Beet and Fennel Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

I made this beet and fennel salad from PrairiErth Farm beets and fennel and fresh locally grown onions and dressed it with a mustard seed vinaigrette.

I love the combination of beets and fennel. They are just one of those flavor combinations that seem made for each other to me. Just before serving I topped it with toasted walnuts and freshly chopped chives from Smits Farm.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: My Recipes BEET AND FENNEL SALAD WITH MUSTARD SEED VINAIGRETTE Mustard Seed Vinaigrette:
1 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp juice from the supremed orange 1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:
1 bunch (3 large or 4 medium) beets, boiled or roasted and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 large fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
1/2 of one small onion, thinly sliced
1 mineola tangelo or orange, supremed with the juice reserved
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, for garnish
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, for garnish

Combine the mustards and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk until they are well incorporated. Add the olive oil gradually, whisking continuously, until you have an emulsion. Add the crushed garlic and salt and pepper to taste. If using right away, set aside. Can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

Combine the beets, fennel, onion orange segments and dill in a large bowl and mix well. Add the vinaigrette and mix well.

Let sit for a couple of hours to let the flavors blend before serving. If refrigerated, take out an hour before serving.

Garnish with more dill and the toasted walnuts.

Created August 28, 2020

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Red Cabbage, Carrot and Basil Slaw

Greetings from Austin.  I am home for Thanksgiving and I thought I would share the recipe for this red cabbage and carrot slaw I made for a recent dinner with friends.  It's a refreshing change from the traditional mayonnaise-based slaw, with a nice Asian twist.

It makes a beautiful side for any meal and would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving spread if you are looking for something a little different from the usual T-day fare.

Home Cookin v9.76 Chapter: Beans and Vegetables
RED CABBAGE CARROT, AND BASIL SLAW Dressing:
3 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 medium shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed or grated
2 Tbsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup grapeseed oil

Salad:
1/2 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, thinly julienned or grated
1/4 red onion, cut in thirds and thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds for garnish (optional)

To make the dressing, combine the first seven ingredients and whisk together. Add the grapeseed oil in a continuous stream, whisking constantly.

Combine the cabbage, carrot and the red onion in a large bowl and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Add the dressing and mix well.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Remove from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Add the basil and cilantro just before serving.  Serve the sunflower seeds on the side to prevent them from getting soggy.

November 14, 2019

exported from Home Cookin v9.76 (http://www.mountainsoftware.com/homecook.php)

Chioggia Beet and Fennel Salad

I made this version of my ubiquitous beet salad for the friends I had over for dinner the week before last.  (If you want to see more versions, enter "beet salad" in the Search This Blog window in the upper right corner.) It was the first time I had used Chioggia beets.  They are noticeably sweeter than red beets and made for a delicious salad.  I was somewhat disconcerted, however, that they did not turn all of the other ingredients red and so it did not look like my usual beet salad.

But it tasted just as delicious.  This is great to make for company as it actually tastes better if made the day before you plan to serve it and all of the vegetables have time to marinate and the flavors all come together.  And in my book there are few vegetables that combine as well together as beets and fennel.

How was it received?  Both of my guests asked for the recipe.  So here you have it!

Home Cookin v9.76 Chapter: Beans and Vegetables
CHIOGGIA BEET AND FENNEL SALAD 1 bunch Chioggia beets, boiled and sliced
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 medum red onion, thinly sliced
2 large celerty stalks, sliced
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
2 to 3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill, or to taste
blood orange-infused olive oil for garnish (optional)

For the vinaigrette:
1/4 cup lemon juice or vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the beets, fennel, onion and celery in a large bowl and toss together.

To make the vinaigrette, combine the lemon juice and olive oil in a small jar. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the jar and shake well until the oil and vinegar have emulsified.

Pour the dressing over the beet mixture and stir until everything is well coated with the vinaigrette. Add the dill and stir it into the salad.

Just before serving, drizzle the blood orange-infused olive oil and walnuts over the top of the salad.

