Baby cauliflower with crispy shallots and sesame seeds

Adapted from Veganomicon 10th anniversary edition

This recipe was meant to be used with baby bok choy, but TJs and Whole Foods didn't have any - they did have these cute little baby cauliflowers, though.

Tried again with baby bok choy - and mushrooms - very good.

.  I haven't met a vegetable I'm not willing to try cooking - at least once!  Turned out great.  How bad could agave and tamari sauce be, with a sprinkling of shallots, ginger and toasted sesame seeds?!  

The baby cauliflower was tender and had a light taste.  The sauce did not adhere well to the veggies - which just means fewer calories.  But the taste was great, especially with dipping into the sauce a bit.

Ingredients:
1 pound baby cauliflower
2 small shallots, sliced into very thin rings
1" fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 Tbsp agave nectar or mirin
1 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
1) Heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the sliced shallots and remove with a slotted spatula when lightly browned, otherwise they burn quickly.
2) Drizzle extra oil if needed, then add the ginger for 15 seconds, add the cauliflower and stir fry until they soften a little.  Add the mirin or agave and tamari, cover and steam on a very low flame.
3) Transfer to a serving plate, top with the shallots and sesame seeds.

The same recipe can be used for bok choy or baby bok choy.  They would need to be soaked in cold water and swished around several times to remove any sand.  Then cut thicker stems into chunks and saute the chunks first for a few minutes before adding the green leafy parts.

Green beans (or peas) and cherry tomatoes with pesto

Seriously adapted from Amy Riolo :  The ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cookbook  2015

I made so many changes in this, that it actually isn't the same recipe.  But I did start out looking at it, was missing key ingredients, but wanted my potatoes!  I'm not sure about the health benefits of pine nuts, and tend to buy them for one recipe, then toss the rest months or years later when they taste stale.  So I substituted walnuts and sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts.  I didn't have any string beans, so I used peas, which I prefer anyway.  Love the idea of a vegetable that supplies protein!

Oh, and I also changed parmigiana-reggiano cheese to nutritional yeast to keep it vegan.

The dish looks much prettier immediately after composing it, but as with most dishes, tastes better the next day.

So here's my very own version:

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds baby yellow potatoes or Yukon gold, washed and cut into 1" chunks
1 pound peas (or green beans cut in half on the diagonal)
1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup walnuts
1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1 clove garlic
3 cups lightly packed basil leaves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, unfiltered if possible
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
~1/4 tsp salt
~1/8 freshly ground black pepper


Directions:
1)  Steam potatoes over a pot of boiling water for ~ 8-10 minutes.  Add the green vegetable and continue to steam for ~4 minutes.  Check potato texture to make sure they're ready.  Drain and immediately plunge into an ice bath if possible to cool.

2) Make the pesto by combining the nuts, garlic, basil, and olive oil in a food processor.  Process until a smooth paste forms.  Using a spatula scoop pesto out of the processor and into a bowl.  Add the nutritional yeast.

3)Transfer the steamed vegetables to a large serving bowl and add the cherry tomatoes.  Add the pesto to coat evenly.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Cashew Cucumber Dip

From Veganomicon 10th Anniversary Edition by Moskowitz and Romero   2017

My sister-in-law loved the initial version of this book, published 10 years ago.  So when I noticed this on the new book shelf at the library, I pulled it out.  The beautiful photos, and the interesting but not too complicated / not too many ingredient recipes drew me in.

This recipe is different from most other dips, in that it is creamy, but without any dairy products.  The cashews and cucumbers, softened and diluted with a minimal amount of oil and some fresh lemon juice did the trick.  The dip was perfect with veggies, soft tortilla or skinny pretzels.  The recipe called for processing everything but 1/2 of the cucumber, then adding in that 1/2 at the end, as well as a 1/4 cup of chopped dill.  The dip tasted so good and rich though, that I opted to leave out the rest of the cucumber and most of the dill.  I didn't want to dilute that rich, lemon/garlic taste.  See what you think!

Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews
1 pound seedless cucumbers, such as hothouse or English cucumbers (use 1/2 of one English)
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
2 large cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1.5 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
A few twists of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup lightly packed chopped fresh dill (optional)
A few kalamata olives, for garnish

Directions:
1) Plan the cashews in a small bowl, cover with 2" of warm water and soak for ~20 minutes.  Drain ad discard the water.
2)Meanwhile, peel the cucumber and grate on the large hole side of a box grater.  Put the grated cucumber in a colander over a plate.  Squeeze water out and save to add to the dip.
3) In a food processor, pulse the drained cashews, lemon juice, half the squeezed grated cucumber and the garlic, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Blend until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl down frequently.  Add 1-3 tablespoons of reserved cucumber juice to the sauce to thin it out slightly.
4) put in a bowl - so here's where I think it's perfect as  is.  However, you are supposed to add in the rest of the cucumber and 1/4 cup of dill and mix it through.  Cover and chill.  If serving as a dip, swirl into a shallow serving bowl, top with a drizzle of quality olive oil and garnish a few olives in the center.  Serve immediately with warm pita (or anything else listed above).

