Saturday, October 15, 2022

Spanish Garbanzo Stew - KindSoups


This one surprised me.  It wouldn't have tempted me, but I made it to give away.  Well, we ended up each having seconds and loving it even more each subsequent day.  It's a keeper.  I didn't use any thickener, but put about a quart of it into the blender to puree it, added it back in, and added croutons afterwards.  All delicious.  Everyone on the zoom call that day did it differently, and all were satisfied with the results.  As we have said on every soup zoom, soup is very forgiving.  

On Monday,  October 10th we’ll be cooking Spain On A Fork’s Potaje de Garbanzos (Spanish Garbanzo Stew) with KindChef Denise Schleckser. 

Ingredients
  • 16 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 65 ml, divided
  • 2 onions
  • 2 green bell pepper
  • 2 red bell pepper
  • 2 heads garlic
  • 4 tomatoes, grated (or 2 14.5 cans crushed or diced tomatoes)
  • 4 large potatoes
  • 80 oz cooked canned garbanzo beans 570 grams (about 5 cans)
  • 4 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 2.30 grams (I used 3.5 tsp sweet and 1/2 tsp smoked) 
  • 12 cups vegetable broth 710 ml
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 8 slices baguette - I sliced and toasted this to make croutons.
  • 4 eggs - I didn't use any 
  • sea salt & black pepper
  •  freshly chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. Cut potatoes (peeled & washed) into small chunks that are 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick, roughly chop green & red bell peppers, roughly dice onions, roughly mince garlic, finely grate tomato and drain chickpeas into a sieve and rinse under cold water

  2. Heat a stock pot with a medium-high heat and cover bottom well with extra virgin olive oil

  3. After heating the olive oil for 1 minute, add in the diced onion, chopped bell peppers and minced garlic, mix with the olive oil, after 5 minutes and the vegetables are lightly sauteed, add in the grated tomato and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add in the chopped potatoes, drained chickpeas, sweet smoked paprika and season with sea salt & black pepper, gently mix together until well combined

  4. Then add in vegetable broth and bay leaves, mix together and bring to a boil, then place a lid on the stock pot and lower the fire to a low-medium heat

  5. Meanwhile, roughly chop remaining 8 cloves cloves garlic and cut slices of baguette into small squares

  6. Heat a small fry pan with a medium heat and add in remaining extra virgin olive oil, after 2 minutes add in the chopped garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly sauteed, then add the garlic into a mortar, then using the same pan with the same heat, add in eggs and cook until well done, including the egg yolk, then add into the mortar with the garlic, and finally fry the pieces of baguette in the same pan until lightly fried, add into the mortar, then add in 2 tbsp (7.60 grams) fresh parsley and a pinch of sea salt, using a pestle pound down until paste is formed.

  7. After simmering the stew for 25 minutes, remove the lid, add the thickener and mix together, cook for another 2 minutes with the lid off, then remove from the heat

  8. Transfer the stew into shallow bowls and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley, enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*If you do not have a mortar and pestle, a food processor may be used to break down the thickening ingredients (bread and egg).

*If you’ve never grated a tomato, we suggest you give it a try, it’s fun! Here is a helpful link: https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/grate-fresh-tomatoes-instead-buying-canned-you-can-thank-us-later-0170050/. However, especially when scaling up the ingredients, canned crushed tomatoes will work as a good substitute. One pound of tomatoes (5-6 tomatoes) is about equal to a 14.5 oz can. Feel free to use the whole can in this recipe.

*When using smoked paprika, go easy unless you know how much you like. The recipe calls for “sweet smoked” paprika, which is a little confusing. I used mostly sweet and added a bit of smoked. 

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Buckwheat and haricots verts salad

From Ottelonghi  SIMPLE  p. 157

I made this as a side dish to bring to Shula's sukkah.  It was so delicious that I made a simplified version of it the next night with the remaining (Costco sized) green beans.  The smell of kasha cooking (simply boiling) was a very familiar and comforting aroma.  The dressing is key to making this dish really special. Dairy or non-dairy yogurt is fine. 

The second night, I simplified the dish by using a steamer and cooking the kasha in the bottom and steaming the green beans at the same time.  They were ready about at the same time - maybe 7-8 minutes. I added a little raw chopped onion, and less than the recommended amount of herbs.  The taste was mainly in the dressing!

The elements can be made a day ahead and kept separately in the fridge, ready to assembly before serving. 

I noticed on the box that the buckWHEAT was gluten free.  It surprised me, but when I checked, it seems that buckwheat is not wheat at all, it is related to rutabaga!  So yes, it is gluten free. 

