Category: Salads and Veggie Dishes

We are certainly not vegetarian, but we try to be flex-itarian. That means that once a week, we try to come up with a meal that is almost all veggies, but still satisfies our animal instinct.

Suomono Salad

From Hungry Huy

Ingredients

  • 3 crunchy Japanese or Persian cucumbers
    (NOT English or regular cukes)
  • 2 tsp salt to draw out moisture
  • 1/4 C tsp sliced jalapenos – no seeds

Dressing

  • 2.25 tbsp (31.5 g) rice vinegar
  • .75 tbsp (10 g) sugar
  • .2 tsp (.65 g) salt
  • .2 tsp (1.05 g) soy sauce
  • 0.75 tsp (2.2 g) sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Slice the 3 crunchy Japanese or Persian cucumbers very thinly (ideally with a mandolin slicer for uniformity) and transfer to a medium sized bowl.
  • Sprinkle with 2 tsp salt and toss with your hands to ensure even salt coverage to draw out moisture. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
  • Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly to remove the salt, then drain.
  • Squeeze all the cucumbers to remove excess moisture. The goal is to remove as much water as you can. Don’t be afraid to squeeze hard, the cucumbers can take it!
  • Mix dressing ingredients: 2.25 tbsp rice vinegar, .75 tbsp sugar, .2 tsp salt, .2 tsp soy sauce until dissolved.
  • Then add to cucumbers to marinate for at least 1 hour. It keeps well overnight too. Keep refrigerated until serving.
  • Sprinkle with 0.75 tsp sesame seeds just before serving.

Notes

8/30/2023: Adjusted cucumber to fixed number instead of a range for accuracy. Increased initial salt amount for better coverage to purge moisture from cucumbers. Reduced all seasoning ingredients by 25% to reduce waste, but still season properly.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 0g | Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 334mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 59IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: Japanese cucumber salad

Coco’s Conversations and Feedback

This has turned out to be a really hot topic.  This is kind of a summary page.  With the advent of AI, I’ve taken 20 printed pages of comments and decanted them down to what follows.  Also, at the end of the comments, is AI’s version of the dressing.

Here are contenders and other recipes based on comments and feedback:

Coco’s Asian Sesame Dressing — Chat Summary from Claude.AI

The Product

  • Coco’s Asian Chicken Salad and its bottled sesame dressing were hugely popular, generating more fan interest than virtually any other recipe on Robert’s site
  • The dressing was manufactured by a third party and came in gallon containers labeled with the Coco’s name; some supply came from Ken’s Steakhouse brand
  • A key distinguishing ingredient (vs. similar dressings) was paprika

The On-Again, Off-Again History

  • Coco’s periodically pulled the bottled dressing from sale, frustrating loyal customers each time
  • The chain went through ownership changes: originally a Japanese company (Zensho), then Catalina Restaurant Group, then San Antonio-based Food Management Partners (FMP) as of April 2015
  • FMP closed ~70 locations and the Irvine corporate office by May 2016
  • The original dressing manufacturer eventually went out of business; Coco’s found a replacement supplier but the new version was considered inferior and had emulsification problems

Current Status (as of the page’s last updates)

  • Bottled dressing is no longer sold retail, but restaurants will sell a 16 oz. to-go container on request
  • The Asian Chicken Salad remained on the menu at surviving locations
  • Robert confirmed at least one Phoenix location (7th St. & Palm Lane / 2026 N. 7th St.) was still serving it

The Copycat Recipe Effort

  • Robert (“Grandpa”) Andrews developed and posted a copycat recipe, rating it a “fair” substitute — close but not exact
  • Contributor Diane Mathison shared a simpler single-serving version centered on hoisin sauce and paprika
  • Commenter Sherry Leger suggested Togo’s Asian Chicken Salad Dressing as a close commercial substitute

Beatitudes Grilled Corn Salsa

Ingredients

  • 1 can Shoepeg Corn or baby corn
  • 1/4 red onion (diced)
  • 2 ripe tomatoes (seeds slightly removed and diced)
  • 1 whole jalapeño pepper (seeded and minced)
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 2 medium limes, juiced
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro (chopped
  • Scant dill

Instructions

  • Grill corn in cast iron skillet with 1 TBL EVOO and 1 TBL butter
  • Add to bowl with remaining ingredients and stir.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, pepper, or lime juice for added flavor.
  • Serve immediately. Will keep covered in the fridge for several days, but is best when fresh.
 

Sunomono Salad

Sunomono Salad – Spicy Cucumber Salad

The thinner your cucumber,
the better your sunomono.

