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salad

Beluga Lentil and Quinoa Salad With Meyer Lemon and Cornichon Dressing

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Finally cooking! These past few weeks has been a whirlwind. I have been caught up in a vortex that has whisked me along and spun me around much like Dorothy and the Wizard. I can happily say that I have finally touched down and yes- it is dancy and pretty and sunshiny.  In the midst of all the scheduled mayhem I was able to attend the Cookbook Conference at the last minute. What a wonderful and fantastic time it was!

I was able to meet and connect with all sorts of incredible food people- some after my own heart and others that I would have never met otherwise. Seriously, I would never have met people like Carolina Capehart, who I am told is one of the best food historians out there. She regularly cooks foods from the 1850’s over open fires- IN BROOKLYN! Then there was Carole Murka from Heirloom Meals who interviews and records regular people about their heritage and family recipes. I made some new friends that I am sure I will carry with me long and joyfully- but I also got such a tremendous insight as to how so many of us toil separately and similarly. Maggie Battista from EatBoutique!, Winnie Abromson from Healthy Green Kitchen, Cathy Barrow-the famous Mrs Wheelbarrow, Gail Dosik from One Tough Cookie– all of these amazing women and others my kindred spirits!

And now I am finally settling down. The conference put a fire in my heart that I cannot begin to explain- and it’s all so deliciously yummy and wonderful.

So now I am finally back at my own stove. The new stove that I am making a slow and cordial relationship with thus far. I am learning it’s temperaments and enjoying the creation of a new workspace for myself. Thus far it feels wonderful and works very well.

I will be bringing lunch to a friend tomorrow and the direction I got was “try to keep it healthy” and “no capers”. Not a bad suggestion and so my mind went quickly to this recipe I developed awhile ago. It is earthy, nutritious and satisfying without being too heavy for a midday meal, and an easy flavor profile that she should enjoy.

I am not a tremendous lentil fan- they can be wonderful and they have their place, but I typically don’t swoon. The Beluga Lentils however, not only look gorgeous, but they keep their shape and bite. No mush here. The quinoa and lentils are high in fiber and rich in protein, making this a power food dish.  A generous toss of minced cornichons give this salad a sprite snap while the mellow Meyer lemon softens it all out.

I am serving ours over shredded red cabbage, but this is also wonderful over lettuces such as Bibb.

Now to go think of a good dessert….

Lentil Quinoa Salad w Meyer Lemon Dressing
serves 4 nicely
 
 
.5 c beluga lentils- rinsed
.5 c tricolor quinoa
1 clove of garlic-half left whole the other half finely minced
4T minced cornichons
zest and juice from one meyer lemon
3T minced red onion
2T minced fresh tarragon
olive oil to balance out lemon juice ~.25c (taste!)
S&P
 
In one small saucepan combine lentils and 1c water. Add half of garlic and pinch of salt and simmer until tender ~20mins
 
In separate small saucepan combine quinoa and 1c water and a pinch of salt and simmer until tender ~15mins
 
While the lentils and quinoa are cooking prepare the dressing.
 
In a large bowl add the minced garlic, zest and juice of lemon, onion, cornichons and tarragon. Whisk in olive oil a bit at a time. Taste as you go. Meyer lemons are less tart and require less oil to balance.
 
When the quinoa and lentils are cooked, and still warm, toss into the dressing.
 
Continue to occasionally toss the salad until cool to get all the dressing pooled at the bottom soaked in.
 
When cool check for balance and season with S&P
 
 
 

Enjoy!

Winter Salad To Support Our Better Days

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We all start the same way. “This year it will be more vegetables and more exercise!”
The problem for me is I find it harder to eat vegetables in the Winter. I was once told by an Ayervedic practitioner that I am of a certain type that does not like cold- that is cold in my body. According to her I am better with steamy things, earthier foods and spice. (I’m pretty sure chocolate fits in there somewhere too) Though I don’t know how much stake I put into that thinking, I do have to admit when the cold North wind blows I relate. For instance- though I love yogurt, I’m not prone to eat it in the chiller times, and I drink hot tea now rather than iced tea.
I do cook myself hard squashes when I have the time and adore them, and many a vegetable bin has been transformed into a creamy soup. All this is very well and good, but I so like and need a salad from time to time as well.
This salad is super quick and easy. It is three beautifully dramatic layers of color, texture and tastes. It’s surprising how the three compliment each other. Laced with some feta cheese, some fennel fronds and the zest of the lemon from the dressing it’s just lovely. No need to get fussy here, just grate your veg right over the plate and let them pile on. The dressing is a basic vinaigrette using lemon juice for the acid.
I just let mine sit out for a bit to come to room temperature, then I can blithely dig right in.
Carrot, Fennel and Beet Salad
A loose interpretation of Martha’s Recipe 12/11
serves 2 generously or 4 sides
1 large fennel bulb
2 large carrot, washed
1 large beet or 2 smaller
.25c low fat feta
1 lemon, zested
1t dijon mustard
1sm clove garlic, mashed and minced
enough quality olive oil to balance lemon juice ~6T
First cut the fennel bulb in half and trim the hard knot from the core of the bulb
Using either a mandoline or knife, slice paper thin. Fennel can be a bit hard and tough, but when sliced super thin it’s divine.
Next grate carrots directly on top. I don’t peel my carrots, just give them a good scrub. Plenty of nutrients in that outer skin.
Peel the beet(s) and proceed with the same. Mix up the textures of the vegetables if you like or you can do the whole thing on a box grater.
Sprinkle top with feta cheese to taste along with the lemon zest and small fennel fronds
Make vinaigrette by squeezing juice into a small bowl and stir in the garlic and mustard.
While trying to obtain a 1:3 ratio of acid to oil, slowly whisk in the oil creating creamy goodness. Check for balance and add some S&P to taste.
Drizzle the dressing over the vegetables and let it seep down in and around. No need to toss, though you are more than welcome to- it looks just as beautiful and just as tasty.

