Posts filed under 'salad'
I just can’t wait for my CSA shares to start coming in, so yesterday I went to a farmers market in downtown Boston. My hopes were high, and I spent the entire train ride imagining all the fun greens and maybe even baby spring vegetables I’d bring home. When I arrived, the first tent was full of flowers. The next, herbs. Then there was a bread and pastry tent, some more herbs and flowers, and… that was it.
Where are my vegetables!
I milled around the short string of tents, walking up and down the line, desperately trying to find something other than impatiens and coffee cake. Then I started asking myself, “well, do I need a $25 two year old rosemary plant?” I wanted the answer to be yes, but I kept moving. Finally, tucked between chocolate mint and calla lilies was a huge basket of… leaves? Vines? I wasn’t sure what it was, but it looked like I could eat it. The sign said, “Organic Sweet Pea Tendrils – $3/box.”
I marched up and said, “I’ll take a box, please” as the man behind the table was trying to offer me a sample. “oh,” he said, “you’ll just buy some then?” He probably had spent most of the morning explaining what pea tendrils are and handing out samples to convince people that they really are tasty and you really should eat them. But not me! I’m used to buying mysterious vegetables.
I have a bit of an addiction to trying new and interesting greens. I had no idea, of course, that you could eat pea tendrils. I had no clue as to what they tasted like, but I didn’t care! I wanted a box of that leafy mass he was standing behind; I’d figure out the details later. Of course, as soon as I got home I spent an hour googling them, all the while wishing I had asked a few questions when I bought them.
So here’s what I found out: they are usually lightly stir fried in Chinese cooking, but I think that pertains to pea tendrils that are a bit older and sturdier than the ones I bought. The tendrils I came home with were very delicate, almost the same texture as the clover you have growing in your lawn but with crisper stems. I had no desire to cook them at all, so I whipped up this salad. I did keep the asian flavors, though, by using daikon radish and a sesame soy dressing.
I hope I find them again before spring is over. They are deliciously crisp and sweet, and they taste like peas! Their texture is nice balance between the soft leaves and the thin crispy stems. They don’t keep well, so if you find them at a farmers market or elsewhere, be prepared to eat them that day. I hear you can even grow them yourself quite easily, even indoors.
In short, I’m in love with pea tendrils. You should be, too.
May 31st, 2007
I have some news for you all!
On May 23 I will be in New York City helping Isa Chandra Moskowitz cater a dinner hosted by New York Magazine! It is part of their Secret Kitchen event, which means I can’t share too much information, but here’s what I can say:
When: May 23rd, from 7:30 – 11:30 PM
How: Tickets available here
Where: To be announced 24 hours before event to ticket holders
Who: Isa Chandra of the PPK, and, uh, me!
What: 8 course gourmet dinner, “Think Asian Bat Mitzvah!” says Isa.
Entertainment: Man Man
I’m super excited to be a part of this. We are expecting 300 people! Tickets are listed as currently sold-out, but there is a chance more will become available tomorrow, Tuesday May 15th. Keep checking the link above if you want to go! Hope to see you in New York!
Oh, and if you’re wondering, the picture is a new recipe for my cookbook. It’s grilled pear and candied walnuts, served over cabbage that has been tossed with a lemon brown sugar dressing.
May 14th, 2007
Tonight I went over to my friend Sandy’s house for falafel, and I agreed to bring the fixin’s. Stewart and I love falafel with Jerusalem salad, lettuce, hummus, and extra tahini sauce. We skipped the hummus this time, but I thought you might like the recipe for the sauce and the salad.
First thing’s first: tahini. It’s both a paste and a sauce made from crushed sesame seeds. The paste is similar to peanut butter in consistency, but it’s not as sweet. I quite dislike the paste straight up; I find it kind of bitter. But don’t base your judgment on tahini solely on how it tastes straight from the jar. I much prefer it in hummus, or mixed into creamy sauces for a nutty, almost cheesy flavor boost.
