Chickpea-Tahini Salad

Chickpea-Tahini Salad is the recipe selected at Cook The Book Fridays. This very easy and quick salad recipe is from Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, Everyday Dorie.

I've used about less than 2 cups of cooked chickpeas which I had frozen a couple of months ago. Thawed them and refresh in simmering water for a few minutes and they are ready to be used. Time to use up my homemade tahini too.

To make the salad dressing, whisk the tahini with a little warm water until smooth, then stir in lemon zest and lemon juice, finely minced garlic, grated ginger, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder (recipe uses cayenne powder), and salt to taste. I have omitted the honey.  To make the salad, stir into the dressing the following ingredients ; cooked or canned chickpeas, finely chopped red bell pepper, finely chopped red onion, chopped fresh cilantro and fresh dill. I did not have any dill, so I've used more cilantro. Stir everything well and season with more salt and pepper to taste.

I have added two finely chopped jalapenos to the salad. And a sprinkling of sumac over the salad just before serving.

I like this salad. It is very tasty and delicious! I would make this again with other veggies add in ; tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, olives.... 

Sauteed Potatoes with Parsley and Garlic

After a twelve months break from cooking with the lovely ladies at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), I'm back, and hopefully I will be posting more often, as I have not been blogging as frequently as I used to. IHCC cooks with a selected chef every six months, but for this time round, there will not be any new chef selected. It is IHCC's ten years anniversary, and they are welcoming back all of the 19 chefs that were featured for the last ten years ; Nigella Lawson, Mark Bittman, Giada de Laurentiis, Jamie Oliver, Tessa Kiros, Rick Bayless, Madhur Jaffrey, Yotam Ottolenghi, Donna Hay, Nigel Slater, Diana Henry, Jacques Pepin, Ellie Krieger, Curtis Stone, Heidi Swanson, Hugh-Fearnley Whittingstall, Ina Garten, Eric Rupert, and Ruth Reichl. Pretty impressive list of chefs!

I've just received two new addition to my cookbooks (yay!) Essential Pepin by Jacques Pepin, and Provence To Pondicherry by Tessa Kiros. So many recipes I want to try! For a start, I made two easy recipes from Jacques Pepin, Sauteed Potatoes with Parsley and Garlic, and Romaine with Creamy Yoghurt Dressing.

 Sauteed Potatoes with Parsley and Garlic

Easy and quick, makes a nice side dish. Chopped potatoes are stir-fried in oil until cooked and brown all over. Parsley leaves (I've used fresh cilantro), and a few cloves of garlic are chopped together until finely minced. These are added to the cooked potatoes in the pan, tossing to combine and season with salt and black pepper. I could eat this on it's own!

Romaine with Creamy Yoghurt Dressing

I like this yoghurt dressing, it is light, creamy, cool and refreshing, just as Jacques Pepin says. I've used my own homemade yoghurt. Whisk the yoghurt together with white wine vinegar, salt, black pepper until combine, then whisk in the olive oil. Drizzle over the romaine and toss just before serving.

Both the Sauteed Potatoes and the Romaine are served alongside some Spicy Pork Sausages. 

Sauteed Potatoes with Parsley and Garlic

(Essential Pepin by Jacques Pepin)

3 large Red Bliss potatoes (18 ounces), peeled

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cut the potatoes into 3/8-inch cubes. Put in a sieve and rinse well under cool water. Transfer to a bowl, add water to cover, and set aside until ready to cook.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Drain the potatoes, pat dry with paper towels, and add to the hot oil. Saute over high heat for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are browned on all sides.

Meanwhile, chop the garlic and parsley together until finely minced.

Add the salt, pepper, and parsley mixture to the potatoes in the skillet, tossing to combine, Serve.

Romaine with Creamy Yoghurt Dressing

(Essential Pepin by Jacques Pepin)

Dressing

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons plain yoghurt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

8-10 ounces romaine lettuce, leaves cut lengthwise in half, torn into 1-1/2 to 2-inch pieces, washed, and dried (about 6 cups)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (tarragon, chives, and/or parsley)

Whisk together the vinegar, salt, pepper, and yoghurt in a bowl large enough to hold the lettuce. Whisk in the oil.

Add the lettuce to the dressing and toss until coated. Sprinkle on the fresh herbs and serve immediately.

