Sumptuous Salad

I feel a little silly posting about an item so mundane as your everyday garden-variety (ha ha) salad. But since this is my near-daily lunch that I never tire of, there must be some taste-trickers hidden between the layers of all those good-for-you veggies. When I lived in New York, I would brown-bag my lunch and eat it in a local park. And I kid you not, I would be interrupted again and again by passersby asking me where I purchased that delicious-looking salad.

I suppose I could have opened a mobile salad cart and made a killing; instead, I'm sharing my tips with you. I think the secret lies in the colorful, flavorful, and textural blend of ingredients. In fact, that's often how I choose which ingredients to use.

I always have:

- red- or green-leaf lettuce

- broccoli or cauliflower

- grape tomatoes

- carrots

- radishes

- sunflower or pumpkin seeds (they add texture, crunch, and fat to keep you satisfied)

- kalamata and garlic-stuffed green olives (again for fat)

- cheese for protein (usually crumbled feta)

- beans or legumes for protein (usually kidney, sometimes garbanzo, occasionally sweet peas)

And then there's the fun stuff:

- fruit (fresh sliced kumquats, canned mandarin slices, fresh blueberries, dried cranberries, raisins, apple or pear chunks)

- juicy (pickled beets, roasted red peppers, marinated mushrooms, canned asparagus tips, avocado chunks)

- extra crunch (sliced cucumber, jicama, celery, nuts)

The beauty is that the more juicy, tasty things you add, the less likely you are to need salad dressing (which of course saves calories). Though chopping and peeling and dicing can be a pain, I typically prepare as many of the ingredients as possible in advance Sunday night or Monday morning (wash and spin the lettuce, peel and slice the carrots, trim the radishes, drain the beans, slice the jicama) so that making a salad every day to take to work is a snap. It's so easy, in fact, that hubby is even in on the game: I make salads for us both one week, he makes them the next. Bringing my own salad also means that I can devote an entire hour to my lunch—no time spent waiting in line with everyone else at the greasy spoon du jour.

 

You Look Delicious, Little Dumpling

We eat for many reasons. Sustenance, yes, but also to celebrate, commiserate, self-medicate, ameliorate, commemorate, and appreciate. Food preparation can often serve the same function. When life seems a bit overwhelming at times, there's nothing I like more than to immerse myself in the intricacies of pastry, say, or figure out the best way to de-bone a chicken. Or mindlessly wrap wontons.

Making these salmon dumplings requires just the sort of Zen-like patience we need to practice in order to have harmony amidst the crazy tenor of our hectic lives. So take an afternoon. Become one with the wonton wrapper. Double the recipe and store in the freezer for a quick meal on a busy night, relishing the fresh flavor of a handmade packet of tastiness.

Salmon Dumplings with Curry Sauce

Adapted from Big Bowl Noodles and Rice by Bruce Cost

1 16-ounce can wild salmon 
1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons canola oil  
2 teaspoons finely minced ginger
1 tablespoon finely minced scallion
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 egg white, beaten
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
30 to 40 fresh wonton skins

Put all the ingredients except the wonton skins into a mixing bowl and stir until mixed.

Spread a wonton skin in front of you. Put 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of the skin. Dampen the edges of the skin with water and fold in half, pressing the edges to seal. Then, with the folded edge facing you, fold down the top corner, then pull the bottom corners across one another and wet to seal. The final dumpling will look like a folded envelope (see image). Repeat until filling has been used. If freezing for later, pack dumplings in single rows separated by wax paper in an airtight container.

Bring a large quantity of water to a boil. Add the wontons, a few at a time so as not to overcrowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes (5 to 6 minutes if frozen) or until slightly puffed and translucent. Remove, drain, and serve with the Coconut Curry Sauce (recipe follows).

Note: The wontons can be made up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated, lightly covered on a sheet tray. 

Makes 30 to 40 wontons, which serves 6 to 8 people (recipe can easily be doubled).

Coconut Curry Sauce for Salmon Dumplings

2 tablespoons yellow curry powder

2 tablespoons canola oil
14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup lightly chopped cilantro leaves

Heat a saucepan and mix oil and curry until they form a thick paste. Add coconut milk and chicken stock and simmer until the sauce reduces by one-third. Set aside.

