Salad from Senegal

The Ingredients (for 6 servings):

• 225 g (or 1 cup) of fonio, an African grain, preferably a well hulled and clean brand such as Earth's Goodness
• 10 g (or 2 teaspoons) of salt

• 1 or 2 mangoes, weighing approximately 450 g (or 16 oz)
• 1 small red onion, weighing approximately 240 g (or 8 oz)
• 1 medium Japanese cucumber, weighing approximately 300 g (or 10 oz)
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 1 bunch of Italian flat-leaf parsley,  weighing approximately 100 g (or 3½ oz)
• 1 bunch of mint, weighing approximately 60 g (or 2 oz)
• a few sprigs of basil,  weighing approximately 15 g (or ½ oz)
• 60 ml (or ¼ cup) of lemon juice
• 180 ml (or ¾ cup) of salad grade olive oil

Keith mangoes—sweet and tangy with
small, flat seeds and no long fibers

The Method:

1. Place 2 cups of water into a small saucepan that has a fitted lid, add the salt, and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
2. Meanwhile, if necessary, rinse 1 cup of fonio in a bowl of water and pour off the water. Repeat this until the rinse water is clear. (With Earth's Goodness product pictured above, this step is not necessary.)
3. When the salted water boils, turn the burner to its lowest possible setting, pour the fonio into the pan, and immediately place the lid on the pan.
4. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and stir the fonio thoroughly with a fork or fine-bladed spatula to break up congealed lumps of the cooked cereal.
   
5. Remove the pan from the stove and replace the lid, allowing the fonio to cool.
6. From time to time, repeat step 4 until the fonio is at room temperature.
7. Place the fonio into the refrigerator or freezer to further cool it until it reaches a temperature suitable for assembling the salad.
8. As the fonio cools, prepare the other salad ingredients by first peeling the mango and slicing it into approximately 1.5-cm (or ½-inch) cubes.
9. Peel and dice the red onion into the same size cubes.
10. Wash and dice the cucumber into the same size cubes.
11. Wash the cherry tomatoes and halve them.
12. Wash and dry the parsley, mint, and basil, remove the leaves from the tougher stems, and chop them finely.
13. Place the lemon juice in a small bowl or measuring cup and drizzle the olive oil in, whisking with a fork to form an emulsion. (Alternatively, my preference is to place lemon juice and olive oil in a small, screw-top jar and shake it vigorously for several seconds, giving a better emulsion.)
14. When the fonio is cool, empty it into a salad bowl.
    
15. Add the prepared salad ingredients and toss to distribute them evenly throughout the fonio.
    
16. Toss again, adding the salad dressing sparingly until all of the salad has a thin coating.
17. If you have them on hand, sprinkle shelled pistachios on the top of the salad before serving.

The Story:

I modified somewhat a recipe that I found on The Splendid Table website for this salad. In particular, I added instructions on how to cook fonio, an easy but quite specific technique.

Asean Arugula au Pear

The Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 80 ml (or ⅓ cup) of rice vinegar
• 22 ml (or 1½ tablespoons) of sherry
• stevia equivalent of  35 g (or 2 tablespoons) of sugar
• 12 g (or 1½ teaspoons) of salt
• 5 g (or 1½ teaspoons) of ground white pepper
• 60 ml (or ¼ cup) of toasted sesame oil
• 180 ml (or ¾ cup) of grapeseed oil

• 30 g (or  ¼ cup) of pecans
• 1 bunch of arugula, weighing approximately 115 g (or 4 oz)
• 1 Asian pear, weighing approximately 225 g (or 8 oz)
• 55 g (or 2 oz) of blue cheese
  

The Method:

Salad Dressing

1. Place the rice vinegar, the sherry, the stevia, and the salt into a cruet or similar vessel.
2. Swirl to dissolve the salt.
3. Add the pepper and swirl again to distribute it evenly.
4. Add the sesame oil and the grapeseed oil.
   
