Raw Cauliflower Salad... with a tangy vinaigrette.

Raw Cauliflower Salad... with a tangy vinaigrette. When it comes to salads, I have to admit that I mainly stick to simple salads. Normally, I fluctuate between leafy lettuce or cabbage... and adding the usual suspects, onion, cucumber, and tomatoes. Sometimes, I'll look through my fridge and add that lone boiled egg, or a handful of seeds or nuts to go right along with the rest of the ingredients. At other times, I may add other bits and pieces of veggies that I may have around as well... such as cauliflower, celery or carrots. It's funny how oftentimes the "small" salad I originally intend to make... well, all of a sudden becomes this gigantic bowl of veggies:).

In any case, the other day, I had finished all the shredded cabbage I had in the fridge, and as there was no leafy lettuce around, I decided to use the cauliflower I had... and of course, used my usual "technique" of adding a few other ingredients I had in the fridge:). And you know what? The result was delicious.  

When it comes to using both cabbage and cauliflower in salads, you'll notice they both need quite a bit of acidity... they absorb it quickly(especially so if the salad sits overnight). You'll need to increase the acidity in the vinaigrette ... more so than you would otherwise add to a regular leafy salad. I prefer most times to use vinegar, but every so often will change things up a bit and add some lemon juice as well. 

While I ended up making this salad with ingredients I had in the house, you can easily be creative and use vegetables you prefer... or omit any you don't care for. 

Using cauliflower as the base of a salad is a wonderful idea, not only is it delicious, but it provides wonderful texture. As a bonus, the salad keeps well... even when made ahead. And because it has a tangy flavor, it can enhance many meaty dishes by cutting through their fat... from BBQ meats, braised meats, sausages, fried chicken and the likes.

The salad is also wonderful on its own... quite refreshing and filling!

Because I loved this salad, I thought to share it, in case you are looking for a different sort of salad to make... or you need a salad/side dish bring to a gathering that's mostly free of allergens. If you really want to make a meal of it, try adding some cooked beans, mungbeans, barley, chickpeas, etc.  Hope you enjoy... 

Tip: You can easily add in some pomegranate arils... and add a tablespoon or 2 of pomegranate molasses to the dressing. Feel free to use other herbs of choice... mint would be a good one. Lots of other vegetables would be good... fennel, cucumber, radishes, etc.

Note: Any type of dressing will work quite well, so feel free to use your favorite. I simply used what I had on hand.

You will need:

1/2 head(3 cups) cauliflower, diced

1 small bunch(1/2 cup) parsley, chopped

1 cup red bell pepper, diced

2 (1/2 cup) celery ribs, diced

5 thin(1/2 cup) green onion, chopped 

1/3 cup sliced almonds(can use other nuts or seeds of choice)

Dressing

3 TBS meyer lemon juice (can use regular lemons, but adjust amount to taste)

1 TBS white balsamic vinegar

2-3 TBS olive oil, can use a nut oil if desired

1/2 tsp spicy sesame oil, optional

3/4-1 tsp salt, or to taste

pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prep all ingredients and set aside.

2. Make vinaigrette by whisking all the dressing ingredients together until mixed thoroughly.

3. In a large bowl toss vegetables together and add  the vinaigrette. Mix until evenly coated. Adjust taste and mix in almonds.

4. Pile salad in a clean bowl and serve straightaway... or allow salad to sit and absorb the dressing. The salad will get less tangy as the cauliflower absorbs the dressing. Also, the salad can be made ahead as it keeps well.... just mix in almonds before serving.

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Vietnamese "Shaking" Beef ... Bo Luc Lac

Vietnamese "Shaking" Beef... Bo Luc Lac. I've always been fascinated with different sort of recipes, and I especially like recipes that use ingredients familiar to me. Yet when those familiar ingredients are put together in a way that is different... well, it makes me, out of curiosity, want to try the recipe. So when this Vietnamese dish jumped out at me because of its uniqueness, I mentally made a note to try it... asap! 

I loved the idea of a main salad dish. A salad that would be filling and yet refreshing at the same time. What I loved most, was the flexibility to make the dish your own... to some extent. I chose to marinate the meat with coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and cut down the garlic, because I don't do well with too much.  And while I used butter lettuce, you can easily use whatever greens you like. Since my husband and I like spicy, I chose to add a bit of sliced jalapeno, though it's truly not necessary. I also had some fresh cilantro in the fridge, and I knew a bit would enhance the dish. But again this is optional as well. The pickled onion is sufficient along with the flavorful beef and the vinaigrette. And in reality the meat and pickled onion could easily be served over rice...   

I loved, loved the vinaigrette. I'm thinking to make it again and use it to make a different sort of dish. A rice noodle salad with fresh veggies would go really well with the vinaigrette. So even if you don't make the dish as is... the vinaigrette is worth making. I know, it doesn't sound like much... just vinegar, sugar and salt. But the flavor is delicious!  

I'm also toying with the idea of substituting the beef with chicken and maybe even grilling it.  It's a great recipe that I'm thrilled to have come across. So I'm sharing it in the hopes that some of you would like it as well... enough to try it, even if you put your own spin on it:). Hope you enjoy...

