We are all looking for easy interesting and healthy lunch and dinner options during the pandemic and this pizza meets the bill! It is pizza just the way V and I like it, a bit crunchy and loaded with veggies with just a sprinkling of cheese. And everyone gets their own, no fighting over portions!
You can use any veggies you have. I usually like to use a lot of greens, just pile them up so that it wilts down on the pizza and then some onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, jalapenos, whatever we have lying around.
Can you believe it has been six months since the lockdown? It feels like an eternity with the constant news cycle of mostly negative and sad news. Here in Northern California, the wildfires started earlier and raged stronger this year and are still burning through a record area. In addition to being in lockdown, we also could not go on our nature hikes due to the poor air quality. Taking it one day at a time and praying for those less fortunate – it’s all that one can do to keep one’s sanity.
Meanwhile on the personal front, Amma is back with us and finished her travel quarantine period. Her return is a huge relief to both of us. Things always get interesting in the kitchen when she is here, and this time more so, since both of us are home all day! Her repertoire is mostly South Indian cooking with some North Indian dishes thrown in for variety. I try to mix it up and she tolerates it like a good sport.
I cannot say this vegetarian quesadilla with guacamole was necessarily one of her favorites but V and I really enjoyed it. This is a simple, easy to make recipe which comes together in no time with whatever veggies you have on hand. You can have it as a snack or even a full meal. I used onions, greens and red bell pepper. Feel free to use a combination shredded cabbage, mushrooms, corn, zucchini, squash, sweet potato and even black or pinto beans. Here is the basic recipe.
Recipe for Vegetarian Quesadilla with Traditional Guacamole
1 jalapeno or other spicy green pepper, minced fine (leave it out if you don’t like it spicy)
1 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
salt to taste
Ingredients for the quesadilla:
8 medium tortillas of your choice (I used corn/wheat)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups of arugula (or any other greens of your choice)
1 medium onion sliced thin
1 medium red bell pepper sliced thin
1 cup of grated cheese (Monterey jack works well or any other hard flavorful cheese which melts)
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
To make the guacamole:
Peel and scoop avocado in to a bowl
Add all the other ingredients and roughly mash together
To make the quesadilla:
Make the filling: In a pan, heat the oil and saute the onions, bell pepper for a few minutes. Add salt to taste. Add the greens, mix and allow it to wilt. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet (cast iron preferably)
Place the tortilla on the hot skillet and cook until a little browned on both sides, flipping for around 2-3 mins
Lower the heat and sprinkle one half of the quesadilla with cheese until well covered. You might use about a tablespoon for a large tortilla. I went lighter with cheese.
Top with the vegetable filling using 2-3 tablespoons
Sprinkle with more cheese
With a spatula, folder the tortilla over to cover the filling and press down
Increase the heat if needed and allow the cheese to melt and the quesadilla to brown a bit (a minute or so)
Flip carefully to brown the top side as well (a minute or so)
Remove and set aside and repeat with the next one
Serve the tortillas hot with guacamole or a salsa of your choice if you prefer.
Hope you enjoy this simple quesadilla. V and I are trying to remind ourselves every day to find joy in the simple things in life and appreciate every small blessing. Stay safe and stay sane everyone!
Happy Summer Solstice all! Hope all of you are staying safe and healthy.
The craving for treats continues during the ongoing shelter-in-place and I am convinced that shelter-in-place weight gain is a reality!! We are trying to keep fairly active, and are thankful for the fairly mild weather which allows us to go on different beautiful Northern California hikes every weekend in the Open Space Preserves. (This has been a good year for wildflowers as a bonus.) And during the week, I spread my mats at least 3-4 times for a good sweaty yoga or HIIT session, and V goes on his runs.
Despite that, I am telling you that quarantine pounds are real and the cravings are real! We both have been craving desserts more than usual. And what is summer without ice cream or kulfi. I have never made kulfi before and decided to give it a shot.
A sweet friend had brought over a can of pureed sweet Indian Alphonso variety mangoes (aamras) a while back. I decided to get a carton of heavy cream on our biweekly trips to the store. I was sure it would come together beautifully…. and it did!
If you don’t have the fragrant and sweet Indian mangoes then you can use frozen mangoes and puree it. You may have to add sweetened condensed milk or sugar to it though.
