Moroccan Carrots with Aleppo Pepper & Mint adapted from Saveur.com Ingredients 1 1/2 lb small Thumbelina carrots, or large carrots cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch chunks 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more 1 small garlic clove, minced 1 tblsp grated or minced fresh ginger (optional) 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tblsp fresh lemon juice 2…
Antipasti
A Bright Winter Lunch: Crunchy, Creamy, Lemony Italian Tuna Salad with Fennel
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…
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…