Baked Farro with Tomatoes and Herbs

From The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Veganomicon, 10th anniversary edition   2017

For vegans, who don't eat cheese, a frequent substitute to get a cheesy taste is nutritional yeast.  The benefit of using this is that it also supplies a good amount of vitamin B12, which is usually found in animal products.  Although supplements are not recommended in general, for  those who eat a broad variety of foods, vegans are encouraged to take B12 vitamins to avoid deficiency.  Nutritional yeast may suffice for part of the daily B12 supply.

Farro is one of my favorite grains - it's chewy and a little nutty. It supplies 6 grams of protein per 1/2 cup serving - and who can stay with 1/2 cup?   I also love wheat berry and bulgur.  In a dish like this, you can use fresh herbs that look like they've seen better days, since they're baked before anyone sees them.  I also had some zucchini left over from our gleaning last week, so I added about 2/3 cup chopped as well.  You know I don't like to waste food!

This smells and tastes delicious.  The mouthfuls with a lemony taste are a little more special, so adding more lemon zest to the topping may be helpful.  I'd like more veggies in it, I think, and probably more herbs.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups uncooked farro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped shallot
1 bay leaf
2 cups vegetable broth, or water
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme or basil
1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil (I had cilantro, so I used it w/ parsley & basil
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

TOPPING:
1/4 c chopped walnuts
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt
/2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:
1)  Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9x13" baking dish with 1 Tbsp olive oil
2) Sort through the farro to remove any broken grains and rinse in a colander.
3) In a large saucepan, over medium, sauce the garlic and shallot in 1 Tbsp of olive oil for 2 minutes to soften the shallot
4)Stir in the farro and the bay leaf and sauce for another minute, then pour in the vegetable broth and the tomatoes.
5) Increase the heat to high and bring to a rapid simmer.  Cook for about 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add oregano, thyme and salt.  Remove bay leaf.  Taste and season with a little more salt, if desired, especially if using water instead of broth.  Then stir in the parsley and nutritional yeast.
6) Pour the farro mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the farro has absorbed almost all of the liquid.
7) Pulse together the topping ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor (or pound with a mortar and pestle) into coarse crumbs.
8) Take the casserole out of the oven, remove the foil, and cover the top evenly with the walnut topping.  Drizzle those 2 Tbsp of oil on top and bake for 10 minutes, to lightly brown the top of the casserole.
Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow it to firm up.  Serve warm.  It tastes even better the next day, after the flavors have blended more.  Try with tofu or tempeh for a complete meal.

Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce

Washington Post 8/21/2019

The recipe said it would take no time - which is usually a lie - but in this case, it was the truth.  I had lots of tomatoes and some onion from our morning at Oasis farm, and we were told we should use them quickly.  I also had some tomatoes in the refrigerator, which we always do, since my husband is a tomato addict.   This time of year, you can get good looking tomatoes at the farmers markets.  Even though most look better than they taste, this recipe makes the most of them.  You can refrigerate the sauce up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 6 months.

So there went all my tomatoes, into the sauce.  There was hardly any liquid in the pot initially, so I thought I'd need to add some, but in no time, it was a mushy mess.  And quite delicious.  I put in all different tomatoes, even though plum tomatoes were recommended.  It was all good.  I didn't remove the skins, which you can do by briefly tossing the tomatoes into boiling water, but that adds more time and effort (and pots) to the process.  This way, it was easy as could be.  Once the tomatoes are cooked,  if you choose, you can press them with the back of a large spoon, and the skins come off easily.

Ingredients:
5 large cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
12 large fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt, or more as needed
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 1/2 pounds plum or Roma tomatoes, cored and quartered

Directions:
1) In a 4 quart saucepan, combine the garlic, basil, onion, salt, pepper, tomato paste and olive oil.  Heat over medium-high heat for 30 seconds.  You should be able to smell the ingredients, but they shouldn't be burning.  Add the tomatoes, breaking ghtem up a bit more with your hands as they go into the pan.  Bring to a lively bubble, uncovered, and cook 30 minutes, or until the same is thick and reduced by half.  Stir often, watching for sticking or scorching.