INGREDIENTS: 

2 small red onions, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch wedges - 3 cups

2 Tbsp olive oil

salt

1/2 cup buckwheat groats

12 1/4 oz haricots verts, trimmed and cut in half

1/4 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

1 tsp Urfa chile flakes or 1/2 tsp other crushed red pepper flakes, to serve (I used a sprinkling)

SAUCE:

6 Tbsp Greek yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)

1 small clove garlic

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp dried mint

1/8 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2) Mix onions in a large bowl with 1 Tbsp of oil and 1/8 tsp salt.  Spread out on a large parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 18-20 minutes, until cooked through and golden.  Remove and set aside to cool.

3) Bring a medium saucepan with slightly salted water to a boil.  Add the buckwheat and cook (per the book, cook this for 8 minutes then add the green beans for 5 until both are al dente).  As above, I would add buckwheat in the water and green beans atop in steamer basket.  If the kasha is done first, just remove the kasha,  reserve the water and finish steaming.

4)Drain, refresh under cold water and then set aside to dry well.

5) Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce with 1/8 tsp of salt; set aside.

6) When ready to serve, mix the onions, buckwheat, green beans, mint and tarragon with the remaining 1 Tbsp oil and 1/2 tsp salt.  Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and serve the sauce on the side or swirl the sauce through the salad before transferring it to the serving bowl.  Sprinkle with the chile flakes and serve. 

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Baked Zucchini Chips

 


These crispy baked zucchini chips are a delicious summer snack or side dish! I love them on their own, but they're also yummy with dipping sauce. See the recipe below or the post above for suggestions.  Served this at happy hour and it was a big hit
  • 1 egg* (I used 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed and 1/4 cup non-dairy milk)
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs (I only had matzo meal - it worked)
  • ½ cup almond flour  (I used cassava flour)
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese or Vegan Parmesan (I used Nutritional Yeast)
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt - more to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper - more to taste
  • I also added dried basil and oregano, a lot of extra salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 medium zucchini, sliced into ¼ inch rounds (used 1 huge zucchini; might cut larger slices in half)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Romesco, Tzatziki, or Marinara

    , optional for serving -  great with marinara

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the egg. In a medium bowl, combine the panko, almond flour, Parmesan, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
  • Dip the zucchini slices into the egg and then into the panko mixture. Place onto the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and bake 17 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown.
  • Serve immediately while they're still hot (they’ll become less crispy as they sit). Serve with a dipping sauce, if desired.

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Zucchini pie

My initial purpose for making this was to try to re-create a zucchini pie I had in Italy that was so good.  It was like lasagna with many VERY thin layers of zucchini, and just a little red sauce.  I didn't think it had cheese in, but perhaps a little, and no evident egg.  However, I had the zucchinis and no recipe that was anything like the Italian dish. 

So this was next best thing.  For tonight I made it with real eggs that I wanted to use up, but would try again with chia or other egg substitute.  I used some fresh basil and oregano in addition to dried. 

This was a good way to use one very large zucchini from Hungry Harvest.  Could easily have used 2 and used a larger pan.  I didn't really follow the recipe but it's a good guideline.  I used a few very thin slices of challah on the bottom and a little mustard, as noted in the ingredients.  It added a very interesting taste.  I saw other zucchini pie recipes that used it as well.

It came out really good.  Definitely not too time-consuming and worth making.  Next time, I'll try sautéing the zucchini with the onions and garlic, then layering with a little tomato sauce, using a little egg substitute as a binder.  

Served with a large salad and it was a satisfying dinner.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup butter (used olive oil instead, and 1 Tbsp vegan butter on top)

  • 4 cups thinly sliced zucchini - 1 very large zucchini

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped onion

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

  •  ½ teaspoon dried basil

  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano

  • 2 eggs, well beaten

  • 1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese

  • 1 (8 ounce) tube refrigerated crescent rolls - can layer minimal bread on the bottom.

  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard

Local Offers

New York, NY 10118 

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

  2. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir zucchini and onion until tender, about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, and oregano; stir to coat.

  3. Whisk eggs and mozzarella cheese together in a bowl. Stir zucchini mixture into egg mixture.

  4. Separate crescent dough into two rectangles and place into a 8x12-inch baking dish; press into bottom and slightly up sides of dish to form a crust. Spread mustard onto crust. Pour zucchini-egg mixture into crust.

  5. Bake in the preheated oven until set in the middle and lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool before cutting into squares or wedges.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

271Calories
18g Fat
16g Carbs
12g Protein

Sunday, September 25, 2022

Tiramisu with Chef Tony in Sorrento

Not sure if I'll prepare this at home, but it was very good.  Make ahead so it can be refrigerated for at least 2 hours. 