5. Shake the cruet vigorously to form an emulsion.
   

Salad Assembly

1. Toast the pecans in an oven at 175°C (or 350°F) for 5 minutes. Allow them to cool.
2. Wash and trim the arugula and place it in a bowl sufficiently large to toss it in.
3. Wash the pear, core it, and slice it into thin wedges.
4. Toss the arugula and pear with a little of the salad dressing, to taste. (The remainder can be stored in the refrigerator and used for more or different salads.)
5. Crumble the blue cheese and sprinkle it over the arugula and pear.
6. Finally, sprinkle the pecans over the salad.

   

   Asean Arugula au Pear complements Sichuan spiced rack of lamb

   
   

Grill It

The Ingredients (for 4 servings):

• 6 pieces of dried tomato, weighing approximately 15 g (or ½ oz)
• 120 ml (or ½ cup) of mayonnaise, preferably an olive oil-based product
• 15 ml (or 1 tablespoon) of soy sauce (or equivalent seasoning)
• 15 ml (or 1 tablespoon) of lemon juice
• stevia equivalent of 5 g (or 1 teaspoon) of sugar
• 2 heads of Romaine lettuce
• 20 to 24 cherry tomatoes
• 8 anchovies
• 15 g (or 2 tablespoons) of capers
• cooking grade olive oil
• salt
• pepper

The Method:

1. At least 1 hour before assembling the salad, place the dried tomato into a measuring cup and fill it to the 1-cup mark with boiling water.
   
2. When it has cooled, place the tomatoes and their soaking water into a blender or food processor and purée it.
                        
3. In a 2-cup measuring cup or similar receptacle, place the mayonnaise, soy sauce, lemon juice, stevia, and 60 ml (or 4 tablespoons) of the tomato purée.
4. Whisk the mayonnaise mixture with a fork until it is completely homogeneous.
   
5. Trim the stem ends of the Romaine lettuces then cut them in half lengthwise.
6. Rinse them gently, then shake each half to remove as much water as possible.
7. Lightly salt and pepper the cut surfaces of the lettuce.
   
8. Brush or spray a light coating of olive oil onto a griddle or a large skillet, and place it on high heat.
9. When the oil is smoking, place the lettuce halves, cut side down, onto the griddle and leave them there for 2 minutes. If you are using a cast-iron griddle you can turn the heat off after 1 minute.
                    
10. Remove the lettuce halves and place them, cut side up, into a serving platter. 
11. Place 2 anchovies on each lettuce half, sprinkle the anchovies over them, and arrange the tomatoes on and around the lettuce halves.
12. Drizzle the salad dressing over the lettuce halves.
    

Dinosaur Greens

Menu Note:

• This is the salad on myChristmas Menu 2015, on this blog.

The Ingredients (for 6 to 8 servings):

• 2 or 3 shallots, weighing approximately 125 g (or ¼ lb)
• 125 g (or ¼ lb) of thick-cut, smoked bacon, the leaner the better
• 90 ml (or 6 tablespoons) of balsamic vinegar
• 60 ml (or 4 tablespoons) of red wine
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of lemon juice
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of lime juice
• 120 ml (or ½ cup) of salad grade olive oil
• 340 g (or ¾ lb) of Tuscan (or "dinosaur") kale
• 90 g (or 3 oz) of pecans
• 340 g (or ¾ lb) of strawberries
• 60 g (or 2 oz) of hard goat cheese

The Method:

1. Roast the shallots in their skins at 220°C (or 425°F) for 1 hour, and allow them to cool to room temperature.
   
   
   
   
2. Remove the outer, burnt layers and set the roasted shallots aside.
3. Cube the bacon and fry the pieces in a small saucepan over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the fat is rendered and the bacon pieces are browned.
4. Turn the heat to low, add the balsamic vinegar and red wine, and cover the saucepan.
5. Braise the bacon gently for 30 minutes.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Allow the braised bacon to cool to room temperature.
7. Place the lemon juice, lime juice, and olive oil into a blender or food processor.
8. Add the roasted shallots and the contents of the saucepan, and blend on high speed to form an emulsion.
9. Strain the emulsion through a fine sieve to remove any pieces of bacon.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. Taste and adjust the acidity of the salad dressing by adding either lime juice or olive oil.
11. Place the pecans into a small oven-proof dish and bake them at 175°C (or 350°F) for 5 minutes.
    
