Now that you’ve made the Abundant Harvest Salad, you need a creamy, bright dressing to complement all of those beautiful flavors and textures. Enter, Lemon Tahini Dressing.
1/3 cup tahini
juice of 1 large lemon
3 scallions, thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper, optional, to taste
1. In a small bowl, combine the tahini with 1/3 cup water and the lemon juice. Stir until smooth.
2. Add the scallions to the bowl and stir.
3. Season with salt and pepper, if using, to taste.
A few weeks ago, I found myself in Orlando, Florida for a wedding. No, I didn’t go to Disney, and yes, I cried through the entire ceremony, and of course I danced. Ohhhh, did I dance. But I also had some fabulous vegetarian food at Dandelion Communitea Cafe. Not only was it delicious and satisfying, it was a revelation. I had one of the best salads I’ve enjoyed in a long time, and my S.S. had a killer Flutter Nutter sandwich, made with almond butter, homemade fluff and sliced bananas.
If you ever find yourself in the Orlando area, it is worth a special trip to the cafe. If you don’t, you can try my attempt at their salad, the Abundant Harvest:
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on a bias
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced in a bias
1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
corn kernels from 2 ears of corn
4 oz sprig mix, or other salad green
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 cups cooked quinoa
Pumpkin seeds, toasted, to garnish
1. Combine the carrots, celery, broccoli, chick peas, corn kernels, spring mix, and tomatoes.
2. Fold in the quinoa.
3. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds.
4. Eat. And do me a favor–make this the main course. There’s a good deal of prep, and it’s glorious. It deserves to take center stage.
But wait! The dressing! Tune in tomorrow for my take on the Green Goddess dressing served with the Abundant Harvest at Dandelion Communitea Cafe (like what I did right there?).
When your boss hands you a block of Gruyere, you make Cheez-Its. No joke–it’s science. And when you make Cheez-Its, you use this recipe, from Around My French Table a la Dorie Greenspan.
1 pound red bliss potatoes
1/2 pound green beans
4-5 scallions, thinly sliced
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, gently crushed
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife.
2. Bring another pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch for 3-5 minutes, or until tender but still firm and bright green. Drain and rinse the green beans briefly under cold running water.
3. Meanwhile, combine scallions with lemon juice, garlic clove, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Allow to marinate for 15-20 minutes. Remove garlic clove and then whisk in olive oil.
4. Drain the potatoes and, while still warm, cut each into 8 pieces and immediately toss with the vinaigrette.
5. Cut the green beans in half on a diagonal. Add to the potatoes and stir to coat.
6. Adjust seasoning and eat. Like, now.
This was a perfect served alongside roasted chicken.
A spin on a classic. Here’s the gist:
1. Layer thin slices of cantaloupe on a plate (or platter if you’re making an appetizer).
2. Tear prosciutto, and break prosciutto crisps* into pieces, and scatter on top.
3. Thinly slice sugar snap peas or snow pea pods on a bias and add to the plate.
4. Garnish with diced or crumbled ricotta salata (I only had feta, which worked just fine) and torn mint.
5. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Makes for a light dinner perfect for a summer evening, but would make an ideal, easy-to-assemble appetizer.
*To make the prosciutto crisps, lay the slices of prosciutto flat on a parchment paper-lined or greased baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree F oven for about 6-7 minutes, or until crisp.
eating in your underwear 