Ingredients

  • 2 Japanese or Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber
  • 2 small or 1 large jalapeno
    ALT:  serranos or thai pepper
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 C rice vinegar
  • 1 TBL sugar
  • 2 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

Step by Step

  1. Slice cucumbers and peppers as thin as you can.
    A mandolin makes this an easy task for the cukes.
  2. Remove as many pepper seeds as you are able
  3. Toss both in salt, and let it sit for 10 minutes in a colander (on a plate or in the sink).
  4. Meanwhile, heat vinegar in the microwave for 10 seconds only
  5. Mix rice vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce together until sugar dissolves.
  6. Rinse cukes and peppers, then squeeze water from cucumbers and discard
  7. Add vinegar mixture, ginger and sesame seeds and mix well.
  8. Refrigerate and let marinate for a minimum of 1 hour.  Serve cold

Baigan Bharta (eggplant and spinach)

  1. Eggplant
    • Cut eggplant into 1/4 inch medallions
    • Cover heavily in salt
    • Let rest 30 minutes
  2. Onion – Diced
  3. Spinach – Destemmed, rinsed, spin
  4. Prepare Curry
    • 1 pepper
    • 1 clove
    • 1 cooriander
    • 1 cayenne
    • 2-3 cumin
    • 2 turmeric
    • 1 cardamom
  5. Rinse eggplant twice and pat dry
  6. Prepare clarified butter by heating over heat for about 20 minutes.  Pour off top, discarding the milk solids
  7. Toast mustard seeds
  8. In hot cast iron add clarified butter to smoke point
  9. Add the eggplant, but don’t crowd the pan
    • Sear and remove
  10. Add the onion to the emptied pan and caramelize – 10-15 minutes
  11. Add garlic and ginger and toss
  12. Add spices right after tossing, then cook about 2 more minutes
  13. Add 2 C water or broth and bring to a boil
  14. Add 1/4 C brown sugar and dried spinach
  15. Reduce liquid substantially, then add eggplant
  16. Cook 6-10 minutes
  17. Serve over Basmati Rice with a side of DAL (lentils), yogurt and tomatoes

 

Marigold Salad

In a large mixing bowl, combine

  • 1 C baby rocket leaves
  • Toss with 1 tsp EVOO and put onto a plate
  • Top with
    • 3 figs – cut with WWW so it creates a flower
    • 1/4 inch slices of goat cheese
  • Drizzle honey on the cheese
  • Squeeze lemon juice all over
  • Sprinkle with Maldon salt
  • Top with freshly grated black pepper
  • Add a few mint leaves
  • Sprinkle 6-12 marigold petals (yes, they are edible)

 

Collins Cole Slaw

Collins-inspired Scratch Cole Slaw

– – – This is a recipe created after watching Christopher Collins on AZ Family.  It’s a bit different than his, but he offered some great insights that I’d not thought of.

  • 1/2 cabbage – sliced thin
  • 1/3 C mayo or Miracle Whip
  • 2 TBL apple cider vinegar
  • 2 TBL sugar – cream in with mayo
  • 2 TBL sour cream
  • 2 tsp buttermilk
  • 1 tsp prepared horseradish
  • 1 TBL coarse Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1 tsp dill pickle relish
  • 1/2 tsp celery salt
  • 1 tsp chives or scallions (chopped)
  • several sprigs of cilantro (chopped)
  • scant black pepper – to taste

Toss and let meld for at least an hour

Classic Cole Slaw

Classic Cole Slaw

INGREDIENTS
  • Cabbage
  • 2 TBL sugar
  • 2 TBL rice vinegar (non seasoned)
  • 1 TBL Grey Goupon or Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire
  • 1 C plain yogurt
  • garlic powder
  • all spice
  • basil
  • oregano
  • cayenne pepper
  • dill ½ minced red pepper
  • ½ purple onion
Slice cabbage thinly, float in ice water and salt 15 min, drain. Mix ingredients with cabbage and let set 24 hours in frig.

Dad’s Cole Slaw

Not the dad of my grandkids… MY DAD.  This is the recipe from Great Grandpa Andrews.

Dad’s Cole Slaw

19

This recipe is from Grandpa’s Father, Dan.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 Cabbage (chopped mighty thin)
  • 1/4 Red cabbage
  • 3 chives – chopped small
  • 1/2 small Green Pepper
  • 1/2 small sweet onion
  • 1 small carrot

STEP BY STEP

  1. Slice cabbage ‘mighty thin’
  2. Float in ice water and salt 15 min
  3. While it is soaking, cut thin strips of green pepper and onion
  4. Use peeler and peel short strips of carrot
  5. Drain sliced cabbage very well, pat dry with towel.
  6. Combine with other vegetables
  7. Toss / mix
  8. Add dressing, and mix until smooth

DRESSING

  • 1 C Miracle Whip Light
  • 1/4 C Honey – alt = Sugar
  • 2 TBL apple cider vinegar (Heat if using granulated sugar)
    Mix sugar, then cool before mixing
  • 2 TBL Vegetable oil
  • 1 TBL dry hot mustard or 2 TBL dijon
  • 1 tsp prepared horseradish
  • 2 tsp dill
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire
  • 2 tsp basil chiffonade

This is always better if you let it meld at least two hours before serving.
The taste should be sweet with just a hint of vinegar.