You will need: inspired by Rasa Malaysia

Meat:

1 lb beef steak, cut in small cubes

Meat Marinade:

2 tsps grated garlic, or 1.5 TBS, if you like 

2 tsps sugar

2 tsps fish sauce

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 TBS coconut aminos (can use 1 tsp soy sauce+ 1TBS oyster sauce and decrease salt)

1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

Vinaigrette:  use 1/2 of sauce for salad and 1/2 to pickle onion

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1 TBS sugar

1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

Veggies:

1/2 of red onion, sliced thinly

1 butter lettuce, torn~ can use watercress, or other type of lettuce 

2 tomatoes, sliced thinly, can be optional

chopped cilantro, optional

1/2 jalapeno, sliced, optional

Lime Dipping Sauce: optional, for dipping meat cubes

2 TBS lime juice

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Extra: 

oil for stir fry

Directions: 

1. Cut beef in cubes. Mix meat marinade and combine with beef to coat thoroughly. 

2. Marinate steak at least 1 hour before cooking, or overnight for best results. 

3. Make vinaigrette  by combine rice vinegar with the sugar and salt. Taste and adjust, if needed... to get a good balance of sour, sweet and salty.

4. Slice the red onion thinly and combine with 3 TBS of vinaigrette. Mic to combine and allow to pickle covered in fridge while you prepare the greens and meat.

5. Prepare bed of greens and tomatoes on a serving platter. Sprinkle with a bit of cilantro and sliced jalapeno, if using. Set aside.

6. Make dipping sauce by combining lime juice, salt and pepper in a small ramekin. Set aside.

7. Heat a large skillet... or wok over med-high heat. Add about l TBS oil and when it is hot, add 1/2 of the marinated beef cubes in a single layer. Allow to sear for about 2 minutes, before “shaking”the pan and sear the opposite sides of the beef... for another couple of minute more... or until brown all over and cooked to your liking.  

8. Repeat this with the second batch of meat.

9. Transfer beef to bed of greens and tomatoes. I like to place it in the middle.

10. Drizzle the remainder of the vinaigrette over the greens and over the beef if you like. You can use all of the vinaigrette... or just some of it. 

11. Top with pickled red onions. Serve with lime dipping sauce.... if you like.  

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Japanese Style Potato Salad

Japanese Style Potato Salad. As promised, I am connecting the previous travel post with a Japanese recipe... a recipe that's simple to prepare, and quite delicious. I first stumbled upon the recipe a few months back, and I was so eager to try it. To me it sounded so unique... I mean, I'd never thought of adding raw vegetables to a potato salad. And I'm not just talking about maybe some raw onion.... like the Romanian oriental salad I love... but adding raw cucumbers, carrots, and radish. It was a new concept for me. The idea of adding raw veggies in a potato salad was simply brilliant.

So on my trip to Japan, I ended up getting a taste of the Japanese potato salad... right away. Like on my plane ride in:). When given the choice on my flight, between a Western style meal or a Japanese style meal, I quickly, without hesitation, chose the latter. As part of the Japanese meal, we were served the Japanese potato salad as an appetizer. Topped with a small boiled quail egg, the potato salad was delicious... not to mention, how super cute it was with the small quail egg:).

The potato salad can easily vary from recipe to recipe, so you can use whatever vegetables you like, really. The potato salad on the plane included some green beans that still had a bit of a bite to them... but I've even seen salads that include corn. So definitely lots of variations. And even though I've left all my veggies raw, some recipes have you lightly blanch the carrots... it's really up to you, how you like to make it. That's what's nice about this salad, you can customize it as you like. But the fresh flavor of the raw veggies and their slight crunch, makes this potato salad rather unique.

And while in Japan, browsing through the beautiful department stores, I always made it a point to go down to the basement levels. Because that's where food came alive... all sorts of foods...  displayed ever  so beautifully! Picture perfect, really. At times, I almost thought they were fake... so good they looked! And it was there I found tall, lovely mounds of Japanese potato salads.... ready to be scooped and packaged for you to take home. I found, that in Japan, you really, really don't need to cook anything at home:)...

But this is my version of the Japanese potato salad. Feel free to adapt the recipe and make it your own. You can always add less veggies, more potatoes, more mayonnaise, or if you want, skip the mayonnaise and just add olive oil... of course, you can par-cook some of your veggies if you like. And while I feel eggs make the salad, it's tasty without them as well.  Hope you enjoy...             

Note: Normally, Japanese mayonnaise is used, which is slightly different than the American version... I tried to mimic the Japanese mayo, by adding some wasabi, a tiny bit of sugar, etc. I was very cautious:) with amount of sugar in my dressing... but you can definitely add a bit more if you prefer. Some use equal amounts of sugar and vinegar... Japanese foods tend to be a bit on the sweeter side.    

Tip: You can certainly add ham to the potato salad if you like... 

You will need:

3 russet potatoes(650 grams), you can use Yukon Gold if you like

1 garlic clove, sliced

salt, to taste

Vegetables: can always adjust amounts to taste... and try other vegetables such as green beans 

1-2 medium cucumbers (Persian preferred or smaller kirby w/ small seeds) 100 grams, thinly sliced

1/3 cups white onion, thinly sliced ( 80 grams)

1 large carrot, thinly sliced (80 grams)

4 radishes, thinly sliced

salt as needed

Dressing:

3 TBS mayonnaise (can use more if you like)

1/2 tsp mustard

1/4 tsp wasabi powder, optional

1/2 tsp sugar

1 TBS rice vinegar, or as needed( see below, adjusting seasoning)

salt/pepper to taste

Extra: you can easily add some chopped ham, if you like... or other meat of choice. 