This post is linked to I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC) and Cookbook Countdown #40

Chicken and Chorizo Salad

A simple, easy and very delicious lunch of Chicken and Chorizo Salad.

I've used only cannellini beans, omitted the barlotti beans (did not have any). Instead of using sliced red chilli, I have used 2 teaspoons of chilli flakes. Did not have rocket leaves either, so I have used baby romaine lettuce leaves. This plate of salad makes a very nice and tasty lunch.

Chicken and Chorizo Salad
(Pronto, by Gino D'Acampo)
serves 4
100gm can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
100gm barlotti beans, drained and rinsed
20 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 medium hot red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1cm strips
100gm hot chorizo sausage, cut into thin round slices
60gm rocket leaves (I've used baby romaine leaves)
salt, to taste

1. Put all the beans in a large bowl with the tomatoes, chilli and garlic. Pour over the lemon juice with half the olive oil, season with salt, toss all together and set aside.
2. Place a large frying pan over a high heat and pour in the remaining oil. Add the chicken strips and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
3. Season with salt, add the chorizo and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes over a high heat.
4. Toss the rocket leaves through the bean salad and transfer to a large serving plate. Top with the crispy chicken and chorizo and serve immediately.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #27 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Marinated Cucumber with Mint

I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC) is going raw this week, with the theme, In The Raw! There's certainly not short on recipes for this theme. There's tons of recipes using fresh raw veggies in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage series of cookbooks.  I've made Marinated Cucumber with Mint from HFW's lovely book, River Cottage Veg every day! I love cucumbers, especially when eaten raw.

A very simple, easy and quick salad to put together. Sliced cucumber are tossed with cider vinegar, sugar, salt, olive oil, black pepper and leave to marinate for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. 

A refreshing salad indeed! Especially with the chopped fresh mint.

Marinated Cucumber with Mint
(River Cottage Veg Everyday, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall)
serves 3-4
1 medium-large cucumber
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil or rapeseed oil
a good handful of mint, finely chopped
a pinch of sugar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel the cucumber, halve it lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Slice into thick half-moons. Place in a dish with the cider vinegar, oil, mint and a pinch each of salt, sugar and pepper. Toss together thoroughly.  Leave for 15-30 minutes, toss again and then serve.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

In The Raw!

and

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #20 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Two-Root Slaw

This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), the theme is Salads & Sides. I made some slaw to serve alongside some roasted chicken. Recipe uses two types of root veggies ; carrots and celeriac. Since it is almost impossible to find celeriac over here, I've used what I had in my fridge ; stalks of celery instead, since we love celery in  salads. So I should really call this slaw as "Root-Stem Slaw"! 

Very easy and quick to put together. I sliced the veggies into matchsticks instead of grating. As for the lemon juice, I've only added a squeeze or two, instead of from 1/2 a lemon, as we do not like sour slaw.

A very nice slaw indeed. Great side dish for roasted chicken.


Two-root Slaw
(River Cottage Everyday, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall)
serves 6
2-3 large carrots
1/2 celeriac (about 400gm) (I've replaced with 2 stalks of celery)

for the dressing :
4 tablespoons good mayonnaise
2 teaspoons English mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon, or a dash of cider vinegar
1 tablespoon caraway seeds, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan (optional) (omitted)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel the carrots and celeriac and coarsely grate them into a bowl (or use a mandolin on the matchstick setting, if you have one).

Beat together all the ingredients for the dressing, pour them over the grated vegetables and stir to coat thoroughly.

Pack in you lunchbox or serve at home, allowing the flavours to develop for an hour or so beforehand. It's good with cold meats, especially ham and tongue, or after a stew or shepherd's pie.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

Salads & Sides

and

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #19 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Grated Carrot Salad

Cook The Book Fridays, a group of lovely foodie bloggers are cooking their way through David Lebovitz's cookbook, My Paris Kitchen. The selected recipe for this week is Grated Carrot Salad. According to David Lebovitz, Grated Carrot Salad is so commonplace in France, that you'll hardly find it mentioned in any of the books on traditional French cuisine. Everyone has their own version of making this salad.

I have never grated carrots for salads before. What I would usually do is to slice them either thinly in rounds or half-moons, or sometimes julienned them to matchsticks, but never grated, for a salad. One of the things that I dislike doing while preparing veggies for a dish, is grating root veggies! I do grate carrots when making carrot cakes, which I enjoy eating, but dislike grating the carrots. I prefer chopping my veggies over grating, as chopping can be a rather enjoyable task, rather therapeutic at times. 

