Salmon and Bean Salad

Here’s an easy-to-prepare salad that’s perfect for summer dinner. I make this a lot, sometimes using salmon or other leftover fish (I’ve even used canned salmon) and sometimes using cheese instead or with. Also? I’ve made this with leftover chicken. And substituted cooked carrots for the peas.

It’s all good. And takes almost no time to put together!

SALMON AND WHITE BEAN SALAD

• 1 15-ounce can white beans

• 1 to 1-1/2 cups crumbled cooked salmon (or other fish)

• 1/2 cup fresh cooked or thawed frozen peas

• 2-3 scallions, chopped

• 1/3 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts or other nuts (or use chopped water chestnuts)

• 3 tablespoons olive or avocado oil 

• 2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Rinse the beans (save the liquid for use as aquafaba) and place them in a mixing bowl. Add the salmon, peas, scallions and hazelnuts and toss the ingredients gently to distribute them evenly. Pour in the olive oil and toss gently. Pour in 2 tablespoons of the white vinegar, sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper, toss. Taste and add more white wine vinegar if needed. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings

#salmon and white bean salad#bean salad#salmon salad#white beans#using leftovers

Grain and Chick Pea Salad Salad

Here’s an easy summer salad — main dish or side dish. Make it ahead (but don’t add the dressing until about 15 minutes before you serve it).

Any whole grain will do. I like farro the best so I usually make it with that, but have also used freekeh, barley and wheatberries. All good!

FARRO AND ROASTED CHICK PEA SALAD

• 1 can chick peas (15 ounces)

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, approximately

• Salt to taste

• 1 cup farro

• 2 cups water

• 3-4 scallions, chopped

• 1 avocado, peeled and diced

• 2-3 tablespoons wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• salt to taste

• Aleppo pepper, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drain the chick peas and place them on a baking sheet. Pour 2 teaspoons olive oil over them and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 20 minutes or until crispy and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool. While the vegetables are roasting, place the farro and water in a saucepan and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 25-30 or until the grain is tender, but still chewy. Let cool slightly and place in a mixing bowl. Add the chick peas, scallions and avocado and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss the ingredients. Pour in the wine vinegar, add the parsley, mint and cumin and toss the ingredients again. Season to taste with salt and Aleppo pepper. Stir in more olive oil and/or wine vinegar if you wish.

Makes 6-8 servings

Lemony Potato Salad

You can never have too many recipes for potato salad and I have many, but this one is an enduring favorite, my go-to. I just planted fresh oregano in my garden, so this Memorial Day weekend is a perfect time to use the first herb harvest. If you don’t have fresh oregano, dried will do. Also, I didn’t have small potatoes, which I usually use, so I cut up Yukon Golds and that’s fine too. The amount of oregano and parsley depends on your taste buds — we like this salad herby, so I used 2 tablespoons.

POTATO SALAD WITH LEMON-OREGANO VINAIGRETTE

• 2-1/2 pounds Yukon Gold or small red or yellow potatoes

• lightly salted water

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 2 scallions, finely chopped

• 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

• 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (1-1/2 teaspoons dried)

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain under cold water and peel, if desired. Cut the potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Pour in the olive oil and lemon juice and toss ingredients gently. Add the scallions, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss gently. Let rest at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 4-6 servings

Roasted Fruit Cocktail

Roasted Fruit Cocktail

After a huge Passover Seder meal (or any big dinner), Roasted Fruit Cocktail is an excellent choice for dessert. Roasting brings out the fruit sugars in a tantalizing way with hints of rum and molasses. The chopped mint adds color and a really fresh, perky finish.