Mushroom Bolognaise

  1. Put 3 TBL EVOO into a deep heavy pot
  2. Add 1-2 C minced Cremini or portabello mushrooms
  3. Add 1/2 tsp salt and cook for 10 minutes
  4. Meanwhile, mince 1/2 Vidalia onion
  5. Add and cook 5 minutes more
  6. Meanwhile, mince 4 cloves garlic
  7. Add 2 TBL tomato paste and garlic
  8. Add 1 tsp oregano and red pepper flakes to taste
  9. Cook for 8 minutes more
  10. Add 1 16 oz can of crushed tomatoes
  11. Add 1 C chicken broth
  12. Pulse or chop 1 C black beans and add to the pot
  13. Cook 15 more minutes
  14. Meanwhile, cook pasta to al dente
  15. Add drained pasta to the meat sauce and add 1 TBL fresh basil chiffonade
  16. Toss gently and plate – topping with a bit of extra sauce

Avocado BLT Salad

  • Gem lettuce – cut into bite size pieces
  • Cherry  tomatoes – halved
  • Bacon – rendered in maple syrup and pieced
  • Cheddar cheese – shredded
  • English cucumber – deseeded and in thin slices
  • Almonds – slivered
  • Ripe avocado
  1. Toss together 1 TBL EVOO, salt and pepper
  2. Whisk in (optionally) tarragon, chives, mayo, sour cream, lemon or lime

Optionally top with chicken, salmon, tuna, ham or hard boiled egg

Orange Butter Asparagus

Ingredients

  • Fat spears of asparagus
  • 2 TBL butter (in two pieces
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Zest and juice from one orange – separated
  • 3/4 C white wine
  • 1 egg yolk

Step by Step

  1. Use a peeler to remove just the outer skin of the spear
  2. Put 1 TBL butter into a hot skillet
  3. Add 1 shallot and 1 bay leaf
  4. Add orange juice
  5. Reduce until most of the liquid is gone
  6. Add white wine to deglaze
  7. Reduce to about half
  8. Put in asparagus spears and warm throughout
  9. Remove pan from heat
  10. Plate asparagus spears
  11. Add zest from the orange
  12. Put in last 1 TBL butter stir to dissolve
  13. Let cool till only warm – not hot
  14. Add beaten egg yolk and mix very well
  15. Drizzle sauce over asparagus spears

Asparagus – COLLECTION

  • Pencil thin asparagus has an intense flavor.
  • Older thicker asparagus has a milder flavor.
  • Dry cooking activates the amino acids, giving a meaty flavor
  • Moist cooking gives the asparagus more of a grassy flavor
  • Quick method:  Microwave in a wet paper towel 3-4 minutes
  • When buying, examine that stalks in the center
  • Stalks will dry from the bottom, and rot from the tips
  • Tips should be tightly packed
  • Store upright in a glass of water – like flowers

 

Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onion

Wash whole Brussels sprouts
Cut off bottom of stem and remove outer leaves
Halve Brussels sprouts
Blanche in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then plunge into ice bath to stop the cooking process
Cut two bacon slices into 1/2 inch pieces
Emulsify 1 TBL melted unsalted butter into 1 TBL apple cider vinegar
Mix vinegar mixture with 2 TBL brown sugar
Toss in a large pan with celery salt and cracked black pepper
Bake at 400º for 15-20 minutes or until they start to blacken

MEANWHILE
Slice 1/2 sweet onion as thinly as possible
Sauté in 1 TBL butter and 1 tsp EVOO
Cook until heavily caramelized

Serve the Brussels sprouts topped with the caramelized onion
Optional: Shave a bit of Parmesan cheese over the top of the onion

Orange Citrus Salad

Chef Notes

  1. Avocado creama – Avocado, fresh mint, salt, EVOO, pepper, Sour cream, lemon juice – Muddle stick in blender – Refrigerate up to 24 hours
  2. pickled onion rings (Hot vinegar, sugar, 2 minutes)
  3. Grapefruit, oranges, SLICES
  4. Add Kalamati olives and garlic olives
  5. Roasted beets
  6. Drizzle with avocado creama
  7. Top with feta cheese and pickled onions
  8. Finally top with sprigs of mint, salt and pepper
  9. EVOO on top
HTML Snippets Powered By : XYZScripts.com