10/8/2019
exported from Home Cookin v9.76 (http://www.mountainsoftware.com/homecook.php)

Corn Mango and Tomato Salad

So . . . you may have noticed that it's been a while since I posted.  Life.  Work.  Summer.  Did I mention life?

But as usual I have been busy in the kitchen so I thought I'd share a little something I threw together earlier this week from some fresh corn and tomatoes I got at the Green Market and a mango I had on hand and some scallions left over from a batch of fresh salsa I had made over the weekend.

A friend and I have been getting together to make bread so she can get familiar with the process.  It has been a ton of fun.  We started with Focaccia, then a Turkish flatbread, and then we made this Riga Rye Bread.   It came out really well and she said she couldn't wait to make avocado toast with it.  I just happened to have some avocados so I decided to do the same.  I had already made the salsa so it seemed like the perfect addition.

 And then I bought some fresh corn at the market and had one tomato left that I had brought the week before that needed to be used up so I looked around for an idea of how to use them.  And as soon as my eyes fell on the mango in my fruit bowl I knew exactly what I was going to do.  I had already removed the corn from the ears so I chopped up the tomato, mango, and scallion and threw them in a bowl with the corn. A quick seasoning with salt and pepper, a squeeze of lime juice, and a few tablespoons of olive oil finished it up quite nicely.

It was delicious in its own right but it took a delicious avocado salsa toast to the next level.

I toasted the rye bread and spread it with mashed avocado and then topped it with the Corn Mango and Tomato salad and then topped that with salsa.

In a word:  sublime.


Here's how I did it.

Home Cooking v9.76 Chapter: My Recipes
CORN MANGO AND TOMATO SALAD
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 medium mango, peeled, pitted and chopped
3 scallions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1/2 a lime
2 Tbsp olive oil

Combine the corn, tomato, mango and scallions in a medium size bowl and mix everything together. Add the salt, pepper, lime juice and olive oil and stir together well.

Garnish with salsa and/or cilantro, if desired.

8/22/2019
exported from Home Cookin v9.76 (http://www.mountainsoftware.com/homecook.php)

Roasted Tofu and Peanut Noodle Salad

I had three quarters of a head of napa cabbage left over from a batch of okonomiyaki so I decided to try this recipe I found a few years ago in Eating Well magazine.  It was quite tasty and I especially liked the roasted tofu.  I did not have enough lime juice so I added some sweet sherry to round it out and that worked quite nicely.  Rice vinegar would have also done a nice job, I think.

This would make a lovely lunch for family or friends.  It is light and refreshing and comes together fairly quickly.

If you are planning on leftovers, I would recommend that you add the pasta and the tofu to each serving and then store them separately from the cabbage and vegetables.  The first time I made it I added everything together and because the dressing is so wet the pasta had disintegrated by the next day.

Home Cookin v9.70 Chapter: Beans and Vegetables
ROASTED TOFU AND PEANUT NOODLE SALAD 1/4 cup lime juice 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 14- to 16-ounce package extra-firm water-packed tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
6 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
3 tablespoons water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
6 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
1 medium orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced trimmed snow peas
sesame seeds for garnish

Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Put a large pot of water on to boil for spaghetti.

Combine lime juice, soy sauce and oil in a large bowl. Stir in tofu; marinate, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tofu to the prepared baking sheet; reserve the marinade. Roast the tofu, stirring once halfway through, until golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.

Whisk peanut butter, 3 tablespoons water, garlic and ginger into the reserved marinade. Add the spaghetti, cabbage, bell pepper and snow peas; toss to coat. Top with the tofu and sesame seeds.

from Eating Well August 2013

exported from Home Cookin v9.70 (www.mountain-software.com)

Orange Sunflower Slaw

I love my new Coleslaw with Cashew Spread recipe and make it often, but every once in a while I want to switch it up a little.  So I decided to give the Orange Sunflower Slaw recipe I found in the June 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times.