A small treat now and then during these hard times makes us feel so good, doesn’t it? Not that I am complaining when I say “hard times”. I do realize how fortunate we are compared to many others. Sometimes I do feel guilty about enjoying our al fresco lunches in the garden (especially lovely now with all the spring flowers and hummingbirds) and our lazy evening walks.
A beautiful piece of writing titled “It’s okay to be okay during the pandemic” by Sigal Samuel in vox.com put things in perspective for me and I do recommend reading it fully, but the author sums it up with a quote from a mindfulness teacher: “Taking care of ourselves is the first approximation of mindful compassion.”
We have not been eating out obviously but we have been doing takeaways from our favorite vegan Chinese restaurant mainly because it gives us a chance to drive somewhere once a week (the restaurant is a good 20 min drive away), support the business and get some variety in our meals. But I have also been trying to keep it interesting at home.
This baked samosa that I made as a weekend teatime snack turned out to be very addictive and was pretty easy to make. V and I devoured almost all of it over a game of Scrabble and had to forego dinner as we were so full! We used “zhoug sauce” that we got from Trader Joes as a dipping.
1 Tbsp vegetable oil + approx 1/2 cup for brushing the phyllo sheets
1-2 Thai green chilies chopped fine (optional)
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
1 package of Phyllo sheets (you will not use it all for this batch, so double the recipe or save it for later as per the package instructions)
Equipment:
2 rimmed cookie sheets
1 sharp knife
Method:
Filling: (You can make the filling ahead of time and store in the refrigerator)
Wash and cut the potatoes in to quarters
Cook the potatoes till soft, then set aside to cool
Soak the frozen peas in boiling water till thawed and wash
Peel and coarsely mash the cooled potatoes
Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a pan and add the minced green chilies if using
Add the mashed potatoes and green peas, garam masala and salt and mix till heated through
Pre-heat oven to 375C
Remove one phyllo sheet from the package (keep the rest covered to prevent them from drying out. Follow the instructions on the package).
Brush the sheet with some oil, then fold it lengthwise, then into thirds as shown in the picture below brushing the sheet with some oil on each fold
Using a sharp knife make vertical slits around 1 inch deep on all 4 sides of the folded sheet as shown
Place about one heaping tablespoon of filling in the middle and fold the edges over the filling like a pocket. Place it on a baking sheet
Continue making the pockets until the filling runs out lining them up on the sheets
Place the sheets in the pre-heated oven.
If you have 2 sheets, set a timer for 9 minutes. The total baking time is 18 minutes but you would want to rotate the trays from top to bottom half way through
Remove after 18 minutes and let it cool a bit before enjoying with a dipping of your choice. We thought the “zhoug” sauce from Trader Joes was excellent but you could use ketchup or sriracha as well.
Not a day goes by when we are not thankful for our health and our jobs and even simple things we take for granted like the roof over our heads so that we can stay safe indoors. Our only worry at this time is not having my mom with us and not being entirely sure when she can travel to be with us. Still, there are people in more difficult situations for sure, and we are grateful we are each safe where we are.
These are indeed strange, unprecedented times that requires all of us to change our perspective and our expectations and be really creative. Who would have even though that we would be cut off from our fellow human beings, our day to day personal and professional interactions? Isn’t this the way humankind has lived since the beginning of society? Bartering our individual trades or goods for what we need in return. And now, we have to give our own haircuts?
How do we celebrate special occasions? We are so accustomed to dressing up and going out to a nice place for dinner, aren’t we?
V has always wanted to go to vegetarian taco bars in Los Angeles and even though we were there last year around the same time, we never got around to doing it. So, even though I wouldn’t dare try giving him a haircut, I am pretty sure I could attempt to recreate the taco bar experience at home for him!
The idea for the vegetarian tacos came from A Couple Cooks blog though I freely modified it for our tastes. So here goes the process of setting up a vegetarian taco bar on your dinner table at home!
Below you will find:
The composition of the two tacos (although feel free to play fast and loose with this)
The process and the prep work
The individual recipes
And the shopping list at the very end (since one cannot dash off to the grocery store at the last minute any more)
Serves 4 people with 2-3 tacos each with other sides for dinner. (I served this with a side of peas and potatoes samosas and peanut chaat.)
