Poke

We are super lucky here in San Diego to be able to get fresh fish direct from the fishing boats here in San Diego.  Our go-to source has been Haworth Fish, we get their email (or see on Instagram or Facebook) when they have a boat in and pick the fish up at the dock (they are also at some the farmer's markets and they deliver). The other great source is the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market on Saturday mornings. 

The fish available include opah (large sunfish), yellowtail, ahi (yellowfin tuna), and last week we got bluefin tuna (maguro).  They sometimes have black cod.  To cook opah or yellowtail we normally do the super easy "fish on foil" technique on the grill (and make sure to not overcook it.. it gets pulled with the internal temp is about 125F).   The cod gets a flour and cornmeal dusting and then pan fried, it's a nice delicate fish. 

But one of my new favorites is to make Poke.  Poke is a traditional Hawaiian food, but is now heavily influenced by Japanese flavors and served in many customized ways.  This recipe is fairly heavy on the marinade, and is in the "bowl" form ... rice (although you can use noodles) topped with the fish then garnished to your hearts content.  

Poke goes together quickly ... I usually do all the vegetable cutting for the garnish (arrange on a platter if you are setting out for people to make their own bowls), then the onions, then the fish.  So one knife, one cutting board.  Put the seasonings on the fish, mix, and it's ready.  But it can wait for a while in the fridge if you want to do ahead. 

I get all the vegetable chopping done before getting the tuna out..

Then chop the tuna..

Add the seasonings then make the bowls. 

Poke

 

This is best the same day, but leftovers are still ok the next day… 

 

Serves 2-4 as a main  

 

Garnish (pick 2 or more): 

Thinly sliced cucumbers, radishes

Shaved or shredded carrots, cabbage 

Sliced bell pepper, hot peppers

Avocado Slices

Sprouts, cilantro or microgreens

 

 

¼ cup thinly sliced sweet onion

½ cup chopped green onions, green part only

1 pound sashimi-grade ahi tuna (can use either yellowfin or blue fin tuna), cut into ¾” cubes

¼ teaspoon gochutgaru (Korean red chili flakes) or other chili powder to taste

1 tablespoon finely chopped toasted macadamia nuts (optional)

1 teaspoon sesame seeds (or a bit more if not using macadamia nuts)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Salt to taste

 

Steamed rice for serving

 

Prepare ingredients for garnish and set aside. 

 

Slice onions and place into a medium-large bowl.  Get the ahi out of the fridge, cube and add to onions.  Add remaining ingredients, and gently stir together.  Taste and add salt if needed.  Can be served immediately, but best to refrigerate for 10 minutes or more. 

 

Make a poke bowl with some rice, top with poke, add garnishes. 

 

Pickled Green Beans .. Pickled Kohlrabi ... Pickle Anything!

As we shelter at home, I have been doing my best to make sure we are eating healthy.  We do get take-out once a week or so for a break from cooking, and we do seem to have baked goods around but I try to offset that with lots of vegetables ... fortunately it's spring and the farmers market has some great product. At the Coronado Farmers Market where I go, most of the the farmers are there, but the organic farm that I buy my greens, root vegetables like radishes and carrots, and random other vegetables has just been offering boxes. From what I have been reading, many small farmers who typically supplied to restaurants are now offering CSA-type boxes.  The boxes I have been getting are wonderful ... 

A long, long time ago I wrote a post on what to do with all the greens from a CSA box, and I have been hitting those recipes and more, like spinach crusted quiche, beans and greens, curried lentils and salads.   I made some calzones with a mixture of greens that came out really nice and will post that at some point. Plus I share some of my greens with a neighbor when there is just too much (she was able the buy a 25 pound bag of flour, which she has shared both as flour and as baked into above mentioned treats).  My box has included lots of beets, last week I got some kohlrabi so I have been doing some quick pickles.  Quick pickles extend the life of vegetables, and are a quick side dish or appetizer.  Pickled kohlrabi goes great with sandwiches (a nice crunchy-salty bite that is not a chip) and pickled green beans are great for picnics and cookouts which hopefully we can get back to this summer!


After lots of experiments, my go-to quick pickle base is 1 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 cup of water, and 1 tablespoon of salt plus spices. (note - if you are using fine grain sea salt, only use 2 teaspoons as if is more dense). There are lots of variations:  many pickle recipes call for sugar in addition to salt, all types of vinegar (personally I'm too cheap to use expensive wine vinegars, and white vinegar is sometimes a bit sharp), various ratios of vinegar, water, salt, and sugar.  What this means is that most anything works!  I generally add some red pepper flakes to give the pickles a little kick, but do whatever sounds good to you!

Pro tip... if using pint jars, trim the green beans to fit.  Use quart jars if you have long green beans. 

Pickled Green Beans

Makes: 1 quart-sized jar or 2 pint-sized jars

1 pound green string beans

2 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon kosher salt or 2 teaspoons sea salt

Wash the green beans, and to fit into the jar.  Pack the beans into the jar(s).   Put the garlic, red pepper, mustard seeds and black peppercorns into the jar (if using 2 pint jars, put half into each jar). 

Put the vinegar, water, and salt into a large glass measuring cup, then heat in the microwave until boiling (about 3 ½ minutes or so).  

Pour the hot liquid into the filled jars.   Tap the jars to release bubbles, add more liquid if needed.  You want all of the beans covered.   Let cool on the counter, then refrigerate. 

They need a couple of days to “pickle” but are good for 2 – 3 weeks after that. 

Pickled Kohlrabi

Same as pickled Green Beans, except use 1 large kohlrabi peeled and cut into sticks (like big French fries) instead of green beans.  Omit the garlic and add ½ teaspoon coriander seeds.  

Kohlrabi 

Pickled Beet Recipe coming soon!

Preserved Lemons

As many of you know, I have a large old lemon tree in my backyard, and always on the lookout for things to do with lemons.  Lots of lemons.  You can only drink so much lemonade.  So I decided to try making preserved lemons, which are a traditional food in North Africa (think a Moroccan tagine)... and when you have a giant jar of them in your refrigerator (not small expensive jars from a gourmet store) you start experimenting.  And now I get cravings for them, even though I have not tried making tagine yet!