As I have written a few times before, I find the recipes in Vegetarian Times to be iffy for me.  I believe the main reason is because the spice levels never seem high enough for me.  But I use a lot of spices in my cooking and it has occurred to me that many Americans do not and perhaps the recipes are tested to reach the broadest range of cooks.  To test that theory I have increased the amounts of spices in Vegetarian Times recipes I have tried lately and that seems to make a difference.  There are still recipes that I have made and not liked, but overall I have seen an improvement in getting the dishes to taste the way I believe they should taste based on the ingredients.

In the case of this recipe I saw no need to alter the amounts and I was not disappointed.  The dressing is light and fresh and makes for a refreshing change from the usual slaw.  And it traveled especially well for work lunches.

My only regret was according to the recipe directions you add the sunflower seeds to the salad and mix them in just before serving.  That is fine if the salad gets eaten up right then and there, but that never happens.  By the next day, the seeds were swollen and soggy and had lost their raw crunchy goodness.  I would suggest that you hold them out of the salad and add them to each dish just before serving.

Home Cookin v9.70 Chapter: Beans and Vegetables
ORANGE SUNFLOWER SLAW Makes 8 Servings

Dressing:
1/2 cup orange juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp coconut nectar or sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
3/4 tsp salt

Salad:
3 cups shredded napa or green cabbage (1/2 head)
2 cups shredded red cabbage (1/8 head)
1 large carrot, julienned (-3/4 cup)
1 English cucumber, peeled, flesh scooped out, and julienned (1 cup)
1 green pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise (1 cup)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint
1 cup raw sunflower seeds

To make dressing:
Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.

To make Salad:  
Toss all of the ingredients except for the sunflower seeds together in a large bowl.  Add the dressing and mix well. Serve topped with the sunflower seeds.

Source:  www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/orange-sunflower-slaw/

Exported from Home Cookin v9.70 (www.mountain-software.com)

Beet Salad with Mustard Seed Vinaigrette

Beets are one of those vegetables that people seem to either love or hate, with little middle ground.  I must confess that when I was young I hated them.  In my defense, I now believe that is because the only beets we had at the time came out of a can.  They were mealy, bland, and what little flavor they had tasted of dirt.  I can't imagine why I did not care for them.

At some point when I was a little older my mother started pickling the canned beets with onions in a brine of vinegar and sugar.  That brightened up the flavor and seemed firm them up a bit as well and I liked them enough to eat them without complaining.

Occasionally, as an adult, I would order salads at restaurants that contained beets and discovered that I loved the way they complemented the greens and other vegetables. When I started shopping the Green City Market I could not resist the appeal of the fresh beets with the beautiful greens attached so I bought a bunch.  I boiled them, peeled them, cut them up and put them in a salad.  I had washed and chopped the greens and added them to the salad as well and it was quite delicious.

Now I can't imagine life without beets.  I love them in salads, soups, and by themselves.  When possible I will use the greens with them, as I did in this Beet Salad with Mustard Seed Vinaigrette.  I was as pleased with the mustard seed vinaigrette as I was with the salad.  Beets and mustard actually go very well together.  Mustard seeds add an extra crunch with the flavor.  I bought a jar of Maille's Classic Old Style Mustard on sale a few years back and liked it so much I have replaced it a few times since then.  It is a little pricey but goes a long way and is well worth the price, in my opinion.  I also prefer their regular Dijon mustard and always have that on hand as well.

The beauty of this salad, as with so many of my dishes these days, is that you can easily improvise.  If you don't have shallots you can use any kind of onion.  I often use fennel instead of or in addition to celery.  If I have neither fennel nor celery, I make it without them.  Your beets did not come with the greens attached?  Use any kind of green - lettuce, baby kale, or spinach.  And as long as you use any kind of mustard, vinegar and oil you have your vinaigrette.

Home Cookin v9.70 Chapter: My Recipes


BEET SALAD WITH MUSTARD SEED VINAIGRETTE
1 bunch (3 large or 4 medium) beets, with greens
3 stalks celery
1 large shallot
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Mustard Seed Vinaigrette:
1 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
1 Tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette:
Combine the mustards and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk until they are well incorporated. Add the olive oil gradually, whisking continuously, until you have an emulsion. Add the crushed garlic and salt and pepper to taste. If using right away, set aside. Can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

For the Salad:
Remove the greens from the beets. Remove the leaves from the stems and rinse well (save the stems and saute them with other aromatics for frittatas, soups, or stews)l. Drain and roughly chop the leaves and set aside.