Tahini is also a sauce, but you really only run across this variation when you’re eating middle eastern food, like falafel. It’s simply tahini paste mixed with water, lemon juice, salt and sometimes olive oil and garlic. The simple additions do wonders for the flavor, turning into a great dressing. You’ll need the sauce for the Jerusalem salad, but make extra and keep some in the fridge.
Basic Tahini Sauce
Makes enough for Jerusalem Salad, plus extra for drizzling over falafel
1/4 Cup Tahini (paste)
1/4 Cup Water
2 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Salt
Mix water and tahini until smooth with a whisk. Whisk in remaining ingredients and set aside (or chill).
Jerusalem Salad
Makes enough for 4-6 falafels in pitas
1 Medium Cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups total)
3 Firm Plum Tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 1 cup total)
1 Handful Parsley, roughly chopped
3 Tbs Tahini (sauce)
Fresh Black Pepper
Extra Lemon
Extra Salt
Toss cucumbers, tomatoes and parsley in a bowl. Add tahini and toss to coat – salad should not be soupy. Grind fresh pepper over the top. Season with an extra dash of salt or squeeze of lemon if desired. Serve as a filling for falafel, or as a refreshing summer side salad.
March 29th, 2007
This is a test recipe for VCON, the new PPK cookbook. I had never made blintzes before, and I must say, I’m glad these were my first ones! They are so delicious. The crepes are easy to make (imagine that), the filling is simple, and they’re pretty!
I served them with a simple mushroom gravy, some sour cream, and some fresh thyme. A little salad on the side made a wonderful meal.
The other great thing about these blintzes is that they are easily made ahead of time. If you fill and fold them up, you can cover them with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you’re ready to pan-fry them. I made them early in the day, so when it came time for dinner they just needed a few minutes on the griddle and they were done. It was so nice to be nearing dinner time having everything already prepared.
Stewart and I split the leftovers for lunch, along with the rest of the grilled tofu on the last of the salad. I think these were the best leftovers I’ve ever had. They were most certainly were the prettiest!
I used a simple sweet miso salad dressing, one of my favorites, for the salad. If you’re interested, the recipe is after the cut!
Sweet Miso Salad Dressing
Dresses one head of lettuce
1 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbs Sweet White Miso (heaping)
1 Tbs Dijon Mustard (heaping)
1 Tbs Granulated Sugar
2 Pinches Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
3-4 Tbs (approx) Peanut or Veg Oil
1 Tbs Hot Water
Add balsamic vinegar, miso, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper into a bowl. Use a whisk to mix ingredients thoroughly. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking constantly, creating an emulsion. Dressing should turn shiny and thick. Taste and re-season if necessary. Whisk in hot water to thin.
Let stand for a few minutes and whisk again before serving
March 23rd, 2007
Hi! I had a nice trip, but boy am I glad to be back with my husband, my kitties, and my kitchen. I decided to make some old favorites for dinner tonight. We usually make kale mashed potatoes, but we had sweet potatoes so I used those instead. If you’re not a fan of kale (gasp! say it ain’t so!), this is a great way to “sneak” it into a meal. Simply steam, shock, and chop your kale before adding it to your potatoes.
The green bean salad is simple but tasty, and you can use whatever nut you like – we usually use pine nuts, but I think the original recipe called for walnuts. Peanuts or almonds would also be delicious, and I can even imagine pistachios or cashews, so really, use whatever you want!
Green Bean Salad
Makes two large sides
12 oz Green Beans (Haricots verts if you can find them)
1/2 Cup Nuts, dry toasted and crushed (walnuts, pine nuts, almonds…)
1 Tbs Sugar
1 Tbs Tamari
1 Tbs White Wine
Trim ends off the beans at a 45º angle. If the bean is long, cut it in half, also at an angle. Blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes, no longer! You want them to still be crunchy. Drain, shock in icy water to stop the cooking, and pat dry.
Whisk the sugar, tamari and wine together until the sugar dissolves. Poor over beans, add nuts and toss. Serve at room temperature or chilled. This dish can easily be made ahead of time.
March 8th, 2007
Next Posts
Previous Posts
