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Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Salad-e Shirazi (Persian Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad)

July 29, 2021

This refreshing salad comes from Samin Nosrat, writer of a James Beard award-winning New York Times best selling cookbook, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. We watched a documentary on Netflix featuring Ms. Nosrat a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I love the simplicity of this recipe. It has just a few ingredients but it packs loads of flavor. It’s the perfect summer salad.

The cucumbers and onions are crispy, the tomatoes are sweet, and the fresh herbs add life to this wonderful salad.

Our herbs do quite well in our hot climate. Italian parsley is an herb that we always have in our garden.

This salad is delightful on its own, but pair it with grilled chicken and tahdig, and you’re in for a real treat.

Salad-e Shirazi (Persian Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad)

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Adapted from Samin Nosrat's recipe

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 4

Ingredients

8 ounces Persian or Japanese cucumber
3 tablespoons diced red onion
2 tablespoons any combination of finely chopped Italian parsley, basil, dill or cilantro
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon diced green onion
8 ounces diced grape or cherry tomatoes
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Remove alternating stripes of peel on the cucumbers and trim ends. Dice cucumbers into ¼-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with onion and fresh herbs including mint. Cut grape or cherry tomatoes into quarters, about ¼-inch pieces.
In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup lime juice, olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Just before serving, dress vegetables with some of the vinaigrette and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and more dressing. Serve slightly chilled with your favorite grilled chicken, tahdig or buttered rice. Leftover salad can be refrigerated for 1 day.

Dinner, Fruit, Gardening, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Avocado Salad with Herbs & Capers

March 26, 2021

Now that it’s avocado season, we have been enjoying avocado sandwiches with cheddar, chunky guacamole, avocado toast, and avocado eggs Benedict. The Green Gold tree in our back yard is a heavy bearer and the avocados are incredibly tasty. So here we have a new addition to our ever expanding recipe file. The tart dressing and herby flavors compliment the rich, velvety avocado slices. This salad is a keeper.

The Green Gold avocado has to be one of the best varieties to grow in Hawaii (a cultivar developed by the University of Hawaii). The trees are heavy bearers and produce beautiful fruit that are rich and creamy and known for their high oil content. If you are thinking of planting an avocado tree I highly recommend seeking out the Green Gold.

The dressing is reminiscent of a chimichurri sauce. A good splash of red wine vinegar gives the right acidic touch to the herbs, jalapeño and garlic.

The addition of a jalapeño makes for a nice pop of heat. Since jalapeños vary in their level of spiciness, test the one you use and add more or less according to your taste. If you don’t have one, sprinkle in some red chili flakes. You could even use pickled jalapeños if you have those in your refrigerator.

My favorite way to serve this salad is with good, crusty grilled sourdough bread. Drizzle some of the dressing onto the grilled bread, or scoop some of the avocado salad onto the bread. Delicious.

Avocado Salad with Herbs & Capers

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Adapted from NYT Cooking

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 medium bunch cilantro
1 medium bunch Italian parsley
2 scallions, very finely chopped
1 medium garlic clove, finely grated or minced
1 small or ½ medium jalapeño, seeded and very finely chopped
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
2 teaspoons capers, drained
Maldon sea salt or other flaky salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Reserve ½ cup of both whole cilantro leaves and parsley leaves. Finely chop the rest of the leaves and transfer to a medium bowl. Add scallions, garlic, jalapeños, salt and vinegar. Stir in oil. Taste and add more salt, vinegar or both if needed.
Scatter the reserved whole cilantro and parsley leaves over two serving plates. Fan the avocado slices over the top, and sprinkle lightly with salt to taste. Spoon herb dressing over the avocado slices, making sure to include the oil in the bowl (you may not use all of the dressing), and top with the capers. Sprinkle with Maldon sea salt and pepper. Serve with crusty grilled sourdough bread brushed with olive oil.