For 12 servings - use 9x12 glass dish

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup American coffee - not espresso

+/- 1 tsp Amaretto

20 lady fingers to cover the bottom

1/2 pound ( 150 gm) mascarpone  

3 eggs separated

1 cup heavy cream

3 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp sugar

Dark chocolate chips for topping


DIRECTIONS:

1) Mascarone in one bowl

2) Yolks into the mascarpone; whites into a separate bowl

Heavy cream in a 3rd bowl

Sugar into the cream, 3Tbsp sugar into the mascarpone, and 1 Tbsp sugar into the egg whites.

Mix 2 minutes for the heavy cream, 2 minutes for the egg whites until there are soft peaks

3 minutes for the mascarpone mixture

Mix the 3 bowls together and mix with a SPATULA, 3 minutes.

Lady fingers - break one open to make sure it's not too dark.  Quickly dip the lady fingers in the coffee 'po, po' - quickly so there's no coffee on the inside.  Arrange across the bottom of the glass dish.

Cover with the mixture.

Chocolate chips 'everywhere'

REFRIGERATE for over 2 hours.

Gnocchi by Chef Tony in Sorrento

It was fun making gnocchi from scratch with Chef Tony.  It takes time and patience to roll out the dough just so.  Mine came out flat initially rather than round - he said I was too strong ;-).

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds red potatoes, cut into large chunks

2 eggs

1 lb all-purpose flour (he used Divella, farino type OO - use for pasta, gnocchi, pizza, etc - or can mix with 1:1/2 semolina for pasta with 2 eggs and a cup of milk)

DIRECTIONS:

Boil potatoes until fork goes in easily - about 20 minutes.

Then make the dough with the other ingredients.

Sort of lost track after that - maybe that's when we started drinking the wine ;-)

In small batches roll out the dough into long cigars, adding flour as needed.  Then chop lengthwise into about 1" lengths.  Cook in the marinara. 

Probably missing some essential details.  Easier to have at a restaurant!

 

Eggplant Parmigiana by Chef Tony in Sorrento

See recipe for Marinara Sauce.

For the very light simple eggplant parmigiana, here is Chef Tony's recipe.  Since I didn't want to use a whole bottle of oil, as he did, I tried preparing the eggplant slices in the air fryer.  That wasn't the greatest regarding texture, so I'll try baking them next time.  And there WILL be a next time soon!  This is so different than the heavy, solid eggplant dish we're used to here. 

He noted that in summer, eggplant is sweet.  In winter, you may need to soak it in water and sea salt to make it sweeter, using 2-3 large pinches of salt.  

INGREDIENTS:

Marinara sauce on this blog

1 small eggplant per person, peel only 2 vertical slices on opposite sides

Mozzarella - there it was buffalo mozzarella, the best; here, I found that Galvani mozzarella in small balls, sold at Giant was quite good.  Label says 'it's #1 in Italy' 

Sea salt

Few basil leaves


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut eggplant in vertical slices, ~ 2-3 mm thick, so there is only a thin layer of peel on each side

Chef Tony then heated a large pan of oil, cooked the slices til they were slightly browned, removed them and set them on paper towels.  He said that this was the healthy way to prepare it; that if the slices stuck to the bottom, they would then absorb the oil.  This way, they don't.  The oil can be re-used but only for eggplant.  

Sprinkle slices with sea salt

In small over-proof dishes, start with a Tbsp of marinara, the eggplant, mozzarella, then one more layer but only with marinara and eggplant.   Top with a basil leaf, which can then be replaced with a fresh one after baking. 

Bake for about 15 minutes.  

It might be ok to use garlic and 2 pinches of red pepper flakes.  NO onion! 


Marinara Sauce from Chef Tony in Sorrento

Chef Tony at Quanto Baso cooking school in Sorrento was fun and informative for our group cooking lesson, arranged in advance.  In general he warned us against using garlic and onions together because they cover each other's tastes (what?!).  He said 'you Americans' use too many ingredients in your red sauce, too much garlic...  And we did notice even before this class that the marinara sauce there was light and very tasty.  

On our Food Walking Tour on our first day in Naples, our tour guide Alex had us try marinara pizza (as well as fried pizza, buffalo mozzarella, gelato, limoncello, sfogliatella and another pastry ...).  He said he knew we wouldn't believe it, but just pizza crust with just marinara is amazing.  And it was!   So it was exciting when chef Tony said we would be making some.  Remarkably, he used canned tomatoes, which helped me believe we could reproduce it at home.  At some of the places we asked, we were told the tomatoes or the onions they used can only be found in Italy, so we were convinced we would not be able to do the same here. 