While boiling the dumplings, reheat the coconut milk mixture; add the fish sauce and lime juice and, when the dumplings are done, drizzle the sauce generously over a serving plate. Sprinkle with the fresh cilantro. Arrange the dumplings over the sauce and serve.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

One Dish, Three Meals

I sometimes have trouble getting enough protein for breakfast. You know the drill—you're running late, there's no time to cook, so you run out the door with peanut butter smeared on a piece of bread and a gulp of coffee. Or you stop by the nearest crack purveyor to get hopped up on beans and stalks (aka coffee and sugar).

There's not much about this spinach casserole that screams "breakfast"—it's much more obvious as a light lunch or as a side dish to dinner. But for some reason I started eating it for breakfast and found that it has the perfect blend of fat and protein to keep me satisfied through lunch. Now it's a breakfast standard for me. 

In addition to working triple-duty as a dish for any meal, I like how versatile it can be: switch out the cheeses; add mushrooms, garlic, and onions; add dill or basil; throw in some shredded chicken. I have a hunch that sliced grape tomatoes would add a lovely taste and color punch, as well (though they might mess with the liquid content; possible solution: add another egg).

It's certainly a guilt-free dish for any meal since it's healthy, low-fat, protein-rich, and full of calcium, which is why I'm posting it in honor of National Osteoporosis Month and Food Blogga's Beautiful Bones event.

Triple-Threat Spinach Casserole

1 16-ounce package of chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and drained (see note*)

1 16-ounce container of low-fat cottage cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 cup shredded low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Heavy dash of white pepper

1/3 to 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except almonds. 

Spray a 9x9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and spread spinach mixture into it, smoothing top. Cook for about 45 minutes or as long as 1 hour and 15 minutes or until top is fairly set. Sprinkle with sliced almonds; continue to cook for another 15-25 minutes or until casserole is hard-set with little bubbling liquid visible. Cooking time will vary based on the original liquidity of the spinach.

Let cool slightly and slice into six equal portions. Serve hot or cold.

Serves 6.

*Note: Remove as much of the water as possible from the spinach as possible, or you will end up with a watery, runny mess instead of a firm-set casserole. I set the frozen spinach in a strainer over a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and defrost in the refrigerator the day before I plan to make it. As it starts to defrost, I put something heavy on top (champagne bottles work well) to squeeze out more water. Just before using, I take a few minutes and press by hand to remove even more liquid.

Gourmet Granola

I used to make granola frequently—as in, every week—preferring to control the sweetness and the mix of ingredients myself versus buying the commercial versions. Not to mention that commercial granola can get quite pricey, while the cost to make it yourself is minimal.

As usual, I looked at several recipes and took the best of each. I varied what I added to the mix each time, but I always started with: 

4 cups of rolled oats

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup sweetener (usually a mix of dark maple syrup and honey; sometimes brown sugar)

vanilla and/or cinnamon

a mix of dried fruits, nuts and seeds, and/or coconut

I baked the granola for 2 hours at 200°, having read somewhere that it was better to dry out the granola as opposed to baking and risking a burnt taste. 

And it was fine. It never got very brown; it never came together in those yummy crunchy clusters—it was more like museli. But it was tasty and satisfying.

It's been several months since I made granola last; this time I decided to up the oil content to see if that would make it hold together better and make it all crispy-crunchy. I went about preparing it as usual, but when I went to the spice shelf for the cinnamon, Chinese five-spice powder caught my eye. And I thought, why not? And then I thought, what if granola were a savory food instead of a sweet one? So I upped the salt and even added a little cayenne for kick.

With the additional oil it didn't look like it would "dry out" the same way, so I upped the temperature as well. And what did I get? A truly gourmet, unusual concoction that's a great way to start a sluggish morning. It's also highly addictive—just try to resist grabbing a handful as you pass by.

