Category: Salad Dressing

Good Enough To Repeat

July 17, 2010

With notebooks full of food magazine recipes dating back to 1993 and well over 100 cookbooks, I don’t repeat recipes often. There is always the next thing to try. So it should tell you something significant that I made this salad twice in one week.

Spinach salads are not my favorite. I find raw spinach to be kind of gritty texture-wise and kind of a zero in the flavor department. Not that lettuce is so flavoful but at least it has crunch. I love the idea of a wilted spinach salad because I do like cooked (or at least softened) spinach, but my experience of those is that they contain bacon. Who knew you could just roast cauliflower and use that as your spinach softener?

Amongst the many treasures to be found in the Ottolenghi cookbook, this is one of the first recipes I flagged. Originially the cauliflower was meant to be grilled, but I roasted mine in the oven so I didn’t have to watch it too carefully. The ingredients may sound pedestrian but the result is not. The dressing is so good that I just kept adding to it over the course of the week and combining it with different things until I made this salad again.

One Year Ago: Gnocchi with Mushroom Sauce
Two Years Ago: Zucchini Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Mint

Roasted Cauliflower with Tomato, Dill, and Capers
Adapted from Ottolenghi, The Cookbook
Serves 4-6

I served this as a salad but it could be a side dish as well.

2 tbsp. capers, drained and roughly chopped
1 tbsp. wholegrain mustard
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for the cauliflower
1 medium cauliflower, divided into florets
1 tbsp. chopped dill
4 oz. baby spinach leaves
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

For the dressing, place the capers, mustard, garlic, and vinegar in a medium sized jar. Add a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Give the jar a vigorous shake. Add the olive oil, then shake again. Taste for balance of flavor and adjust accordingly.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil, then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Roast in the middle of the oven until cooked through and deep brown in spots, turning once, about 25 minutes in total.

Place the spinach, tomatoes, and dill in a large bowl. Once the cauliflower is done, and while it is still hot, add it to the bowl as well. Drizzle in about half the dressing and toss to coat. Add more dressing as necessary. Can be served warm or room temperature.

Category: Salad,Salad Dressing,Vegan
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Big French Salad

July 4, 2010

Right before I left for France, like an hour before, I read this post by the ever thoughtful and ever hilarious Cheryl. She had just celebrated the same birthday that I was about to fly off and celebrate, and she chose to be very quiet about what they actually did. It was just the thing I needed to read before my trip. I realized I had been approaching this vacation with more thoughts about how I would write about it than with thoughts of how I would experience it. I never obsessed about the food I was going to eat but I was kind of obsessing about the fact that I wasn’t obsessing. What food-loving person doesn’t plan her every meal and snack in Paris?

I had a vague idea of some of the things I wanted to eat but I really wanted to try and keep things fluid. I think staying more relaxed about expectations means a smaller chance of disappointment. In my mind, I composed a list of things I would like to eat, but I tried to not have any emotional attachment to those things. My list included: crèpes, croissants, café crème and baguette with jam each French morning, felafel in the Marais, Berthillon’s salted caramel ice cream on the Île St. Louis, and somewhere along the line, a big French salad. Any or all would have been fine.

The truth is, Paris is not a great city for a vegetarian, especially at dinner time. Not only is French food meat-heavy to begin with but, in my limited experience, the Parisians seem to be as baffled by the idea of not eating meat for a main course as they were when I studied there 20 years ago. I get funny looks when I say I don’t eat meat, not even poisson, and inevitably I end up with a plate of vegetables for dinner. Good vegetables, but still. This is not the case if you go to a Moroccan restaurant or an Italian restaurant, both of which are easily found all over Paris. But if you are going traditional French, vegetable platter it is.

As it turns out, I didn’t have a crèpe, only one café crème breakfast because I slept late every morning (poor me!), only part of a croissant, and I did not get my big French salad. I eat a lot of salad in my life so you might be surprised to see a salad on my “want to eat” list. Have you ever had a French salad? I don’t mean the palate cleaning greens that you see in multi-course meals, I mean the kind you find in any good brasserie. A filling, healthy, perfectly balanced salad. You see, Paris is a pretty good place to be a vegetarian at lunch time. Omelets, crèpes, salads and pommes frites are in abundance. They look at you a little strangely when you ask to leave the poulet off the salad, but it is still filling and wonderful and features that perfect, mustardy, and oh-so-simple and yet totally perfect French vinaigrette.

Over the next few weeks, I plan to make some of the food I missed (including the main course portion of an Indian dinner at a beloved restaurant in London), some of the food I ate successfully, and some other things that were inspired by the trip. But for now, salad. And a few photos.