2 boiled eggs, optional, but tasty

green onion, optional, but really good

Adjust seasoning/taste at the end with:

additional rice vinegar, oil, salt, pepper ( I ended up adding 2TBS oil+ 2TBS vinegar and a bit of salt and pepper to balance out the salad to my liking )  

Directions:

1. Put the potatoes in a pot and add water until covered. Add garlic clove and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer and cook the potatoes until they are very soft (about 15-20 minutes). I usually do this in my pressure cooker for 7-9 minutes. 

Note: If you like your carrots soft, you can add them in with the potatoes(end of cooking time) and cook them for a couple of minutes or so. I chose to leave mine raw... love the crunch and vitamins:) 

2. Boil eggs, if using. Peel and chop/slice most of the egg. You can keep half a yolk for garnish, if desired. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine the cucumber, onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste). Toss to coat evenly with salt and set aside. After about 15 minutes, use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid from the onions and cucumbers as you can. Then set aside.

4. In a medium sized bowl, add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste),  the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, wasabi(if using)  and pepper. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

5. Drain potatoes and add the hot potatoes to the mayonnaise dressing( you can remove garlic or leave in). Stir and mash up the potatoes as you combine with the dressing. You want some chunks of potatoes as well as some mashed potatoes.

6. Add the cucumbers, onion, carrot, sliced radishes, and egg to the potato mixture and stir to combine. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning and texture by adding a a bit of  oil/mayo and /or vinegar as needed, to your taste. 

Note: You can reserve an egg yolk and grate it over the potato salad for a different presentation.  Also, you can sprinkle salad with chopped green onion, if desired.

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Summer Vegetable "Ceviche"... without the seafood.

Summer Vegetable "Ceviche"... without the seafood.  I don't normally post salad recipes. And maybe this isn't a salad per se... maybe it's more of an appetizer or a side dish that can accompany some grilled seafood. Salads in our house are quite simple, nothing out of the ordinary. But every once in a while, I come upon a salad recipe that's worth posting. This is one of them...

This summer vegetable salad is treated in the same manner as you would a fresh seafood ceviche. The salad omits the seafood, yet keeps all the wonderful flavors associated with ceviche. Because this recipe makes use of summer produce, it's an ideal dish to make after a visit to the farmer's market. A cool and refreshing sort of salad that's vegetarian, as well as vegan... not to mention gluten-free.  Perfect for the hot summer months.

While I didn't have any fresh lima beans, I chose to use some frozen peas which I defrosted under cold running water. However, I think the lima beans would be ideal.... or any other fresh shelling bean. And while ceviche in general is best after a few hours of marination, I have to say that I rather liked this dish after only about 1/2 hour resting time in the fridge. I guess I prefer to keep the fresh colors of the salad along with the crunch of the "ceviche". The peas, after a while, will turn an army green from the lime juice... and textures  of the other vegetables/nectarine soften a bit. But it's up to you how long you allow the " ceviche" to marinate. The sweetness of the nectarines balance out the tartness of the lime juice. I found it to be perfect. Loved, loved this salad! Hope you enjoy...

You will need: adapted from Food and Wine

Dressing:

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

sea salt, to taste

Veggies and Fruit:

1 jalapeño, thinly sliced(deseeded, if you don't want it too spicy)

1 cup fresh baby lima beans or other shelling bean (I used peas)

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 1.5 ears)

2 nectarines, cut into thin slices

1 Hass avocado, cut into cubes

1 orange bell pepper, thinly julienned

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved ( heirloom cherry tomatoes would be ideal)

Extra:

chopped cilantro to taste( about 1/2 cup lightly packed)

sliced radish, totally optional

Directions:

1. If using fresh beans: In a small saucepan with salted boiling water, cook the lima beans until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under cold water.

If using frozen peas: Defrost under running cold water. Drain.

2. In a large measuring cup, whisk the lime zest and juice with the olive oil, scallion, jalapeño and shallot. Season the dressing with salt. Pour  the dressing in a large bowl.

3. To the dressing add the lima beans( or peas, if using), corn, nectarines, avocado, orange pepper, jalapeno and tomatoes. GENTLY fold and coat the veggie mix with the dressing. Refrigerate the “ceviche” for 1/2-2 hours.

4. Fold in the cilantro and sliced radish(if using) right before serving. 

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Oven Fried Crispy Chicken Skin Cracklings... great substitute for bacon.

Crispy Chicken Skin Cracklings... great substitute for bacon. I know. Seriously? Chicken skin cracklings? I never thought I would one day post about such a recipe. Over the years, crispy chicken skin has become more and more popular. You know, sort of like the bacon and maple doughnuts. I mean, who would have thought that bacon would one day be used in in a variety of sweets. But you know, I tried the bacon and maple doughnut ... and it was delicious! It seems that crispy chicken skin has made it as the next "bacon".... maybe it's just a fad. Or maybe it's come and gone already, and I'm still behind times:). However, I've certainly seen creative recipes using chicken skin cracklings. Aside from simply serving them as an appetizer with hot sauce, there's the crispy chicken skin ice cream....  and  ice cream served in crispy chicken skin "cups". Yes, ice cream. No surprise there, because if bacon is used, why not crispy chicken skin? It almost tastes like crispy bacon... salty and crunchy. And it is delicious! I'm not even kidding...