With Chef Tony, and our 'classmates' from Chile, NY and Australia, we joyfully made and consumed fresh made gnocchi in marinara, delicate dishes of eggplant parmigiana, and tiramisu covered with chocolate chips - chef Tony's favorite.  

So here's the simple marinara that we enjoyed on our first night at home.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp EVOO per person

64 - 70 ounces San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes

1 clove of garlic ("not 6, not 8, but ONE), cut in pieces

2 basil leaves, torn

5 large pinches of salt

DIRECTIONS:

Heat pan on high.  Add oil, garlic and basil.  

Add the tomatoes and crush them inside the pot.

Simmer - that's it! 


Roasted Cauliflower with Golden Raisins and Capers

https://www.loveandlemons.com/roasted-cauliflower-golden-raisins-capers/ 

The prep time really was close to 15 minutes, as stated.  I would use a large head, or 2 small heads of cauliflower, and take it easy with the capers.  Great mix of flavors from the tarragon, agave and vinegar.  I used spinach just because I didn't have arugula.  Great side dish.  Would consider adding nuts or garbanzos with extra dressing to make it a  meal.  

Just arrived home from Italy, so it's a pleasure to have green on the plate! 


Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This easy vegetarian side dish would be a great addition to a holiday table. Alternatively, toss it with a cooked grain to make it a full meal!
Author: 
Recipe type: Side dish, salad
Serves: 4 as a side
Ingredients
  • 1 head cauliflower, broken into small pieces*
  • 1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
  • 1-2 tablespoons agave or sweetener of your choice
  • A few handfuls arugula
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained
  • 2 tablespoons golden raisins (soak for a few minutes if they’re not plump)
  • 2 teaspoons minced tarragon
  • Sea salt and fresh black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
  2. Break or chop cauliflower into small pieces.
  3. Prepare 1 to 2 baking sheets with parchment or foil. Place cauliflower on baking sheets so the pieces are not touching. Drizzle with olive oil, white wine vinegar, and agave and toss with pinches of salt and pepper. The amount you use will depend on how much cauliflower you have and if you prefer to cook with more oil or with less.
  4. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until deeply golden and caramelized (not burnt, but just before). Remove from oven. While the cauliflower is somewhat hot, toss with the arugula so the arugula wilts just slightly from the heat. Toss in a bowl with capers, raisins, and tarragon and serve.
Notes
*I like to break cauliflower florets apart with my hands to get little trees. This avoids uneven chunks of stalk that you can get from chopping it with a knife.

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Thai Crunch Salad in peanut dressing

From onceuponachef: 

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/thai-crunch-salad-with-peanut-dressing.html?utm_source=convertkit&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Pesto+Pasta+Salad%2C+Creamy+Cucumber+Salad%2C+Thai+Crunch+Salad%20-%208899194#tabrecipe 

Great cold dish to go with BBQ or anything else.  Can use the small Bullet attachment to blend the sauce.  Add it to the salad just a little while before serving, although I didn't mind it being moist/mushy the next day.  Also added some peanuts after it was all mixed.

Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing

Inspired by California Pizza Kitchen’s recipe, this Thai crunch salad with peanut dressing always satisfies.

Servings: 4   (I'd say 6+)
Total Time: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE THAI PEANUT DRESSING

  • ¼ cup creamy peanut butter 
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from one lime
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2½ tablespoons sugar
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1-inch square piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (usually I cut back on these, but this amount worked well for this recipe)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

FOR THE SALAD

  • 4 cups chopped Napa cabbage or shredded coleslaw mix (I like to toss in a little shredded red cabbage for color)
  • 1 cup prepared shredded carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced 
  • 1 cup cooked and shelled edamame (can defrost frozen shelled ones)
  • 2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
  • (Optional - add peanuts after salad is dressed)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. For the dressing, combine all of the ingredients except for the cilantro in a blender (Bullet works well) and process until completely smooth. Add the cilantro and blend for a few seconds until the cilantro is finely chopped. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  2. For the salad, combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. If serving right away, drizzle the peanut dressing over top and toss; otherwise, serve the dressing on the side so the salad doesn't get soggy.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (4 servings)
  • Serving size:Approximately 2 cups
  • Calories:282
  • Fat:18 g
  • Saturated fat:2 g
  • Carbohydrates:28 g
  • Sugar:17 g
  • Fiber:6 g
  • Protein:7g
  • Sodium:505 mg
  • Cholesterol:0 mg

Sunday, August 21, 2022

Tomato, chard and spinach with toasted almonds

 From Ottelenghi Simple

Serve room temperature or warm.  Serve over a grain.  Will try cooking with the lid off next time to try to avoid the chard turning dark green instead of bright (according to FOK). Lime with herbs was refreshing, but will try to better balance dill with mint.  It's much easier to get a large amount of dill from a bunch!

