Category: Brunch

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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Pesto & Goat Cheese Crostini

With a 3-days-of-cooking marathon ahead of us next week, I thought it best to keep it short and sweet today. It doesn’t get much easier than this!

Crostini are small pieces of toasted french bread that are served with a topping as an appetizer. With pesto, goat cheese, and sundried tomato, these make the perfect starter to your dairy Shavuous meal.

In a pinch, you can even use store-bought pesto and melba toasts.

Pesto & Goat Cheese Crostini

1 french baguette
olive oil
pesto
goat cheese
sundried tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Method:

Cut the baguette on the bias about 1/4″ thick. Lightly brush with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees until crisp and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Once the toasts have cooled, spread on a tablespoon of pesto, top with a dollop of goat cheese and garnish with sundried tomatoes.

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Pesto Pinwheels

If you love pesto, you’re gonna fall head over heels for these pinwheels. I mean, who doesn’t love anything made from puff pastry? The light and flaky dough paired with sharp cheddar cheese and delicious pesto makes the perfect appetizer for your dairy Shavuous meal. You can even fill them with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella to make pizza pinwheels, and serve a duo on the table.

The best part about making these is that you can prepare them in advance. Just freeze the puff pastry after you’ve rolled in the ingredients. When you’re ready to make them, just thaw, slice, bake and serve!

Pesto Pinwheels

1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten mixed with 1 tbsp water
2/3 cup pesto
1/3 cup cheddar cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry dough to form a large rectangle. Brush lightly with eggwash. Spread the pesto on the dough, leaving a 1″ border all around. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Starting from the short side of the rectangle, roll the puff pastry to form a log. Make sure the log is tightly sealed at the seam. Refrigerate for 1 hour (this will make it easier to slice). Brush with eggwash and using a sharp knife, cut into 1/2″ slices. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.

NOTE: You may prepare the pinwheels in advance and freeze the log. Just remove from the freezer when you are ready to use, thaw, slice and bake as above.

1 year ago: quick & easy individual trifles

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Waldorf Salad with Yogurt Dressing

Like me, I’m sure most of your Shavuous menus will involve some sort of pasta and blintzes, and with cheesecake for dessert, there’s not much room for a heavy appetizer. Instead of serving up a bowl of cheesy french onion soup, give waldorf salad a try. It is a welcome addition to the otherwise heavy menu. With sweet & tart apples, crunchy celery, walnuts and grapes in a light yogurt dressing, this salad offers a refreshing start to your Shavuous meal.

Waldorf salad with Yogurt Dressing

1 green apple, julienned
1 fuji apple, julienned
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1/4 cup green grapes, quartered
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp sugar
pinch of cinnamon
Boston lettuce, optional

Method:

Add apples, celery, grapes and walnuts to a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix yogurt, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Pour yogurt dressing over fruit and stir gently to combine. For individual servings, scoop into cups of Boston lettuce.

Variation: For a pareve version, use 1/3 cup of mayonnaise instead of yogurt.

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Pizza Omelette

You know how they say “necessity breeds innovation?” That’s kind of how this pizza omelette was born.  It was one of those days where I just could not look at another salad, but I also could not eat any bread. (You all might be feeling something quite similar in a couple of weeks!). The thought of pizza was making my mouth water and I had no portobello mushrooms to stuff with cheese. I ransacked the refrigerator until it hit me – the humble egg. Why not use it to make a crust? And the rest is history! I can’t count how many times I’ve made this since.

So when Pesach comes around and you’re craving some pizza, go ahead and whip up this easy recipe. It really hits the spot! You can also check out my updated Passover category for more Pesach recipes!

 

Pizza Omelette

3 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
marinara, tomato sauce or ketchup
mozzarella cheese, shredded
cheddar cheese, shredded
olives, or toppings of choice

Method:

Check eggs for blood spots and whisk well. Season with salt and pepper. Heat up a 7″ frying pan* with cooking spray. Pour egg mixture into pan and let it cook until it sets around the edges. Flip the omelette, taking care that it does not break. Remove the omelette from the pan and set on a baking sheet. Top with tomato sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice. Bake at 400 until cheese is browned and bubbly.

*If you use a bigger pan, you may want to add a few more eggs to keep the “crust” substantial. If it’s too thin, the pizza will fall apart.

VARIATION: spice up your pizza “crust” with herbs and spices for added flavor.

1 year ago: perfect pareve french toast

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