Vegetarian Taco 1: Roasted Cauliflower (recipe below) Refried Black Beans (recipe below) Red Cabbage slaw – Slice red cabbage in to thin ribbons and marinate in lemon juice and a pinch of salt for at least an hour Chipotle Sauce (recipe below) Toppings: Picked vegetables (recipe below), marinated red onions in lemon juice and a pinch of salt and sugar, sliced avocado, sour cream (omit for vegan version), finely chopped cilantro
Vegetarian Taco 2: Spiced Quinoa (recipe below) Red bell pepper slaw – Slice 1 red bell pepper in to thin strips and marinate in lemon juice and a pinch of salt for at least an hour Romesco sauce (recipe below) Same toppings as above
The Process: Most everything can be made ahead before the day of the dinner, but you must start the pickled vegetables at least 3 days before – otherwise they will be raw.
Make all the pickled vegetables at least 3 days before – jalapenos, radish, carrots are standard
Make the sauces a few days ahead (recipes below)
Make the refried black beans and spiced quinoa a day or more ahead (recipes below)
Chop the cauliflower, red cabbage and red bell pepper a day or two ahead and save in the refrigerator
Roast the cauliflower before dinner (recipe below)
Marinate the red cabbage and red bell pepper in lemon juice and a pinch of salt an hour before the dinner. Marinate the red onions also at the same time in lemon juice and a pinch of salt and sugar.
Slice the avocado close to dinner time to keep it firm and fresh.
The Tacos and the Assembly: I counted for about 2-3 tacos per person. So for 4 people prepare about 12 tacos. If you have a gas burner, then use a pair of tongs and flip the tacos on a medium flame until the edges are slightly charred. This gives a great flavor to the tacos. Set the table with all the ingredients and set out the cards with the taco composition. Let everyone have fun making their own tacos if they want.
The Recipes:
Recipe for Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients:
1 medium cauliflower cut into large florets
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
2 cloves garlic minced fine
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 400F
Toss cauliflower with rest of the ingredients
Bake for 20 mins or until cauliflower has browned a bit
Recipe for Refried Black Beans
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
1 medium yellow onion chopped fine
2-3 cloves garlic minced fine
2 cans of black beans – washed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Lime/lemon juice and cilantro for garnish
Extra hot water before serving if needed
Method:
Heat the oil in a pan
Add the onion and cook until soft and browned, around 5 mins
Add the minced garlic and saute for a couple of mins
Add the black beans and salt and pepper to taste
Heat through and then roughly mash the black beans with the back of a ladle and keep heating
Before serving, add lime/lemon juice to taste and garnish with cilantro. If it has become too thick, then add some hot water and mix again.
Recipe for Spiced Quinoa
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth or plain water
2 Tbsp Extra-virgin Olive Oil or avocado oil
2-3 cloves garlic minced fine
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp each of cumin powder and paprika
Salt to taste
Method:
Dry roast the quinoa in a pan until it is fragrant and starts to brown – about 5 minutes or less. Rinse in a fine mesh strainer under running water and set aside to drain
Bring the vegetable broth or water to a boil and add the drained quinoa
Bring to a boil again. Then turn the heat all the way down, cover with a lid and let it cook for 12-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed
Close with a lid for another 5 minutes. Then fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Heat the oil in a pan
Add the garlic and saute for a minute. Then add the oregano and saute for a minute until fragrant
Now add the cooked quinoa, cumin powder, paprika and salt
Saute on medium heat until the quinoa is heated through and no water is left
Recipe for Chipotle Sauce
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp Tahini
2 Tbsp any hot sauce
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/8th tsp salt
1 tsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
Method:
Whisk together all ingredients until well combined. Adjust salt if needed.