Because this is a Grated Carrot Salad, I dutifully grate my carrots. 

The grated carrots and some fresh chopped cilantro greens from my garden pot. 

The dressing is a mixture of Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, lemon juice and salt, whisk to combine. Toss the carrots and fresh herbs with the dressing and serve. 

Quite a nice salad. The sweetness of the carrots balances well with the lemony-mustard sweet dressing. My son likes this. 

Makes a nice side dish. I served it alongside some baked chicken breast with fresh crisp celery sticks.

Stop by Cook the Book Fridays to see what everyone thought about this salad.

Fruit Salad with Thai Herbs

We are getting colourful at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), with this week's theme, "A Colorful Plate!".  Heidi Swanson's recipes are not short on colours! I've made her colourful fruit salad, with honey lemon grass dressing and some mint leaves for that lovely minty flavour.

The salad dressing ; minced lemon grass, honey, lemon juice, vanilla extract, pinch of salt

I have used our tropical fruits, dragon fruits, crispy guava, mango and papaya. Drizzle with the fruit salad dressing, and sprinkle some mint leaves on top. Serve immediately. Very refreshing and yum!

Fruit Salad with Thai Herbs
(source from 101cookbooks.com , Heidi Swanson)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon
2 tablespoons honey
1 pinch of salt
the tender interior of a stalk of lemongrass, minced
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
5-6 cups of seasonal fruit, sliced
20 mint leaves, chiffonade
to serve : any of all of the following, toasted coconut, dollops of  creme fraiche or yogurt, toasted walnuts

Whisk together the citrus juice, honey, salt, lemongrass and vanilla. Set aside.

Arrange the fruit in a large bowl or on a platter, and drizzle with about half of the dressing. Taste, and decide if you'd like to add more dressing. Then add the coconut, nuts, and creme fraiche, and serve.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

A Colorful Plate!

Raw Vegetable Slaw with Creamy Garlic Dressing

This week at Cook the Book Fridays (CtBF), the selected recipe is Raw Vegetable Slaw with Creamy Garlic Dressing. CtBF is an online group of food bloggers who are currently cooking from David Lebovitz's latest cookbook, My Paris Kitchen. 

Firstly make the dressing by combining mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard and ground black pepper, in a bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours before using. Now there's a confusion about the amount of garlic when I read the concerns posted at CtBF, is it really 2 tablespoons or supposed to be just 2 cloves? So for a start, I've used two cloves, chopped finely, add to the dressing, and mixed to combine. I had a little taste of the dressing, it was really good, and the taste of the garlic is definitely there, so that was the amount of garlic I've used, only 2 cloves. 

Combination of shredded veggies ; red and green cabbage, carrots, broccoli and apples.

Six cups of thinly shredded vegetables is used with the combination of the suggested veggies given by David. I have however only used these veggies ; red and green cabbage, carrots, apple, broccoli. And I have even skipped the parsley and chives, simply because I have forgotten to buy them! I thinly shred the vegetables using a sharp knife, one process that I quite enjoy doing!

Toss the dressing with the raw shredded vegetables and serve. There's hard-boiled eggs in the ingredients. I did make the hard-boiled eggs, but did not add them to the slaw at the last moment, as I think the slaw is delicious as it is. However, I served the chopped eggs in a separate bowl, and letting the family help themselves, adding to their slaw if they want to. This is a delicious slaw and one that I would be making again.

Do drop by CtBF to see the other lovely ladies take on this raw slaw, perhaps with different combinations of veggies.

Fattoush

This week at Cook the Book Fridays (CtBF), the selected recipe from David Lebovitz's cookbook, My Paris Kitchen, is Fattoush, a salad dish. I have made Fattoush before, a recipe from Nigella Lawson which I've posted here, and I really love it! So I was pretty excited to try DL's version! 

Fattoush is a Middle Eastern salad and it uses the lovely spice Sumac. Traditionally, toasted pita breads is used in the salad, but I do not have any, and have used two pieces of wholemeal tortilla which I've toasted till crispy. The salad dressing is a mixture of lemon juice, salt, garlic, mustard and olive oil. Just before serving, toss the veggies with the dressing ; lettuce leaves, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint leaves and radishes, with some sumac and black pepper. I have omitted the radishes as I did not have any. Toss in the broken pieces of toasted pita (tortilla).

This is a very nice salad. I can't help comparing DL's Fattoush with NL's. And I prefer Nigella's version. If this is just another salad, then this is quite good actually, but since this is Fattoush, and since I have made Nigella's Fattoush, I prefer Nigella's simpler version without the mustard and the salad leaves. I like mustard but I think that a Fattoush is better without it. With the mustard, it is just like any other salad, at least for me!

We had this salad with Chicken Lady Chicken, (which is our next assignment in two weeks' time, so will be sharing that later), and it was a delicious meal. 

Please do stop by CtBF to see the other lovely ladies take on this salad.

Cookbook Countdown #3 : Hot and Sour Cucumber Salad

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

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Cookbook Countdown #3 : Recipe No. 8 - Hot and Sour Cucumber Salad

from my selected cookbook for this month, My China by Kylie Kwong

I harvested three cucumbers from my garden pot and made this Hot and Sour Cucumber Salad which is really nice. This is similar to a quick pickle. Sour, sweet, salty and crisp, with flavours from the garlic, ginger, spring onions and chillies. I mixed everything and keep covered in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before eating it. Great when eaten cold.

Simple, quick and easy.

Hot and Sour Cucumber Salad
(adapted from "My China", Kylie Kwong)
4 small cucumbers - about 875gm (1 lb 12oz) in total, peeled
1 large green chilli, de-seeded and finely sliced
1 large red chilli, de-seeded and finely sliced
2 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and finely sliced

Dressing :
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5cm (2in) piece ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Cut cucumbers in half lengthways and then into 5mm (1/4 in) slices on the diagonal.
In a bowl, combine cucumber with chillies and spring onion.
To make the dressing, combine ingredients in a small bowl. Spoon dressing over salad, toss gently and serve.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

An InLinkz Link-up

Arugula, Carrot Greens, Apple and Almond Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing

This is a simple salad, and it is really nice and refreshing. I've made this a number of times, using different salad greens. The Honey-Lemon dressing is very simple, just a mixture of honey, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. 

Here, I have used baby arugula leaves, young tender leaves from my carrot plants, green apple and chopped toasted almonds. 

Simply mix the Honey-Lemon dressing and drizzle over the salad ingredients and enjoy! This is simple and refreshing. The Honey-Lemon dressing is especially good drizzled over bitter salad greens like frisee. My kids love this dressing and sometimes when we have roasted chicken for dinner, I would make a simple salad of just a mixed leafy greens and reds, with a bowl of the Honey-Lemon dressing at the side, and let them drizzle over their salad as much as they want. If you prefer a sweet dressing, simply add more honey, or for a more lemony dressing, reduce the honey and add more lemon juice.

If there's any Honey-Lemon dressing leftover, you can always add some water, cubes of ice and you would have a refreshing honey-lemon drink! Or you could add a tablespoon or two into your cup of plain tea, and you would have Honey-Lemon Tea! You may need to add more honey if you are making it into drinks. 

From my container garden : Baby Arugula Leaves and young tender leaves from my carrot plants.

Arugula, Carrot Greens, Apple and Almond Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing
(by kitchen flavours)
a large handful of fresh baby arugula leaves
a few sprigs of young tender carrot leaves, use only the leaves
(or replace the augula and carrot leaves with a bunch of any salad greens)
1 medium green apple
some toasted almonds, chopped
juice of half a lemon
3 to 4 tablespoons honey, or to taste
pinch of salt

Prepare the honey-lemon dressing by mixing in a bowl, the lemon juice, honey and salt to taste. Stir till evenly combine.

Cut apple into quarters, remove the core, then sliced thinly. Put into a serving bowl and mix with the arugula and carrot leaves. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the honey-lemon dressing, mix to combine.  Scatter with the chopped toasted almond and drizzle more honey-lemon dressing. You may not need to use all of the honey-lemon dressing, if there's any extra, make it into a cold drink by adding some water and ice cubes, and enjoy it with your salad!

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (March 2015 Event: Honey) organized by Zoe (Bake for Happy Kids) and Doreen (My Little Favourite DIY) and hosted by Joyce (joycescapade.com).