I've always been one that enjoyed eating the crispy chicken skin from baked chicken. So I knew I would probably enjoy the chicken cracklings... actually I was hoping they would be much better:). Baked chicken skin, even fried, isn't always crispy to the point of being called a crackling. So I was excited to take the chicken skin to the crackling stage... this way I'd get rid of most of the fat and remain with all the flavor. 

For some time now, I've been saving my chicken skin. I know... most people would toss it out. Not me. I've been keeping them in the freezer so that one day I could make a big batch of crispy chicken skin:).  The day finally arrived. And all I can say is yum!! They were incredible. So light and crispy. Reminded me of chicharrones... especially the chicken skin pieces that were completely rendered of their fat.

My husband and I ate the chicken skin cracklings as a snack, and enjoyed every bite:). They were gone so quick, that all my plans for using them in a variety of recipes went out the door. I had big plans for them.... for chocolate chip cookies, in chocolate, with popcorn, in tacos, on top of egg sandwiches, and in all sorts of salads.  I guess I'll just have to start saving the skins again:). If you like bacon, you'll love these... at  least it would somewhat make sense:). Hope you enjoy...    

Note: It is important to monitor the chicken skins as they are baking... you don't want them to burn... every oven is different, and chicken skins vary.

You will need:

chicken skin

salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F 
• line a sheet pan with parchment paper

1. Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and place in a single layer in the parchment lined sheet pan.

2. Cover chicken skin with another parchment paper and place another equal size sheet pan on top. Add a couple of heavy oven-proof pots, or a cast iron skillet... I used a couple of small cast iron casserole pans. 

3. Bake for about 40-45 minutes checking halfway, and a few times after that, to ensure chicken skins are not burning. Cook skin until crisp, being careful not to burn... the more fat is rendered, the crispier the crackling.

You can drain the fat that accumulates... a few minutes before the end of the cooking time, and then bake the skins uncovered until nice and crispy. You can likewise keep them covered throughout the whole cooking process. Keeping them covered eliminates splattering of fat all over the oven:). 

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Simple Smoky Roasted Cauliflower...

Roasted Smoked Paprika Cauliflower... my new favorite way of eating cauliflower. 

                                       

~~Happy New Year to everyone!~~

I don't know about you, but I have a large container of smoked paprika in my pantry. I use it in lots of dishes, but somehow that container seems just as full as when I first bought it... ok, maybe not as full, but still plenty full. So every chance I get, I try to sprinkle some smoked paprika on dishes I can get away with... it doesn't help that I also have a large container of sweet paprika and another of hot smoky paprika:). In any case, I do like paprika! 

But one day, I happened to be in a hurry... needed to make a vegetable side dish for lunch. I think it's engrained in me to have some sort of salad or vegetable as part of our meals, otherwise I just feel guilty. In any case, I didn't have any fresh vegetables except for a lone cauliflower that I had bought to make something fancy:).... On the spur of the moment, I grabbed the cauliflower, the hot smoky paprika, a bit of oil, and a garlic clove... decided to roast it while I got the rest of the meal ready. Well, we loved it... and loved it so much that I made it again and again... though with slight variations.  

The roasted cauliflower is great as is, but it can easily lend itself to being made into a warm sort of salad... I love to add nuts and Parmesan cheese, but you can really be creative and add all sorts of other vegetables, from beans, grains, green leafy lettuce, cherry tomatoes, etc. Great way to make a salad using leftovers you may have in the fridge. I posted the simple version of roasting the cauliflower... with a second option of adding other ingredients, but you can easily use what you like and what you have on hand... including herbs of choice. Hope you enjoy...      

First Option:  

Note: You know, I loved eating this raw... even without roasting it. It was delicious and the smoked paprika and garlic were more prominent and not as mild as when roasted. So, if you like raw, that's another option. You can "bloom" the paprika  and "mellow" down the garlic by heating the oil in a skillet and adding the paprika along with the garlic and cooking it for a minute or so.  

1 head cauliflower

1/4 cup olive oil

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tsp smoked  hot paprika, or to taste (can use sweet smoked paprika)

salt and pepper, to taste

squeeze of lemon juice

Second Option:

3-4 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup toasted nuts of choice

1 red jalapeno, chopped, totally optional  

1-2 TBS lemon juice, or to taste 

2-3 bacon slices, sliced into strips, and cooked till crisp, optional 

extra olive oil, as needed

additional: if desired

cherry tomatoes, cut in half

olives, sliced

chickpeas

Directions:

• Place rack in top 1/3 of oven.
• Preheat oven to 450 deg F
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

First and Simple Option:

1. Cut cauliflower in small pieces... 1 1/2 -2 inch pieces (or so). Place cauliflower florets in a large bowl.

2. Mix oil, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl and pour mixture over the cauliflower florets. Toss to combine.

3. Arrange cauliflower florets in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheet. 

4. Roast at 450 deg F 15-20 minutes... or until roasted to desired doneness... checking halfway and turning cauliflower over. You can use the broiler  for a minute or so ...towards the end if you like.

5. Remove from oven and squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice all over the cauliflower.... to taste. Serve hot.

Second Option: For a different take, opt to add extra ingredients to the roasted cauliflower to taste.... and treat it as a salad of sorts. I added what I had in the house, but you can be creative... add garlic, some sauteed onion, some cooked chickpeas, roast some brussels sprouts along with the cauliflower, etc.

