Creamy Cool Shell Pasta Salad with Spinach and Cucumber

When I was a teenager, my family would go to the county fair every year. I loved the opportunity to try new foods from all over the world, and my favorite was always the gyro with tzatziki sauce from the Greek booth.

A gyro is made with thinly sliced lamb or beef that is seasoned, cooked, and then folded in a soft pita bread. It is typically topped with tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers, and served with a yogurt sauce called tzatziki. Tzatziki is made with yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice, and herbs, and it has a creamy, refreshing flavor that is perfect for a hot summer day.

Years later, I decided to incorporate the flavors of tzatziki into a summery dish for my catering menu. I used shell pasta, which holds up well to the dressing and has a nice shape for scooping up the sauce. I also added spinach and red onion for color and contrast. The result was a delicious and refreshing dish that was a hit with my customers.

Creamy Cool Shell Pasta Salad

with Spinach and Cucumber

This pasta salad was created for a tropical theme party where a creamy dish seemed more appropriate to serve along with lots of fruits and more acidic salads. Rich and tangy, the lemony yogurt dressing works beautifully with fresh spinach and shells.

Serves 35

3 pounds pasta small shell

2 cups plain yogurt

2 cups mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons lemon pepper

1 tablespoon dill fresh

1½ tablespoon salt

2 lemons juiced

2 English cucumbers

1 red onion sliced

12 ounces fresh baby spinach

1. Bring water to boil in a large pot add enough salt that you can taste it in the water. Cook shells till al dente, about 7 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Cook in batches if your pot is too small to offer ample room for pasta to cook. Strain in a colander and rinse in cold water. Drain thoroughly and chill.

2. In very large mixing bowl whisk together yogurt, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Stir in lemon pepper, dill, salt and lemon juice.

3. Stir in cooked shells, onions and spinach. Cut cucumber lengthwise then slice and add to pasta.

4. Season with additional salt and lemon pepper to taste.

COOKS NOTE

• Shell pasta is made in several sizes. Use the small shells for this recipe.

• If you substitute regular cucumbers for English cucumbers, seed them before adding to the salad.

Shell Pasta Salad with cucumber yogurt dressing on buffet

Paradise Fruit Salad with Mango Syrup

Fruit salad and I haven't always gotten along because fruit is unpredictable. Everyone expects to see it offered in some form at a party, but fruit is seasonal, fragile, and has a short shelf life. As a caterer, I needed a technique to keep fruit salads from looking sad to looking sensational.

The following are the secrets to successful fruit salads. Being aware of problems and solutions will help you create a delicious and beautiful fruit salad for your event.

Problem 1- Don’t choose overripe fruit. When fruit is starting to go, it goes very fast. Solution-Avoid berries that are getting soft and carefully inspect melons for musty rinds and squishy spots.

Problem 2- Fruit salads break down when stirred. Solution-To avoid a tired, muddy looking fruit salad, never stir it together. Instead, alternate the different fruits in your container layering as you go.

Problem 3- All fruits won’t be the sweetness you expect. Solution-To overcome tart or under-flavored fruit, use a drizzle of fruit syrup or thick light colored juice to balance and marry flavors. If you use the syrup it should be just before serving it will also add a shine to the salad.

Problem 4- Don’t put fruits together too early, they get watery, soggy and stain each other. Solution-If you want to cut fruit ahead to save time, keep them in separate containers until just before the party. Fruit stored at too low of a temperature will break down and turn translucent so keep it closer to 40 degrees and avoid freezing.

Problem 5- Berries fall to the bottom or get crushed by the other fruits. Solution-When you are assembling the fruit salad, save more than 50% of berries to add to the top. It will give your salad more visual appeal and the berries on top will move down into salad when served. Note: I do this with kiwi as well.

Fresh Fruit Salad with Mango Syrup

Paradise Chopped Fruit Salad

This is such a basic recipe, it’s almost strange to include it. I did just for the fact that the quantities may help you cut the right amount of fruit.

Serves 60

1 small honeydew Optional Fruits

2 small cantaloupe black berries

½ seedless watermelon blue berries

1 pineapple raspberries

2 pounds grapes kiwi

3 pints strawberries papaya

1 cup coconut shredded mango

1. Wash fruit before using. Slice away rinds, scoop out seeds from melons and slice into one inch squares.

2. Cut off top of pineapple, remove rind, cut into quarters lengthwise and then cut away tough core. Cut remainder of pineapple into 1 inch pieces.

3. Half or quarter strawberries, depending on their size.

4. Remove rinds from any additional seasonal fruits and cut into 1 inch pieces.

5. As you arrange fruit, alternate fruits so that the fruits do not break up from mixing. Drizzle with mango syrup and top with shredded coconut garnish.