12. Allow the pecans to cool to room temperature.
13. Wash and hull the strawberries and, if necessary, cut them into bite-size pieces.
14. Cut the cheese into small cubes.
15. Wash the kale and remove the center stem of each leaf.
16. Dry the kale as much as possible, and cut or tear the leaves into bite-size pieces.
    
    
    
    

The Spin on Strawberries

The Ingredients (for 5 to 6 servings):

• 225 g (or 8 oz) of spinach
• 340 g (or 12 oz) of strawberries
• 115 g (or 4 oz) of chèvre, a creamy goat cheese
• 225 g (or 8 oz) of lean bacon
• aged white balsamic vinegar
• salad grade olive oil

The Method:

1. Cook the bacon until it is crispy, then allow it to cool to room temperature.
2. Wash and spin dry the spinach and place it in a salad bowl.
3. Wash and hull the strawberries, cut them into quarters, and strew them across the spinach.
4. Crumble the chèvre over the spinach and strawberries.
5. Cut or crush the bacon into small pieces and sprinkle it over the salad.
6. Make the balsamic vinegar and olive oil available for each person to drizzle on their own serving.
   

Oh-Kale!

Dinosaur??

Menu Note:

• I changed very little of this recipe that I found online, but I do prefer some creaminess to the dressing and chèvre worked well with the other flavors.

The Ingredients (for 4 to 6 servings):

• Approximately 450 g (or 1 lb) of kale, preferably Tuscan (or "dinosaur") kale
• 60 g (or 2 oz) of pecans
• 1 small bell pepper
• 10 ml (or 2 teaspoons) of prepared mustard, preferably a Dijon mustard
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of balsamic vinegar
• 15 ml (or 1 tablespoon) of lemon juice, preferably Meyer lemon
• 5 g (or 2 teaspoons) of freshly ground black pepper
• 80 ml (or ⅓ cup) of salad grade olive oil
• 30 g (or 2 tablespoons) of chèvre (creamy goat cheese)
• 60 g (or 2 oz) of dried cranberries
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• salt

The Method:

1. Wash the kale and dry the leaves as much as possible.
2. Remove the thick, tough part of each stem by either cutting it out with a pair of scissors, or slicing it finely as part of the next step.
3. With a large, sharp knife, cut handfuls of the kale leaves crosswise into fine shreds, approximately 3 mm (or ⅛ in) wide. Discard or save for soup any tough stem pieces.
4. Place the shredded kale into a large bowl and sprinkle approximately 2 g (or ¼ teaspoon) of salt over all.
5. Pick up the kale by handfuls and rub it between your hands, or between the fingers of one hand until the kale is somewhat limp, moist, and a darker shade of green.
6. Put the kale aside in a cool place or in the refrigerator for up to two hours.
7. Toast the pecans in an oven set to 175°C (or 350°F) for 5 minutes. Place them aside to cool.
8. Just before serving the salad, cut the bell pepper into julienne strips.
9. Make the dressing by first whisking together the mustard, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice.
10. Grind the pepper into the mixture and stir to distribute evenly.
11. Whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion.
12. Add the chèvre and mix vigorously until there are no lumps.
13. Toss the kale with the salad dressing, then add the bell pepper, cranberries, and tomatoes.
14. Toss again and top the salad with the toasted pecans.

The Story:

A celebratory occasion. 