Recipe for Romesco Sauce
Ingredients:
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium tomato
4-5 cloves garlic
1/4th cup almonds
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste
Method:
First roast the bell pepper, tomatoes and garlic:
Preheat oven to 400F
Wrap the garlic cloves tightly in a aluminum foil pocket
Brush the bell pepper and tomato with a little olive oil
Place the garlic, bell pepper and tomato on a cookie sheet
Set the cook time for 20 minutes and set another timer for 10 minutes
Remove the tomato and garlic after 10 minutes and set aside to cool
Remove the bell pepper after 20 minutes, put it in a paper bag and seal or put it in a container and close with a lid to steam
When it is cool (30 mins or so), the peel will come off easily
Peel the bell pepper and tomato
In a food processor, process the roasted bell pepper, tomato and garlic with the remaining ingredients until smooth and creamy
Recipe for Pickled Vegetables
Ingredients:
2 medium carrots (around 0.5 lbs)
1 medium daikon radish (around 0.5 lbs)
around 10 medium jalapenos
2 cups water (slightly warm to dissolve the salt and sugar)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1.5 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
Method:
Slice the carrots, radish and jalapenos in to thin rounds
Mix the water, vinegar, sugar and salt and pour over the vegetables
Close tightly with a lid and refrigerate for at least 3 days
Enjoy your tacos and have fun with it!!
Here’s your shopping list for the taco bar dinner:
2 packs of your favorite tortillas
Vegetables: 1 medium cauliflower, 2 large red bell pepper, 1 large tomato, 1 head of red cabbage, 2 medium carrots, 1 medium daikon radish, 10 jalapenos, 2 large avocado, 1 bunch cilantro
Staples: yellow onion, red onion, garlic, cilantro, 2 large lemons for juice
Pantry staples: Olive oil or Avocado oil, salt, black pepper
Every holiday season, my dear friend K, would invite a bunch of friends over to her beautiful kitchen overlooking rolling hills. There, we would gossip, drink wine (or cider), stuff our bellies with munchies and scatter a lot of flour, sugar and other stuff on her clean wooden floors. At the end of the day, we would have trays of caramel, cookies, bars, toffee, brittle, cakes, breads, biscotti and other goodies to share. My nose still tingles with the sweet, warm memories of those fun baking days. Even though I don’t live in Sacramento any longer, I always reminisce about those days when I do my holiday baking. And since 2018 was a tough year for K, I dedicate the recipes below to her!
Cook over low heat the ingredients for the filling stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick. It could take around 15 mins. Let cool.
Mix together the butter and flour. Then sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and add it to the butter-sugar mixture. Add in the rolled oats and use a hand mixer at low speed to combine everything gently
Put half the dough mixture in to the pan and gently press and smooth it out
Pour the date mixture over it
Crumble the remaining dough mixture on top and press gently to even it out
Bake at 400F for 25-30 mins until lightly browned on top
In a bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla essence
Mix together the flour, salt and baking powder and add to the butter-sugar mix and blend
Add the chopped nuts and lavender and combine
Roll the dough out in to two balls, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour
Remove from refrigerator after chilled and roll the dough out and make around 16 equal sized balls
Place on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes (Keep an eye on it so that the bottom does not burn. If it does then move the sheet a little further from the heating coils.)
After removing the sheet from the over, wait just 15 mins or so. While still slightly warm, roll the cookies in powdered sugar and then let cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar again.
K has made a strong comeback after her trying year and sent me pictures of her baking day this year! Here’s to surviving and thriving in 2019! Wishing all readers of Veggie Sutra a resilient, healthy 2019.
It has been a summer of intense events, the kind that make you take stock of the life and its meaning and all that. Things are looking up finally with nothing but a few inconveniences, considering. We had to cancel a few plans, including one to visit Yellowstone with amma. Some other time! The moose can wait.
Like the Bard said, all’s well that ends well. Crisp fall weather has finally arrived and its time for warming soups and stews. Through the summer, V and I have tried to be faithful about eating more salads. I have a large repertoire of dressing recipes now but V likes the variations with basil the best. The abundance of basil in the garden this summer made it pretty easy to whip up a variety of dressings with basil.
This is a chunky salad which is filling enough to serve on its own for lunch. The garlic tofu slices provide the protein necessary to make it a complete meal. You could also serve it with a cold gazpacho made with watermelon or strawberries or cucumber, all great summer produce still available in the Farmers Markets.
Recipe for Chunky Salad with Garlic Tofu and Sweet Basil Dressing
Drain and press the tofu between 2 plates and place a weight on top to squeeze out all the water. Leave it for half an hour or more. (Keep an eye on it as the tofu tends to wobble causing the weight to fall)
Make the Dressing:
Blend all the ingredients for the dressing until smooth. Taste and adjust as desired.