MANGO SYRUP

32 ounces mango nectar

½ cup sugar

1. In a sauce pan bring the mango nectar to a boil.

2. Stir in the sugar until dissolved.

3. Continue to boil 35 to 40 minutes until reduced by half.

4. Cool completely and drizzle onto prepared fruit salad.

CATERING NOTE

• To pack fruit for travel, use separate gallon containers with each fruit. Assemble salad at site. A gallon of fruit makes about 15 servings.

Peanut Slaw Recipe

The first time I had a peanut slaw was in a Southern BBQ restaurant. I loved the tangy, bright vinegar dressing that was slightly sweet and balanced by salty peanuts. This type of slaw is light and refreshing compared to the typical mayonnaise-dressed salad. While I do appreciate a good creamy coleslaw like what is served at traditional BBQ, it doesn't always work with every menu.

Many of my catered events in the past have involved a tropical theme. I learned that by adding a few twists to the Southern version, it makes for an affordable side that works with that style of menu.

Peanut Slaw

A refreshing Asian flavored slaw that works with a variety of themes and flavors.

Serves 20

3 pounds green cabbage shredded

2 carrots shredded

1 bunch green onions chopped

½ cups cilantro chopped

⅓ cup sugar

½ cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated

⅓ cup peanut oil

1½ cups peanuts roasted salted chopped

1. Mix together green cabbage, carrots, green onions and cilantro in a large mixing bowl.

2. In separate bowl combine sugar with rice wine vinegar. Whisk until sugar is completely dissolved.

3. Add salt, pepper and ginger and whisk in peanut oil.

4. Pour over cabbage mixture and toss until well coated.

5. Stir in peanuts before serving.

COOKS NOTE: For a Southern barbecue side, substitute red wine vinegar for rice wine vinegar and leave out the cilantro and ginger.

CATERING NOTE: Garnish the top with additional toasted peanuts and shredded red cabbage. If traveling, pack the salad and dressing separately and assemble on site.

Shredded Cabbage

Sesame Noodle Salad Recipe

When catering outdoor events in warm weather, cool menu sides are a good choice. This Sesame Noodle Salad is my go-to for tropical themed events, and I often use it in place of a hot rice dish to accompany grilled foods. The flavors of sesame oil, soy sauce, cilantro, and a touch of heat from chili flakes complement dishes like teriyaki or pineapple chicken, hibachi steak, kalua pork, and guava habanero baby back ribs.

Sesame Noodle Salad

An excellent side for a tropical themed party.

Serves 30

8 ounces snow peas sliced on a diagonal 2 cups carrots shredded

2 pounds thin spaghetti 1 cup red bell pepper

2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 cup sliced celery

½ cup soy sauce 1 bunch cilantro chopped leaves only

2 tablespoon red chili pepper flakes 2 ounces sesame seeds toasted

1 teaspoon black pepper 1 bunch green onions chopped

2 cups sesame dressing

1. Blanch snow peas in a large pot, bringing 8 quarts of water to a boil and add salt. Have a small bowl of ice water ready. Put sliced snow peas in a strainer lower into boiling water for 2 seconds and lift out then set in ice water until cool. Drain off water and pat snow peas dry.

2. In the same boiling water, cook noodles 8 minutes. Rinse with cool water and allow to drain completely. Work sesame oil through the noodles to coat and set aside.  

3. Combine soy sauce, red chili flakes, black pepper and sesame dressing in a very large bowl. Toss in noodles, all vegetables including and sesame seeds. Chill before serving.

SESAME DRESSING Makes 16 ounces

1½ cup distilled white vinegar 1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 cup packed dark brown sugar 3 tablespoons soy sauce

¼ cup sweet chili sauce 2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 tablespoon black pepper 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon red chili pepper flakes ¾ cup salad oil

1 teaspoon fresh ginger

1. Bring vinegar, brown sugar, chili sauce, pepper, dried chili flakes to a boil in a medium sauce pan.

2. After boiling 10 minutes, remove from heat. Add ginger and garlic. Cool to room temperature.

3. In a medium glass bowl, whisk soy sauce with dry mustard. Place a fine mesh strainer over the bowl and pour the cooled vinegar mixture through (to remove ginger, garlic and chili pepper flakes).

4. Slowly pour in sesame oil and vegetable oil into the bowl, whisking vigorously until combined.

CATERING NOTE: Save a few of the vegetables and some sesame seeds to garnish the top.

Keeping salads fresh and cool before serving is important for food safety and quality. My trick is to pack prepared Sesame Noodle Salad in zip-top bags and place them in a cooler with ice. Bring a serving bowl and garnishes to assemble prior to service on site. Set your serving bowl over a container of ice to keep it below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sesame Noodle Salad Platter