Beet, Baby Zucchini, Yogurt & Walnut Salad

Green, Buttery, Rich, Earthy, Caramelly

I find that I tend to come up with my favorite dishes when I’m too lazy to go to the store, and I have to come up with something tasty that can be made with the random ingredients I have lying around the house. This is how this ‘recipe’ came about. I had bought these beautiful little zucchini and used only half of them the day before and I didn’t want to let them sit in the fridge and go bad. I also wanted to make something light that would let their flavor shine trough.

This is fantastically, quick, simple and delicious and requires little use of the stove, which is handy when you’re living in Vegas and it’s 120 degrees outside. I used baby zucchini, but you can use really fresh fully-grown zucchini, or little pattypan squashes instead if you prefer.

You will also need

• some walnuts, chopped, or crushed in a mortar if you’ve got it, crushing them seems to improve the taste somehow
• sliced cooked beets, mine were from a can, I’m not ashamed
• some good quality yogurt, preferably Greek or Bulgarian
• a couple of cloves of garlic
• salt and pepper
• chopped fresh dill if you have it
• some olive oil for drizzling

Preheat a non-Teflon pan, stainless steel is what I’ve got, while you slice your zucchini into halves (or into smaller bits if you’re working with bigger squashes), then place them cut-side down in the hot pan (no oil) and let them cook until they start to smell nutty, or start to brown. I wasn’t keeping track, but I think it took 2-3 minutes. Pull the pan off the heat and toss them around a bit so the backs get some heat too, sprinkle with salt and let them sit while you prepare the dressing. Mince the garlic into the yogurt and stir in the dill, add salt and pepper to taste. On your serving plate, arrange the zucchini, and the sliced beets, drizzle on the yogurt, top with the walnuts, drizzle with the olive oil and eat!

Nicoise Salad

Lemony, Green, Buttery, Rich, Pungent

This is my version of Nicoise salad. It’s loaded with goodies. There is something in my mentality that compels me to make really huge salads because I figure… well it’s a salad, it’s light… lets make sure there’s plenty of it. Of course this is hardly a salad as it includes potatoes, and fish and a medley of veggies (in my case). Suffice to say, we were happily stuffed at the end of this meal.

Here is what you will need:

• Nicoise olives (or whatever black olives you prefer)
• fresh butter lettuce
• baby potatoes, whole, boiled
• good quality tuna (I used steaks)
• green beans
• baby zucchini
• asparagus
• 2 egg yolks
• olive oil or sunflower oil
• 3-4 canned anchovies
• clove of garlic, minced
• chives or green onions, finely chopped
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt

Start by blanching all the vegetables. Boil a pot of salted water and have a large bowl of iced water close by. Then drop the different veggies in separately and cook until just tender, than plunge them in to the iced water to stop the cooking process. The green beans take 2-3 minutes, depending on size, the asparagus would take 1-2, same with the zucchini. You can leave the veggies in the water while you prepare the rest.

You can make the dressing in a food processor or by hand, as you prefer, it’s usually easier to build an emulsion in the food processor, plus it conveniently chops up the chives for you. Whisk together your yolks in a bowl along with a good pinch of salt and as you whisk, gradually start adding in the oil. Start with a very small amount, the dressing will thicken as the yolks absorb the oil. Add the rest in a bit at a time making sure the emulsion is stable before adding more. Once all the oil is absorbed add the finely chopped chives, anchovies, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Place the dressing in the fridge to chill.

To sear the tuna, brush the steaks with a bit of oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In a non-stick pan, sear both sides leaving the middle rare. Remove from heat.

While the tuna rests, you can arrange the salad, large plates or shallow bowls are best. Layer the butter lettuce at the bottom, then arrange the veggies, potatoes, and olives on top as artfully as you’d like. Drizzle with the dressing. Thinly slice the tuna and top the salad. I like to serve this with extra dressing on the side. Enjoy.

Beet & Greens Salad with Sauted Chicken and a Garlic Yogurt Dressing

Taste: Sweet and earthy from the beets, a bit of bitterness from the greens, herbal, acidic and buttery from the dressing, pungent from the fresh garlic, the chicken lends a saltiness and richness and keeps the flavors grounded.

You can use canned beets for this, though somewhere down the line I’m sure I’ll roast some and see the contrast. Continue reading »