This quick salad dressing tastes so good I can eat it alone by the spoonful. The mellow white miso with its savory flavor is lightly sweetened with grated carrot and honey. Fresh ginger gives the dressing a little kick and roasted sesame seeds add crunch. Serve with peppery, crisp, watercress. Very refreshing!
The original recipe mentions the dressing can be made up to two days in advance of serving, however, I’ve kept it for up to four days and it was just fine.
I’m still sifting through the recipes in the “Mexico” Issue of Saveur magazine. This is one of my all time favorite Saveur publications. Equally excellent is the Everything You Need To Know About Filet Mignon issue (that is another story altogether).
Diana Kennedy, originally from the UK moved to Mexico in 1957 with her husband Paul Kennedy. Often referred to as the Julia Child of Mexico, Diana is considered the leading researcher, teacher, and writer on the regional foods of Mexico, and for good reason. Here I adapted her simple, delicious, salsa recipe that anyone can make at home with ingredients that are easy to find at your market.
Tomatillo Salsa with Avocado ~ Salsa de Albañil
Adapted from Saveur Magazine – The Mexico Issue
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 oz. tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup minced, white onion
2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt to taste
2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (or queso fresco)
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into slices
tortilla chips or warm tortillas for serving
Preparation
Bring tomatillos and 4 cups water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan; cook until tomatillos are just soft, 4 – 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
Place tomatillos, 1/3 cup cilantro, 2 tablespoons onion, chiles, garlic and salt in a blender or food processor, pulse until slightly chunky. Pour salsa into a serving dish and layer avocado slices over salsa. Sprinkle on feta and remaining cilantro and onion. Serve with tortilla chips, warm tortillas, quesadillas or burritos.
One of my favorite dishes is beans slowly cooked in tomato sauce and spices served with a scoop of brown rice and tender lettuces dressed in lemon juice and olive oil. This particular recipe is adapted from Turmeric & Saffrons Khoresh-e-Loobia Sabz – Persian Green Bean Stew with Chicken. It’s very satisfying and leftovers are perfect for a work lunch.
My interest in Persian cuisine first developed when I came across a recipe for Jeweled Rice, a beautiful dish that includes ingredients such as cinnamon, cumin and turmeric, spices I love to cook with. I also found another fantastic Persian rice recipe from Shanna at Curls and Carrots. I’ve made Tah Dig many times now and it’s one of my favorite ways to prepare basmati rice.
With a very short list of ingredients, this green bean stew is delicious with or without chicken. I found that using the tender meat from a good, supermarket roasted chicken works so well I now use it instead of cooking my own chicken.
Green Bean Stew with Roasted Chicken
Adapted from Turmeric & Saffron blog
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 pound green beans, washed, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 small garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup chopped tomato, peeled and seeded
1 1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups rotisserie chicken breast, torn into large pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Preparation
Trim the green beans, rinse in a colander and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and golden, about 6 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for another minute.
Add the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and pepper flakes. Coat the onion mixture with the spices. Add the green beans, chopped tomato, tomato sauce, and enough water to just cover the beans. Add the salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to combine all of the ingredients. Cover the pan and simmer the beans for about 40 minutes, or until the beans are very tender. Add the chicken to the pan and stir gently to combine. Once the chicken is warm, taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in lime juice and serve.
Lotus root, or hasu as we call it in Hawaii, is a unique delicacy. Once you peel and slice this rather homely root (or rhizome) you’ll see how beautiful it is. Only available in Hawaii for a few months each year, I buy it as often as I can. With its snowflake like appearance when sliced and its crunchy and delicate flavor, it is wonderful sautéed and served with brown or white rice. This is my favorite way to prepare it.
Peeled and sliced lotus root. It’s crunchy with a mild flavor some say reminds them of jicama.
A simple combination of a few ingredients will add just the right depth of flavor to sautéed lotus root. Besides sautéing, lotus root can be used in soups, fried (crispy tempura), pickled or steamed. Its crispy texture holds up very well regardless of how it is prepared.
Pour vinegar and water in to a large glass bowl. Peel the lotus root, rinse and slice thinly. Place in vinegar water.
Combine sake, soy sauce, sugar and mirin in a small bowl. Set aside.
Drain lotus root, place on paper towels and pat dry.
Heat sesame and canola oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté lotus root for about 5 minutes, Do not over cook. Add soy sauce mixture and simmer until most of the liquid evaporates about 2 minutes.
Remove lotus root to a shallow bowl. Sprinkle with Ichimi Togarashi (or cayenne pepper) and toasted sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature.
This is one of my favorite salads. It’s full of fresh herbs, peppery arugula, tangy feta, and briny capers and olives. Thanks to the San Francisco Chronicle for posting their recipe “Cypriot Village Salad.”
I’ve made this three times in the last month and haven’t tired of it yet. After chopping up the herbs and tomatoes, it’s really just a matter of tossing everything together then enjoying it with a slice of crusty sourdough, whole grain bread or a hearty sandwich.
Arugula Herb Salad with Feta & Olives
Adapted from the San Francisco Chronicle
2 generous servings
Ingredients
2 mini or 1/2 medium cucumber, cut in half lengthwise then cut into 1/3 inch thick slices
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
2 small tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped dill
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
juice of 1/2 small lemon
3 ounces feta cheese, cut into small chunks
1/4 cup assorted pitted olives
1 bunch arugula, about 2 ounces
salt and pepper
Preparation
Toss together the cucumber, garlic, tomatoes, green onions, dill, cilantro, mint and capers in a large bowl. Dress with the olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice. Just before serving, add the feta, olives and arugula. Toss and season with salt and pepper.
It is thought that radishes originated from China thousands of years ago. They belong to the mustard and cabbage family and are related to wasabi (horseradish). Many people love to snack on raw radishes which is a good thing since they are nutritious, and 1 cup of radishes has just 20 calories. In this recipe the radishes are thinly sliced and tossed into the potato salad along with homemade cucumber pickles. Their color and zingy flavor are lovely in this salad.
Thinly sliced Maui onion. Use a sweet onion if Maui onions are not available.
I can’t live without my “little Bennie” mandoline. It makes perfectly thin slices of cucumbers, radishes and onions in no time at all.
Dilly Potato Salad with Cucumber Pickles & Radishes
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch slices
3/4 pound Japanese or English cucumber, very thinly sliced
4 – 6 radishes, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup Maui or sweet onion, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
5 tablespoons white vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise, more or less (I use light mayonnaise)
Preparation
Combine vinegar and salt in a small bowl until salt dissolves. Place cucumber slices and 1 1/2 tablespoons dill in Ziploc bag. Add vinegar mixture, seal bag. Turn several times to coat. Refrigerate overnight, turning bag occasionally.
Pour cucumber mixture into a sieve set over a bowl. Drain at least 1 hour. Discard brine.
Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 – 7 minutes. Drain and cool potatoes completely. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and pepper. Add the drained cucumbers, onion, sliced radishes and remaining 1/2 tablespoon dill. Toss to blend. Stir in mayonnaise, then cover and refrigerate. The salad is best served the day it is made however it can be made one day in advance. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Garnish with sprigs of dill and whole radishes before serving (optional).
This quick salad dressing tastes so good I can eat it alone by the spoonful. The mellow white miso with its savory flavor is lightly sweetened with grated carrot and honey. Fresh ginger gives the dressing a little kick and roasted sesame seeds add crunch. Serve with peppery, crisp, watercress. Very refreshing!
The original recipe mentions the dressing can be made up to two days in advance of serving, however, I’ve kept it for up to four days and it was just fine.