2) Remove the pan from the heat, and cover.  Let stand 15 minutes.  Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.

3) If you prefer a smoother texture, pass the sauce through a food mill or process it with a blender, immersion blender or food processor until in small pieces.  Serve warm, with pasta or roasted veggies, or your dish of choice.

Corn, edamame and tomato salad with sesame dressing

Here's a refreshing summer side dish.  Corn on the cob is delicious on its own, but this is a protein-containing blend for vegetarians, since it contains edamames.  And it's quick to throw together.  I would have added zucchini, but I would increase the dressing in that case.  Have fun exploring!

Ingredients:

Dressing:
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar (or regular vinegar)
2 tsp Tamari or soy sauce
Juice of ~1/2 lemon


Salad:
1 cup shelled edamames - defrost under hot water or add to boiling water.
2 corn cobs
10 or so cherry tomatoes or fewer plum tomatoes in 1/2" chunks
2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Salt to taste

Directions:
1) Add corn cobs to lightly salted boiling water for about 10 minutes, or until you see the kernels on the edges separate from the other kernels.  Run under cold water to stop the cooking and make it possible to work with them.

2)Whisk the dressing ingredient together in a medium bowl.

3) Remove the corn kernels from the cobs by running a sharp knife down each edge of the cob.  If some kernels remain in chunks of up to about 9 kernels, it's fine.  Separate larger chunks.

4) Toss all ingredients, add lime and/or salt as needed.

Big Italian Salad

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/big-italian-salad.html#tabrecipe
By Jennifer Segal
This Italian salad pairs nicely with Italian comfort food. You’ll love the homemade dressing!

As with many other recipes, this definitely gets better with age.  It's very good from day 1, but 3-4 days later it was even better.  It's easy enough to make, and my latest favorite dressing!


Servings: 6
INGREDIENTS

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
1 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup red wine vinegar, best quality such as Pompeian Gourmet
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, best quality such as Lucini or Colavita
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons honey

FOR THE SALAD:
1 large head romaine lettuce (or 3 hearts), washed, dried and cut into large, bite-sized pieces
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup seeded and chopped hothouse cucumbers
1 to 2 carrots, peeled into ribbons
Handful grape tomatoes, halved
Handful pitted olives
Ricotta Salata (see note) or Feta, crumbled to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor and blitz to blend.

Place all of the salad ingredients except for the cheese in a large bowl.

Right before serving, add about half of the dressing and toss well. Add more dressing little by little as necessary; be sure to dress greens very generously, otherwise salad will be bland.

Toss in the cheese, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Note: Ricotta salata is an Italian sheep's milk cheese that has a salty, slightly tangy flavor, almost like a dry Italian feta. It is not the same as the wet ricotta in the tub. You can find it at Whole Foods, gourmet grocers or specialty cheese shops.
GLUTEN-FREE ADAPTABLE NOTE

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

Citrus-Marinated Salmon with Fennel Cream

photo 7/15/2019

From Amy Riolo's The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cookbook - Harness the Power of the World's Healthiest Diet to Live Better, Longer

I should have read the instructions first - before I discarded the fronds from the fresh fennel.  So the 'cream sauce' made from yogurt and herbs wasn't quite as intended.  Nonetheless, the salmon was soft and tasty - I'm thinking it would difficult to overcook, since it's in liquid and baked while covered.

I'm going to try cutting the fennel and onion into smaller pieces next time and let them soak up the marinade.  Making more of the marinade would help, and perhaps reserving some.
Halve the orange slices to place on top of the salmon.

Fennel is often eaten raw in salads, braised, or roasted as in this recipe.  The seeds can be boiled to make soothing teas.

Ingredients: 

2 Tbsp EVOO
1/4 cup OJ
1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt or salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 salmon fillets, 4 oz each, skin on
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced - reserve fronds
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 oranges - one zested, 1 thinly sliced

Directions: 

1) In a small bowl, whisk the EVOO, OJ, salt and pepper until emulsified.
2) Place the salmon in a glass baking dish and pour marinade over the top.  Marinate for 1 hour.
3) Preheat oven to 400 degrees
4) Scatter fennel and onion around the sides of the salmon and cover with aluminum foil.  Bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is opaque in color, 20-25 minutes.
5) While the fish is baking, combine the Greek yogurt with 2 Tbsp of fennel fronds, finely chopped, and orange zest.
6) Remove the fish from the oven and place on a serving plate.  Dollop each with about 1/4 of yogurt mixture and garnish with orange slices.

