Page 40 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2024

DINING
Southern
Summer Salads: Three Ways
story and photos by Chelsea Gieselmann The classic salad typically features raw veggies
paired with oil, vinegar, or dressing. Over the years, the concept of “salad” has taken on various forms, from the gelatin salads of the ‘60s to today’s popular green goddess salad. The essence of this dish is as versatile as gravy, spanning a wide spectrum of interpretations. I’ve crafted three salad variations to pique the interest of both our Southern sensibilities and our taste buds.
First up, a simple grape salad topped with caramelized pecans. This dish offers a burst of freshness and flavor, infusing the sweet and sour elements with a Southern twist.
Chelsea Gieselmann is a mom, photographer, columnist, food blogger, and home-cook. Cooking has been a passion of hers since she was old enough to cut out biscuits with the mouth of a mason jar. Her great-grandmother taught her the basics and she is ever so grateful to have been able to learn from her. Since then, she has honed in her craft a great deal and continues to. Instagram: @Southrngritskitchen
GRAPE SALAD INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
1 cup whole pecans
1⁄2 cup brown sugar (packed) 2 cups green grapes
GRAPE SALAD DIRECTIONS
2 cups red grapes
4 oz cream cheese (softened) 1⁄2 cups sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp heavy cream
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1) Preheat oven to 350.
2) In a bowl add butter, brown sugar, and pecans. Mix well
making sure to coat every pecan with the brown sugar and butter. Spread covered pecans on a baking sheet, making sure to include any remnants of the butter and sugar as well.
3) Bake for 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven and set to the side to cool.
4) In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla. Mix the ingredients together until smooth. Add sugar to the bowl and mix well again.
5) Add grapes into the bowl and gently mix the grapes into the mixture making sure that the grapes are well coated.
6) Once the pecans are cooled, roughly chop them.
7) Add the pecans into the grape salad and gently mix. Make
sure to get all of the crumbles off of the pan. This is a caramel
crunch and it’s a great addition!
8) Chill for 1-2 hours and serve.
Grape Salad