Part of a delicious birthday dinner (and see my most recent La Voix Off post for an explanation of the pasta)

Vinaigrette de Toujours

Menu Notes:

• This vinaigrette can be used on many different salads—arugula, watercress, lettuce, kale, spinach, to name a few—and is also a good marinade for salad ingredients such as mushrooms, steamed green beans, avocado. Pictured here is a salad that is typical of the ones I make almost daily, and it comprises lettuce, watercress, tomato, cucumber, avocado, Greek olives, and toasted pecans. 
• Although Vinaigrette du Jour tastes best on the day it is made, it does keep well in the refrigerator. I let it warm to room temperature before reusing from the fridge.

The Ingredients:

• 3 cloves (or 8 g) of garlic
• 2 g (or ¼ teaspoon) of salt
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of lemon juice
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of balsamic vinegar
• 7 g (or 1 tablespoon) of mustard powder
• 5 g (or ½ tablespoon) of freshly ground black pepper
• 180 ml (or ¾ cup) of salad grade olive oil
• 2g (or 2 tablespoons) of dried dill leaves

The Method:

1. Press the garlic through a fine-gauge garlic press.
2. Mash the salt into the garlic with a small fork or the side of a knife until the mixture becomes creamy or foamy.
3. Place the garlic mixture into a bottle with an airtight cap or stopper.
4. Add the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and pepper, and shake the mixture in the bottle until the mustard is distributed evenly in the liquid.
5. Add the olive oil and shake the bottle vigorously until the vinegar and oil layers are completely mixed.
6. Add the dill leaves and shake the bottle again to distribute the herb evenly throughout the vinaigrette.

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Apple'n Sesame!

Menu Notes:

• I was intrigued by Andrea Bemis's recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apple Salad on Epicurious. Here is my version of an unusual combination that works amazingly well.
• So much so, that it featured on my Christmas Menu 2013.

The Ingredients (for 4 to 6 servings):

• 80 g (or ½ cup) of macadamia nuts
• 340 g (or 12 oz) of Brussels sprouts
• 1 medium yellow onion, approximate weight 225 g (or 8 oz)
• 225 g (or 8 oz) of asparagus
• 2 apples, approximate weight 340 g (or 12 oz)
• 60 ml (or ¼ cup) of sesame tahini
  
• 15 ml (or 1 tablespoon) of toasted sesame oil, preferably a high quality Japanese style product
• 10 ml (or 2 teaspoons) of white miso paste
• 60 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of balsamic vinegar
• 1 g (or ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon) of Cayenne pepper
• Several leaves of lettuce, approximate weight 175 g (or 6 oz)
• 55 g (or 2 oz) of "blue" cheese--my preference is Stilton
• olive oil
• water

The Method:

1. Turn on the oven and set it to 175°C (or 350°F).
2. Roast the macadamia nuts for 5 minutes then remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.
3. Reset the oven to 220°C (or 425°F).
4. Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts, and cut them in half.
5. Cut the onion into cubes similar in size to the Brussels sprouts.
6. Place the Brussels sprouts and onion into a baking dish and toss with a small amount of olive oil, enough to lightly coat the vegetables and the bottom of the dish.
7. Place the baking dish in the oven and roast for a total of 30 minutes.
8. Wash and trim the asparagus and cut them into manageable lengths.
9. Wash and core the apples and cut each one into 8 to 12 wedges.
10. Turn the vegetables in the oven after 10 and then 20 minutes of roasting.
11. At the 20-minute turn, add the apple and asparagus and toss them until they are also lightly coated with olive oil.
12. After a further 10 minutes, remove the roasted vegetables from the oven.
13. Combine the tahini, sesame oil, miso, vinegar, and Cayenne pepper in a bowl or measuring cup and whisk with a fork to combine them thoroughly.
14. Add 60 ml (or ¼ cup) of water and whisk again to thin out the dressing.
15. Wash the lettuce and tear or cut it into manageable pieces.
16. Crumble or cube the cheese.
17. Place all of the roasted vegetables into a salad bowl and toss with the sesame dressing.
18. Just before serving, add the lettuce and toss briefly, then sprinkle the cheese and Macadamia nuts over the salad.