1. To roasted cauliflower, add Parmesan cheese, red jalapeno, toasted nuts of choice, crisp bacon strips(optional) and any other ingredients you like. Add a bit of extra lemon juice, if needed. If you've added enough lemon juice to the simple version above, you may or may not need to add extra lemon juice. 

2.Toss to combine and add extra olive oil if needed.... a drizzle or so to bring it all together .

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Cooking with Quinoa... and Two Quick Salads

Quinoa Salad( Tabbouleh-style) with Pecans.... and Quinoa Caprese Salad. I've been cooking with quinoa for some time now and suddenly realized that I haven't posted a single recipe using the wonderful nutritious seed( it is a complete protein( has all 9 essential amino acids) along with high amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, and other minerals and vitamins). And the really neat thing is that quinoa is also gluten-free...

I love to use the cooked quinoa as a substitution for rice, potatoes, or pasta.... I may add some sauteed onion/garlic to it and make it a bit more flavorful, but I also love adding fresh vegetables to cooked quinoa and making a salad. I've posted 2 simple salads below... a take on the Tabbouleh and Caprese Salad. You can easily add some cooked quinoa to a black bean and corn salad as well. But there are many variations, and it really is limited only by one's imagination.

There's really nothing fancy about these couple of salads, and many of you may have even better salad ideas( which by the way, I would love to hear about). But maybe it will be of inspiration to some. And if you've never tried quinoa, you just may want to make a salad or two:). Hope you enjoy...


Note: I put a range  for some of the ingredients, just because both these salads really does depend on personal taste. Start out with the smaller amount, taste and increase amounts as needed. You may even use more than the amounts I listed...

Quinoa Salad( Tabbouleh-style) with Pecans

You will need: 

2/3 cup golden quinoa
1 1/3 cup water
~~~~~~~~~~~
2-4 TBS lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3-4 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2-4 TBS flat leaf parsley, chopped
1-2 TBS mint, chopped
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (I don't bother with peeling and seeding)
1 small cucumber, diced (I like to use the small Persian cucumbers)...optional
1/3-1/2 cup chopped pecans
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash and rinse quinoa real well.... this is important, as you want to take out all the bitterness/pesticides/saponin from the quinoa. Do a few rinses.

2. In a saucepan, add quinoa and water...  sometimes I like to use a bit less water, like 1 1/4 cups. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes and then turn off heat and leave the covered saucepan on burner for an additional 10-15 minutes... or until all the water has been absorbed. I have an electric stovetop, so I still have some residual heat to the pan, but I find leaving it covered for 15 minutes is just right.  Fluff with a fork and allow the quinoa to cool.
3. Add the chopped vegetables, the herbs, some of the olive oil and lemon juice... season with salt and pepper. Taste the salad and adjust... add extra oil, lemon juice, and salt, if needed. Stir in the nuts. 

Quinoa Caprese Salad

Tip:  You can easily use cherry tomatoes and mozzarella pearl balls... it will probably look prettier:)  

You will need:

2/3 cup golden quinoa
1 1/3 cup water
~~~~~
2 tomatoes, seeded and cut in half wedges
1/4-1/3 cup lightly packed torn basil leaves, or to taste
6 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut in wedges
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1-2 TBS apple cider vinegar(could use balsamic, but salad will be darker in color, or if you can find a white balsamic vinegar)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Wash and rinse quinoa real well.... this is important, as you want to take out all the bitterness/pesticides/saponin from the quinoa. Do a few rinses.
2. In a saucepan, add quinoa and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes and then turn off heat and leave the covered saucepan on burner for an additional 10-15 minutes....or until all the water has been absorbed. I have an electric stovetop, so I still have some residual heat to the pan, but I find leaving it covered for 15 minutes is just right.  Fluff with a fork and allow the quinoa to cool.
3. Tear basil leaves in large pieces( you could julienne it, if you like). Cut tomatoes in wedges remove seeds and cut wedges in half. Cut mozzarella in cubes or wedges.
4. Add oil and vinegar to cooled quinoa.... then the torn basil leaves, cut tomato pieces, and mozzarella chunks. Add salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
5. Taste the salad and adjust... add extra oil, vinegar, and salt, if needed.

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Spicy Korean Red Pepper (Gochugaru) Cucumber Salad

Spicy Korean Red Pepper (Gochugaru) Cucumber Salad... Summer, for  me, usually means I use more fresh vegetables in our daily meals... sometimes I find we go through a week eating more vegetarian meals than normal. Lately, I've been keen on the idea of putting up a variety of small vegetable dishes on the table as part of our meal.... similar to the Korean banchan (small side dishes).  

Most of the dishes may be vegetarian, but every so often I'll end up using some sort of meat or fish to supplement the meal.... or will make the Korean Japchae I posted some time ago.  I love using sheets of toasted seaweed(nori) to wrap up small amounts of food from the banchan. Sometimes, if I don't have any toasted seaweed, I'll use the rice paper wrappers instead (Vietnamese spring roll style). In any case, this type of meal is quite light and refreshing, and perfect for the summer months. So I thought to share one of the dishes that I make. The recipe does require an ingredient that can only be found in a Korean market, so I kind of feel hesitant in sharing the recipe, just because some of you may not have access to an Asian store. Yet, even though I don't like to share recipes that involve an ingredient that's hard to find, I realize nowadays you can find most things online. So if you live close to an Asian market, then it shouldn't be too hard to find:)... 