Wheat Berry Salad with Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken

"Ancient Grains", the theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). I know of whole grains but Ancient Grains, hmmm what is that? Upon finding out more info from the various websites, I go "oohhh!, now I got it!" If you are not sure what Ancient Grains are, you may read about it from here and here. 

I bought these organic wheat berries quite a while back for some bread rolls that I made. Since this week is all about ancient grains at IHCC, I googled for info and was pleased to see that it is on the list of ancient grains, here. And Ellie has just the recipe for it in one of her books.

Used the wheat berries to make a Wheat Berry Salad from Ellie Krieger's book "So Easy". This salad is so healthy and nutritious, packed with vitamins and fibres from the ingredients that makes this salad. The main star attraction is the Wheat Berry which is boiled till tender (about an hour), drain before use. Other ingredients are ; celery, parsley leaves (I use coriander leaves), scallions, dried cherries (I use dried cranberries), toasted walnuts, lemon juice, 

This Wheat Berry Salad is served with some slices of Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken.

Serve the wheat berry by placing some spinach leaves on each plate, mound some Wheat Berry Salad on the leaves and top with slices of Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken, with a slice of lemon to squeeze over just before eating. I did not have any spinach leaves, so I've harvested some baby lettuce leaves from my garden pot. 

The salad is chewy with very interesting crunchy bites from the celery and walnuts. And the cranberries added a tangy sweetness to it, which this salad needs. Overall, this salad is OK, but I'm not too crazy over it either. Instead of making the wheat berry the main character in the salad,  the next time I will just throw in a handful as a mix-in into a bowl of salad so that it mingles at the background with all the other ingredients! I think I would enjoy it better that way.  I did enjoy the Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken which is delicious! 

Wheat Berry Salad with Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken
(adapted from "So Easy", by Ellie Krieger)
Makes 4 servings
1 cup hard wheat berries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
1/3 cup tart dried cherries, chopped
1 small scallion (white and green parts, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus 4 lemon wedges for serving
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves
1 recipe Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken Breast (recipe follows)

In a medium-size pot, combine the wheat berries and enough water to come 2 inches above the wheat berries. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until tender, about 1 hour. Drain and let cool.

Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a medium-size dry skillet over medium-high beat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the wheat berries, toasted walnuts, celery, parsley, dried cherries, scallions, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. This salad will keep up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To serve, place 1 cup of spinach leaves on each plate or in to-go containers. Mound 3/4 cup of the wheat berry salad on top of each serving and top that with slices of the Lemon-Cumin Grilled 

Chicken. Place a lemon wedge on the side of each serving. Right before eating, squeeze the lemon wedges on top.

Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken
1-1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Put the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound it slightly with a mallet or rolling pin so it is an even thickness of about 1/2 inch.

In a small bowl, combine the cumin, salt, and pepper. Rub the chicken breasts on both sides with olive oil and then rub the spice mixture on both sides.

Spray a grill or nonstick grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until grill marks have formed and the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from the heat, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice into 1/2-inch-thick slices and drizzle with the lemon juice. The chicken will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week,

Ancient Grains

and
Souper Sundays @ Kahakai Kitchen

Toasted Pita and Herb Salad

"January Potluck", the theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). For this week, we get to cook with any of IHCC's past and present featured chefs. I've made Ellie Krieger's simple salad using toasted pita and fresh herbs.

I love this simple salad. The salad dressing is a mixture of lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. The scallions and fresh mint are from my garden pot, along with the fresh cucumber which I've freshly harvested that morning. What I like about this salad is the combination of the fresh herbs with the lemony dressing, very refreshing. The crisp leafy greens and the crunch of the toasted pitas with my addition of hard-boiled eggs makes this a satisfying plate for a light lunch. 

Toasted Pita and Herb Salad
(adapted from "The Food You Crave", Ellie Krieger)
One 6-inch whole-wheat pita bread with pocket
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large head romaine lettuce, leaves torn into bite-size pieces (about 5 cups lightly packed)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 scallion (white and green parts), thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 large English cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced into half-moons
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered (my addition)

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Split the pita into 2 rounds and toast on a baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Allow the pita to cool and break into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add the oil and whisk to incorporate.

