As summertime rolls in (and so does the heat), what better way to stay cool than with refreshing summer salads?
Our culinary friends at the Boulders Resort & Spa in Carefree want you to make the most of the summertime—and that involves cultivating the best summer salads!
Chefs Drew Wetmore and Joseph Mills from The Spotted Donkey provided the following recipes to keep your meals refreshing and green. Cooking at home doesn’t have to be boring or stressful. Whether you’re already a self-appointed chef or new to the kitchen, these salads are easy to assemble and, of course, delicious.
LISTEN TO OUR ICONIC HOUR PODCAST: CHEF ED HARRIS SHARES HOW TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY AND IMAGINATION WITH VEGETABLES
Whether you’re already a self-appointed chef or new to the kitchen, these salads are easy to assemble and, of course, delicious.
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SPOTTED DONKEY CAVE CREEK COBB SALAD | Chef de Cuisine Drew Wetmore
Ingredients
● 5 oz chopped romaine
● 8 oz chopped southwest chicken breast
● 2 ½ oz chopped avocado
● 2 oz chopped bacon
● 1 hard-boiled egg (quartered)
● 2 ½ oz blue cheese crumbles
● 2 ½ oz diced tomato
● 3 oz southwestern ranch dressing
Method
To start putting together this refreshing summer salad, chop the romaine to your desired size and transfer it to a large bowl. Next, simply add the chopped chicken breast, avocado and bacon to the bowl in the same manner.
With the hard-boiled egg now quartered, add it to the bowl, then sprinkle everything with the blue cheese and diced tomatoes. Now, you can cover the salad with the southwestern ranch dressing, making sure to mix everything together and, lastly, tossing it with vinaigrette.
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GRILLED SUMMER SHRIMP & AVOCADO SALAD | Executive Chef Joseph Mills
Ingredients
● 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
● 3 lb watermelon, cut into 2-inch wedges
● 2 heads of Little Gem lettuce, washed and wedged cut into 4 pieces each
● 3 spring onions trimmed, green parts thinly sliced, white parts left whole
● 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
● 1 red Fresno chili, seeded and thinly sliced
● 5 tablespoons Queen Creek olive oil
● Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
● 2 lemons, zested and juiced
● 1⁄2 cup basil leaves
● 1⁄2 cup mint leaves
● 1 cup Heirloom Sunizona Tomatoes (Wilcox, Arizona)
● 1 English cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Method
Using skewers, thread all of the peeled and deveined shrimp to start prepping one of the best summer salads. Brush the shrimp, watermelon, white parts of the spring onions and avocados with 3 tablespoons of Queen Creek olive oil.
After lighting your grill, add the now oil-coated ingredients, turning everything once until they are charred. This should take about four minutes for the shrimp, seven to eight minutes for the watermelon, and two to three minutes for the scallions and avocados.
Next, season everything with salt and pepper before transferring it to a platter. To ensure the watermelon is as tasty as possible, remove the rind and cut it into one-inch pieces, then place it in a large bowl.
Similarly, cut the spring onions into one-inch pieces and add them, along with the Little Gem lettuce greens, avocados, remaining oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice, basil, red Fresno chili and cucumber, to the same bowl.
Toss everything carefully until it is fully combined and transfer it to a serving platter to enjoy one of the best summer salads you’ve ever tasted.
Take a seat, and let your taste buds thank you.
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SPOTTED DONKEY CHOPPED SALAD | Chef de Cuisine Drew Wetmore
Ingredients
● 5 oz chopped romaine
● 2 ½ oz diced tomato
● 2 ½ oz blue cheese
● 2 ½ oz diced cucumber
● 2 ½ oz roasted corn
● 2 ½ oz diced avocado
● 2 oz chopped bacon
● 1 tostada
● 3 oz chili lime vinaigrette
Preparing the Chili Lime Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
● 1 oz fresh garlic minced
● 1 ½ oz. green onion sliced
● 12 oz fresh lime juice
● 6 oz rice wine vinegar
● 0.2 oz mild chili pepper
● 1 ½ oz Dijon mustard
● .01 oz red chili flakes
● 5 cups canola salad oil
● .025 oz salt to taste
● 4 oz water
Method
Place the tostada on a plate and add the chopped romaine for a refreshing summer salad. Next, add each ingredient to the tostada.
In a bowl, stir together the above ingredients for the salad dressing and pour it over the salad.
Take a seat, and let your taste buds thank you.
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