Fill a saucepan large enough to hold the beets with cold water. Trim the stems on the beets down to an inch and leave on the roots. Place them in the saucepan with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the beets are just tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and cool.

When the beets are cool enough to handle, cut off the stem and root ends and peel them. The peel should come off easily in your hands. Chop then into bite-size pieces and put them into a large bowl. Thinly slice the scallions and add them to the beets. Trim the celery and thinly slice on the diagonal and add them to the bowl with the beets and shallots. Add the dill and the dressing in small increments until the salad is well covered, but not too wet. Mix well.

Let sit for a couple of hours to let the flavors blend before serving. If refrigerated, take out an hour before serving.

Garnish with dill and the toasted walnuts.

Created January 31, 2015

exported from Home Cookingh v.9.70 (www.mountain-software.com)

Coleslaw with Cashew Spread

Have I mentioned that work has gotten crazy busy again?  Well it has and I am stressing but I am determined to continue posting as much as I can this time.  No more 8-month hiatuses for me.

In my last post I showed you how to make cashew spread and I mentioned that I have been using it for coleslaw.  Using cashew spread instead of mayonnaise and raisins instead of sugar makes for a healthier dish, one that I can enjoy all the time rather than having it be more of a special occasion kind of treat.

As with most of the salads I make, this recipe is more of a suggestion in terms of ingredients and amounts and I have been known to improvise.  For example, I have been thinking this would be really good with blueberries or apples instead of (or even in addition to) the raisins.  I only recently started adding the broccoli since I made a commitment to eat more of it and have been buying it and using the florets on a weekly basis and needed to find a use for the stems.  (If I am not putting them into coleslaw I will cut them into sticks and eat them like carrots as a snack.  They are also tasty that way.)

I like using buttermilk instead of regular milk because I almost always have it on hand and am looking for ways to use it between baking sessions.  Because of the lovely tang it provides, I do not add vinegar to the dressing.  If I were using regular milk I would add a tablespoon of vinegar to it.

I cannot recommend this version of coleslaw highly enough.  I have made it every week for the past month, and have no plans to stop any time soon.  I have eaten it for breakfast, at lunch and with dinner.  Because there are no eggs as there are with regular coleslaw, it keeps for about a week (longer for me, but I tend to play fast and loose with "best by" dates.)

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes
COLESLAW WITH CASHEW SPREAD Makes 6 large servings

1 large carrot, grated
3 stems from a bunch of broccoli, grated (optional)
1/2 small head purple cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded in the food processor*
1/2 small head green cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded in the food processor*
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 cup golden raisins (or regular, if preferred)
salt and pepper to taste
1 batch cashew spread (approximately 1-1/4 cups)
1/2 cup buttermilk (milk would also work)

*or any equivalent of 1 small head of cabbage

Combine all of the vegetables with the raisins in a large bowl and season to taste.

Stir the buttermilk into the cashew spread. Add it to the mixed vegetables and mix well. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Serve at room temperature.

5/23/2016

Exported from Home Cookin v.8.67 (www.mountain-software.com)

Red Cabbage Slaw

I had half of a head of red cabbage in the refrigerator.  I had sauteed the first half with red peppers and red onion and it was quite tasty but I wanted to do something different with the second half.  I also had some mayonnaise I made up for cheese sandwiches that needed to be used before it spoiled so I decided to throw together a quick slaw.  I grated a carrot and added some chopped red onion.

I had an almost-empty container of buttermilk so I added what was left to the mayonnaise along with a splash of apple cider vinegar for the dressing.  I tossed in some golden raisins for sweetness.

It only took a few minutes and I ended up with a fresh, tasty side dish that I will definitely make again, and often.  I might add toasted walnuts for special occasions.

Home Cookin' Chapter: My Recipes

RED CABBAGE SLAW Makes 6 side servings

1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
1 large carrot, grated
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins

For the dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt to taste

Place the cabbage, carrot, onion, and raisins in a large bowl.

Combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and whisk together. Add to the cabbage mixture and stir will. Season with salt to taste.

Let the flavors combine for at least half an hour before serving.

02/07/2016

exported from Home Cookin v.8.66 (www.mountain-software.com)

Pickled Beet and Fennel Salad with Shallots and Walnuts

Happy Thanksgiving from the sunny strip in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Family has converged here from various parts of the country.  As a first-time visitor I am trying to absorb the overwhelming . . . overwhelmingness . . . of it all.  I fully expected to hate it, and while I am impervious to most of the attractions I can't say that I am hating it.  The mountains that surround the city are breathtakingly beautiful, as is the weather.  Anthropoligically, there is something to be said for the sheer magnititude of neon (although I guess it isn't neon anymore; at least not the neon I am used to associating with Las Vegas).  The water display at Bellagio was an amazing sight.  The sheer commercialism and excessive consumerism are not as vulgar as I expected both to be, but are impossible to avoid.  I am still trying to process it all as I have only been here one day, but it is an impressive place; whether the impression is positive or negative I leave to the individual.  I have not done any gambling, nor do I plan to.  But that's more because it just isn't my kind of thing and I'd rather spend my money on something that I enjoy.  So far we have not eaten at any noteworthy restaurants, nor do we plan to as far as I know, but the food has been fresh and good where we have eaten.  Today we will explore the bounty of the Flamingo Paradise Garden Buffet Thanksgiving spread that overlooks a 15-acre habitat that includes live pink flamingos and the biggest koi I believe I have ever seen.  I expect it will be quite tasty (the buffet, not the koi).  I hope your Thanksgiving spread is equally good.

I jumped on the pickling bandwagon a couple of years ago.  I am especially proud of my dill pickles.  I've done some experimenting with vegetables and I love what the combination of sugar and vinegar does for all kinds of vegetables.  I have not taken the plunge into canning yet, but that is not far off the horizon.  Maybe next year.

One of the things I do not like about pickled vegetables, however, is the amount of sugar involved.  Granted, most of it stays in the jar with the pickling liquid and I think sugar is fine in moderation, but I try to eat as little added sugar to my diet as possible.  And what sugar I do allow myself to have I would much rather get from the cookies, cakes, and pies I love to bake.  So I do not pickle as often as I would like to.

But I do love me some pickled beets.  And Leaning Shed had the most beautiful big golden beets that I had to bring some home with me.  I wanted to pickle them so I decided to do a quick online search to see if I could find a method that did not use such a high ratio of sugar to sour.  As luck would have it, I found this recipe on Elise Bauer's Simply Recipes that calls for just a tablespoon each of sugar and apple cider vinegar.  A tablespoon of olive oil balances the two to truly highlight the natural sweetness of the beets.

I liked it so much I decided to take it that one step further and add my favorite companions to the beets and came up with this pickled beet and fennel salad with shallots and walnuts.  I used red wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar, and soaked the shallots in it while I prepared the rest of the ingredients to mellow their bite and give them extra tang.  The end result was the perfect balance of sweet, sour, tart and tangy.  A sprinkling of fresh thyme gave it the perfect fresh finishing touch.

It might be too late to add this to your Thanksgiving table, but it would make a nice addition to that other holiday meal that is coming up . . . Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

PICKLED BEET AND FENNEL SALAD WITH WALNUTS

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 medium-large beets
1 large or 2 small shallots, trimmed and halved
1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar
1 large fennel bulb quartered and cored
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts

To toast the walnuts:  Lay the walnut pieces out in a single layer on a baking sheet and place on a center rack in a pre-heated 350 deg. F. oven.  Cook until the nuts are just starting to turn brown and you can just start to smell them, about 10 minutes.  (Check after 7 minutes.)  Remove from the oven and place in a bowl to cool, then coarsely chop them.

Leave an inch of the stems and the roots on the beets and wash under cold water, making sure to scrub off all of the dirt.  Place the beets in a 3-quart saucepan and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook, covered, until tender, between 30 and 40 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cool. 