For me it was worth buying the Korean red pepper flakes(gochugaru) when I went down to visit family recently.... stopped by a Korean supermarket and bought a big bag of it and am loving it it! If you've never been inside a Korean market, well, it's fascinating, to say the least. You'll see aisles devoted just to their red pepper paste(gochujang) or pepper flakes(gochugaru).... and you'll see all sorts of ingredients you won't find in a regular supermarket. When I bought the gochugaru, I had no idea when I would use up the big bag, but ever since I added it to a dish, I haven't stopped using it. I use it in all sorts of dishes, from making my first kimchi, to adding it to soups (kimchi jjigae... love!), or marinating fish, or adding it to all sorts of vegetables.... like this quick cucumber salad. 

The Korean red pepper flakes should definitely not be substituted with regular chile flakes(or paprika for that matter)... they really are in a class of their own. You can't beat the color you get when using the Korean chiles... and they're also sweeter, without that extra heat that's normally associated with regular chiles. Hope you enjoy...       

Note: This salad uses a dressing that can easily be adjusted to taste... so feel free to add more or less of the ingredients. You want a nice balance of sour, salty, sweet and spicy.... I love sesame oil, so I always add a bit more.

You will  need: adapted from the Kitchn ~ makes a small batch for 2-3 people

2 cucumbers, sliced (Kirby preferred, but I used Persian/Lebanese cucumbers that were about 6 inches in length)

Dressing:

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1-2 teaspoons gochugaru( Korean red pepper flakes, NOT chile flakes) 

1-2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 scallion/chives, chopped

Directions:

1. Slice cucumbers... about 1/8 thick. Set aside.
2. Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl. Adjust seasonings as needed... I used 2 tsp of the red pepper flakes and 2 tsps of sesame oil.  
3. Add cucumber slices and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning again, if needed.

4. 

Serve at room temperature or chilled. The cucumber salad is great into the next day as well... the cucumbers will wilt a bit and release moisture (seen in top photo), but it's just as delicious.

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Raw Zucchini Salad (two ways).... "Zucchagetti" and Zucchini with Carrot Salad.

Zucchagetti ~ AND~ Raw Zucchini with Carrot Salad. With summer bringing in lots of fresh vegetables, I find myself looking for ideas to use more and more vegetables in our meals.... be it in the raw form or cooked. Zucchini is readily available during the summer months, and if you've ever grown zucchini, well, you know you won't be lacking zucchini for a while:). We know zucchini is a prolific producer, so if you have lots of plants, you'll probably need to share them with others... and even then you will need to come up with plenty of ideas to use them up.

For the most part, I love to grill zucchini, I think that's our absolute favorite way of eating them. Drizzle a bit of chimichurri-style sauce, and it's the best. I'll also use the  zucchini in various other dishes( I love the zucchini boats or vegetable lasagna), but in general, I try to stay away from deep-frying zucchini or using it in desserts. So when I happened to come across this recipe for Zucchagetti( Food 52 ) and this recipe for Zucchini Spaghetti(Martha Stewart), I instantly knew I would end up making it.... or a version of it anyway.  I simply love the fact that the zucchini was used raw... making it ideal as a cool, refreshing side dish that's just perfect for the warm summer months. It's quite interesting, but over the years I've slowly adapted to eating more raw vegetables... and some I never would have:). Zucchini was one of those vegetables that I'd always cook before consuming.

This year I was gone quite a bit from home, so I haven't planted any vegetables in my garden. Instead, I've been going to our local farmer's market  weekly... managed to come home with a few zucchinis to use up during the week. While I liked the Zucchagetti, I thought to lighten the dish a bit and make my own version of a raw zucchini salad. Nothing fancy, just a mix of ingredients I had readily available in the fridge. But I rather liked it, so I'm sharing the recipe. It's really not much of a recipe... rather some julienned vegetables that's seasoned and tossed with some olive oil and vinegar. Simple and yet a different way of using up zucchini. Sure it might not appeal to too many, but if you have plenty of zucchini on your hands, and are looking to try something different, then you might want to try one(or both) of these dishes. Just thought to share some ideas:) Hope you enjoy...    

Note: While the original recipes do not have Parmesan as an ingredient, I chose to add some to a second batch I made... loved it. But feel free to omit.  
Tip: I could easily see this dish paired with some salmon(or other type of fish) to make a light summer meal.

You will need:

2 lbs zucchini( or mix with some yellow zucchini)
1 tsp kosher salt

Lemon-Herb Dressing:

1/2 cup half and half (you could use a light cream)
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS olive oil
fresh parsley or tarragon or basil, to taste (can be optional)
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/4-1/3 cup chopped chives
finely grated parmesan cheese, to taste and optional

Directions:

1. Using the julienne gadget or blade of a mandoline, slice zucchini into long, thin strips.
2. Add zucchini to a colander  and toss zucchini with salt. Let stand for about 15 minutes at room temperature.
3. Gently squeeze zucchini to extract excess water. Transfer to a bowl and toss with just enough dressing( you probably won't need all of it) to evenly coat the zucchini.... add chives and grated Parmesan cheese(if using). Mix again and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve.