Five-Spice Granola

© 2008 Mallory McCreary/SnobbyAvocado.com

The basics:

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 cup raw slivered almonds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup dark maple syrup (the real stuff, please)

The additions:

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup raisins (or cranberries, cherries, apricots, or other dried fruit)

1/4 cup roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix oats, almonds, and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk oil, honey, syrup, five-spice powder, and cayenne until well combined. Pour over oat mixture and stir well until all oats are coated. Pour onto a foil-lined and greased or Silpat-lined baking pan and cook about 50 minutes or until brown, checking every 10 minutes or so and stirring (especially the edges) to prevent burning.

Mix in raisins or other dried fruit and sunflower seeds. Cool and store in an airtight container to preserve freshness.

Stumped by Sunday

It was Sunday night after a weekend of being out and about. So when dinner time rolled around, the last thing I wanted was to go out again, or order in from the same four places I'm growing quite tired of (things have been a bit busy lately and I haven't cooked as often as I'd liked). I also didn't want to search for the perfect recipe or have to take a trip to the store for ingredients. So that meant opening the pantry and the freezer and waiting for inspiration to strike, which it did in the form of this seafood pasta dish. (I'm still on my shrimp and noodles kick.) 

Really it's something I should do more often—it's a great way to use up items that have languished in the larder far too long while exercising those creative cooking muscles. What I love about this dish is that it's infinitely customizable: substitute frozen peas for the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes or artichokes for the asparagus, add mushrooms. And while I used pantry and frozen items since that's what I had on-hand, fresh ingredients would certainly work as well.

Last-Minute Pantry Pasta

© 2008 Mallory McCreary/SnobbyAvocado.com

12 ounces extra-wide egg noodles

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 small to medium onion, chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish

1/2 pound frozen medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 6.5-ounce can of mussels, drained

8 ounces frozen chopped spinach

Heavy dash of white pepper

6 ounces or approximately 1/3 cup canned white asparagus tips

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and return noodles to cooking pot, covered, to retain heat.

Heat a medium saucepan over high heat and add olive oil. When hot but not smoking, add onion and garlic and saute until golden. Reduce heat to medium-high and add wine and Parmesan; stir to incorporate. Add shrimp, mussels, and spinach; season with white pepper. Cook until spinach is thawed and shrimp turn pink.

Pour sauce over reserved egg noodles. Add asparagus tips and stir to combine. Allow to sit a minute or two so pasta can absorb excess liquid. Serve and garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 4.

Eat Ice Cream, Save a Bee

I don't need a good excuse to eat ice cream; I'd eat it every meal if I could and not weigh 400 pounds. But if you need a reason to have a sweet treat, here's a good one: Today is Häagen-Dazs' New Flavor Day, where you can try their Vanilla Honey Bee ice cream for free. The company created the flavor to help focus attention on the drastically declining honey bee population and is funding research efforts to understand and combat the problem. You can, too.

It's just for today, from 4 to 8 p.m., so find a store near you now!

Chocolate Pot de Creme

Chocolate pot de creme sounds like something I should have had a lot of in my life. First of all, it's chocolate. It sounds rich and creamy and decadent, all characteristics I look for in my desserts. I feel sure I've savored silky bite after silky bite, oohing and aahing and knowing my life was complete as the endorphins kicked in and I got drunk on serotonin.

Except I guess I've never had a chocolate pot de creme, for when I made this one recently I was surprised to find more cream than chocolate. (A detail I somehow missed when first perusing the recipe—just goes to show you the sway of a powerful title. All I saw was CHOCOLATE!) 

Still, what this recipe lacks in all-over chocolateness it more than makes up for in orange pungency (delish!) and overall chef appeal—make this for dinner guests and they're sure to think you're a culinary superstar. Just don't give the chocolate top billing: Orange Pots de Creme with Chocolate, perhaps?

Chocolate-Orange Pots De Creme

Modified slightly from epicurious.com

Makes 6.

3 cups whipping cream
8 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons orange liqueur
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
8 large egg yolks
7 tablespoons sugar

Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Whisk in 2 tablespoons orange liqueur. Spoon about 2 tablespoons chocolate mixture into each of six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins, or until the bottom of the cup is covered. Place cups in freezer. Reserve remaining chocolate mixture.