ROASTED FRUIT COCKTAIL

• 1 ripe fresh pineapple

• 2 fresh mangos

• 3/4 cup orange juice

• 1/4 cup honey

• cinnamon

• 18-20 strawberries, hulls removed

• 1 cup seedless red grapes

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

• sorbet or ice cream, optional

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a jelly roll sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.Remove the leaves and hard outer shell of the pineapple. Cut the pineapple lengthwise into 1-inch thick strips. Discard the fibrous core. Place the remaining strips on the parchment-lined jelly roll pan. Peel the mango and cut the flesh into strips. Set aside. Place the orange juice and honey in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat slightly and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the liquid is slightly thickened. Generously brush all surfaces of the pineapple strips with the orange juice mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Roast for 4-5 minutes. Turn the strips over. Add the mango strips, strawberries and grapes to the pan. Brush with the remaining orange juice mixture. Roast for another 6-7 minutes or until fruit is soft and lightly caramelized. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. Cut the pineapple and mango strips into bite size pieces. Place all the fruit and accumulated pan juices in a bowl, sprinkle with the mint and toss. Place into serving dishes. Serve plain or with sorbet or ice cream.

Makes 8 servings

Moroccan Meatballs

Check out this article I wrote for The Nosher. It's about meatballs.

Who doesn't love meatballs?

These are slightly spicy and cloaked in a rich, chunky tomatoey sauce. So good any night of the year. Also a good choice for Passover.

Bonus: you can make them ahead!

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/make-ahead-moroccan-meatballs-recipe/

Farro with Mango, Dates and Nuts

Farro with Dates, Nuts and Mango

People are always surprised when I say that Tu B’Shevat is one of the most delicious of the Jewish holidays — gastronomically speaking, of course! For a woman like me, who loves fruits, nuts, whole grains, (classic ingredients for Tu B’Shevat recipes) — making something for this holiday is a real treat.

I demonstrated this dish a few months ago at Temple Beth El Synagogue in Stamford, CT as part of a Rosh Hashanah event. Thing is, this dish is a year ‘round favorite, but is especially appropriate for Tu B’Shevat.

WHOLEGRAIN SALAD WITH DATES, NUTS AND MANGO

• 1 cup wholegrain such as freekeh, farro, brown rice, oat groats, barley

• 8 medjool dates, chopped

• 1 cup thawed, frozen peas, cubed tofu or leftover chicken

• 3/4 cup chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios)

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced (or use peach, nectarine or halved grapes)

• 4 chopped scallions

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 3 tablespoon mango juice or orange juice   

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the grain according to package directions until the grains are tender but still somewhat firm and all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Place the cooked grain in a bowl. Add the dates, peas, nuts, raisins, mango, scallions, parsley and mint. Toss ingredients gently to distribute them evenly. Combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, mango/orange juice and lemon juice and whisk vigorously. Pour the dressing over the salad. Toss the salad and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let rest for about 10-15 minutes before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings

Meatball Nosh

I had a little cranberry sauce and a bottle of chili sauce and a small amount of ground beef. Not enough to use for dinner, so I made a version of the Elegant but Easy Cookbook recipe for cocktail meatballs (Marion Burros and Lois Levine). I didn’t have the recipe in front of me but remembered it was little meatball cooked in a combo of grape jelly and chili sauce. The version I made was delicious and just enough for a nice little nosh for 2. I made a fraction of the recipe below.

Gonna make these for New Year’s, when we have hors d’oeuvres at different points during the day (no actual dinner).

Cocktail Meatballs: heat 1-1/2 cups cranberry sauce, 1-1/2 cups chili sauce, 1/4 cup orange juice and 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger in a saucepan. Stir to blend the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. In a bowl, mix 1 pound ground beef (or use turkey or veal) with 1 egg and enough breadcrumbs to bind the mixture well. Make 1-inch meatballs and place them in the sauce. Cook for 35-40 minutes, spooning the sauce over the meatballs occasionally and turning them to coat all sides.

Makes 8 servings

Rhubarb Chutney

Rhubarb has a special place in my life. My mother made it often and served it as a side dish the way most other mothers I knew served apple sauce. She used fresh rhubarb stalks when they were in season and boxes of frozen rhubarb during the rest of the year.