Crisp Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts and Bleu Cheese

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This is a tremendously simple salad to make with a complexity of texture and tastes. Crisp juicy Granny Smith apples are thinly sliced and tossed with a lemony vinaigrette and garnished with chunks of strong bleu cheese and candied walnuts.

We get so busy with our lives that there are times when it’s important to make the simplest thing sublime. It takes just a few extra seconds to pull out the mandolin, make a salad dressing from scratch, and arranging a plate to look like a waiter has placed this dish before you as opposed to tossing things together next to the sink.

Preparing the nuts is the most time consuming part of this dish, but worth the effort. If it’s all too much you can just toss on toasted nuts. Though really, they are super easy to make as long as you keep and eye on the sugar so as not to scorch it. The batch yields a good 3 cups of candied walnuts- which are also a fantastic addition to any frozen treat bowl you got going on, as well as a terrific accompaniment to a cheese platter. Just store in an airtight container and dole out as needed for up to 6 months.

The vinaigrette recipe is absolutely my favorite. It uses lemon juice as the acid with the added touch of grated rind. Whenever I serve this dressing inevitably someone asks me for the recipe. You will love it and find it one of those “go to” recipes from here on out.

The crisp tart apples, with the earthy cheese, the sharp snap of the onion with the spicy vinaigrette and arugula is topped off with the sweet crunchy nuts. Heavenly…

Candied Walnuts
 
.25 c of white sugar
2T water
.5 c walnuts, either whole or pieces
 
Prepare a baking tray by greasing with butter. A silpat mat also works well.
 
In heavy small saucepan combine the water and sugar and put on medium high heat.
 
Cook the sugar slurry until it boils and turns golden brown. This can take 10 mins or so. Once the color starts to turn it will come up quickly. If you have hot spots in your pan as evidenced by one area turning darker before another, swirl pan to even out the heat.
 
The sugar will continue to deepen after it has been removed from the heat, so pull the pan off the flame when it is one step BEFORE the color you want.
 
Off the flame toss in the nuts. With a wooden spoon stir the nuts to evenly coat. Then pour mixture onto prepared sheet pan and spread out.
 
DO NOT be tempted to touch the nuts until they are COMPLETELY cooled. I know you’re going to want to, they’re beautiful, smell great and look innocent- but they can seriously burn you, so please-please, give it a good 10 mins to cool if not longer. 
 
Once cool you can break up the nuts into pieces. Store unused portion in an airtight container in a dark, dry, cool place. Not in the fridge.
 
 
Lemon Vinaigrette “Watson”
 
1-2 lemons
grated zest from one lemon
spoonful of Dijon mustard
1clove crushed and finely minced garlic
good quality olive oil
salt
 
The reason for the vague ingredient amounts is I base my proportions on the amount of juice that comes out of the lemon(s). 
 
Into a small bowl first grate the zest of one lemon. Then juice the lemon into the bowl. You will want at least 3T of juice, so if the first lemon is short, go ahead and juice the second lemon in it’s entirety. It’s ok to have more than you need.
 
Then add into the bowl one teaspoon of dijon for every 3T of lemon juice. It’s ok to eyeball this. Use more dijon if you like your dressing on the spicy side.
 
Next add garlic and stir all together just a bit to break up and combine the mustard. Err on the side of lesser garlic as this dressing will get stronger as it sits.
 
Either using a fork or a small whisk, slowly dribble in the olive oil while continuously stirring the lemon mixture. The ratio is 1:3 juice to oil approx. You will notice as you are mixing that the dressing will begin to emulsify.
 
I taste test my dressing as I go along. If I need more oil I add it. It’s done when you can sense a balance on your tongue. Add the salt.
 
It has also happened that I will go back and taste the dressing one more time before I use it and balance it again.
 
Store unused dressing in a tight lidded container in the fridge for a week.
 
 
Apple Salad
 
serves 2
 
2 medium granny smith apples
~.25c red onion
1c baby arugula leaves
1oz high quality bleu cheese
small handful of candied walnuts
lemon vinaigrette to taste
S & P to taste
 
Using a mandoline or slicing tool if you have one, slice apples very thinly. Alternatively use a very sharp knife. First take a small slice out of the apple and lay that side down on the cutting board for stability. They very carefully slice the apples as thinly as possible.
 
Toss the apples with a small amount of dressing.
 
Slice the onions the same as the apples.
 
On a serving plate arrange the apples in an attractive stack. Atop the apples add some of the sliced onion and then some arugula. More arugula can be place on the plate alongside.
 
Sprinkle the stack with the nuts and cheese. Then drizzle more dressing over the top to taste.
 
Add a crusty bread and a glass of Verdiccio and you’ve got a lovely first course.