Traditionally, to make preserved lemons, you "almost" quarter the lemons, then stuff with salt, then stuff the lemons in a jar.  This seems like a lot of bother.  Then I stumbled on this recipe where you just quarter the lemons... Eureka!  Actually, the recipe was for Meyer Lemons, but works just fine on Eureka lemons.  Next I am going to try with limes (and do a smaller batch).   Here is my short version of the recipe, click through the link for more details.

Preserved Lemons

15 lemons: quarter 12, the remaining 3 will be juiced
1 ½ cups Diamond Kosher Salt

Mix lemon quarters and salt in a large bowl.  Let sit at room temperature about 1 hour.
Tightly pack lemon quarters into a large 2 quart jar.  Use lemon juice to just cover (note – I use pickle weights to help hold down the lemons).

Let the jar sit at room temperature for about 7 days until lemon rinds are glossy and look translucent all the way through, then refrigerate.    They will be good for many months, at about a year they start getting mushy.
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So, what do you do with them?  The first key is to rinse off each piece when you are ready to use it, and remove the pulp... you just use the lemon rind (the pulp is pretty mushy and super salty, although there are some recipes that call for it), and usually dice into small pieces.  They have a bright, briny pop, and use them like you might use capers or olives.  You can add to most any pasta or grain salad, I also like them with green salads that have fish in them.  I sometimes throw them into the Chickpea and Vegetable Saute.   They go great on roasted vegetables.  I haven't tried this recipe yet, but it looks good:  Roasted Carrots with Lemon.

If you want to do something a bit more fancy (and unusual), try this recipe, inspired by El Farol: Tapas and Spanish Cuisine by Chef James Campbell Caruso (one of those cookbooks where every recipe I have tried is really good):

Preserved Lemon Goat Cheese Spread

1 large head of garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces soft goat cheese (such as Silver Goat), at room temperature
1 tablespoon chopped preserved lemons (just the rind part)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Roast the garlic:   Preheat oven to 350F (can do in toaster oven).  Cut off the top of the garlic. Set the garlic in the center of a square of foil, drizzle with olive oil so that oil runs into the cloves.  Bunch (scrunch) the foil around the garlic head, leaving a bit of an opening then bake for 35 – 45 minutes until cloves are nice and soft.   Let cool.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl with a wooden spoon.  Slip the garlic cloves out of the skin and add to the bowl.  Mash them a bit on the edge of the bowl (you may or may not want to add the whole head depending on how big it is) then stir together.    Refrigerate the mixture for at least an hour to let the flavors meld, but let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or so before serving so that is spreads more easily.

Serve on warm bread, crackers, or crudité.
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And last, if you want to go the trendy route with kale and a home-fermented food, try this salad, which was inspired by my favorite salad at our local chop house, Stake. While they do have good steaks, we are much more likely to go there and just have a flatbread and salad, or a roasted vegetable outside on the balcony... along with a nice bottle of wine.
 

Kale Salad with Almonds and Feta

Per person for a main dish salad: 

¼ cup almonds – either slivered blanched almonds or coarsely chopped whole almonds

Handful of kale ~ 4 leaves, thick ribs removed and cut into thin slices (1/4 inch or so)

Handful of cabbage – cut into ¼ slices, each about an inch or two long

1 quarter of a preserved lemon (peel only), diced

1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled

1 small carrot (optional) – 1/8 inch julienne or shredded

¼ cup chickpeas (optional) – plain or roasted

¼ of an avocado (optional) – diced.

Olive oil

Lemon juice – about ½ a lemon

Pepper

Salt

Roast almonds:  place on foil on a pan and toast in a toaster oven until light brown.  Alternatively, roast in a small skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently.  Or start with roasted almonds.

Massage kale leaves with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.  Let sit while you chop the remaining vegetables.  

Add the cabbage, preserved lemon, cheese and optional ingredients.  Add the almonds (they should be slightly cooled). Toss.  Add the lemon juice and a good grind of pepper, toss some more.  If the salad looks dry, add another bit of olive oil.  Taste to determine if more salt is needed (the preserved lemon and feta are pretty salty, so more salt may not be needed).  Serve in a handmade bowl.
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To Taste ... Roasted Carrot Dip

More and more, I just make stuff up when I'm cooking. I start with an idea, look in my cookbooks (Eat My Books is a handy tool for this), or more normally, just google the idea. The idea that started this was a roasted cauliflower dip.   I found a recipe or two, make some modifications, and it came out tasty, but a pretty unappetizing color.  So then I thought -- carrots!  That will be pretty (after all, dips are party food and it can't just be a grayish/beige blob).  For flavor inspiration, I riffed on the roasted carrot with yogurt sauce side dish at Stake, our local (excellent) steak house. Found more recipes... I would say this one was guide that I used, but changing things that need to be changed because I wanted it to include yogurt.  And I didn't have any Harissa.  It came out good.   The problem is that at some point later in time, I want to make it again.  So I'm trying to remember what recipe(s) I used for a base (did I clip it in EverNote? was it a cookbook?), what did I do different from the recipe?   At which point I think about writing it down.  Which is good, but if I want to post it, I feel obligated to include cooking times and measurements.   So then I will make it again, make notes of measurements and times.  But be aware... my notes are often just estimates.   But I don't really feel too bad about this, because you need to cook things until they are done, which will vary depending on your oven, the freshness of the vegetables, how things are cut, and a thousand other variables.  And the same goes for how things taste... the age and variety of vegetables, the type of yogurt, all will affect the taste.   Then there is your taste .. how salty or spicy do you like things?  

Bottom line, use this as a guide.  Don't hesitate to adjust as you see fit.

 Roasted Carrot Spread

1 lb carrots
4 cloves garlic, with the skin still on
~ 1 tablespoon olive oil
~ 1/2 teaspoon spice rub* to sprinkle
1 teaspoon spice rub*
1 tablespoon tahini
¼ cup plain or Greek yogurt. Or Crème Fraiche
Juice from ½ lemon, maybe more
Salt, Pepper

Preheat oven to 425F, convection roast if you have it.  Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.   If using large carrots, peel, but if using smaller/fresher carrots, just scrub.  Split carrots if large.

Put carrots and garlic on sheet pan.  Drizzle olive oil over (note – I never measure), and sprinkle with spice rub (maybe a ½ teaspoon.. again, I don’t measure).  Toss with your hands to get everything evenly coated.  Spread out carrots; put the garlic in the center. Wash your hands, then put the pan in the oven.  If using convection, turn the carrots and garlic every 10 minutes or so. The garlic will be done first, in about 20 minutes. (The garlic is done when it is soft.) The carrots should be done in 25 – 30 minutes.  The carrots are done when they are soft and edges are starting to brown. If not using convection, turn every 15 minutes, and they will be done in 30 – 45 minutes (again, the garlic will be done sooner).  

Let the carrots cool.  Squeeze garlic out of its skin into a food processor.  Add carrots and remaining ingredients (start with ¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt, and a good grind of pepper), then process until fairly smooth.  Taste .. add more salt, lemon juice, yogurt, or spice rub to suit your taste.  Serve with crackers, pita, or bread.

* Spice rub:

1 part ground cumin
1 part ground coriander
1 part mild chili powder

Crackers!

  

I always have great intentions of posting a recipe that would be great for the holidays prior to the holidays, and this recipe is great for entertaining, but is there really a season for crackers?  Not at my house. 

Crackers are definitely one of my vices in terms of processed foods.  I try to find ones that are "more healthy" ... low in sugar and have some fiber, but generally rationalize that I'm eating crackers with a big salad and that's OK..  Except when I'm having them with a nice piece of cheese.  It's a slippery slope.

And my favorite crackers are Rainforest Crisps.  They make a bunch of flavors, but the I go for the Original ones.  A little sweet, but not too bad, with lots of nuts and seeds.  The only problem is that they are $7 or $8 a package (and this is a 6 ounce package), and that you can only get them at places like Whole Foods or specialty stores.  And they go stale in about a week.  It's one thing to pay a lot for sustainably raised meat, but for crackers?? This just seems like highway robbery.

Then I found a bunch of "copycat" recipes on the web for these crackers.  Could it be?  Let me say there are a lot of them out there (see here for my inspiration).  Most of them are similar... it's basically a soda bread that you bake, then slice, then bake again.  (which reminds me, someday I need to find out if I can make good crackers from my Soda Bread when I have leftovers).  There are variations in how much brown sugar and/or honey used, plus a lot of variations in different add-ins (nuts, seeds, dried fruit).  I tailored the recipe to the nuts and seeds I usually have around, skipped the honey, and have discovered that (like my soda bread) yogurt can be interchanged with buttermilk.  

The only hard part about making these is making very even, very thin slices.  It helps to refrigerate the loaves to get them to firm up.  Also, this recipe makes a lot of crackers (and like the ones from the store, they do lose their crisp pretty quickly).  But, you can freeze the loaves (the recipe makes 4 loaves, each loaf makes about the same amount as a package of crackers), then just slice and do the second bake when you are ready for some great crackers!  

And the best part, each loaf costs about $1 to make.  One note.. If you use sesame seeds, buy them in 1 lb packages, NOT in the spice aisle at your local grocery store.  Places like Whole Foods or Asian markets have them, they are priced similar to other nuts.  They will keep forever in the freezer. 

And Happy New Years!

Crisp Seed Crackers

Makes over 8 dozen crackers.  

1 cup flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk or yogurt
1/3 cup brown sugar (or a little less)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitos)
1/4 cup sesame seeds or sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or slivered almonds, roasted if desired)

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Spray 4 mini-loaf pans with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, stir together the flours, baking soda and salt. Add the buttermilk (or yogurt) and brown sugar, then mix with spoon until combined. Add the seeds and nuts, stir until blended.

Divide batter evenly between loaf pans. Bake 20 – 25 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.  When cool, wrap loaves and put into the refrigerator (this is an optional step, but it makes them easier to slice). You may also freeze loaves that you don’t plan to bake soon.

To make the crackers:  If loaves have been frozen, let them sit out for a half hour or so. Preheat the oven to 300° F.  Place a piece of parchment paper on a large sheet pan (one mini-loaf fills one sheet pan).

Slice the loaves as thin as you can with a serrated knife. Place the slices in a single layer on sheet pan.  Bake them for about 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 5 - 10 minutes, until crisp and deep golden.  Remove slices as they get done, the thinner slices will bake faster than the thicker ones.  Cool on rack.  Store airtight, they will lose their “crisp” in a week or so.

Farmers Markets

Several members of my family were here for a bit of summer vacation. I’m sad for them when they go back, not so much because they are going back to oppressive heat but because they just don’t have access to the wonderful fruits and vegetables we get here at the farmers markets. Like avocado’s. There are actually many different varieties with different seasons. Right now we can get giant Nabals, other times Bacon or Fuente. In between there are the Haas. Interesting fact: Avocados don’t get ripe on the trees, they need to be picked and then get soft in 10 days or so.

But beyond having access to the farmers markets, there is also some work needed once you get home. Especially when the farmers market is just once a week, and you want to eat fruits and vegetables every day! And you don’t want to face furry, slimy or smelly things in your kitchen later in the week.

Here are some of the things that I do to keep the farmers market bounty under control:

1. All greens (lettuce, kale, chard, herbs) get washed, spun dry in the salad spinner, and put on towels (cotton or paper). Pick out any bruised or yellow pieces. The towels get rolled up with the greens, and put into a plastic bag. The air is gently pushed out, and the bag sealed (I normally use twist ties). These get tossed in the fridge.

2. Root vegetables (carrots, turnips, radishes, beets) get the tops removed. For beet tops, treat them as greens (see step 1). The vegetables go into a clear plastic baggie. If they are especially dirty, wash, but make sure they are dry so as to not rot. They go into the refrigerator.

3. Other green vegetables – green beans, zucchini, broccoli, etc. Don’t wash, but again, I like to put into a clear bag. I really hate the big white bags most farmer’s market vendors have – they take up a lot of room, and you can’t see what you have. I generally just put the vegetables loose into my market bag when I get them and bag when I’m home, but this doesn’t work for things like green beans.

4. Things that need to ripen (avocado’s, tomatoes, peaches and other stone fruit): Put on the counter, I have an assortment of ceramic plates and shallow bowls to keep organized. Important: these things need to be checked EVERY day, and either get eaten (best) or put into the refrigerator. Tomatoes should just be eaten – only refrigerate as a last resort, as the flavor goes away and they get watery.

5. Anything especially tender (like berries) get checked (anything slightly mushed in transit should be eaten right then and there) and put into the fridge. Unless you are lucky enough to need to eat them that day.

And yes, it takes me more time to do this than actually shop, but I find that greens get eaten when I don’t have to stop and wash them, things that I see get used (or tossed at the first sign of slime), and the perfectly ripe fruit makes nieces very happy.

The NY Times recently published a story with similar advice to deal with summer’s bounty  with advice to do even more when you bring them into the house! I don’t start roasting vegetables when I get home, but I do try to immediately figure out what to do with any oddball stuff. When my brother was here, I picked up some okra – got home and found this recipe for okra pickles. I substituted cider vinegar for white, used mustard seed instead of pickling spice, and a dry red pepper instead of the jalapeno and cayenne pepper (but other than that, followed the recipe). I thought they were pretty yummy (even if a little bit slimy).

Back to avocado’s: Nothing says love like a big bowl of guacamole:

Guacamole

This is a general guideline; adjust to your own taste and what you have on hand:

Onion: ¼ to ½ cup finely chopped
Garlic: one small clove, finely chopped. Optional.
Something red: One medium tomato or ½ red bell, chopped
Something hot: 1+ jalapeños or a teaspoon of chili powder or other pepper to taste
Spice: about a ½ teaspoon of cumin
Salt: a good pinch, guessing about ¼ to ½ teaspoon
Avocado: about 3 normal sized Hass, but substitute any variety.
Acid: juice of a couple of limes or a lemon.
Cilantro: like a ¼ cup or so, finely chopped. Use as much or little as you want.

Put everything into a bowl. For the avocados, cut in half, remove pit, cross cut in the shell, then scoop out with a spoon. Squeeze the citrus on the avocado to keep the avocado from turning brown. Mix with a fork, gently mashing the avocado, making sure to leave some chunks. (If the avocados are less ripe, be a bit less gentle). Taste – add more heat, salt, acid as needed (if serving with chips, use a chip to taste). Serve immediately, or press plastic wrap directly on the surface and store in the fridge.

Small Changes

It’s easy to not eat your veggies.. even while eating a lot of foods that are considered “healthy”. For example:  A quick breakfast of peanut butter on whole wheat bread (you’d have a banana but your kid ate the last one yesterday).  Your morning snack is a low fat strawberry yogurt.  For lunch at work, a turkey sandwich that was brought in during a meeting (and a bag of Sun Chips.. more whole grains!).  You had a protein bar before hitting the gym, and then when out with some friends and had sushi for dinner (and were very good and skipped the deep fried things).   Overall, not bad… good a mix of carbs, protein, and not too much fat.   But your fruit and vegetable intake was about ½ a strawberry in your yogurt, a piece of limp iceberg lettuce on your sandwich, the avocado in your California roll, and a piece of seaweed in your miso soup.  Not exactly the recommended 7 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. 

Fruit and vegetables are key to good health, they are just starting to understand how the micronutrients affect everything from heart health to mental health.   There was an interesting study published last month showing how 2 changes to lifestyle could improve health:  more fruits and veggies, and less TV time.  I’m a big believer in making small changes that improve your diet, not going “on” a diet.    One of the habits I have adopted is including a fruit or vegetable in every meal and every snack. 

Examples: 

Breakfast:  I’m normally a fruit and yogurt and granola, or fruit and cereal person in the morning.  I keep frozen blueberries in the freezer in case I’m out of fresh fruit (zap them for 40 seconds in the microwave to thaw).  If you like eggs, try scrambling with some chopped green onions and baby spinach, or really any vegetables. And add a big scoop of salsa.  

Snacks:  my morning snack usually looks like a 2nd breakfast. Add cottage cheese and fruit to this list.   If I do have peanut butter on toast, I try to get a piece of fruit too. And my latest favorite is a banana chocolate milk. 

Lunch: Salads are the obvious choice for the veggie rich lunch.   One of the other things I have started doing when I have work lunches is getting the vegetarian option.  It’s not a guarantee to get more vegetables, but it normally helps.   If I have make a sandwich, I always try to load on dark leafy lettuce, avocado, and maybe a tomato.  And a lunch staple when I have good tomatoes:  peanut butter on toast with tomato (it’s really not awful, I learned it from my mom… )   Another option is to have some cut up vegetables, like carrots, celery, or radishes.  Lately, I have been making quick pickles too – hits that crunchy salty / sweet flavor instead of Sun chips! I used a kohlrabi to make my last batch.  See the recipe at the end.  And lunch just doesn’t seem complete without a piece of fruit at the end. 

Afternoon snacks:  I don’t always have an afternoon snack, but when I do, I like something more savory.  Kale chips are a fun option (and if you have clean kale, it only takes 20 minutes or so to make, not much longer than popcorn).  Sometimes I’ll have trail mix, but really there is not enough fruit in that to count.   Apple with cheese is a favorite, apple with peanut butter works too.   Cut up vegetables are a good option too, you can always add a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper to brighten them up.

Dinner:  Often I start my dinner thoughts with what vegetable I have, then decide what to make (as opposed to starting with the protein).  Hopefully I have provided lots of ideas on vegetable rich ideas for dinners over the years!  Here's my index.

So:  If you just wanted to do 1 thing this summer, I would challenge you to eat some fruit or vegetable with EVERY meal and snack!  Do it for a month, see if you can get some healthy new habits. 