Everyone in my family loved it. My mother didn’t use as much sugar as most recipes said to do because we loved it tart and tangy. I make it the same way she did: mix 1-1/2 pounds of sliced rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar and cook over medium heat, covered, for about 10 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 15 minutes. That’s it!

Recently I’ve also been making rhubarb chutney because its a great favorite at our house. It’s such a good accompaniment to grilled meats — chicken, beef, lamb — all of it, and I’ve also served it with salmon.

Rhubarb season is almost over so make this one while you still can! 

You can serve it with whatever you may be grilling outdoors over Labor Day weekend. Or with a classic roasted chicken for Shabbat or Rosh Hashanah brisket. It will keep in the fridge for awhile too, so you can save some for Thanksgiving.

Or give some away — it’s a delicious, edible gift!

Rhubarb Chutney

• 1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch slices

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 2-inch cinnamon stick

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

• 6 whole cloves

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 cup golden raisins

Combine the rhubarb, sugar, cider vinegar, cinnamon stick, ginger, cloves, onion, garlic and raisins in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Mix the ingredients and cook over high heat. When the liquid in the pan starts to bubble, lower the heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes or until the raisins are tender and the sauce is slightly thickened. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Makes about 3 cups

Cole Slaw with Beet Greens

I bought the freshest, most gorgeous beets recently and used the bulbs for some recipes, but — what to do with the greens?

The greens were also crisp and perfect, as if they were just harvested.

However, Ed hates beet greens. I’ve cooked them any number of ways to no avail.

Truth to tell, beet greens are not my favorite either.

But I hate wasting food.

So I shredded the greens, shredded some cabbage, mixed them all together and made them into Cole Slaw.

PERFECT!

Not only did the beet greens add some flavor, they also provided a lovely color, which I usually get from parsley — but I didn’t have parsley, so it all worked out deliciously.

Cole Slaw with Beet Greens

• 1/2 medium green cabbage, shredded

• 2 cups shredded red cabbage

• 1 bunch beet greens, shredded

• 2 medium carrots, grated

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise

• 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon sugar

Place the cabbages, beet greens and carrots in a large bowl and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. In a bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard and sugar together and pour over the vegetables. Toss the ingredients and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs

There is no end to the ways you can make potato salad. Start with cooked (boiled, roasted) waxy potatoes (like baby Yukon gold or red bliss) and then:

• peel or not peel — it’s up to you

• use them alone or with other solid ingredients such as chopped bell pepper, celery and/or some kind of onion (scallion, chive, shallot, etc.), thawed frozen peas, hard cooked egg chunks, cooked beans or chick peas, capers, anchovies, pickles — and so on. You can even add leftover cooked fish, poultry or meat to make a dinner salad.

• season the salad with chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, oregano, dill, thyme and such), dried herbs, chopped chili pepper, spices such as curry powder, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, Dijon mustard, wasabi, horseradish — etc. etc. etc.

• dress the salad with: oil (olive, avocado, peanut, etc.) and vinegar (white or red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, Balsamic) or some other acidic liquid such as lemon juice. For a richer flavor add some mayo, plain yogurt, buttermilk or dairy sour cream.

You get the point — I could write an entire book devoted to potato salad. These are just a few ideas.

Yesterday I taught a class about potato salad for the New Canaan YMCA. This is one of the versions I made for the class.

Happy summer although, I’m sure you know, potato salad is never out of season.

Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs

• 2 pounds small waxy potatoes

• lightly salted water

• 1/4 cup mayo

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley or other herbs (such as rosemary, oregano, thyme, dill, marjoram, etc.)

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the potatoes (with their skins intact) in a saucepan, cover with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain under cold water and peel, if desired. Cut the potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, olive oil, wine vinegar and mustard together until the mixture is uniform in color. Pour over the potatoes. Sprinkle with the herbs and salt and pepper if desired. Toss the ingredients and let rest at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings