Category: Salad

Rainbow Carrot Salad

I was so excited to get into the kitchen with my friend Rachel Simons, from Seed & Mill to cook up a recipe from her new cookbook, SESAME! To know me, is to love TAHINI – I am legit sesame-obsessed, and Rachel really helped me look at sesame in a whole new way.

We started by toasting up the sesame seeds in a dry pan and as the kitchen filled up with the smell of toasted sesame, we transferred them to a mortar and pestle where Rachel gently pressed on the seeds to crush them into the most incredible magic dust that was nutty and crunchy with an irresistible mouthfeel. Definitely my new favorite technique!

We used the same powder to create a delicious, light, umami dressing for the prettiest pile of rainbow carrot ribbons that Rachel brought from Union Square market. She shaved some scallions and chopped some carrot greens to sprinkle over the salad, and we drizzled on some Seed & Mill tahini for a fabulous finish.

So so good!

Rainbow Carrot Goma-ae Salad
Serves 6 to 8
reprinted with permission from Sesame by Rachel Simons, Ten Speed Press

⅓ cup well-toasted sesame seeds
1½ tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dashi powder (we used 1 scant teaspoon of Trader Joes umami seasoning)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon honey or maple syrup
¾ pound rainbow carrots, shaved with a vegetable peeler
3 or 4 scallions, sliced on the diagonal (optional)

Method:

1. In a mortar with a pestle or in a food processor, grind the sesame seeds until some of the oil has been released and the seeds are slightly crushed, but the mixture has not yet become a paste. Instead, it should look like crunchy wet sand.

2 In a medium bowl, whisk the ground sesame seeds, sesame oil, soy sauce, dashi powder, rice vinegar, water, mirin, granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and the honey until well combined. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Set aside.
3 In a serving bowl, toss the dressing with the carrots until evenly coated. Top the carrots with the sliced scallions (if using) and serve immediately.

Related Recipes:

Simanim carpaccio

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Ramen Salad

I found these new Ramen toppers at the store and was inspired to create a Ramen Salad using some of my favorite components of ramen soup – namely, soft boiled eggs and shitake mushrooms. I love putting a jammy yolk on just about everything, but it works especially well with kale, and I often top my kale Caesar salad with them too!

This is not your typical salad, but the ingredients come together so well, with the crunchy onion garlic ramen and Asian dressing. Serve with a side of crudo and you’ve got yourself a full meal!

Ramen Salad

3 soft boiled eggs
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 cups chopped kale
1 cup frozen edamame, thawed and rinsed
1 avocado, diced
1 cup Gefen onion garlic ramen toppers

Dressing:
1/3 c grapeseed oil
2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp honey
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
Juice of 1/2 lime

Method:

For the soft boiled eggs, bring a small saucepan to a boil, reduce to a simmer and lower the eggs into the water with a spoon (I like to pierce them with an egg piercer first to make peeling easier). Simmer for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the eggs to an ice bath.

While the eggs are cooking, trim the shitake mushroom stems and slice them into strips. Saute in the grapeseed + sesame oil until browned and softenened. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk until emulsified.

Thinly slice the kale and add to a large salad bowl. Top with mushrooms, edamame, avocado, ramen and soft boiled eggs. Add the dressing and lightly toss. Enjoy!

Related Recipes:

Kale Crunch Salad
Wilted Kale And Kabocha Squash Salad
Weekend Leftovers Ramen Bowls
Pulled Brisket Ramen

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Crispy Rice Salad with Harissa & Preserved Lemon Dressing

There’s nothing I love more than to put my own spin on trending recipes and the CRISPY RICE SALAD has gone all out viral on social media. I love me some crispy rice so I HAD to try it – just MY way.

Crispy rice salad is a traditional Loation dish known as Nam Khao, but the variations on the gram are anything but classic. I went Middle Eastern with my version – subbing harissa for the chili paste in the rice – and while most recipes used cucumbers and edamame for the veg, I went in the Moroccan carrot salad direction (hence the harissa!) by using thinly shaved carrots and chickpeas. And of course while everyone was topping their salads in loads of pecans, I used pistachios.

The combo my friends, is a mouthful of textures and flavors that just explode – seriously a must try!

Crispy Rice Salad with Harissa

3 cups pre-cooked rice (I used leftover jasmine rice)
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbsp harissa
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1 cup chickpeas
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Preserved Lemon Dressing
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp minced preserved lemon (if you don’t have this, use the zest of 1 full lemon)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp honey
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the rice out on the tray and mix with oil and harissa. Bake until crispy, stirring occasionally, approximately 40 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, thinly slice the carrots and onion on a mandolin. Cut the larger pieces in half. Chop up the cilantro and pistachios. Arrange the vegetables in a large salad bowl. Add the crispy rice (once cooled). Toss in the dressing and serve!

 

Related Recipes:

harissa fried eggs
harissa whipped feta
Tunisian tuna with preserved lemon dressing

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Cucumber Salad with Almond Butter Dressing


I grew up eating a pickled cucumber salad with onions that my mom used to serve alongside the gefilte fish on Shabbos each week. I can’t stomach the stuff anymore, but years later I developed a recipe for this almond butter dressed cucumber salad which I absolutely LOVE. When @loganfewd started the viral sliced cucumber salad in a deli container trend, I had to hop on board!

To view the reel on Instagram click here.

Cucumber Salad with Almond Butter Dressing

1 English cucumber, sliced thin
1 large clove garlic
1” piece of fresh ginger
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1/4 cup crunchy almond butter
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt, to taste
1 scallion, chopped

Slice the cucumbers directly into a 2lb. Deli container. Using a microplane, grate the garlic and ginger over the cucumbers. Add the remaining ingredients, seal the container and shake vigorously.

Eat immediately.

NOTE: The dressing may seem difficult to mix at first but as the cucumbers start to release water, it will thin the dressing out considerably!

VARIATION: Use peanut butter or tahini in place of almond butter.

Related Recipes:

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies
Gingerbread Pecan Nut Butter

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Summer Corn Peach & Quinoa Salad

Light, refreshing, seasonal, and filling. Is there anything else to want out of a salad?

Click here to view the reel on Instagram.


Summer Corn & Peach Quinoa Salad

5oz arugula
2 corn on the cob, steamed and sliced
1/2 peach, chopped
1 cup quinoa, Prepared according to package directions
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1/2 avocado, sliced
1 small jalapeño, Veins and seeds removed, Thinly sliced

Dressing:
Handful of cilantro , chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup avocado oil
1 heaping tbsp honey
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Kosher salt, to taste

Method:

Add all of the dressing ingredients to a mason jar and shake until emulsified.

Layer the salad ingredients in a large bowl and dress before serving!

Variation: Add Feta or fresh Mozzarella

Related Recipes:

Summer Peach Salad with Chili Lime Dressing
Summer Tomato Feta Salad

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