Excerpt from From Al Dente blog:

Vinegar Pickles

Master Recipe from Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan

Ingredients

1 cup water, piping hot from the tap

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

6 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

Fruit or vegetable, sliced thin

Instructions

1. Combine the water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. 

2. Prepare vegetables or fruit and place in a quart container. Pour brine over the fruit or vegetable and refrigerate. You can eat immediately. But they will taste better after they've had time to sit.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Last night at a wonderful party with lots of friends, we were discussing seasonal favorites, and someone mentioned how often she makes "my" stuffed mushrooms and how everyone loves them.  I'm not even sure where I got the recipe, and have not made it myself in a long time.  But a good reminder of something yummy I should make for the next get together  -- especially convenient since you can make them ahead, and bake when you need them.   And maybe a good experiment when I get around to trying to make sausage (being that I can't do anything the easy way). 

Stuffed Mushrooms

3 hot Italian Turkey sausages, casings removed

1 clove garlic chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

Olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces) 

6 ounces low fat cream cheese, room temperature

1 large egg yolk

48 small ( or 24 large 2-inch-diameter) mushrooms, stemmed

1/3 cup dry white wine 

Sauté sausage, garlic and oregano in heavy large skillet in small amount of oil over medium-high heat until sausage is cooked through and brown, breaking into small pieces, for about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage mixture to large bowl and cool. Mix in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, then cream cheese. Season filling with salt and pepper; mix in egg yolk. 

Line cookie sheet with parchment. Brush cavity of each mushroom cap with white wine; fill with scant 1 tablespoon filling.  (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)   Arrange mushrooms, filling side up on prepared sheet pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered until mushrooms are tender and filling is brown on top, about 25 minutes.

Too busy to blog…

Seems I have been either seriously goofing off, or seriously working.  Either way, it doesn’t seem like I have had much time to blog, even though goofing off gives me so much blog material!

In the category of “goofing off”, I attended a cooking class held at Lavender, a French restaurant in Green Valley, AZ.  (This was just previous to the 2-day golf tournament I played with Mom, which …ahem… we won!   Please no sandbagging jokes).

Lavender’s is at the Green Valley Country Club, and is open to the public.  It is owned by a husband and wife, Chef Frederic and Graciela Lange. I was impressed by the huge kitchen, and always happy to find some place that is cooking interesting food (sometimes it seems hard to find a restaurant that even really cooks). They do a great job on simple food – like the lunches for the golf tournament.   I still have not tried them for dinner (but will soon), and hope that the meals reflect what we saw in class – good ingredients, honestly prepared.

Chef Frédéric Lange prepared an ambitious list of appetizers in the 1 ½ hour class:

Eggplant Dip
Truffle Calzone
Party Pizza
Croque Monsieur
Brie with Caramel and Nuts
Shrimp-stuffed cucumber

The eggplant dip was my favorite, and I now know how to easy it is to quickly cook large eggplants.   I like eggplant dips and occasionally make them when have friends over, they are a nice (and healthy) alternative to cheese and crackers, but have always struggled with cooking the eggplant.   The truffle calzone was just indulgent… mascarpone cheese and herbs and truffle oil.  And, even though I make pizza all the time, the pizza demonstration taught me a few new tricks.  Like AJ’s carries fresh yeast, and that you really don’t need to let the dough rise for an hour. That you really can put potatoes on a pizza, and that I need to use more liquid when I make my dough with the Kitchen Aid.  And another way to shape the pizza for serving small pieces for hors d'oeuvres.  The Croque Monsieur is French version a grilled ham and cheese, Chef Frederic jazzed it up with some thin slices of pear – and cooked in the oven which is a great way to do for a crowd.  The Brie with Caramel was fun to watch – mostly how to bring back caramel sauce from the brink of disaster (overcooking). 

In the end, the best part of the class was watching someone who is a master – do the simple things like smash garlic, use a mandolin and knife -- while sharing their knowledge in a fun (and tasty) way.   Chef did not have written recipes…  most of these are things that are simple and you can make up as you go.  Following is my interpretation of what he prepared, and hope I have not forgotten anything too important (also, I have not yet tested these in my kitchen, so if something seems strange or missing, call me).

Eggplant Dip

3 large eggplants
9 cloves garlic
Salt, pepper
¾ cup olive oil
2 cups roasted red peppers
Herbs to taste – basil, parsley, thyme, pesto if desired
Parmesan cheese

Slice eggplant in half the long way, leaving the stem on.  Score flesh in diamonds (3 to 4 cuts, through meat but not skin.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic, making sure to get down in the cuts.  Drizzle olive oil on top, again, getting down in the cuts.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350F.  Put peppers on top, and bake another 5 minutes.  Eggplant should be soft.

Next remove the eggplant from the skin:  make small cut through the flesh near the stem. Hold by the stem, and with a large spoon, scoop out the flesh.  Best to do this on a plate to catch the juice.  Place everything in a large bowl.  Stir and mash with a fork, intention is to keep chunky (rustic).  Add herbs and parmesan cheese, stir, then taste for salt, add more if needed.  To serve, place in shallow bowl, add more cheese and a drizzle of oil on top.  Serve with toasted fresh bread (crostini).

Party Pizza

For the dough, the basic formula is 2 parts flour to 1 part liquid (water and oil).  You can also use dry yeast, but it will take less (my guess is ~ 2 full teaspoons based on my other recipe).

4 cups flour
1 ½ cup warm water
½ cup olive oil
30g fresh yeast
3 teaspoons kosher salt (less if table salt)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 425F.

Dissolve yeast in water.  Place flour in bowl of mixer, add remaining ingredients.  Mix using stand mixer with dough hook until it comes together in a ball, about 3 minutes total.  Cut into 3 pieces.  Let the dough rest while you prepare the toppings (about 30 minutes or so).

On a floured board, roll each piece into a long rectangle (as long as a big cookie sheet).  Put some olive oil on a large rimmed cooking sheet, place the dough on the oil.  Add the toppings (see below for ideas), and bake for 12-15 minutes.  Cheese should be melted, and if you look underneath, the bread will be brown.

Remove from the oven and place on a large cutting board.  Slice in half the long way, then crosswise into 2 inch pieces.