While the beets are cooling, prep the rest of the vegetables. Thinly slice the shallots and put them in a small bowl with the red wine vinegar.  Set aside.  Slice the fennel as thin as possible and place in a large bowl. Trim the ends of the cooked beets and peel them.  Cut them into quarters and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices.  Add to the fennel.

Remove the shallots from the vinegar (keep the vinegar) and add them to the fennel and beets.  Add the olive oil, mustard, and sugar to the vinegar and whisk briskly until an emulsion has formed.  Season to taste with the salt and pepper.  Pour over the salad and combine well.  Add the thyme, reserving some for garnish if you're using fresh.  Toss to combine.  Let sit at least half an hour before serving immediately, or refrigerate.  Bring to room temperature before serving.  Top with a tablespoon of the toasted chopped walnuts and a few leaves of the fresh thyme.

inspired by recipe found at Elise Bauer's Simply Recipes:

Exported from Home Cookin 7.53 (www.mountainsoftware.com)

Napa Cabbage Salad with Snow Peas and Toasted Almonds

Here's a lovely salad that you can whip up quickly while you are preparing the rest of your meal. It is light and crisp and goes well with chicken or fish.  I came up with the idea when I was looking for a way to use the rest of a batch of balsamic vinaigrette I had whipped up for a salad.  I had half of a Napa cabbage in the crisper and that inspired me to create something with Asian flavors.  From there it was a simple step to add the snow peas and cucumber to the mix.  Celery would also make an excellent addition.  The toasted almonds provide a visual and textural contrast that makes the salad both appealing and delicious.

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

NAPA CABBAGE SALAD WITH SNOW PEAS
AND TOASTED ALMONDS

Makes 2 large or 4 small servings

1 shallot, cut in half and thinly sliced
rice wine vinegar
1 small or 1/2 large head of Napa cabbage, roughly chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and sliced
1/4 lb snow peas, pods trimmed and cut into thirds
1 tsp grated ginger
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds or 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Place the sliced shallot in a small bowl and cover with the rice wine vinegar.  Set it aside and let the shallots soak in the vinegar while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Combine the cabbage, cucumber and snow peas in a large bowl.  Drain the shallots and add them to the bowl, along with the ginger.

Combine the vinaigrette and the soy sauce and pour it over the salad.  Sprinkle the toasted sesame oil over the top and toss to mix well.

Serve garnished with the toasted almonds or sesame seeds.

12/10/2012

Exported from Home Cookin 6.46 (www.mountain-software.com)

Cucumber Salad

Iron Creek Farms is one of my usual stops at the Green City Market. They always have the most beautiful heads of lettuce and other greens, peppers, squash, tomatoes, onions, and much, much more.
This past weekend I found these beautiful European seedless cucumbers. They were small and firm and my immediate thought was what a beautiful cucumber salad they would make. I had just purchased a bundle of three red torpedo onions and fresh dill at two other stands for another purpose and I would have extra of each, so it was a no-brainer to grab the cucumbers and take them home with me.

They were firm and delicious. Most cucumber salad recipes direct you to cover the sliced cucumbers with salt and let them drain for a half hour to get rid of the excess liquid, and then rinse them before you use them. With these babies, that was not necessary. I simply sliced them as thinly as I could without a mandoline (on my wish list, though) and combined with the onions and dill and let them marinate in a vinegar/sugar mixture. A couple of hours later I was rewarded with a side dish that was light and refreshing.

Home Cookin Chapter: Beans and Vegetables

CUCUMBER SALADMakes 4 servings

3 small to medium European seedess cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 small or 1/2 of a medium red torpedo onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar, or to taste
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
Kosher salt to taste

Combine the cucumber and onion in a small bowl. Add the vinegars, sugar, salt and dill and mix well. Make sure the bowl is small enough for the vinegar to cover most of the cucumber and onion mixture.

Cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving, stirring the salad to re-distribute the cucumbers and onion in the marinade. Season with salt to taste just before serving and adjust the amount of sugar if necessary. This salad will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.

