parmesan salad cups for salad week

When I was invited to board this foodie-blog train of love, I was a little nervous. My palms began to sweat (gross). I felt light-headed. And yeah, I may have stuck my fingers under my armpits like Mary Katherine Gallagher and wished I was a superstar salad maker. What was I going to make? Thankfully, I was wearing deodorant that day. Phew.

Speaking of locomotives, my train of thought started to roll: when I heard the word “salad,” of course, images of green, leafy leaves sprang up, surrounded by the usual shreds of carrots, bits of crumbled eggs, and croutons. A dab or dousing of a typical salad dressing. And I thought “diets,” of course. Something only Kate Moss would eat. (I swear if I ever see her in real life, I’m totally giving her a sandwich. And possibly a meatball. With cheese.)

I digress.

As I was brainstorming ways to make salad a more exciting eating adventure, I eventually thought back to my cooking class on Cook Street. One of our cooler assignments was to make a classic risotto, but instead of putting that luxurious carb in a regular ol’ bowl, we made Parmesan cups. Brilliant, I tell ya. It was an explosion of cheese and butter. So, I thought…

What else could I put in a Parmesan cup?…

Noodles?

Nah, too slippery.

Chocolate mousse?

Wishful thinking.

I know, a fresh salad!

I immediately did the Mary Katherine Gallagher superstar stance in my kitchen, receive a questionable look from my husband, and got to work.The Parmesan cups are quite easy to make. All you need to do is heat a non-stick pan to medium high heat. Melt about a tablespoon of butter, and pour 2 tablespoons of ground Parmesan cheese into the pan. Spread it around to make an even layer. Once it starts to brown around the side, take the pan off the stove, flip it upside down, and start to gently scrape the sides down over a glass. As it falls, the cheese should drape in a layer around the glass. Make sense? It took me a couple tries on my first go-around, but I got the hang of it.

As your Parmesan cups cool, throw together your favorite green mixture. My personal favorite….arugula, spinach, grape tomatoes, and shallots all tossed with the best Dijon vinaigrette on the planet. Word. Just assemble and eat!

By the way, these are guaranteed to get a double-take from Kate Moss, or your money back.

The fun doesn’t stop here friends!Make sure to check out the other sassy ladies of Salad Week:

– Allison @ Decadent Philistines Save the Word – The Tabbouleh That Made Me Cry

– Jeanne @ Inside NanaBread’s Head – Toughie’s Apple Salad– Kat @ Tenaciously Yours  

– Monica @ The Grommom 

– Kirsten @ Comfortably Domestic  

– Megan @ Wanna Be a Country Cleaver

– Madelyn @ La Petite Pancake– Carrie @ Bakeaholic Mama

And then, the grand finale…Salad-Link-Polooza on Saturday! Stay tuned for an epic party!

Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup ground Parmesan cheese (more if needed)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (more if you want)

salt and pepper

4 cups spinach/arugula

2 shallots, minced

1/2 8oz pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half

Preheat a non-stick pan to medium high heat. Melt about a tablespoon of butter, and pour 2 tablespoons of ground Parmesan cheese into the pan. Spread it around to make an even layer. Once it starts to brown around the side, take the pan off the stove, flip it upside down, and start to gently scrape the sides down over a glass. As it falls, let it drop around the glass and rest for a minute. Move the cup to a plate to cool.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.

In a bowl, toss together spinach, arugula, shallots, grape tomatoes, and vinaigrette. Take about 1/2 cup of the salad mixture and place into one of the Parmesan cups. Serve immediately.

Conclusion: Elevate your salad game with Parmesan salad cups, offering a crispy, cheesy vessel for your favorite greens, ensuring each bite is a savory delight.