TWO INCREDIBLY SIMPLE RECIPES

Posted in Incredibly simple, Salads, Side dishes, Veggies by sallybr

The first one is truly simple because you actually make the potatoes a day or two before, but the recipe itself qualified to be in this folder when I first published it in 2023. Check it out here. I always make one or two extra potatoes so that I have leftovers. Because, how could you resist these?

Simply grab the leftover roasted potatoes from the fridge, and cut in slices that should not be too thin, not overly thick, as they will warm up exclusively on the skillet. Add olive oil to the pan, once it is really hot, add the slices and brown them on both sides. Add a little more salt to serve. They will be super creamy inside and get that superb crust all over. Addictive, I tell you.

The second one was featured recently in the New York Times with a lot of praise by the readers. It seemed a bit odd, very few ingredients, kind of monochromatic. But we were both quite impressed by the flavor and texture. I share with you my version, which is slightly modified from the original one. A bit of olive oil and dill were brought to play.

CUCUMBER-AVOCADO SALAD
(modified from The New York Times)

1 large English cucumber
Kosher salt
2 very ripe avocados
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
drizzle of olive oil
fresh or dried dill to taste
red pepper flakes for serving, to taste

Peel the cucumbers in alternating strips and trim ends. Halve lengthwise and slice thin. Transfer to a colander and sprinkle 1 to 2 tsp kosher salt all over the slices. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Halve the avocados and remove the pits. Using a spoon, remove the flesh from the skins, then cut the flesh into ½-inch cubes. Transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and season with salt. Stir to combine.

Shake the cucumbers in the colander to get rid of any excess moisture, rinse briefly then transfer to the bowl with the avocado. Drizze olive oil, and add dill. Mix well but gently, the avocado should start getting creamy and cover all the slices of cucumber. That is a good thing. Serve with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

ONE YEAR AGO: Fitness Post, 21day Fix

TWO YEARS AGO: Going Beyond Guacamole

THREE YEARS AGO: A Trio of Superstars

FOUR YEARS AGO: Turkey Meatloaf

FIVE YEARS AGO: Prue Leith’s Smoked Salmon and Beetroot Blinis

SIX YEARS AGO: Mandioca Frita 101

SEVEN YEARS AGO: White Chocolate Raspberry Dome Cake

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Blueberry Crumble Coffee Cake

NINE YEARS AGO: Pickled Red Onions

TEN YEARS AGO: Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Mini-Chocolate Cheesecake Bites

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Grated Tomato Sauce

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: A Taste of Yellow to Honor Barbara

FOURTEN YEARS AGO: Gratin of Beefsteak Tomatoes

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Tour de France Final Stage: PARIS

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Snickerdoodles with a Twist

17Oct2023

CHINESE TIGER SALAD

Posted in Salads by sallybr

No, I have no idea why it is called Tiger Salad, but I can tell you it is delicious and you should make it… It is yet another recipe from Josette’s blog, and you can read her thoughts about it clicking here.

CHINESE TIGER SALAD WITH CORN AND AVOCADO
(slightly modified from thebrookcook)

2 T sesame seeds, I used black
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
3 T canola oil
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp oil from a jar of chili crisp
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
3 large ears of corn, husked, slightly rubbed with canola oil
2 avocados, cut into large pieces
1 English hothouse cucumber, seeds removed, halves sliced crosswise
1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 T crumbled queso fresco or Cotija cheese, plus more for garnish

To Make the Dressing: toast the sesame seeds slightly in a dry small skillet over medium heat; transfer to a large shallow bowl. Add lime juice, oil, soy sauce, chili crisp oil, toasted sesame oil, unseasoned rice vinegar, and salt and stir vigorously until salt is dissolved. Set dressing aside.

To Make the Salad: air-fry or grill the corn and remove the kernels from the cobs, placing them in a large bowl. Add avocado, cucumber, and half of the cilantro. Add reserved dressing and toss gently to combine. Taste salad and season with more salt if needed. Top with the cheese, remaining cilantro and more black sesame seeds if you like.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is quite a satisfying salad thanks to the corn, and very flavorful with all the lime juice, the sesame oil and of course the heat of the chili crisp oil. I took a picture without the cheese, as Phil prefers to skip it, so I added only to my plate. I’ve made the salad again using feta and it also goes super well with all other ingredients. It is an interesting recipe, a marriage of Chinese and Mexican cuisines. It also keeps well, leftovers were great next day, even the avocado was still fine.

