What do shrimp, salmon, avocado, and Boston lettuce have in common? They’re all smooth — in the case of avocado, downright creamy — and full-flavored, and when you put them together, you get a very tasty, quick, well-balanced meal. (And since the salad is served cold, it’s also a great way to use leftover cooked [...]
Food is like life — it’s all about balance and simplicity. And although any dish has the potential to hit that sublime yin-yang-ness, salads are probably the easiest and most versatile showcase for a blending of flavors. Sweet? Salty? Sharp? Smooth? Those elements are probably already on your shelves and ready to go. All it [...]
It’s true when it comes to food and people — opposites attract. Just the thought of some dishes makes our mouths water: sweet and sour Asian marinades, creamy and spicy curries, smooth and crunchy Mexican fried ice cream. There’s something irresistible about having yin and yang all on one plate. To get that polar effect [...]
You can add visual appeal, flavor, and exotic flair to any dish just by topping it with an edible flower or two. (Which you probably already have growing in your backyard.) Sprinkle rose petals onto a bowl of vanilla ice cream, and suddenly you have a romantic dessert guaranteed to knock the socks off of [...]
Halloumi cheese makes one of tastiest salads you’ll ever find on your plate–it’s salty, tangy, and the perfect foil for fresh fruits and vegetables. Like kasseri cheese–you may have come across that amidst leaping flames and a waiter shouting “Opa!”–halloumi is best consumed fried. Made of goat and sheep cheese and occasionally seasoned with mint, [...]
It may not be the typical “Mexican flag” dish (one primarily consisting of tomatoes, white onions, jalapeños), but this sprout salad has a distinctly Mexican flair. I stumbled upon the idea when I realized that my windowsill sunflower sprouts were the perfect size for lunch…and that I just happened to have some extra black beans [...]
Bulgur–or cracked wheat–is commonly used in Mediterranean salads and side dishes. It’s also a great addition to soups and stews (use it as you would barley) and as a cold cereal (much like oats). This versatile, nutty grain needs to be soaked for about an hour before using; although the package directions say 30 minutes, [...]
Despite their jewel-like colors and intriguing taste and texture, radishes really aren’t on the American gastronomic radar. Orange, red, purple, white; round, long, pear-shaped, icicle-shaped…we mostly ignore the lot of them. In Japanese cuisine, however, you’ll often come across the sharp and spicy daikon radish (if not in the main dish, often grated and served [...]
Here’s a twist on taco salads: Ethiopian lamb salads! Simple, satisfying, and significantly lighter than its North American cousin, this salad was a happy meeting of leftovers and inspiration. (I had cooked ground lamb with berbere spice mix, chopped onions, minced garlic and diced tomatoes the day before.) When I saw the lettuce and Greek [...]
Although sprouts are available throughout the year–and you can easily sprout your own grains and legumes any time you’d like–spring seems to be a particularly fitting time to incorporate sprouts into recipes. In this case, I’ve mixed broccoli sprouts with bamboo, carrots, and orange bell pepper to make a quick and fresh Asian salad. The [...]