Dinner, Dressing, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Veggies

Champagne Vinegar & Dijon Vinaigrette

November 11, 2020

I love tangy vinaigrettes that have nearly equal parts of acid to oil. Lettuces, arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers and so many other greens really benefit from a vibrant dressing. If there is too much oil and not enough acid, the salad can taste bland and heavy. Add a few grinds of black pepper and a sprinkling of kosher salt just before serving for the perfect finishing touch.

Champagne vinegar is at the top of my list when it comes to making salad dressings. It has a crisp yet light flavor and seems less acidic than other white wine vinegars. It makes a beautiful dressing especially when combined with Dijon mustard and olive oil. Not all brands of champagne vinegar are alike. I’ve tried a few that were not as smooth and flavorful as the brand I now use exclusively, O Champagne Vinegar found at Whole Foods. It may be bit more expensive than white wine vinegars, but it is definitely worth the price. A good dressing brings together a salad by complimenting all of the fresh vegetables in your bowl. On another note, the little twirl whisk pictured above is my favorite kitchen utensil for mixing up dressings. It whisks up the ingredients thoroughly and quickly.

This dressing will keep well in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

Champagne Vinegar & Dijon Vinaigrette

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: ¾ cup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar (O Champagne Vinegar recommended)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt + more for serving
few grinds of freshly ground black pepper + more for serving
1 teaspoon finely minced shallot, optional

Preparation

Whisk Dijon mustard, honey, minced shallot if using, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in champagne vinegar. Slowly add olive oil and whisk until vinaigrette is fully emulsified. Chill until ready to serve.
Place salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with some of the vinaigrette. Transfer salad to individual serving bowls or plates, sprinkle a bit of kosher salt and black pepper over each salad (optional). Dressing will keep for 1 week refrigerated.

Dinner, Lactose Free, Potato Salad, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes

Julia’s American-Style Potato Salad

July 25, 2020

This American-Style Potato Salad recipe that comes from Julia Child is everything a potato salad should be. Creamy potatoes, savory bits of bacon, hard boiled eggs, celery and onions. A few tablespoons of sour cream add a zingy flavor. It’s a dish that will appeal to everyone who loves a good potato salad.

Yukon Gold potatoes are the best option for this salad. Tender and creamy, they hold their shape very well. They are the potatoes I use most often.

The cooked potatoes soak up a cider vinegar and chicken broth (or potato water) bath before the other ingredients are mixed in. The potatoes are luxuriously creamy when prepared this way.

I save a bit of bacon, chives, and sometimes a tablespoon of chopped hard boiled egg to sprinkle over the top of the salad just before serving. Mahalo Julia for another great recipe that will be a regular feature on my menus.

Julia's American-Style Potato Salad

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Adapted from Julia Child's recipe

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 pounds medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes (try to select potatoes that are similar in size)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chicken broth or potato cooking water
½ cup finely chopped sweet onion
½ cup finely chopped celery
4 slices crispy cooked bacon, chopped or crumbled
3 tablespoons finely chopped pickle, sweet or dill
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced thin
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
⅔ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lactose free sour cream (or regular sour cream)
*If you want to top the salad with some bacon and diced hard boiled egg before serving reserve ½ hard boiled egg and a tablespoon of chopped bacon.

Preparation

Peel the potatoes and cut into ⅓-inch thick slices. Cut each slice into a half-round or quarter-round slices depending on how large your potatoes are. Place potatoes in a large saucepan with water just to cover. Add 1½ teaspoons salt. Heat to a simmer, and cook potatoes for about 6 minutes, or until just cooked through. Test for doneness after cooking for 5 minutes. If the potatoes need more time continue to cook and test after each additional minute to ensure they do not overcook. Immediately remove from the heat and drain potatoes in a colander (save 2 tablespoons of cooking water). Once drained, transfer potatoes to a large, wide bowl. Stir the cider vinegar and chicken broth (or potato water) together. Drizzle over the potatoe pieces. Gently toss potatoes with a thin spatula. Let potatoes sit for about 20 minutes to absorb the liquid, tossing once or twice during that time.
Add the prepared onion, celery, bacon, pickle, hard boiled eggs, chives and parsley. Whisk the mayonnaise and sour cream together. Stir in the mayonnaise mixture and gently fold everything together. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Sprinkle chopped bacon and hard boiled egg over the top before serving (optional).