Raw Zucchini and Carrot Salad... with basic olive oil, vinegar dressing.

Tip: You can add some toasted nuts for extra crunch and flavor.  Feel free to add an Asian twist by using some sesame oil, rice vinegar and a bit of soy sauce.... and top with some chopped cilantro.

You will need:

1 lb zucchini, julienned
1 large carrot, julienned
1/3 of an onion( I used a sweet onion), sliced
1 red jalapeno pepper, sliced
2 TBS olive oil,  or to taste
1-2 TBS apple cider vinegar( or lemon/lime juice),  or to taste
salt/pepper
herb of choice/chives, optional

Directions:

1. Cut long oval shaped 1/4 inch slices of  zucchini , then cut the slices in fine strips(julienne). Do the same with the carrot. Add to a salad bowl
2. Cut the onion in thin 1/8 in slices. Do the same with the red jalapeno pepper (you may want to cut the hot chile slices in half). Add to salad bowl.
3. Toss the cut up vegetables with some of the olive oil and vinegar. Add a bit of salt and pepper. Taste and then adjust seasoning. You may need to add a bit more oil/vinegar or salt and pepper. Make it according to your taste. Sprinkle with fresh herbs/chives( if using) and toss lightly. Serve.

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Carrot and Peanut Salad... "Thai" style

Carrot and Peanut Salad... "Thai" style. When it comes to eating a meal, I most always have a side salad of some sorts. I don't know what it is, but I'll feel guilty if I skip the salad. I guess without it I tend to think the meal isn't healthy enough. But, there are those days when the meal may consist of only a soup... and that's when I usually skip the salad. But I'm o.k. with that, as long as the soup is brothy in nature... and has some vegetables. If the soup is more of a chowder, I'll end up serving a salad as well.

The salads I make are pretty simple and not complicated at all. It can be a salad of fresh leafy vegetables or a salad of tomatoes, cucumber and onion, or even a salad consisting of shredded cabbage/brussels sprouts... sometimes I'll make a "salsa" of various chopped vegetables. But the type of salad all all depends on the season, and what's available. Most of the time the salads are simply dressed with the usual olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Sometimes I'll exchange the vinegar for lemon or lime juice... or use a different type of vinegar. But in the end, a homemade dressing is always used as I find it much healthier... plus it comes together in no time. Haven't bought salad dressings in ages.

So because we normally have a salad with our meals, I often find myself looking in the fridge to gather whatever vegetables I have available and quickly put together a salad of sorts. At times I may find myself without the "proper" vegetables that are needed to make a normal salad. Even though I'll usually have the common mirepoix ingredients, I tend to overlook them. I suppose I associate them with soups, stews, or sauces...

But one day I found my fridge lacking the usual salad ingredients. However, there was a bag of carrots. That's when I remembered a salad I had seen in one of my cookbooks. A simple salad. A salad consisting of carrots and peanuts. No fancy ingredients... and no complicated dressing. I had wanted to make it some time ago but had ended up putting it off. At the time I had no peanuts on hand, and so the salad sort of got forgotten. Well, until recently... when I found myself with a lone bag of carrots and a small container of roasted peanuts. Immediately made the salad and loved it.

While the original salad is great as is, it can easily be adapted to include various other ingredients. I chose to add some cilantro to half of the salad, and after tasting it, felt it could easily be called a Thai salad. I guess it's the hint of the sesame oil with the peanuts and cilantro that remind me of certain Thai dishes... works really well in this particular salad.

And while the recipe calls for a certain amount of oil, vinegar and salt, it's best to adjust to taste. You might find yourself adding a bit more vinegar or a drop or two extra of sesame oil... but in the end the humble carrot gets transformed into a salad that's quite fitting for the dinner table. It might not look fancy, but it's worth making at least once. Refreshing. Simple. Hope you enjoy...

Tip: I am sure you can add all sorts of twists to this recipe... use lime juice instead of the vinegar, soy sauce instead of salt... and even though the peanuts make this salad, I am sure you can use toasted almonds, if you like. A sprinkling of sesame seeds wouldn't be bad either, as well as some chile flakes for spice.

Oh, and if you want to really vary it up... you can add some shredded cabbage and increase the vinegar and oils. It's delicious that way too.

You will need: adapted from Forever Summer by Nigella Lawson, but can be found HERE as well.

4 medium carrots, peeled
1/3 cup salted roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or to taste
2 tablespoons peanut oil*
Few drops toasted sesame oil
cilantro leaves, to taste
salt, to taste
* I used extra light olive oil

Directions:

1. Grate the carrots... you can grate the carrots very coarsely, or cut them julienne-style. You can even cut them into thick batons.

2. Add carrots to a bowl and then add the vinegar, oils, and peanuts. Adjust seasoning to taste... add more vinegar, sesame oil( being careful not to add too much)... and more salt if needed.

3. Sprinkle cilantro leaves and combine. Serve as a salad, snack or side dish to Thai-style/Indian dishes.

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Romanian Homemade (Whole/Half Head Cabbage) Sauerkraut... and a Peppery Sauerkraut Salad

Romanian Sauerkraut(Varza Murata)... and a Peppery Sauerkraut Salad. Sometimes I feel the need to post recipes that aren't the "norm". Recipes that I make without relying on cookbooks or other means of online inspiration. As I am getting older, I realize that I tend to crave dishes that I once grew up with.... more so than before. Dishes that were the norm in our home. And just recently I thought of a salad I loved. The only thing was that it involved a homemade version of sauerkraut. Knew I needed to make it...