6/23/2012

Exported from Home Cookin 6.46 (www.mountain-software.com)

Beet and Fennel Salad

The organic beets at Whole Foods were simply gorgeous over the weekend, and when I saw them I realized that I hadn't cooked any beets at all this year. I knew I had to do something about that, so I put a bunch in my basket. Also into my basket went a large fennel bulb, which also looked particularly good. I had a vague idea of some kind of salad.

I grabbed the dill because I was thinking about making dill rice. But then I realized I was making fried rice and would not need to dill. It was a natural leap to combine it with the beets and fennel. I already had a shallot, and thought I might be able to use orange juice instead of sugar for a fresh dressing, and toasted pistachios might add texture in addition to that rich flavor.

it worked beyond my wildest dreams. Soaking the shallots in red wine vinegar pickles them for a tart burst of flavor. The sweetness of the beets is all the sugar that is necessary to round out the dressing, and the orange juice really shines against the fennel. The dill adds a grassy freshness and the occasional pistachio adds a satisfying crunch and nuttiness that seals the deal.

If these are the only beets I eat all year, they will be well worth it. If you are only going to eat beets once this year, make this salad. You will not regret it. It's actually satisfying enough on its own to make a light lunch with a nice crusty piece of bread, but it would be a beautiful accompaniment to any main dish.

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

BEET AND FENNEL SALAD WITH ORANGE VINAIGRETTEMakes 6 servings

3 medium beets
1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 large fennel bulb
Juice of 1 orange (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup toasted pistachio nuts

Trim the stem end of the beets (saving the greens for another use if they are still attached). Leave about one inch of the stems and do not cut the roots. Place in a 3-quart saucepan and fill with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until a knife goes in cleanly and comes out easily. Let cool, then trim the ends and peel them.

Put the shallot in a small bowl with the red wine vinegar and let sit while the beets are cooking. Chop the stems off of the fennel bulb. Cut the bulb in half and remove the core by cutting a triangle out of the bottom center. Cut the pieces in half again and slice them as thinly as you are able.

After the beets have cooled and they are peeled, cut them into quarters and then slice the quarters about 1/4-inch thick. Remove the shallots from the vinegar, saving the vinegar, and put them in a large bowl. Add the fennel and beets and stir just enough to combine.

Add the juice from the orange to the red wine vinegar in the small bowl. Season to taste with salt. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking it constantly. Pour the dressing over the beets and fennel and stir gently to make sure everything has been well coated with the dressing. Add the dill.

Add a few of the pistachios to each individual portion as it is served, to keep them from getting soggy in the dressing.

3/11/2012

Exported from Home Cookin 6.46 (www.mountain-software.com)

Mediterranean Lentil and Couscous Salad

This is another recipe from my go-to book on beans, Lean Bean Cuisine by Jay Solomon. As I mentioned before, it is out of print, but I believe there are still copies available online and I cannot recommend this book highly enough. While not every recipe has been completely to my taste, none of them have been failures. And the ones that I like I really, really like.

This is no exception. It cooks quickly and is easy to put together. The ingredients are fresh and the dressing is light and refreshing. Using fresh basil and parsley makes it even more light and refreshing, but dried herbs work just as well. If you do use dried herbs, though, only use half of the amount, as dried herbs are stronger than fresh. You can also use other herbs, if you would like. I'm thinking a touch of mint would be quite lovely.

For the best flavor, serve the salad at room temperature. This makes it quite nice for workday lunches and picnics.

Home Cookin Chapter: Beans and Vegetables

MEDITERRANEAN COUSCOUS AND LENTIL SALAD
Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup brown or red lentils
3 cups water
1 cup boiling water
2/3 cup uncooked couscous
1/4 cup oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, diced
3-4 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Place lentils and water in saucepan and cook for 45 minutes, until tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine couscous and boiling water in small saucepan. Cover and let stand for 10 mins.

In mixing bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, herbs and seasonings. Add lentils, bell pepper, scallions, garlic and couscous and blend well.

Chill 1 hour before serving.