Dinner, Dressing, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Papaya Seed Dressing

September 20, 2019

No one seems to know who created papaya seed dressing but I do recall enjoying it as far back as the 70’s. I used to buy packets of papaya seed dressing then mix it up at home. These days, I prefer to make most things from scratch, especially salad dressings. This sweet-tart dressing is one of them. It’s so easy to make because all the ingredients are blended at one time. Voila! You end up with a delicious dressing that is wonderful on a crisp salad.

John grows Sunrise and Sunset papayas throughout the year. It’s one of those fruits that do well in hot and sunny Kihei. The trees don’t take up much space and the papayas are gorgeous. Normally the seeds get thrown out, but I like to save a few for this dressing. I’ve found that freezing the seeds for later works great. Rinse and freeze in a small baggie or plastic container.

I’m a fan of iceberg lettuce even though it’s not among the most nutritious lettuces out there. I know that many people frown upon iceberg lettuce but it has its place in many of my dishes. A wedge salad for instance, would not have been born if not for iceberg lettuce. And Aunty Ruby’s somen salad would not be the same if I were to use a different type of lettuce. Iceberg lettuce and papaya seed dressing are a perfect match!

Papaya Seed Dressing

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: ¾ cup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chopped onion
1½ teaspoons papaya seeds. rinsed
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon dry mustard (Coleman's)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
few dashes of ground turmeric
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Combine all ingredients together and puree using a handheld mixer or blender. Serve over crispy greens such as iceberg lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, watercress, endive, shredded cabbage and romaine. Dressing keeps well for about 5 days.

Dinner, Dressing, Lactose Free, Mexican, Recipes, Rice Dishes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cilantro Brown Rice

June 28, 2019

During a recent trip to Seattle to visit family, we baked up some Enchiladas Suizas for a luncheon one afternoon. My stepdaughter Jessica made a delicious cilantro rice side dish she had recently discovered on What’s Gaby Cooking blog. Generally there’s no middle ground on the subject of cilantro. You either love or hate it. Even though she may not yet be a fully converted cilantro lover, I’m happy she shared this recipe with us. It’s truly delicious.

Besides waiting for the brown rice to cook, the only other step that takes a few minutes to complete is removing the stems from the cilantro sprigs. Otherwise, it’s a snap to make. I used our immersion blender the first time I made the cilantro dressing. It did a decent job but our Vitamix turned out perfectly pureed ingredients in just a few seconds.

The rice makes a wonderful side dish for any Mexican meal or as a meal of its own served with avocado and crispy cucumbers. Mexican Style Grilled Chicken is the perfect main dish to serve with this rice.

Cilantro Brown Rice

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Adapted from What's Gaby Cooking

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 cups long grain brown rice
2 tablespoons roughly chopped shallot
2 cups tightly packed fresh cilantro, tough stems discarded
1 medium garlic clove
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you prefer a spicier flavor)
⅓ scant cup mild olive oil, or a mix of canola and extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Cook brown rice in a rice cooker or on the stove top according to package directions.
Combine shallot through salt in a blender (Vitamix or other high-powered blender works best). Blend ingredients for about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides as needed. Blend another 15 seconds, or until the cilantro dressing is very smooth.
Place cooked brown rice in a large serving bowl. Pour cilantro dressing over the rice and toss to coat well.
The rice is best eaten when warm. You may reheat the rice if made in advance or if frozen, defrost in the refrigerator and reheat gently.

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Salad

Salad-e Shirazi (Persian Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad)

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Avocado Salad with Herbs & Capers

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Champagne Vinegar & Dijon Vinaigrette

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Julia’s American-Style Potato Salad

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Papaya Seed Dressing

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Cilantro Brown Rice

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