Toppings…

Bacon and Potato  (enough for one long pizza)

6 slices of good bacon
1 or 2 small potatoes (like Yukon gold)
Parmesan cheese (about a cup of finely grated)
Olive oil
Salt, pepper, herbs (thyme, parsley, basil, etc)

Chop the bacon in 1 inch pieces, and cook in a small amount of olive oil.  Cook until fat has started to render, but bacon is still soft (it will get crisp later when on the pizza).  Slice the potato (no need to peel) into very thin slices, preferably with a mandolin.  Do just before using so they don’t turn brown.   Put some olive oil on the pizza dough, then salt (optional – for me the bacon and cheese provided plenty of salt), pepper and herbs.  Put on some cheese, the bacon, potato slices, some more cheese.  Optional – add some of the bacon grease.  Bake as directed above.  Garnish with more herbs if desired.

Greek (enough for one long pizza)

I have made one change.  Chef put the basil on last, and in the oven it turned brown to black (just the nature of basil).  When I put basil on pizza’s, I always put it on first, just after the oil, and it stays green and keeps its flavor.

Cherry or Grape Tomatoes -- about a pint, sliced in half
Olives (Kalamata or your favorite) – half a cup, maybe more
½ Small red onion, sliced
Garlic, 3 cloves, smashed and chopped
Feta cheese, about 4 ounces, cut in chunks
Basil
Olive oil

Put some olive oil on the pizza dough.  Don’t salt – the feta cheese will add plenty of salt.  Put some roughly chopped basil and garlic on the oil, then layer on the tomoatoes, olives, onions, and feta cheese.  Bake as directed above, then add some more chopped basil on top.

Truffle Calzone

Pizza dough (probably about ½ of above recipe)
Mascarpone cheese, room temperature, about one cup
Herbs – Thyme, basil, parsley, other as desired
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Scant ¼ cup of truffle oil

Preheat oven to 425F

Roll half the dough into a 12 inch circle.  Place on oiled sheet pan.  Spread the cheese on the dough, leaving the outer inch of dough uncovered.  Top with herbs, cream and truffle oil.  Brush the outer edge with water.  Roll other half of the dough into a 12 inch circle and place on top. Crimp the edges.  Dock (make holes) with a fork.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Cut into wedges or squares to serve.

Croque Monsieur

Originally served as fast food in French bars and cafes.

Good quality whole grain bread
Ham (like black forest)
Cheese – preferably Gruyere or Emmentaler,
Bosque pear (needs to be firm, do not use a juicy pear) halved, cored and cut into thin slices
Spicy brown mustard
Butter (room temperature)

Spread each slice of bread with mustard.  Build sandwich in following order:   Ham, cheese, pear, cheese, ham.  Put butter on outside of each sandwich.  Place on sheet pan, and bake.  (I’m guessing on time and temperature, but I think 425 for 10 minutes… not sure if they turned them or not).  To serve as appetizer, cut into 6 - 8 squares, stick with a tooth pick in each square.  Place on a platter to serve.

Brie with Caramel and Pecans

2 cups sugar
½ cup water
½ a large round of brie cheese, cut into 2 quarters
Pecans, chopped and toasted

Make caramel sauce:  mix sugar and water, and place on heat.  Do not stir.  Bring to a boil.  Brush some water on the pan just above the sauce to prevent crystallization.  Cook until it starts to turn brown (~10 minutes) and remove from heat.  It will continue to brown (if it starts to get too brown, add some water… this will splatter).  Cool slightly.  Arrange brie on rimmed serving platter, put a couple of handfuls of nuts on top and pour caramel over top.  Place inverted bowl over the top, and let sit for an hour or so (this should soften the caramel).  Serve with crackers.

Grilled Vegetables

To continue with the squash theme, and to take advantage of the slightly cooler weather we are having, I thought I would add one of my favorite appetizers, Grilled Vegetable Antipasti, plus the closely related Grilled Vegetable Pasta.   This is so good (and pretty) I have two pictures!

This is from this year, at the book club get together in Munds park.

And this is from a couple of years ago, from a party at a friends in Co Springs.











Please just use these recipes as a guide.  You can cut the vegetables thinner or thicker (just adjust cooking time), simplify the coating… just olive oil and salt is good, or just use one or two vegetables if there are only one or two of you.

Grilled Vegetable Antipasti

Marinade:½ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Vegetables:
½ pound eggplant, cut into 1 cm (something between ¼ and ½ inch) slices
½ pound zucchini, cut into 1 cm slices (on diagonal if med or larger, lengthwise if small)
½ pound yellow squash, cut into 1 cm slices
1 medium red onion, sliced into 1 cm slices – stick toothpick through to keep intact
1 yellow or red bell pepper, cut in half lengthwise
Extras:
½ cup coarsely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
½ cup toasted pine nuts
Olives
Basil leaves (and flowers if you have them)
French bread

Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a large bowl.  Add vegetables and toss to coat. Let marinate for 1 – 2 hours.

Preheat grill to medium or high heat.  Place vegetables on the grill (in batches if necessary).  Grill until marked and starting to soften, generally 2 – 5 minutes per side depending on grill temperature.  Removed with tongs and arrange on a platter, let cool slightly.  Add cheese, pine nuts, olives, basil, and/or anything else that seems good.

Optional:  brush thin diagonal slices of the French bread with olive oil and grill until lightly toasted, about 1 minute per side.

Grilled Vegetable Pasta

4 servings

Veggies (use as a guide only!):¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Fresh or dry herbs, salt, pepper
2 medium zucchini, sliced diagonally about ½ inch thick
1 small eggplant, sliced lengthwise in ½ inch slices
1 red or mild yellow onion, cut in 2 large slices and skewered
2 red bell peppers, whole
1 ear corn, silk removed and husk replaced
1 head of garlic, top cut off
And/or:  Mushrooms, Asparagus

Pasta:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup fresh basil (or other herbs)
½ pound chunky pasta, cooked
Save about ½ cup pasta water
¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
¼ cup goat cheese, crumbled
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

For Grilled Veggies:  Mix together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper.  Mix with vegetables (can do earlier in the day).   Drizzle garlic with oil and partially wrap in foil. On grill heated to medium, put in some wood chips and with several branches of rosemary. Put all the vegetables on the grill. The corn will cook quickest, maybe 10 minutes. Cook remaining veggies until soft and browned, 15 - 20 minutes.  Turn every 5-10 minutes.  The bell pepper skin will be black.  Remove pieces from grill as they get done and let cool.

