle dressing over salad to your liking.
Serve and enjoy!
From the kitchen of Emily Flynn