Combine milk, peel, and 2 cups cream in medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla beans; add beans. Bring to simmer. Whisk yolks and sugar in large bowl to blend. Slowly whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture (too fast and you'll scramble the eggs). Let stand 30 minutes, then strain through fine sieve set over medium bowl, pressing on solids. Whisk 2 tablespoons orange liqueur into custard.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove ramekins from freezer and ladle custard over chocolate in cups. Place cups in large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Bake until custards are set, about 50 minutes. Remove cups from water. Stir chocolate mixture over low heat until just pourable if necessary. Spoon generous 1 tablespoon chocolate mixture over each. Chill overnight; serve cold.

Spicy, Spicy Shrimp

I've been craving noodles lately. But not just any pasta—I want spicy, and I want soba.

Soba noodles, made from a blend of buckwheat and wheat, are now available in many large grocery chains (such as Whole Foods), as well as specialty shops and Asian food stores.

Unlike Italian-style pastas, soba noodles have a nutty richness that result in a wonderful mouthfeel. You don't get the same "tooth" as semolina pastas—soba can be downright slippery—but the flavor and texture are worth the experiment. For this recipe I raided my freezer (I used shrimp but you could easily substitute chicken, beef, pork, or tofu) and tipped the red rooster sambal olek jar to get every last bit of spiciness. Ah, craving satisfied.

Spicy Shrimp Soba Noodles

© 2008 Mallory McCreary/SnobbyAvocado.com

2 quarts water

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 medium jalapeno, (half of seeds removed) chopped

8-ounce package of soba noodles

1/2 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon sambal olek or other hot chile paste

2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce (Tamari preferred)

1/3 cup lager beer

1 pound medium frozen shrimp

3/4 cup frozen peas

Chopped green onions and lime wedges for garnish (optional)

Set 2 quarts water in a large pot to boil. Meanwhile, set a heavy-bottomed large skillet over high heat and add sesame and olive oils. When hot (but not smoking), add onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add jalapeno and sauté slightly (the longer you cook it, the less heat it will add to the dish); lower heat.

Add soba noodles to boiling water and cook according to package instructions or, about 5 minutes. (Watch carefully: Overcooked soba noodles will turn into a gelatinous mess.) Drain noodles, rinse with cold water, and put into a serving bowl. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon sambal olek.

In a small bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon sambal olek, soy sauce, and beer, then add to onion-garlic mixture. Increase heat to medium-high and add shrimp and peas; stir until just cooked. Pour sauce over noodles and stir well to combine. Sauce will be very liquid; allow to sit for a few minutes for noodles to absorb excess liquid. Garnish with  chopped green onions and lime, if desired.

Serves 4.

More Matzo

didn't grow up with Matzo Ball soup, so I don't have the rabid devotion to it that may people do, reminding them as it does of Bubbe and big family meals that last for hours with course after course of delectable food.

But I've had my share of enough "Jewish penicillin" to know that there is something magical about the combination of matzo and soup, and it deserves to be made more than once a year.

Purists, take note: as you can see from the picture, I use veggies.

Matzo Balls

Adapted from The Complete Jewish-American Cookbook by Anne London and Bertha Kahn Bishov

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup water (or seltzer, which some claim makes fluffier matzo balls)

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon salt

Dash of white pepper (unless you want speckled matzo balls)

1 cup matzo meal

Combine eggs, water, oil, salt, and pepper; add matzo meal and stir thoroughly. Let stand 20 minutes. Form into golf ball-sized (or larger) balls and cook in 1 1/2 quarts salted, boiling water for about 20 minutes or until done. Drain, reserving 2 cups of cooking liquid, and store until ready to use for soup. 

Note: The density of the perfect matzo ball is largely a personal preference, though too much handling will make a leaden ball.

Easy Chicken Soup

1 quart chicken stock

1 medium onion, chopped

4-5 garlic cloves, chopped finely

4 carrots, chopped

2 cups reserved matzo ball cooking liquid

1/2 cup frozen peas

Prepared matzo balls

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1/3 cup chicken stock in a heavy-bottom stock pot and add onion and garlic; cook until translucent, adding more stock as necessary. Add carrots, and cook a few minutes until slightly softened. Add the rest of the chicken stock, reserved matzo ball liquid, peas, and matzo balls and cook until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Serves 4.