Mediterranean Herb-Marinated Chicken Breasts

Amy Riolo  The ultimate Mediterranean diet cookbook
p 148

Amy Riolo is an award-winning author, lecturer, food historian and cooking instructor.  This recipe is adapted from her book, The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cookbook, Harness the Power of the World's Healthiest Diet to Live Better, Longer.  Part of her journey revolved around trying to understand why her relatives who continued to live in Italy were so much healthier than the ones who were living in the United States.  After living and visiting Italy and other Mediterranean countries, she drew conclusions.  Among others, she found that in the Mediterranean, food is treated as medicine, moderation is key and an active physical and social lifestyle is mandatory.  In the medical field, we favor the same lifestyle choices.

When I was in medical school in the '80's, basic nutrition was not taught.  Then again, pathology professors and respiratory techs were still smoking in the hospital and academic buildings.  We've come a long way, baby.

Many years and many studies later, we are well aware that the conclusions that Amy Riolo reached are key to good health.  After all the fads have been looked at, a Mediterranean style diet is still the most favored.  Fill your plate with a majority of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, legumes and healthy oils, with some fish and lean meat.

LadyDocs was fortunate to have a personalized cooking lesson at Dr. Hammersley's home several years ago, after this cookbook was published.  It gives a good background about the value of Mediterranean cooking, along with many recipes that you can eat guilt-free.

Here's a basic recipe to alter to your own wishes.  She notes that the marinade can also be used for turkey or fish.  We're growing 'Greek oregano' this year, and this is my first opportunity to try it.  I used the herbs she suggested, as well as chives, all from the garden!  The chicken can be prepared in a skillet, as she suggest, or grilled or broiled - I chose the broiler.  Remember to scoop up the extra sauce from the broiler pan.  Leftovers are great on salads.

Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken breast

1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
4 cloves garlic minced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint

1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt or salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano and mint well to combine.  Place the chicken breasts in a large shallow bowl or glass baking pan, and pour the dressing over the top.

2) Cover, place in refrigerator and marinate for 1-2 hours.  Remove from the refrigerator and season with salt and pepper.

3) Heat a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat.  Using tongs, place chicken tenders evenly in the bottom of the skillet.  Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken.

4) Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes each side, or until chicken is golden, juices have been absorbed, and meat is cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

Asian slaw with ginger peanut dressing

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/asian-slaw-with-ginger-peanut-dressing.html

7/14/19


This is similar to the recipe posted for kale with a lime based dressing.
This one is cabbage with a peanut oil and vinegar dressing.

Waiting for it to marinate but it was fairly simple and tasted good right from the start!

Ended up being delish!  Looked a bit soggy after a few hours.  May need to reserve part of the dressing next time, if there might be leftovers.  Posted on lady docs:


This slaw is really delicious! It is adapted from onceuponachef.com.  I was looking for a recipe to use the cabbage I received in my Hungry Harvest basket this week.  This only used 1/3 of the head for 4 cups of shredded cabbage.  Any suggestions what to do with the rest?

This salad is cool and crunchy, a delicious way to eat your colors!  I found that after a few hours, the ingredients became a bit soggy.  If you think you may have leftovers, I would favor reserving some of the dressing to add at the next sitting.

Servings: 6 as a side dish


Ingredients:

FOR THE GINGER-PEANUT DRESSING

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut butter (I like Skippy Natural No Need to Stir)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced


FOR THE SLAW

4 cups prepared shredded coleslaw
2 cups prepared shredded carrots
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 cup cooked and shelled edamame
2 medium scallions, finely sliced
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts (or you can leave them whole)
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro


Directions:

1) In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing (be sure the peanut butter is dissolved). Set aside.


2) Combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the dressing and and toss well. Let the slaw sit for at least ten minutes so the vegetables have a chance to soak up the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.  Serve cold.

This slaw is best served fresh but leftovers will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few days.

Make-Ahead Instructions: The dressing can be prepared up to 2 days ahead of time; store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

grandma's eggplant dip

This is still a work in progress - I've been trying to re-create my grandmother's eggplant recipe for years, and can't quite get it.  I'm getting closer, but still not really there.