Dice the squash, eggplant, and onion. Peel bell pepper and dice.   Cut corn from cob. Put in a large bowl.  Put in several cloves of roasted garlic (cut in half if large), use remainder for snacking.  Add the cooked and drained pasta. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a bit more salt and pepper to taste, chopped fresh basil, enough pasta water and/or white wine to moisten (about ½ cup total).  Serve with about 1 tablespoon each goat cheese crumbles and toasted pine nuts on each serving.

Swimming makes you hungry

Swimming is certainly the rage this week with the Olympics, Michael Phelps, and the new world records with the new Speedo suits.  It's great motivation to keep me going.  Plus I keep  watching to figure out how out things like the body whip (the dolphin like swimming that the swimmers do as they come off the wall).  My main motivater has been my swim class leader Kymmie, who makes it fun.  She has a huge amount of positive energy that she brings to class, plus is really, really a good swimmer.  And Tuesday made us swim with cups on our head (the red plastic kind you would use at a keg party - I'm thinking there needs to be a drinking party game involved).  The other fun thing is that you need to eat more (assuming your goal is to not lose weight).  According to the press, Michael Phelps eats 12,000 calories per day.  The challenge is to not just starting eating a bunch of crap.  But Kymmie has helped here too, with several recipes on good for you foods to help keep you going. 

Disclaimer:  every recipe I have put on my web is something that I have cooked, usually many many times.  These are from Kymmie, and I have not tried them yet.   I have added my thoughts, and I will add comments when I make them to how they come out (and be suspicious if I make you chocolate pudding).   Enjoy!

Cowboy Caviar

Deb’s take:  This is real similar to my corn and bean salad (my salad has some olive oil but no acocados, I suspect this is a good trade).  Unless you are cooking for a crowd, I would suggest making just 1/3 of the recipe (using just black beans).  I would eat this straight up without the tortilla chips.

Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp hot sauce (Tobasco)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt
3 firm, ripe avocados, diced into cubes
1 (15oz) can each: white beans, black beans, kidney beans; rinsed and drained
3 cups frozen corn; thawed
1 cup green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh cilantro; chopped
1 lb pear tomatoes; halved
Tortilla chips; Scoops are best

Mix together lime juice, vinegar, hot sauce, oil, garlic, pepper and salt.  Add avocado; mix gently with lime juice mixture.  Add remaining ingredients, put in refridgerator for several hours.   Serve with Scoops

Cauliflower Lemon Antipasto Salad

This looks yummy.  There are couple of interesting techniques.  One is marinating the tofu in the dressing, which will give it great flavor.  The other is putting boiling water on the broccoli and cauliflower – which should help remove the “rawness” without really cooking.   I will definitely be trying this out.

4 oz  extra firm tofu
1 cup  broccoli florets
1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
1 small lemon, thinly sliced
2 cups  chick-peas
1 small sweet red, green, and yellow peppers, sliced
Half  seedless cucumber, chunks
2 cups  cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup  black Kalamata olives
3 oz   fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
2 tbsp  fresh parsley, chopped
2 oz  feta cheese, crumbled
Dressing
¼ cup  olive oil
1/8 cup red wine or white balsamic vinegar
1  green onion, minced
2-3  cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp  Dijon mustard
2 tsp  each fresh basil, oregano, parsley
Pinch  sea salt and pepper

Dressing:  In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients, gradually adding oil.

Cut tofu into 1-1/2 inch long strips, about ¼ inch wide; add to dressing. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

In a bowl, pour boiling water over broccoli, cauliflower and lemon slices; let stand for 8 minutes. Drain well and place in salad bowl along with remaining ingredients. Add tofu and dressing; toss gently. Cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for at least 1 hour or until chilled.

Nut Butter Protein Energy Balls

This looks like a way to make your own energy bars.  I’m not crazy about all of the added vitamins that most of the bars have (I think I taste them), plus they tend to be expensive.  
Update: There are a great alternative. I have made with chocolate chips, as well as chocolate chips and dried cranberries.  I have not used the protein powder, but Kymmie says the Ruth's is good and not highly processed, and available at Sprouts.

1 cup raw almond, cashew or peanut butter
3 cups organic old fashioned oats
1-2 Tblsp of protein powder (Ruth's Raw Hemp/Flax seed)
1/2 cup maple syrup, honey or agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla extract
cinnamon
Optional additions
1/2 cup raisins (or dried cranberries)
1/3-1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4-1/2 cup raw cacoa bits (or chocolate chips)
Combine all ingredients together; take a tablespoon and form into balls. Refrigerate.

Raw donut holes

These look good, I’m a huge fan of dates. However, I am not a big fan of coconut of the sweetened dried coconut (probably relating to those pink Hostess things), but sometimes I’m OK with the unsweetened coconut.

1 3/4 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight in water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups dried pineapples, chopped  (the mini ones at Trader Joe’s)
2 cups pitted dates
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Process first 3 ingredients in food processor until fine powder, slowly add pineapple and dates. Place in a large bowl and add 1/3c coconut. Form into small balls and roll in 1/4c remaining coconut.

CHOCOLADO PUDDING 

This one I’m just going to have to try… 

~3-4 servings

2-3 ripe avocados
7 ½ Tbs unsweetened organic cocoa (chocolate) powder (Dagoba, etc.)
½ cup agave nectar OR pure maple syrup
splash vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
dash cinnamon

Peel the ripe avocados and blend them in a Cuisinart/food processor. Add chocolate/cocoa powder, vanilla, sea salt and cinnamon. Blend. Add agave or maple syrup and adjust the amount for sweetness. Keep blending in your Cuisinart until creamy with a pudding-like consistency.

Eat or refrigerate, serve w/ fresh berries.

Happy Mothers Day... and recipes from a Mediterranean-style lunch

Happy Mother's Day to all those Mom's among my blog fans ...  all 5 of you

We had a  nice Mother's day today.. we went to Tucson and did what has become somewhat of a tradition were I show up at a Mom's house and cook breakfast or lunch...   this year, we got together with my Mom for lunch at my brother's house, in their fabulous new kitchen (and I am jealous of their new induction cooktop... how did I miss this when I redid our kitchen?).  So we had two Mom's (my mom and my nieces mom), plus the puppy Chester (soooo cute).   Maybe next year I need to figure out how to do this with Mom in San Diego.. not a bad thought since it seems we are hitting 100+ for the last several days!

