Category: Salad

Roasted Beet Salsa

I’m back with another great farmer’s market recipe! This one involves a vegetable that has become a staple in my house ever since I married my husband. I didn’t grow up eating beets. The only time my mom would serve them was on Pesach, in her “vinaigrette salad” (a combination of beets, potatoes, carrots and onions). On the other hand, beets were a staple on my husband’s Shabbos table each and every week. My mother in law serves them up cubed, shredded or sliced and it’s always gobbled up to the very last drop. I have adopted my husband’s love for beets and my kids are growing to love them too!

When I first started making beets, I would boil them like my mother does. But then I learned that the best way to really bring out their flavor is to roast them. My favorite part is that I don’t have to use any pots! I wrap each beet in foil and roast them at 400 degrees until my whole house smells like the sweet purple vegetable.

I serve beets in many different ways, but we always fall back on the most simple preparation – diced with some oil, lemon juice and salt. I also like to slice them into circles and lay them out as a bed for salmon. Sometimes, I alternate the slices with yellow (golden) beets and place them on a bed of arugula sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and orange segments.

I hope this post has inspired you not to leave beets just for Pesach cooking. They are a flavorful and healthy root vegetable that can be eaten raw, boiled or roasted and prepared in a variety of ways. You can even eat the greens that grow from the beets (although some stores remove them). Try them sauteed in olive oil with some fresh garlic!

Other beet recipes on BIB:

Israeli couscous with thyme & honey roasted carrots, parsnips and beets
Roasted beet & orange salad

 

Roasted Beet Salsa

2 medium beets
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
juice of 1/2 lime
kosher salt, to taste

Method:

Wrap the beets in foil and roast at 400 degrees until fork tender. Let cool and using gloves, gently pull the skin off the beets. Cut the beets into a small dice and add to a bowl. Add onions, jalapeno, parsley, olive oil, honey, lime and salt. Serve over fish.

1 year ago: gefilte fish patties in tomato sauce

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Snap Pea, Corn & Red Currant Salad


Sometimes, you don’t have to think up a recipe, it just writes itself. When I came home from Kelder’s Farm with these delicious farm fresh ingredients, I knew I had to eat them exactly how I picked them – raw. No red currant jelly or snap pea stir fry. Just a simple recipe to bring out the freshness of the ingredients.


With no cooking involved, this salad comes together in no time. Because the produce is farm fresh and in season, it’s naturally sweet, so you don’t need much to bring out the flavors. I seasoned it simply with oil, lemon, salt and pepper and the results were light and refreshing. The tart currants are the perfect balance to the sweet corn and the raw peas add a brightness to the salad. With it’s beautiful colors and crispy sweet taste, this salad makes the perfect addition to any summer meal!

Snap Pea, Corn & Red Currant Salad

16 oz. sugar snap peas
1 cup fresh corn
1/2 cup red currants*
1 small red onion, diced
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Trim the ends of the snap peas and cut them on the diagonal. Add the snap peas, corn, currants, and onion to a bowl. Season with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Variation: If you don’t have red currants available, you may substitute with raspberries or pomegranate seeds.

1 year ago: sushi salad II

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Salmon Pasta Salad

If you follow my blog, you know how much I love turning leftovers into something fabulous. This salmon salad is no exception. Back on Succos, I prepared a huge portion of salmon and although delicious, I still had so much left over. Because salmon tends to get a bit fishy the next day, I wanted to serve it up in a way that I could mask some of its fishiness. And that’s how this recipe was borne.

This year, we go straight from Shabbos into Shavuous and I’m sure many of you are going to have lots of leftovers. And since not everyone has the luxury of leaving on their oven for 3 days, we’ve all got to make the most of what we’ve got. This recipe will take your leftover salmon from fishy to delicious! I’ve upped the ante for Shavuous by using soft Israeli cream cheese instead of mayonnaise. Make sure to bake your salmon in a pareve oven so you can make it dairy.


Salmon Pasta Salad

1 12 oz box bowtie pasta (reserve 2 tbsp cooking water)
2 slices leftover salmon (see note)
1/2 c peas, thawed
1 small red onion, diced (about 1/4 cup)
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp dill
1/4 cup soft Israeli cream cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Prepare pasta according to package directions, making sure to reserve 2 tbsp of cooking water before draining. Add the pasta to a mixing bowl and stir in cream cheese while it’s still hot. Add pasta water 1 tbsp at a time to help thin out the cream cheese. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Serve immediately.

Note: If you don’t have leftover salmon, you can use chunks of canned salmon or you can bake fresh. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Squeeze some fresh lemon on fish, sprinkle salt, and drizzle a little olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.

Variation: For a pareve version, use mayo instead of cream cheese. Omit the pasta water.

1 year ago: black bean & chorizo chocolate chili

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Salad Bar + Quick & Easy Dressings

I can’t tell you how many people I meet who tell me that they just can’t figure out what kind of salad to put together at a salad bar. They usually end up going with classic caeser or greek salad. I, on the other hand, love experimenting with different ingredients and coming up with all sorts of flavor combinations. Otherwise, I’ll just get bored and dread my salad-eating :)

My all time favorite make-you-own-salad-bar combo would have to be:

crisp rommaine
red cabbage
shredded carrots
beets
craisins
red onions
scoop of tuna

For the dressing, I opt for caeser or honey mustard. To make your own at home, follow my easy recipes below.

I thought it might be fun to see what unique salad combinations you all come up with at a salad bar. To get you in the sharing mood, I’m giving away the book of 500 Sensational Salads by Julia Canning. To enter this giveaway, let me know your favorite make-you-own-salad-bar combination in the comments below. I will choose the most original submission on February 15, 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing:

1 cup mayo
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup mustard
1 clove minced garlic

Pareve Caeser Salad Dressing:

1 cup mayo
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 clove minced garlic

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Green Guacamole

I’m embarrassed to tell you how old I was when I first ate avocado. I was scared to try it for the longest time. But once I did, I was hooked. It’s buttery taste and creamy texture lends itself well to a variety of applications from breads and salads to desserts and pastries. Avocados don’t just taste good, they’re good for you too! They’re rich in healthy monounsaturated fat, folate, potassium, as well as many vitamins. As for me, I’m catching up on lost time. This guacamole is just one preparation that I enjoy!

Green Guacamole

2 avocados
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeds and veins removed, minced
1 scallion, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
cilantro, optional
chips, for serving

Method:

Peel and diced 1 avocado. Add to a bowl and mash. Peel and dice the second avocado and add to the bowl without mashing. Add peppers, jalapeno, scallions, olive oil, lime and salt and mix to combine. Add chopped fresh cilantro, if desired (I’m not a fan of cilantro so I leave it out, but it is a classic accompaniment to guacamole, so if you like it, go ahead and put it in!) Serve with chips.

NOTE: If jalapenos are too hot for your taste, use a long hot green pepper instead.

TIP: Always wear gloves when deseeding a chile pepper as capsaicin (the chemical that gives peppers their heat) can stick to your hands. Since capsaicin is only found in the seeds and veins, you can control the heat factor by eliminating some, or all, of the seeds.

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