Ingredients: 
6 Japanese eggplants or 2 regular
salt and pepper
Juice of 1 small lemon
2 tsp capers
1 small garlic clove
2 tsp chopped parsley
2 tsp chives
1-3 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:
1) Pierce the eggplants and put under the broiler for about 10 minutes, turning frequently until the skins are blackened and the flesh is soft.  Set aside to cool

2) Cut off the top end and halve the eggplant lengthwise and scrape the flesh from the skins.  Chop coarsely, drain in a colander and blot off juices.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the other ingredients.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Variation:
1-2 eggplants
1 plum tomato
1 small garlic clove
Zest of 1/2 lemon
~2 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and Pepper
1/8 cup cilantro or parsley

Black bean salad with corn, red peppers, avocado and lime

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/black-bean-salad-with-corn-red-peppers-avocado-lime-cilantro-vinaigrette.html

Great taste - best of all the black bean salads I've tried.

Goes very well with tequila lime chicken and cucumber mint salad.

cucumber salad with mint

This is a quick simple recipe for cucumber with mint; I added a bit of cilantro as well.

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/minted-cucumber-salad.html

This refreshing, sweet, and tangy cucumber salad is the perfect light side when grilling or picnicking.

This is my go-to cucumber salad for summer picnics and BBQs. It is simple yet addictively good — and it improves if you make it ahead of time. What else can you ask for?

I like to use English cucumbers, which are also called seedless, European, burpless, or hothouse cucumbers, as opposed to regular cucumbers. The advantage is that they’re typically wrapped in plastic instead of waxed to protect the skin and keep moisture in, so you don’t need to peel them. They’re also slightly sweeter with fewer seeds.

You’ll notice that I use a combination of olive oil and vegetable oil. Sometimes the flavor of olive oil alone can overpower so I like to cut it with a milder tasting oil.

Slice the cucumbers and toss them with salt in a colander. Let them sit in the sink for about 30 minutes to drain the water out. This will prevent the cucumbers from getting soggy and the dressing from turning watery. Tap the colander against the sink to release excess water, then transfer the cucumbers to a clean dish towel.

Meanwhile, temper the red onions by soaking them in ice water for about ten minutes to tame their bite. Works like a charm! (This step is optional; I don’t care for raw onions.)

Drain the onions and blot them dry with a paper towel, then combine them in a bowl with the drained cucumbers, mint, vinegar, oil and seasoning.

Toss well.

Cover and let stand in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Serve cold and enjoy!




By Jennifer Segal
This refreshing, sweet, and tangy cucumber salad is the perfect light side when grilling or picnicking.

Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 20 Minutes, plus 50 minutes for the cucumbers to drain and the flavors to marry


INGREDIENTS:

2 English (or hothouse) cucumbers
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped red onions
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds, then cut into thin slices. Toss the cucumbers with the salt in a colander. Let drain in the sink for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, soak the red onions in a small bowl of ice water for ten minutes, then drain in a fine mesh strainer. Blot dry with a paper towel.
Tap the cucumber-filled colander on the base of the sink to release any excess water. Lay a clean dish towel flat on the counter, and then dump the cucumbers over top. Use the edges of the towel to blot the cucumbers dry.
In a medium bowl, toss the cucumbers, onions, white wine vinegar, olive oil, vegetable oil, sugar, pepper and mint. Cover and let stand in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or up to 12 hours. Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve cold.

Make-Ahead Instructions: This salad can be made up to 12 hours ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Golden Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Peanut Chutney

From the Washington Post  4/17/19   Ellie Krieger

Outstanding chutney!  Especially after another day or two.
Of course, I had to use double the ginger, because I always do.
And I didn't have an onion in the house, so I used 3 or 4 sizable scallions instead.
AND, I used a can of Fire-Roasted tomatoes from Trader Joes instead of plain ones -
The chutney was on the hot side initially, but after a day or two in the fridge, it mellowed a bit.
Either way, it was delicious!  The texture was interesting with the bits of peanuts.

Tested size: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons peanut oil, or another neutral oil
1 cup diced onion (or 3 large scallions)
1 tablespoon minced ginger root (or two for ginger-lovers)
1/2 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
One 14.5 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes (Fire-roasted tomatoes do well)
6 - 9 dried apricots, finely chopped
1/4 cup dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 pieces thin-cut skinless boneless chicken breast (about 5 ounces each)
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
DIRECTIONS

Heat 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the ginger and mustard seed; cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes, apricots, peanuts, vinegar, honey, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low so the mixture barely bubble at the edges; cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the tomatoes have mostly broken down. Transfer the mixture to the small bowl of a food processor and pulse until the chutney is mostly smooth, but still has some texture.

Combine the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil with the cumin, coriander, turmeric and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture onto the chicken.

Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until the meat is cooked through and grill marks have formed.

Garnish the chutney with cilantro and serve alongside the chicken.

photos 5/9/19