This is the first time in years I’ve eaten tuna salad because I usually avoid both of it’s defining elements; canned tuna and mayonnaise. A “tuna salad” can be fresh and sophisticated if you use Italian-style tuna packed in olive oil, and toss it in a bright vinaigrette. Here, I layered flavorful Calabrian tuna with…
Antipasti
Two Cool Cucumber Salads for Lazy Summer Days
The temperature in SoCal has been hovering around 95º for a month. Suffice it to say, it’s salad weather. Both of these salads combine Persian cucumbers with summer fruit and salty cheese, with delicious results. The first recipe comes from Kismet, a favorite Middle Eastern restaurant here in LA. Homemade labneh becomes a creamy base…
Wax Bean Panzanella with Garlic Croutons, Cherry Tomatoes & Pickled Shallots
On hot summer nights, a panzanella salad is the perfect companion to grilled chicken or pork. With some great tomatoes and crusty bread that’s been cubed or torn into breadcrumbs, you can pull together a rustic and hearty side dish. In this version, vibrant green beans and yellow wax beans pump up the color and…
A Pretty Seasonal Side: Spring Tabbouleh with Fava Beans & Watercress
Traditional Lebanese tabbouleh is a finely chopped herb salad with a little bulgar for texture, tomatoes for acidity and color, and cucumber for crunch. Since it’s packed with copious amounts of parsley and mint, fava beans and radishes are a natural substitution for a fetching springtime variation. Watercress makes a beautiful bed for the salad…
Brown Rice Salad with Pea Tendrils, Pickled Vegetables, Avocado & a Soy Lime Vinaigrette
This is an example of a vegan meal that is not only packed with vegetable nutrients, but also brimming with umami and lip-smacking flavor. The variations on this rice bowl are endless. Toss brown rice in a soy lime vinaigrette and top with your pick of crunchy vegetables, spicy greens, pickles or fresh herbs. Pea…
An Addictive Snack: Carrot & Haricot Vert Dill Pickles
Refrigerator pickles are a quick way to satisfy your pickle craving, without the commitment of can-sterilization and a long turnaround time. They can be made in less than fifteen minutes, and only need 24 hours to absorb the tangy brine, though they will get better over a few days. Pickling lends itself to improvisation: use…