Toss the lettuce, parsley, scallion, mint, cucumber and tomatoes together in a large serving bowl. Right before serving, add the pita and dressing to the salad. Toss well to coat and serve.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

Potluck

Cucumber, Onion and Mint Salad

"November Potluck", the theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). We get to cook from any of IHCC's past or present featured chefs, and for this week, I've made Jacques Pepin's simple and yummy salad, Cucumber, Onion and Mint Salad.

I've sliced the onions into rings (instead of diced), as I like them this way in salads. The cucumbers are from my potted garden, gorgeous fresh cucumbers! I did not peel them since these are homegrown and they have thin skins, so they really do not need any peeling. These are mini cucumbers,and there's barely any seeds in them, so I did not bother to scrape out the seeds. Also I have skipped the step where the cucumbers and onions are sprinkled with salt and left for 30 minutes to extract out the water so that they will be crunchy. My cucumbers are really crisps so I've omitted this step. The salad is made more refreshing and fresh by using mint leaves, also from my garden pot. I did not use Tabasco sauce, but have replaced with Dijon mustard instead. This salad can be prepared in advance and keep in the refrigerator until serving time. It is delicious served cold. 

Mini cucumbers. Fresh, juicy and crisp. Perfect for salads. Looking forward to more cucumber harvests this week! Big grin!!!

Mint from the garden pot.

Cucumber, Onion and Mint Salad
(adapted from : Heart&Soul, Jacques Pepin)
1 large English (seedless) cucumber (about 1 pound)
1 cup diced (1⁄2-inch) mild onion
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons shredded fresh mint leaves
1⁄2 cup sour cream

1⁄2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (I use Dijon mustard)

Instructions:
Peel the cucumber and cut it lengthwise in half. Using the tip of a teaspoon, scrape out the seeds. Cut the flesh into 1⁄2-inch dice. (You should have about 2 1⁄2 cups.)
Combine the cucumber and diced onion in a bowl, sprinkle with the salt, and mix well. Let cure for 30 minutes. (I skipped this step).
Drain the cucumber mixture in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and serve.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

"November Potluck"

Blue Cheese, Hazelnut and Apple Salad

"September 2015 Mystery Box Madness Challenge", this week's theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). Ten ingredients are given and we are to select at least three to make a dish from any of IHCC's past or present featured chefs.

The ten ingredients are Salmon (fresh, smoked, canned), Green Peas (dried, fresh, frozen or canned), Hazelnuts, Eggplant, Parmesan Cheese, Kale, Apples (any colour/kind), Blue Cheese, Rosemary, Bread Rolls/Buns.

My selected ingredients : Blue Cheese, Apples and Hazelnuts 

Selected IHCC's chef : Jamie Oliver

I've made Jamie Oliver's Blue Cheese, Hazelnut and Apple Salad. 

Simple, easy, quick and refreshing! This is the first time I'm trying Blue Cheese, and find that I like it! It is a little strong in taste, creamy with a distinctive smell. It is a little salty, so I've used  a small amount for a plateful of salad. 

I did not have any spinach but have used lettuce greens which I've sliced to shredded pieces. I've used two apples, red and green, to get a mixture of sweet and sour.  To assemble the salad, place the shredded lettuce on a serving plate, top with apple slices, crumble the blue cheese over, scatter the toasted hazelnuts, squeeze the juice of a lemon over and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil. 

I like this salad! Sweet and sour from the apples, fresh lettuce greens, salty cheese and crispy toasted hazelnuts, with the lemon juice and olive oil, makes such a lovely combination! 

Blue Cheese, Hazelnut and Apple Salad
(adapted from "Jamie's 15 Minute Meals", Jamie Oliver)
50gm blanched hazelnuts
200gm baby spinach
1 apple
40gm blue cheese
juice of a lemon
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Toast the almonds in a small frying pan until golden, tossing regularly. Put the spinach in a salad bowl, coarsely grated the apples over or slice to matchstick, then crumble over the blue cheese. Crush the toasted nuts in a pestle and mortar, then scatter over the salad. Drizzle the salad with extra virgin olive oil, and squeeze over the juice of lemon.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

September 2015 Mystery Box Madness"

Garlicky Romaine with Croutons

"Salades et Vinaigrettes", the theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). It's salad/or salad dressing week with Jacques Pepin, our current featured chef. 

I've made JP's simple yet so good Garlicky Romaine with Croutons. A video of JP making this salad can be found at Rachel Ray show's website, here. 