ONE YEAR AGO: Cranberries, Many Ways

TWO YEARS AGO: Cilantro-Pesto with Spicy Maple Pork Tenderloin

THREE YEARS AGO: Sunburst Pumpkin Sourdough

FOUR YEARS AGO: Sourdough Four-Play

FIVE YEARS AGO: World Bread Day 2018

SIX YEARS AGO: Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Spicy Cotija and Black Olive Sourdough

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cake

NINE YEARS AGO: Sourdough Rye Bread with Flaxseeds and Oats

TEN YEARS AGO: PCR and a Dance in the Mind Field

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: October 16: World Bread Day

TWELVE YEARS AGO: The US Listeria Outbreak 2011

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: 36 Hour Sourdough Baguettes

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: October 16 is World Bread Day

31Jul2023

GOING BEYOND GUACAMOLE

Posted in Side dishes, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

We consume a lot of avocados, often in guacamole format, but sometimes just sliced with a squirt of lemon, salt and pepper. Last weekend I was relaxing a bit browsing through stuff I had saved in our TiVo, and went on a binge watch of Molly Yeh’s Girl Meets Farm. Her cooking style is different from mine, but I love her baking ideas, and her warm, fun personality. In one of the episodes she made avocado salsa with a definite Asian feel, and I had to try it myself. Verdict? I loved it. Hubby still prefers avocado in guacamole shape, but agreed that it is definitely “blog-worthy”. So here we are.

SESAME AVOCADO SALSA
(from Molly Yeh’s Girl Meets Farm)

4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Juice of 1 lime
Sriracha or other hot sauce, as desired
4 avocados, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
black or toasted sesame seeds, for topping

Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, lime and some hot sauce in a large bowl. Add the avocados and toss to coat, mashing some of the avocados a little bit to bring everything together. Taste and adjust as desired, I added more lime juice. Top with the chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I am on a sesame oil kick lately, and find that it gives many dishes a wonderful taste, if you don’t add too much you cannot quite tell what it is, but it is, to quote Martha Stewart, “a good thing”. We had leftovers and although it got slightly darker, flavor and texture were not compromised. If you are serving to company, definitely prepare it right before you intend to enjoy it, although keeping it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so does not hurt at all.

ONE YEAR AGO: A Trio of Superstars

TWO YEARS AGO: Turkey Meatloaf

THREE YEARS AGO: Prue Leith’s Smoked Salmon and Beetroot Blinis

FOUR YEARS AGO: Mandioca Frita 101

FIVE YEARS AGO: White Chocolate Raspberry Dome Cake

SIX YEARS AGO: Blueberry Crumble Coffee Cake

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Pickled Red Onions

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake

NINE YEARS AGO: Mini-Chocolate Cheesecake Bites

TEN YEARS AGO: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Grated Tomato Sauce

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: A Taste of Yellow to Honor Barbara

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Gratin of Beefsteak Tomatoes

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Tour de France Final Stage: PARIS

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Snickerdoodles with a Twist

25Jun2022

TWO DELICIOUSLY REFRESHING CUCUMBER SALADS

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Cucumber might be one of the most under-appreciated veggies, at least in our kitchen. I love raita, but rarely make it. At the grocery store, I grab every single veggie before inviting a cucumber into my shopping bag. But in the past couple of weeks I’ve been on a cucumber obsession, so today I share two recipes that will be part of our regular rotation from now on.

CUCUMBER & CRISPY CHICKPEAS WITH AVOCADO DRESSING

CUCUMBER AND CHICKPEA SALAD WITH AVOCADO DRESSING
(adapted from Minimalist Baker)

for crispy chickpeas:
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
spray of olive oil if using air-fryer, 1 tablespoon olive oil if baking

for salad:
2 large cucumbers, peeled in strips, seeds removed, sliced thin
1 avocado, mashed
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
squirt of lemon juice
1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
1/4 cup freshly chopped mint
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill

Make crispy chickpeas. Best way is with air-fryer. Spray with olive oil, season with paprika, salt and pepper, and cook for about 15 minutes in the highest temperature your fryer allows. Reserve.

When ready to make the salad, mash the avocado in a large bowl, squirt some lemon juice oven, then the olive oil, balsamic and the herbs. Season with salt. Mash it all well together. Add the slices of cucumber, toss with the creamy avocado dressing. Add the crispy chickpeas and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

This salad took Phil and I into a state of awe. I have a great friend who always says that food bloggers tend to use too many superlatives to describe their food, and I agree that can be annoying. But please allow me to say, this is an outstanding little salad, in which every ingredient works perfectly. Creamy, refreshing, hearty, we had zero leftovers. A moment of silence for my lunch next day, in which this salad was just a memory.

Moving on to version #2…

CUCUMBER & SHAVED CARROT SALAD WITH YOGURT-DILL DRESSING

CUCUMBER AND SHAVED CARROT SALAD WITH YOGURT-DILL DRESSING
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

2 cucumbers, peeled in strips, seeds removed, sliced very thin
1 tablespoon salt
1 large carrot, shaved in a box grater
1/2 cup full-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar
fresh dill to taste, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Place the slices of cucumber in a colander, add the salt and let it sit for 30 minutes. Lighty rinse the slices, and dry them on a paper towel.

Make the dressing by mixing yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, agave nectar, dill and spices. Whisk well. Add the dressing to the slices of cucumber, incorporate the grated carrot. Leave the salad in the fridge for about 20 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I took two different approaches to the cucumber. In the first recipe I used them straight after slicing, whereas I salted them in the second version. As expected, in the salted version the cucumber had a slightly more tender texture. We loved them both ways, so if you are in a hurry, skip the salting in version #2, as it won’t compromise the outcome.