Make the Garlic Tofu:
Cut the tofu in to 1/2 inch thick strips
Heat oil in a wide pan on medium heat, add the minced or dry garlic and saute for a min until fragrant
Place the tofu in a single layer in the pan and lower heat
When golden on one side, turn over and cook on other side until golden
Sprinkle with salt, sumac and cayenne pepper/paprika and coat on both sides
Remove the tofu on to a plate
Assemble the salad just before serving
Toss the vegetables with the dressing and plate
Place the tofu strips on top and serve
Save the remaining dressing in a bottle in the refrigerator. It may coagulate a bit, but you can gently warm it up before using again.
I am still surprised at how fast the year has gone by. Summer has been pretty mild this year and only now the strawberries have turned sweet. In fact, they are so sweet and fragrant now, that is pretty much all we are serving for dessert when we have friends over. Let’s live it up in this final hurrah of summer!
Last weekend turned out to one of those weekends when most everything on our menu was backyard-to-table. We harvested a good crop of eggplant and bell pepper, as well as tomatoes, basil and greens. Love summertime when there is enough light for me in the evenings for me to putter around in the garden and talk to my plants. Ha ha, yeah I do that sometimes!
V is continuing on his salad kick and loved the Basil-Tomato Dressing I had made couple of weeks back, and I still have some of that left in the refrigerator. I do need to start labeling these dressings! And before I turned around, there was enough basil for another batch of pesto. I decided to make yet green dressing using basil, this time from a brand new book called Saladish by Ilene Rosen. It must be really hard to write a whole book on salads and I really appreciated the creativity that went in to the book.
The salad I made for our lunch consisted of lots of greens (I used arugula), tomatoes, and avocados. The protein came from the pan-fried tofu sprinkled with salt and pepper. As I final step, I topped the salad with some micro-greens but delicate herbs like dill or chives would work as well. Topping with some crunchy nuts makes it a filling and complete mid-day meal.
One tip for dressings left in the refrigerator. It does tend to thicken and coagulate and so before using it, I gently warm it up in some warm water or by placing it in the microwave for around 30 seconds.
Recipe for a A Very Summery Salad with Basil-Mustard Dressing
2 large handfuls of arugula or spinach, washed and drained
2 large ripe tomatoes, washed and cut in to wedges
2 avocados, washed and cut in to wedges
About 1/4 cup of microgreens or chopped herbs to sprinkle on top
1/4 cup walnuts or macadamia nuts
For the dressing (enough to save for a couple more meals):
2 cups packed basil leaves, washed
4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
A generous pinch of white sugar
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method:
Prepare the dressing:
Pulse all the dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. If the dressing is too thick, use more oil or a little bit of water and mix
Prepare the tofu strips:
Drain the tofu of all water by placing the block of tofu on dish and placing something heavy on top for a couple of hours
Slice the tofu in to 1/4″ thick slices
Place a wide pan on the stove and add a tablespoon of oil
When the oil is hot, place the tofu slices and turn the heat to medium or low
Flip the tofu after 5-7 mins to the other side until it is evenly golden on both sides
Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and slice further into thin strips
Assemble the salad:
On two salad plates, place a large handful of arugula each
Place half the sliced tomato, sliced avocado and as much tofu strips as you want on each plate. (Save the remaining tofu strips for another meal)
Sprinkle microgreens and nuts on top
Drizzle with the green dressing and enjoy
We sat outside in the garden to enjoy this very summery salad as the smell of basil, gardenia and roses wafted by. I do love mild Bay Area summers like this but at the same time, I sent a silent prayer to people all over the state affected by the nasty wildfires.
My route at the Sunnyvale Farmers Market is usually the same every week. I have a few favorite stands I efficiently traverse while deftly dodging the gawking, ambling crowds. One of the stands I visit carries a lot of greens through the seasons and last weekend you wouldn’t believe what I saw there! A huge bunch of Moringa leaves. I crushed them between my fingers and brought it up to my nose to check and yep, it was moringa. And selling pretty cheap at a couple of dollars a bunch too. The farmer, of Chinese origin, said they started carrying it this summer. I didn’t have the time to stay and chat, but I was curious about when they planted it and whether they would have Moringa pods, or drumsticks, soon. And how on earth did such a big tree grow overnight on his farm.