The morning of the baguette and café crème.

Let me tell you, it was hot in Paris. Like 90 degrees hot. Also let me tell you that my parents are both leaning and I am standing upright. And my mom is still taller than me. 5’3″ baby. I got the short gene in the family.

Yes, I got my salted caramel ice cream. As much as I wanted to, I was not actually two fisting it here. Just holding Randy’s while he took the photo. He had sorbet. If it had been more salted caramel, I would have eaten his.

One Year Ago: Spring Vegetable Salad
Two Years Ago: Mushroom Pearl Pasta with Sweet Peas and Goat Cheese

Big French Salad
Dana Treat Original
Serves 2

You will notice green beans in the recipe but no green beans on the plate. The whole time I was eating my salad, I felt like something was missing. All the while the already-blanched beans were calling to me from the refrigerator. Next time, drink wine with dinner not before.

Salad:
1 handful green beans, trimmed
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 handful cherry tomatoes, halved
1 10-oz. can corn, drained
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
½ small avocado, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and halved
Several leaves of romaine lettuce, torn

Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette:
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
Juice of ½ a lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. chopped chives (optional)

For the salad: Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Have a bowl of ice water ready. Put the green beans in the water for 2 minutes, then scoop them out and into the ice water. You want them blanched, not cooked, so they still have a crunch but are not raw. Once they are cool, drain the beans.

Meanwhile, add the potatoes to the water and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. You don’t want mush so if anything, undercook them a bit. Drain the potatoes.

Lay some lettuce down on each of two dinner plates. Group the remaining vegetables around the plate and don’t forget the green beans. Drizzle dressing over the salad and serve with a crusty French bread.

For the dressing: Put the mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, a healthy pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper into a glass jar. Top with the lid and shake vigorously. Remove the lid and pour in the olive oil. You want this dressing to have a lot of bite, so you will use less oil than the traditional 3:1 ratio. Top with the lid and shake vigorously once again. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Category: Dana Treat Original,Salad,Salad Dressing
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A Friday in May

May 14, 2010

I have a few quick things to tell you.

1) It is 70 degrees and sunny outside. Finally.

2) Tomorrow I am piling my car with ingredients to make six large pizzas and my 7th version of the salted caramel chocolate cake that I won’t stop yammering on about or linking to. I am taking a ferry to an idyllic spot for a night with 18 women. Without my husband or children.

3) I have an appointment scheduled to get my tattoo next weekend. I think I am going to wimp out a little bit and get it on my right wrist instead of left forearm – a little smaller.

4) I have a new post up at Amazon Fresh (you will need to scroll down a bit). I wrote about (eek!) salmon. But the marinade I made works really well with tofu and I also share my favorite way to prepare bok choy.

5) I found my favorite potato salad. I tend to be of the olive oil-dressed camp rather than the mayo-dressed, but this creamy dressing is better than either. It’s the tarragon, I’m telling you.

Happy weekend.

One Year Ago: Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Potato Salad with Sugar Snap Peas and Creamy Tarragon Vinaigrette
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves 4 to 6

The original recipe called for fingerling potatoes but I used a mixture of red and purple potatoes. Much prettier that way.

¾ pound red potatoes, cut into ½-inch thick rounds
¾ pound purple potatoes, cut into ½-inch thick rounds
8 ounces sugar snap peas, ends trimmed
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Creamy Tarragon Dressing (recipe follows)

Cover potatoes with cold water by 2 inches in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; add 3 tbsp. salt. Reduce heat to medium-high; simmer the potatoes until tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Bring another medium saucepan of water to a boil; add 2 tbsp. salt. Blanch the snap peas until just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool in an ice water bath. Drain and pat dry.

Toss the potatoes, snap peas, onion, and vinaigrette in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Creamy Tarragon Vinaigrette
Makes about 1 cup

2 tsp. tarragon vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil
½ cup sour cream
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon

Stir together vinegar and mustard; season with salt and pepper. Pour in olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Stir in sour cream and tarragon.

Category: Salad,Salad Dressing
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Two Years

May 9, 2010

Two years. Two years ago, after falling in love with several food blogs, I sat down and started one of my own. I had no idea of how it would all go. I wasn’t sure I would like it. It took me a while to find my voice, a little longer to upgrade my camera, a little longer still to ask someone to design a site for me. All the while, I kept cooking and I kept writing. I opened up more, shared more about my life and my boys. I got incredible support from comments and emails along the way. I have gotten to know some amazing people and some exciting doors have opened for me. I am thankful to be writing and thankful that you are reading.

I love that this year, my blog-versary falls on Mother’s Day. It just seems fitting somehow. Being a mom, a writer, and loving food. Pretty much my life these days.

So thank you all, even if it is your first time here. Thank you for your interest, your comments, your emails, your questions, your encouragement. It would have been a lonely two years if not for all of you.

A couple of weeks ago, I had to pop down the Pike Place Market to buy candied orange peel for this cake. This market, centered on the Western edge of downtown, is one of the most special things about Seattle. They have produce vendors year-round and all kinds of homemade crafts. There are lots of nooks and crannies hiding countless treasures. I really only needed one thing but these purple baby artichokes stopped me cold. Aren’t they beautiful? At that point, I had no plans to cook for the next few days, but I bought them anyway. I couldn’t pass them by.

I headed to DeLaurenti where I knew I would be able to find the candied orange peel. Never ever walk into that store thinking you are only going to buy one thing. I don’t think it is possible. They have the most incredible cheese selection, fresh breads, specialty chocolates, all manner of fresh and dried pasta, antipasti, a huge selection of oils and vinegars, and giant kosher pickles which I can never resist. They also have large bags of their own sun-dried tomatoes which are the best I have ever had. Supple and moist but without swimming in a jar of oil. I wasn’t sure of my supply back home so I bought another large bag.

When I got home, I realized that I already had an almost-full bag and immediately I knew I wanted to give these away. Whenever I talk about buying sun-dried tomatoes, I always suggest trying to find this kind. I have seen them in grocery stores and have bought them, but nothing compares to the ones from DeLaurenti. I want you to have my new bag.

Coincidentally, I went to a talk featuring Mario Batali last week. Tom Douglas, a well-known and respected local chef and restaurateur, invited him up on stage to discuss his new book, restaurant trends, and life in general. All of us got copies of Molto Gusto, Mario’s new book. It is a really nice cookbook. The recipes are very simple and there are lots of vegetarian options. Still, I don’t feel I need it. I have so many cookbooks and besides, my neighbor has a copy. I can always borrow hers. So, if you would like a large bag of the greatest sun-dried tomatoes and my autographed copy of Molto Gusto (it even has my name on it) , just leave me a comment telling me what you might do with those sun-dried tomatoes. And if you have eaten in a Mario Batali restaurant, tell me which one and what you ordered (if you remember). You have until Friday, May 14th at noon, PDT. Time is up! Winner will be announced soon!

Back to those artichokes. I think if you are going to go to the trouble of using fresh ones, you should make something where their special flavor really shines through. If you are just going to bury them in with a bunch of other ingredients, you might as well save your time and money and just use frozen. My idea was to braise them in some white wine along with onion and those special sun-dried tomatoes. I thought that sounded a little too plain to serve as a side dish, so I decided to build a salad around them. Fresh greens, a mustard lemon vinaigrette, the artichokes, and – because a salad just isn’t a salad without it – avocado. There are people who think salad is boring and tasteless – a what’s the point? dish. Make this for them and change their minds.

One Year Ago: Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwich
Two Years Ago: Meet Me

Braised Artichoke Salad with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette
Dana Treat Original
Serves 4

Whenever I use fresh artichokes, I always buy the babies because they rarely have a choke to cut out. You can certainly use full-size ones here, they will just be more work. I would use 2 or 3 in that case, depending on their size.

I always make my salad dressing in a jar rather than a bowl, that way it can be shaken rather than whisked and stored easily in the refrigerator. Salsa jars work well because they have a wide mouth.

For the Salad:
About 16 baby artichokes
1 lemon, cut in half
Olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
10 sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 5 ounces of your favorite lettuce
1 medium avocado, cut into 1″ chunks

For the dressing:
1 garlic clove, pressed
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil, or more to taste

To trim the artichokes: Fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze the juice out of both halves of the lemon and add the lemon itself to the bowl. This will help keep the artichokes from turning brown. Trim both the top and bottom of the artichoke, then start to break off the leaves. Continue going until the leaves are very tight and lighter in color. Trip the base of the artichoke so that it is flush with the leaves. Cut the artichoke in half, scoop out the choke (the hairy stuff) is there is one, and put both halves in the bowl of water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, then add the onion. Sauté until softened and just starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Scoop the artichoke hearts out of the water and add them directly to the pan with the onions. Sauté for 2 minutes, then pour in the wine. Raise the heat to medium-high, cover the pan, and cook until the artichokes can be easily priced at their thickest part with a fork. You may need to add more wine if it evaporates too quickly. Once they are done, stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and set aside. (This step can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Meanwhile, wash and dry your lettuce. Place in a large salad bowl along with the avocado. Once the artichoke mixture is cool, add that in as well. Toss with dressing with just enough dressing to coat the leaves well. (You may have leftover dressing.)

For the dressing: Place the garlic, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, mustard, a healthy pinch of salt and few grinds of pepper in a jar. Cover and give it a good shake. Open the jar and pour in the olive oil, then re-cover it and shake until the dressing is emulsified. Taste for seasoning. I like my dressing really sharp so I add less olive oil than what is traditional. Do what you like.

Category: Dana Treat Original,Salad,Salad Dressing,Vegan
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Lunch for Kelly

December 31, 2009

A couple of months ago, I got a call from a guy speaking in a hushed voice. He said he had locked himself in the bathroom and wanted to arrange something with me. His name was Gregg and he is the husband of one of my close friends.

Now, you may be thinking something naughty but what Gregg wanted to arrange with me was a surprise lunch for his lovely bride. Kelly’s birthday is December 31st – a New Year’s Eve baby – and this year she turns 40. He wanted to do something special for her and first he asked me if I was free to come to the lunch. Once I said yes, he sheepishly asked me if I would cater it. I laughed out loud and said of course.

I have known Kelly since 3rd grade but we really became friends our freshman year in high school. We have taken road trips together, thrown parties, done lots of laughing, and even lived together for a year. She has two boys as well and we have enjoyed getting our kids together, although not as often as either of us would like. Kelly is a quality person, a class act as my dad likes to say. She deserved to find happiness with a wonderful man and that she did. Not only did Gregg invite 15 people to their house for lunch, but he is sending her out for some spa treatment so that I can set everything up without being detected. Can we all stand up and give Gregg a hand?

So, what’s for lunch? Well, the birthday cake will be this one. I am making two galettes – the Butternut Squash one and the Roasted Tomato one. I’m making a Mediterranean chick pea salad. I plan to have veggies and Buttermilk dip on hand for people to snack on. And I made this pasta salad.

One of my least favorite words for food is gloppy. In my book, anything with mayonnaise is gloppy and for some reason most pasta salad, even if it doesn’t star mayo, is gloppy. Over-dressed, over-cooked pasta, under-seasoned. If you agree with me, you might want to try this recipe. It is far from gloppy. In fact, it is light and bright and very tasty. Golden beets, almonds, fennel, and radicchio mix together with Orecchiette in a lemony dressing. It’s one of those wonderful recipes that looks and tastes great. Happy birthday, Kell!

My little family and I are going to be heading out of town right after lunch for 2 nights away with wonderful friends. If I could, I would personally wish each and every one of you amazing people who read this blog a Happy New Year, but my super powers only extend so far. I hope your 2009 was filled with life, love, and good food and I wish you more of the same in 2010!

One Year Ago: Vegetable Couscous Paella and Manchego Skewers

Orecchiette Salad with Roasted Beets, Fennel, & Toasted Almonds
Adapted from Macrina Bakery and Café Cookbook
Serves 4-6

Do yourself a favor and serve this (and every) pasta salad at room temperature. It needs some warmth for the flavors to bloom. Also, don’t be afraid of salt here. Add enough to make the flavors pop.

2 medium golden beets, washed
4 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup whole almonds
2 cups dry orecchiette pasta
1 cup thinly sliced radicchio
½ cup thinly sliced fennel bulb
¼ cup chopped fennel fronds
½ cup sliced scallions
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/3 cup Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place washed beets in the center of a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Gather up the edges of the foil and seal the beets inside a pouch. Bake on center rack of oven for about 1 hour, or until beets are tender when poked with a fork. Let cool, then peel the beets and chop to a medium dice. Set aside. Leave oven on.

Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. (This can be done while the beets are roasting.) Let almonds cool, then coarsely chop and set aside.

Fill a large saucepan with water. Add a pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Drop in pasta and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until tender. Drain in a colander, shaking off excess water. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil to keep pasta from sticking.

Add the diced beets, toasted almonds, radicchio, fennel bulb and fronds, scallions, and parsley. Drizzle in Lemon Vinaigrette and toss all ingredients together. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Lemon Vinaigrette
Makes approximately 1¼ cups

This dressing makes more than you need for the pasta salad, but it’s also delicious used as a green salad dressing. Go ahead and make the whole amount and use it over the course of a week.

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. honey
1 tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or pressed
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
¾ cup olive oil

Combine mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix well with a whisk. Add olive oil in a slow stream, whisking as you pour in the oil. Continue whisking until dressing has emulsified, then cover and store in the refrigerator.

Category: Party Food,Pasta,Salad,Salad Dressing
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