Posts Tagged With: Salad

Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds

Posted on May 19, 2013 by andreasgardencooking

Time to try another recipe from Yotam Ottalenghi’s Jerusalem.  I thinned the spinach in my garden so I ended up with some nice baby spinach leaves.  When I combined them with spinach Arielle picked at Farmer Kim’s I had enough for a good salad!

Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds 2

There are many stars in this salad, but I have to say the spiced almonds and pita chips were amazing!

Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds 3

Add to that the marinated dates (instead of medjool dates, I used some wonderful dried dates my husband brought back from Iran last year) and you have heaven in a salad.

Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds 4

As I was making the salad, I realized that I did not have all the right ingredients, so I had to adapt.  Although my salad was delicious, I think his original ingredients would work just a bit better, so I have used his in the recipe below and noted what I used differently.

Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds

from Yotam Ottalenghi’s Jerusalem

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (I used white)

3 1/2 oz Medjool dates, quartered lengthwise (I used dried Iranian dates)

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 small pitas, about 3 1/2 oz, torn into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup whole unsalted almonds, coarsely choppped

2 tsp sumac (this was the super-super ingredient!)

1/2 tsp chile flakes

5 oz baby spinach leaves (I used a mix of baby and regular leaves)

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt

Directions

Put the vinegar, onions and dates in a small bowl.  Add a pinch of salt and mix well with your hands.  Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain any residual vinegar and discard.

Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds 1

Meanwhile, heat the butter and half the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat.  Add the pita and almonds and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring all the time, until the pita is crunchy and golden brown (it may take a little longer if you have very fresh pita).  Remove from heat and mix in the sumac, chile flakes and 1/4 tsp salt.  Set aside to cool.

Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds 3

When you are ready to serve, toss the spinach leaves with the pita mix in a large bowl.  Add the dates and onion, the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, and another pinch of salt.  Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds 5

Serves 4.

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Categories: Kosher, Recipe, Spinach, Vegetarian | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Tomato Cucumber Salad – Variations

Posted on July 25, 2012 by andreasgardencooking

 

Nothing says “Summer” to me more than when I start making daily tomato cucumber salads.  The other ingredients can vary, but the stars are my cucumbers and heirloom tomatoes.  The vegetables are so flavorful in themselves, they need only the most minimal dressing to show off their flavors.  Thinking about it makes me smile, eating it makes me smile even more!

A few years ago, I was in Gratz, Austria and learned that that region is known for the quality of its pumpkin seed oil.  Since I had never even heard of pumpkin seed oil, I had to try it.  Not only is it delicious, it is a very healthy oil.  But beware, it is very green and shares that color with whatever it touches.  The flavor is warm and friendly, one of my favorites for the tomato cucumber salad.  It pairs well in a dressing with balsamic vinegar.

If you want very warm flavor, use walnut or hazelnut oil.  For lighter dressings, olive oil is my go to oil.  For the acid in the dressing, balsamic vinegar warms things up, while lemon juice and lime juice brighten the salad.  I also play with the salt.  Kosher salt is my standard salt, but I also use various sea salts, depending upon what I have in the house.

I always experiment and mix up the combinations in my dressings.  So, go ahead and play.  If it tastes too oily, add more acid, too acidic add more oil.  Watch the salt though.  Add it in small amounts; once you add it you can’t recover except by increasing all the other ingredients.

There are no hard and fast rules to this salad.  Just try some new flavors, celebrate the tomato, and make yourself smile.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

Diced or chopped tomatoes (about 2 times as much tomato as cucumber) (from the garden)

Diced or chopped cucumbers (from the garden)

Dressing (see below)

Optional:

Chopped or minced peppers (bell or italian) (from the garden)

Red onions (diced)

Combine all the vegetables you are using in a serving bowl, toss with dressing.  Serve and enjoy!

Dressings:

A little dressing goes a long way.  The amount below will be enough for a salad for 4.

I vary the dressing almost each time I make it, using different combinations of oils and acids.  The amounts are always very similar:

2 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp acid

1/4 tsp salt

pinch freshly ground black

Types of oils:  Extra Virgin Olive, Pumpkin Seed, Walnut, Hazelnut

Types of acids:  Balsamic vinegar, Red Wine vinegar, Lemon Juice, Lime Juice

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, adjust seasoning to taste.  Pour on the salad and mix well to coat.

Play with different combinations.  If you do not want to commit to 2 Tbsp of the seed or nut oils, try using a mix of half seed/nut oil half olive oil.

Categories: Kosher, Recipe, Tomatoes, Vegetarian | Tags: , , | 6 Comments

Lentil Salad with Swiss Chard

Posted on June 27, 2012 by andreasgardencooking

This morning I picked the second-to-last large bunch of swiss chard.  There are still more bunches, but they are small second-growings of bunches we have already eaten.  I am in a bit of a hurry to finish the chard so that my okra plants (which are interplanted with the chard) can get the full light they need to grow strong.

It will be another hot day and my son and I have a play date at the pool for the afternoon, so I wanted to make a salad that could be made this morning and served at dinner tonight.  Thus, the lentil salad.   If you want to use it as a side salad, you can omit the feta.

Lentil Salad with Swiss Chard

1 pound lentils

3-4 cloves of garlic, divided

12 oz baby white potatoes

l bunch of chard – enough to make 4 cups of chopped leaves (from the garden)

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes

3/4 cup spring onions or scallions, sliced thin (from Filasky’s Produce)

1/2 cup chopped flat leat parsley (from the garden)

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

salt & pepper to taste

4-6 ounces feta

Pour boiling water over the lentils, covering them by at least 2 inches, and let them soak for 30 minutes.  Drain and put the lentil in a pot with well-salted water to cover.  Add 2 whole, peeled garlic cloves.  Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the lentils are tender (do not overcook or they will get mushy). Drain again and discard the garlic cloves.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water til they are tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain and allow them to cool completely.  Peel and cut into about 1/2 inch size pieces.

Wash the chard and remove the leaves from the stems.  discard the stems.  Chop the leaves or cut into thin strips.  Chop the remaining garlic.  Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes, saute for 30 seconds then raise heat to high and add chard leaves, cook, tossing, until they wilt.  Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of vinegar and toss.

In a large, wide bowl, combine the lentils, chard, potatoes, spring onions, parsley.  Drizzle with 2 Tbsp of oil, 1 Tbsp of vinegar and 1 Tbsp lemon juice – toss til well combined.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.  If you are using feta, toss it in now as well.

Let the salad sit for at least 1/2 hour, taste again and correct the seasoning.  Enjoy!

Makes about 8 cups, enough for 4 large main dish servings or 8 side dish servings.

Categories: Kosher, Main Dish, Recipe, Swiss Chard, Vegetarian | Tags: , , , | 5 Comments

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