For those who don’t know Moringa, it is the current “superfood” fad. (Take a backseat, kale and turmeric, I guess!) The leaves, as well as the drumsticks, are cooked and eaten in Southern India, where the tree grows widely in home gardens. If you find it at your farmers market, grab a bunch and cook it like you would cook spinach. Fads aside, the leaves are indeed highly nutritious.
Coming back to the salad series, this week’s salad is made exclusively with ingredients I picked up on Saturday at the farmers market. It is amazing what a bounty summer produces.
Recipe for Black Bean Summer Salad with Tomato Basil Dressing
1 cup black beans, washed thoroughly in running water and soaked overnight in warm water
For the dressing
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 large ripe tomato, chopped roughly
2 cups packed basil leaves, chopped roughly
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp cayenne or paprika
salt to taste
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced
1/2 small red cabbage head, shredded
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup toasted walnuts (or any nuts or seeds you have on hand) for garnish
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method:
Drain the soaked black beans and cook in a pressure cooker. If you are cooking it in a sauce pan add enough water to cover the beans, add a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cover. Cook on low heat and check regularly to make sure the beans do not get overcooked. They should be well-cooked but firm. Allow to cool.
Place all the ingredients for the dressing except the olive oil in a blender and blend till smooth. Now, slowly drizzle the olive oil and emulsify. Check salt and add more if needed.
Combine 1 cup of cooked black beans with the other ingredients. (Save the remaining black beans for later or for a different recipe.)
Add enough dressing to taste, toss well.
Garnish with toasted nuts or seeds and serve.
I have never used raw tomato in a dressing but what better complements basil than tomato! It is a very refreshing dressing for summertime, especially since basil grows so abundantly during this time of the year.
As I am going through the salad series, I am realizing that I am going to end up with a bunch of different dressings in my refrigerator. I better start labeling them or I will lose track.
What better way to kick off summer and the salad series than a recipe using watermelon. Just like I go winter-squash crazy when fall comes around, I go melon crazy once summer rolls around. It is a great accompaniment for picnic lunches – just remove the rind and cut the melon into cubes, pack in a container with a tight lid in an icebox to enjoy as a dessert after lunch. Or make a refreshing salad to go with lunch.
This time I went with a yellow watermelon, which I have seen in the markets before but have never tried. I thought it tasted just as sweet as regular watermelon, but V remained opposed to what he called “a cantaloupe posing as a watermelon” and strongly suggested I go with a regular watermelon in the future, please. If you have such reservations as well, feel free to use a regular red watermelon in this recipe.
Despite the skepticism about the oddly-colored impostor, the salad turned out to be a hit. The combination came together beautifully – the sweetness of the melon complimented the bite in the arugula and the spiciness of the dressing which in turn was mellowed by the goat cheese.
Recipe for Watermelon -Arugula Salad with Spicy Jalapeno Dressing
2 jalapenos, ribs and seeds removed and then diced (use 1 jalapeno if you want it mild)
1/2 red onion, diced
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Pinch salt & pepper
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 Tbsp ghee/butter or coconut oil (if vegan)
1 medium watermelon, around 6 lbs, washed, peeled and cubed
Around 6-8 oz fresh arugula leaves, washed and dried
Around 4 oz crumbled goat cheese (skip if vegan)
Method:
Make the dressing ahead as this will store well: Blend all ingredients except olive oil, salt and pepper together in a blender. Slowly incorporate the olive oil and emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste
Blanch the almonds and roast: Soak the almonds in boiling hot water for 30 mins covered, until the skin slips off easily. Dry on a kitchen towel. Heat some ghee (use butter if you don’t have ghee) or coconut oil (if you are vegan). Add the skinned almonds when the liquid is hot and roast in low heat until golden
Combine the cubed melon, arugula, goat cheese in a bowl
Just before serving drizzle the jalapeno dressing and sprinkle the almonds on top
Salad series kicked off right! I have picked up a couple of good salad books from the library including the recently published Saladish by Ilene Rosen. Hope to find some new exciting ideas for salads to keep the series going.
One last thing. Save the watermelon rind if you have the patience. It is kind of painful to remove the skin and save just the white part. But watermelon rind has a ton of nutrients and tastes wonderful in this Watermelon Rind Curry recipe.