I've been meaning to post a recipe for sauerkraut for SUCH a long time... so this was the perfect opportunity. And when I say sauerkraut, I mean the Romanian version of sauerkraut, not the "normal" sauerkraut. The Romanian version uses a "wet" brine (water + salt)... different than the "dry" brine(salt only) that's normally used in sauerkraut making. And while many may not recommend a wet brine to be used when making sauerkraut, I find it works for me.

In reality this method has worked for many others, including my parents, my grandparents, my great-grandparents, and so on. It's the way us Romanians have "pickled" cabbage for generations... and continue to do so to this day. Our version of sauerkarut is also a bit different in that we ferment the cabbage as a whole(sometimes the head of cabbage is cut in half or quarters so that it would fit in the container). But we do not shred the cabbage before fermenting it, as you would normally with a dry brine. It's mainly because we use the cabbage leaves to make the well known Romanian sarmale(or stuffed cabbage rolls),... so the outer leaves need to stay intact.

I am not going to go into the specific scientific methods that are used to properly ferment cabbage. Nor am I going to write about the health benefits associated with eating sauerkraut. There are plenty of articles online that do that... My purpose is to share how I make my version of a "wet" brine sauerkraut. I'll share the methods I apply... and the method I found that works best for me.

I've also included a sauerkraut salad that both my husband and I grew up with.... the one I mentioned above. It was a salad I always looked forward to.... probably one of my favorite winter salads. While the outer leaves of the sauerkraut were used to make sarmale, the inner part of the cabbage would be shredded to make the salad I am sharing today. The sauerkraut salad accompanies most Romanian stews, but can also be used next to some sausage and beans... also works very well next to a portion of mashed potatoes and some sort of pan-fried meat. And instead of making a "sweet" version of cabbage and sausages(varza cu carnati), some or all of the fresh, raw cabbage can be substituted with sauerkraut.

In any case, this is how I make my sauerkraut(or varza murata).... yields a nice crunchy texture. We simply love it. Hope you enjoy...

Note: Optimum temperature for storage while cabbage ferments should be about 65-70 degF, give or take a few degrees. You don't want the temperature to be too cold or too hot.... it will not ferment right/or spoil.

Sauerkraut is done when it tastes like sauerkraut... But a good general rule to go by is that it takes about 4 weeks for cabbage to fully ferment at a 70 deg F storage... less if temp. is higher, and longer if temp. is lower.

~Salinity of brine should be between 2.5-3.5%...now I think mine is somewhere in between there:)... but it's best to keep it close to 3.5% salinity, as it yields sauerkraut that has good flavor and firm leaves. But here is a good chart you can follow depending on how much brine you need.

(Example: To make a 16 cup brine solution at 3.5% salinity, use 133 grams salt)

~ It is important to use a non-iodized salt, as iodine prevents the bacterial fermentation to occur that is needed to make sauerkraut.

~All cabbage must be kept submerged in the brine at all times...or you will have mold and spoilage. You can place thin wooden sticks(or thick dill stems), a plate with a weight, or a food grade freezer bag filled with a brine solution, to hold down the cabbage.

~ Foaming and frothing(bubbles) can be expected during the first week of fermentation. If you add the brine all the way to the top of the glass container, it may bubble over. You may want to place something underneath to catch it.

~ After the fermentation is complete, I transfer the container in my cold garage( benefit of living in MT), but you can place the cabbage in the fridge.

Homemade Sauerkraut(Varza Murata)

You will need:

~ A wide-mouth large glass container with lid~

3-4 medium whole cabbage heads, cored

16 cups water

1/2 cup(120 grams) Morton's kosher salt(do not use table salt)

2 bay leaves

bunch of fresh dill/stems

5-6 garlic cloves, cut in half

1-2 TBS whole peppercorns

Directions:

1. Heat water until it's hot but not boiling... and add salt. Stir to dissolve. Set aside.

2. Wash and clean glass container with boiling water. Rinse.

3. Cut the core from cabbage and remove any outer leaves that are too "disheveled":)... some cabbages may need to be cut in half or even quarters to fit inside the glass container. I cut all mine in half.

4. Place the cabbage inside container and add seasonings: garlic, bay leaves, dill, and peppercorns.

5. Pour brine over the cabbage, leaving an inch or so of space on top. Place a weight( or use wooden sticks/hard dill stems) to keep the cabbage submerged.

6. Cover with lid and allow to ferment at a 65-70 Deg F temp. for about 4 weeks. During the first few days, I use a 1/2 inch plastic tube that I place inside the container.... reaches the bottom. I then blow some air through the tube so as to circulate the brine throughout.... it's what my parents did, and so I do the same:). Sort of keeps the brine and seasoning mixed well inside.

Peppery Sauerkraut Salad... a favorite of mine!

Tip: While freshly sliced onions aren't normally used, I sometimes do use a bit. I tend to use a fresh sweet onion as it's a bit milder.

You will need:

1/2 head of sauerkraut cabbage

1/4 cup olive oil, or to taste

freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Shred cabbage by using a knife to cut thin strips.

2. Add oil and pepper... I use quite a bit of pepper, but taste and adjust to preference. The same goes with the oil.

3. Mix well and serve.

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