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 tsp paprika

1.5 tsp caraway seeds

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

28 oz plum tomatoes

1 lb 2 oz Swiss chard, stalks thinly sliced and leaves roughly chopped

salt

4.5 oz spinach, roughly shredded

 2 limes, finely zest to  get 1 tsp and juice for 2 Tbsp

1.75 cups mint, roughly chopped

1.75 cups dill, roughly chopped (don't overdo it with this; balance with mint)

8 green onions, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

DIRECTIONS:

1) Place a large saute pan with a lid over medium heat with 2 Tbsp of the oil, the almonds, and paprika.  Fry for 2-3 minutes, until the almonds are golden brown, then transfer to a bowl, discarding the oil once cooked.

2) Return the pan to medium-high heat with the remaining 2 Tbsp oil.  Once hot, add the caraway and garlic and fry for 1 minute until they start to sizzle and brown.  Add the tomatoes with their juice, chard, and 3/4 tsp of salt and stir through, crushing the tomatoes as you go.  Cover the pan (?) and continue to cook for 20 minutes, stirring every once in a while until the chard wilts and the tomatoes break down.  Remove from the heat, stir in the spinach, lime zest, lime juice, the mint, dill and green onions.  Serve with almonds sprinkled on top.

Can serve with grains, with or without yogurt, perhaps. 

Stuffed zucchini with pine nut salsa

 From Ottelenghi Simple - it's not so simple, but the salsa was simple and is delicious, especially to dip the leftover sourdough bread into.

Use large zucchini, mix of yellow and green, make the stuffing a day ahead, then can quickly stuff and grill (bake) the zucchini.  For the 'breadcrumbs', I toasted a few slices of sourdough, then tore small pieces, snacked on most of the crust, but did include some.  Liked the texture of the bread in the stuffing. 

INGREDIENTS:

2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise (1 lb, 2 oz

1/2 garlic clove, minced

1 large egg, beaten

1.5 oz (40g) Parm or pecorino, finely grated (I used Nutritional Yeast)

scant 1 cup/40 g fresh sourdough breadcrumbs, crust left on if soft

salt

3.5 oz cherry tomatoes, quartered

DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 475 (I used 450)

2) Hollow out the zucchinis (I used a grapefruit spoon, careful to 'draw' the outline, then scoop), leaving 1/2 inch on all sides.  Transfer the flesh to a sieve and squeeze and discard as much liquid as you can.  Put the 1 cup or so into a medium bowl and stir in garlic, egg, Parm/nutritional yeast, breadcrumbs and 1/4 tsp salt.  Use your hands to crush the tomatoes well, then add them to the zucchini mix.  Stir to combine.

3) In a separate bowl, mix the lemon zest, oregano, and pine nuts.  Stir half of this into the zucchini and set the rest aside for the salsa.

4) Place the hollowed zucchini on a medium baking sheet or ovenproof dish, hollowed side facing up.  Drizzle 1 Tbsp of oil in total over the zucchini and season with 1/8 tsp salt in total.  Spoon the zucchini mix back into the hollows and bake for 15 minutes, until the filling is set and golden brown.

5) While they are baking, make the salsa.  Add the lemon juice, remaining 2 Tbsp oil and 1/8 tsp salt to the bowl of oregano and pine nuts.  Let the zucchini cool a little.  Spoon the salsa on top, sprinkle with oregano leaves, and serve.  

Five Spice peach and raspberry salad

 From Ottelenghi Simple

The peaches were delicious in this dressing.  Didn't taste the raspberries much.  Very simple to prepare.  

I had a lot of basil, so I tried it ...  skip it!  Maybe mint?  Or just the way it is.


The recipe recommends peaches that are not too ripe so the salad is not TOO sweet.  Works well at a barbecue.  Serves 4 as a side

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp Chinse 5-spice powder

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, thinly sliced

salt

3.5 oz raspberries

3 firm peaches, pits removed, 1/4 inch wedges (2 cups)

2 cups watercress

1/4 head radicchio, cut into 3/4 inch slices (2 cups)

DIRECTIONS:

1) In a large bowl, mix the vinegar, maple syrup, 5-spice, oil and shallot with a rounded 1/4 tsp salt.  

2) Add the berries, lightly crushing them with the back of a fork, then add the peaches, watercress, and radicchio.  Mix well and serve.