For lunch, I did a Mediterranean theme, starting with a Rosemary Bean Dip, then Grilled Lamb and 3 Salads... all the recipes follow.  To top if off, I did a Apricot Cobbler, which was quite wonderful due to a lucky find of fabulous Schnepf Farms organic apricots at AJ's.   Drop me a line if you would like the recipe... but get the good apricots first!

The Ingredient:  Christmas Tree Beans ... again.   I used both the bean dip and the Green Bean Salad instead of the canned white beans I normally use.  I do have to mention the color of the bean dip is a bit better with white beans, but I really do like these beans.  (I cooked the beans with just a bit of onion and no salt, you will need to salt the dishes a bit more than when using canned beans).

Rosemary White-Bean Puree

If you have the time and enthusiasm, cook the beans.  You can use any beans that you like, I did with Christmas Tree Beans for Mother’s Day Lunch, and it really came out extra yummy

¼ cup olive oil
2 3” rosemary sprigs
1-2 cloves of garlic, smashed
One 15-oz can cannelloni or other white bean, rinsed and drained
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoons chopped rosemary
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Salt to taste (~1/2 teaspoon)

Heat oil, rosemary sprigs, and garlic in small saucepan over medium heat until they start to sizzle and become fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.  Let cool some.  Pull out rosemary and garlic, discard
Place beans, oil, and remaining ingredients in food processor, puree until smooth.   Taste and adjust lemon juice and salt.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Keeps well for several days.
Serve with bread, pita, or crackers.

Grilled Herb-Crusted Leg of Lamp with Fresh Mint Sauce

The time and effort for this all goes to trimming the lamb of the fat.. which I think is the key to lamb that is not gamey or greasy.  But plan a good hour to get prep lamb and fix marinade.

1 6-7 lb leg of lamb (boneless roast)
Marinade:
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup Dijon mustard (I like Trader Joes’)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
Sauce:
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup water
1 cup chopped mint
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Untie and unfold lamb on a large cutting board.  Trim as much fat as possible.  A couple of notes:   The fat will run in between the mussels, you what to get this as much as possible, along with any silver skin (you will end up with quite a pile of fat).  Object is to end up with several large pieces (about 3 or 4).  Note:  the smaller pieces I just collect up, and freeze for later for stew or kabobs.  I did a 7 pound roast, ended up with a little over 1 lb of stew meat for the freezer, and 3 large pieces which fed 7 of us, with a nice amount of leftovers.    Once you have some nice pieces, place a piece between sheets of plastic wrap, and pound with meat mallet or heavy skillet to get a more uniform thickness… want ~ 1 – 2 inches with each piece as even as possible.

Mix all marinade ingredients together, and spear on the lamb.  Place in large zip-loc baggie, and refrigerate for a day or so.

Sauce: Whisk water with sugar, salt pepper, stir in remaining ingredients.  Best to do the same day as grilling.
To grill lamb:  Pull lamb out of the fridge when you start the grill (20 minutes or so before starting to cook).  Heat grill to hot, put lamb on and drop temp to low or medium low.  Flip after 5 minutes or so.  Total time will vary on thickness, expect 12 to 20 minutes.  Pull off pieces as they cook…  they will start to firm up (like steaks), or for medium rare, about 130F on an instant read thermometer.   Let sit for 10 minutes to rest, then slice across grain to serve.  Serve sauce separately to spoon over meat.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

This salad goes great with chicken.  Salad keeps fairly well, and leftovers are great for lunch (mixed in left-over chicken is good). Don't worry about being exact on the vegetable quantities (adjust to taste). 

4 to 6 servings
45 minutes

2 cups chicken broth (I like the Pacific Free Range Organic…)
(or 1 14-oz can low salt chicken broth plus enough water to make 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking couscous
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped OR 1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 oz feta cheese, cut into 1/4" dice
1/4 cup minced parsley or watercress
1/2 cup minced green onion
1/2 cup olive oil
6 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper
Black olives
Lettuce leaves

Bring broth and water to boil in medium saucepan.  Mix in couscous.  Cover and remove from heat.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Fluff couscous with fork.  Turn into large bowl.  Cool to room temperature.
Prepare vegetables.  When couscous is cool (or almost cool), mix in tomato, feta, parsley, and green onion.  Whisk together oil, lemon juice, and generous amount of pepper (1 teaspoon or more), mix into salad.  Refrigerate.

Just before serving, top with olives.  If being fancy, serve in bowl lined with lettuce leaves.

Grilled Red Onion and Bean Salad

SERVES 6 TO 8

1 pound fresh green beans
1 can (15 ounces) small white beans or flageolets
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or basil
Salt, pepper, to taste
1 large, flattish red onion, 8 to 10 ounces

Trim the ends off the green beans and cut them into 1 1/2 inch lengths.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 teaspoons salt per quart, and boil the green beans five minutes.  Drain them well and cool them quickly under running cold water.

Drain and rinse the canned beans well.  In a large bowl, combine the green beans and white beans.  Toss with 1/4 cup of the oil and the remaining ingredients, except the onion, and let them marinate at least one hour. 

Peel the onion and cut off the stem and flower ends.  Cut it crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.  When the barbecue coals are just starting to ash over, brush the onion slices with some of the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and brown them lightly on both sides, about five minutes per side.  Cut the slices in quarters and toss them with the beans.

Greek Salad
This was the first time I did this recipe..  don't worry about being too exact!

4 tomatoes, chopped (or can use 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved)
½ cup chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
6 oz Feta cheese
1 lemon zested (about 1 tablespoon) and juiced (about ½ cup)
1 English cucumber, lightly peeled and chopped into ½ inch dice
4 scallions, chopped (about ½ cup)
~ 1 cup Kalamata olives (pitted).
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Mix together, let sit for an hour at room temperature before serving.