Both salads ended up as the star in our dinner, I highly recommend you consider increasing your consumption of cucumber, if you are also part of the team that keeps forgetting all about them…

ONE YEAR AGO: Grilled Shrimp with Parsley Oil over Black Rice Noodles

TWO YEARS AGO: Chicken Shawarma, the Easiest Way

THREE YEARS AGO: Marshmallow Macarons

FOUR YEARS AGO: Mango-Lime Macarons

FIVE YEARS AGO: Honey-Glazed Sriracha Meatballs

SIX YEARS AGO: Slow-cooker Braised Lamb Shanks

SEVEN YEARS AGO: How about some coffee with your steak?

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Celebrate Wednesday with a Spiral Kick

NINE YEARS AGO: Carrot Flan with Greens and Lemon Vinaigrette

TEN YEARS AGO: Granola Bars

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Awesome Broccolini

TWELVE YEARS AGO: A Twist on Pesto

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Ciabatta: Judging a bread by its holes

25Jun2014

CELEBRATE WEDNESDAY WITH A SPIRAL KICK

Posted in Celebrate Wednesday, Poultry, Salads by sallybr

When I planned this dinner, I did not think it would turn out so delicious, and definitely not something that could go into my files of “Celebrate Wednesday“. A simple grilled chicken served with a humble zucchini salad? What could be so special about that? Hard to pinpoint a particular reason, but I feel this meal was a gastronomic jackpot: the whole combination of flavors is perfect. Refreshing, light, and satisfying. You can change the salad around in lots of ways, as long as you add the dressing a few minutes before serving. That will make sure the zucchini will get the right texture, losing some of its raw bite. Fresh mint, shaved celery, shaved fennel, those are some of the ingredients that come to mind as add-ons. The chicken marinade will go with pretty much any protein. Including tofu, if you are so inclined… 😉

GRILLED MISO CHICKEN
(adapted from Happy Food Happy Home blog)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons miso paste
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
juice of 1 lime (2-3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch of salt

Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.

Place the chicken in a large ziplock bag and add the marinade. Toss everything around in the bag to coat all the chicken pieces. Marinade for at least 30 minutes and up to two hours.

Grill the chicken using the 7-6-5 method: seven minutes on the first side, flip the pieces over, grill for 6 more minutes. Turn the grill off without opening the lid, and let the chicken stay inside for 5 minutes. Remove from the grill, let the meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes slightly tented with aluminum foil, slice and serve.

to print the Grilled Miso Chicken recipe, click here

SPIRALIZED ZUCCHINI AND CUCUMBER SALAD
(from the Bewitching Kitchen, inspired by Skinny Kitchen)

2 zucchini, ends trimmed, cut on a spiral cutter
1/2 English cucumber, end trimmed, cut on a spiral cutter
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 Tablespoon olive oil or to taste
1 avocado, cut in pieces
handful of grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Use a spiralizer or a mandolin fitted with a julienne blade and cut the zucchini into very thin, spaghetti-like strands. Do the same for the cucumber, but place it over paper towels to drain excess liquid. To make it easier to serve, trim the strands cutting with scissors or a sharp knife, so that they are about 8 inches long. Place both veggies in a large serving bowl. Reserve.

In a small bowl, make a quick emulsion whisking the olive oil and lemon juice, a touch of salt and pepper. When it’s all emulsified, add the lemon zest.

Drizzle the dressing all over the strands of zucchini, and toss to coat. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the avocado pieces, the tomatoes, toss gently to combine. Sprinkle cilantro, adjust seasoning, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the salad recipe, click here

Comments: First, my apologies for being unable to give immediate credit to the grilled chicken marinade. I found it in the internet, thought I had bookmarked it, but instead I did a cut and paste of the ingredients and sent to myself by email. (Palm hits the forehead!) Since I clear my bookmark history every week, no luck tracking it down. (Head shake in disbelief…) Hopefully a lesson was learned. However, thanks to one of my dear readers, I could retrieve the source, and correct my mistake. It came from Happy Food Happy Home. Cute name for a blog… 😉 Thank you, Nan, for finding the source for me.

The salad. Of course, the spiralizer makes it super fun and interesting, but taste should come first, and in this category we also have a winner. However, depending on how watery your cucumber might be, you could run into problems. One way around it would be spiralizing only the zucchini and adding the cucumber in small pieces together with the avocado & tomatoes. You can salt them very lightly and wait for a few minutes until the salt draws most of the excessive liquid out. A brief rinse, a brief encounter with paper towels, and voilà: perfect cucumber! This is harder to do with the strands, so keep this in mind if you try this salad.

The husband verdict: you can make this recipe ANYTIME. It is awesome!

When you witness a man who loves pasta, rice, and potatoes giving such a compliment to zucchini, you know you got something special going… As special as offering two recipes in a single post (wink, wink). Almost as special as a Wednesday evening rescued from the boring middle of the week…
.
ONE YEAR AGO: Carrot Flan with Greens and Lemon Vinaigrette

TWO YEARS AGO: Granola Bars

THREE YEARS AGO: Awesome Broccolini

FOUR YEARS AGO: A Twist on Pesto

FIVE YEARS AGO: Ciabatta: Judging a bread by its holes