From Lean Bean Cuisine: Over 100 Tasty Meatless Recipes from Around the World, by Jay Solomon (Prima, 1994)

Exported from Home Cookin 6.46 (www.mountain-software.com)

Black Bean, Corn and Radish Salad

Sometimes necessity is the mother of invention, other times it is desperation that inspires.

Take this salad. I had all the makings for a delicious black bean, corn and mango salad. I made the beans using a new technique that I am excited about and will share after I have tested it a few more times to make sure it really works and wasn't just beginner's luck. The corn was fresh off of a truck (which, to be honest, I suspect had to drive quite a way to get to Chicago, but was sweet and delicious regardless of its provenance). Unfortunately, the mango did not seem to want to cooperate. While it was soft on the outside and smelled nice and ripe, it was actually as hard as a rock and not sweet at all when I cut into it. Not quite ripe I don't mind, but this was too hard even to cut.

I love the flavors of black beans and corn together, but they work best to me when they are played against a third equally strong ingredient that plays the two off of each other. Mango and tomato are my two favorite items to achieve that effect, but the mango wasn't going to work and I did not have any tomatoes. What was I to do?

I had brought home too many ingredients from the Green Market the weekend before, as usual. One of the items I could not resist was a bunch of beautiful Japanese red radishes, which I had never before seen. Since one of my goals is to bring home something with which I am not familiar or which I have never before used, they had to come home with me. I used a few of them to make a Russian red kale and Japanese red radish frittata (doesn't that have a lovely ring to it?), but I still had quite a few left and no real plans for them.

They are quite delicious, and slightly milder than the globe radishes whose bite makes for a delicious addition to a garden salad, but they still have that lovely radish flavor. The minute I thought of them I realized they would be up to the task and would balance out the black beans and corn beautifully.

And I was right. They add a crisp, juicy, slightly earthy flavor to the salad that frames the beans and corn, neither overpowering nor being overpowered. In a word, delicious.

Oh, I also didn't have any fresh jalapeno or serrano on hand. Cayenne added the needed heat nicely.

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

BLACK BEAN, CORN AND RADISH SALAD
3 cups cooked black beans, drained (if using canned non-organic, drain and rinse)
3 cups fresh or frozen corn, cooked or defrosted
6 large radishes, quartered and sliced
1/4 of a medium red or white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed or grated
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground (or ground smoked cumin)
dash of cayenne or red chili flakes
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Combine the first eight ingredients in a mixing bowl. In a small jar, combine the lime juice, honey and olive oil. Cover tightly and shake well. Add to the salad, along with the cilantro, and stir gently until everything is well mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Best when made ahead and brought to room temperature before serving.

6/28/11

Exported from Home Cookin 6.46 (www.mountain-software.com)

Japanese Red Radish photo from Local Seasonal Eats

Recall of the Week: Dole Italian Blend Salad

I knew we wouldn't have to wait long for the next recall. This time it's a precautionary recall of some 2,880 cases of Dole Italian Blend Salad.

The recall was issued on the 22nd. The Use-by date is 6/19. Seems to me it's a little like locking the barn door after the horse has escaped. No reported illnesses, just some contamination found in one isolated package.

This recall evokes another issue I have with the "three-times washed" packaged salads. Many people believe that means the produce is actually clean. I believed that too, up until the time I bought the package of three-times washed spinach and found a big old gooey glop of clay-like mud smeared over about a third of the package. I no longer buy packaged salads, but if I did, I sure would wash them regardless of how many times the producer alleged that it had been washed.

Tossed Greens Salad with Fried Egg

Sometimes, it's the simple things that make life most enjoyable. Sometimes, all I want for dinner is a simple tossed salad. Red leaf lettuce, arugula, frisee, radish, tomato (up there at the back, you can just barely see one peeking out), sunflower seeds and dried cranberries tossed in a home-made mustard and apple cider vinegar vinaigrette is a little piece of heaven.

Throw a lightly-fried egg on top and that little piece of heaven got much, much bigger. Crack the yolk and let it mix with the greens and the vinaigrette and you just might have reached nirvana.