It is a simple salad and takes only minutes to prepare. Recipe uses stale sourdough bread, but I have used regular white bread instead.  I bought a pack of baby romaine, and the rest of the ingredients are pantry ingredients ; whole-grain mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, and I have used extra-virgin olive oil. In the video, JP has used peanut oil.

Bread is cut to cubes and then toast with a little olive oil in the pan for a few minutes until brown all over. The salad dressing is mixed together and toss with the salad leaves just before serving, top with the toasted bread cubes.

This is a simple and very tasty salad. I like the garlicky mustard dressing! And I have always love breads in salads. I've made this salad twice already and will definitely be making it again. 

Jacques Pepin's Garlicky Romaine with Croutons
(source from here)
Croutons :
3 tablespoons peanut or corn oil
2-1/2 cups 1-inch pieces stale country bread

Dressing :
1 tablespoon crushed and finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon grainy mustard, such as Meaux
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup peanut or corn oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)

1 large head romaine lettuce, damaged leaves removed, the remainder cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces, washed, and dried (about 10 cups lightly packed)


For the croutons :
Heat the oil in a large skillet, when it is hot, add the bread and saute for about 4 minutes, until nicely browned on all sides. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

For the dressing :
Combine the garlic, salt, pepper, mustard, vinegar and oil in a bowl suitable for serving the salad.

When ready to serve, add the lettuce to the bowl and toss with the dressing. Sprinkle with the croutons and serve immediately.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week,

"Salades et Vinaigrettes"

Tomato and Bread Salad

"Farewell Diana Henry", this is the theme for our final week with Diana Henry at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). Six months have already gone by and it has been a delicious six months. I have not heard of Diana Henry before this, and joining IHCC is a wonderful way of getting to know a new chef, whether we are familiar with or not. Much as I have enjoyed cooking with Diana Henry (love her chicken recipes), it is time to move on to our next chosen chef, Jacques Pepin and looking forward to some French cooking in my kitchen! IHCC starts with a new chef every six months, you are welcome to join us, the more the merrier! Drop by IHCC for more details.

To say "Farewell Diana Henry", (though I'll definitely be seeing her again for our Potluck Weeks), I've made her salad, "Spanish Tomato and Bread Salad". I did make a few changes though. I've used some leftover homemade Garlic and Rosemary Foccacia which I've kept frozen, instead of using ciabatta as advised in the recipe. However I did not soak the bread in milk, and fried, as indicated in the recipe. I merely place the chunks of the torn foccacia in a roasting tray, drizzle with some olive oil, and toast them in the oven until they are lightly crisp.

Now I love capers! And thought that I had an unopened jar in my pantry somewhere. I searched and practically empty out my pantry cupboard, but no, there's not a jar of capers around! What I found was, one jar of black olives, two jars of green olives and a small can of Manzanilla olives stuffed with anchovies. Since the recipe did ask for anchovies, so I've used the stuffed Manzanilla olives with anchovies.

Capers is on my grocery list now!

I've used a mixture of sweet, yellow and red cherry tomatoes. A simple, easy and wonderful salad to put together. I've served this alongside some roasted chicken, and it makes a lovely side dish.

Spanish Tomato and Bread Salad
(adapted from "Food From Plenty", Diana Henry)
Serves 4
200gm (7oz) bread (such as ciabatta)
5 tbsp milk
700gm (1lb 9oz) mixed tomatoes
20 canned anchovies
2 tbsp tiny capers, rinsed
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1 tsp caster sugar
leaves from 1 bunch basil (about 15gm/1/2oz) torn
3 tbsp olive oil, for frying

1. Tear the bread into chunks and put into a bowl with the milk. Turn the bread over in the milk and leave for 15 minutes or so. Halve the small tomatoes and cut the large ones into quarters or eighths; you may want to leave some of the tomatoes whole if they are really tiny; you just need a good selection of colour and shape. Put into a broad, shallow serving bowl with all the other ingredients except the basil (which is better tossed in at the last moment) and the oil for frying.
2. Squeeze the milk out of the bread. It doesn't matter if some chunks seem to be falling apart; just reform them by squeezing with your hand. Heat the olive oil for frying and cook the bread pieces in batches, so that they become a lovely golden colour all over the outside.
3. Add the basil to the salad along with the bread, toss well and serve.

************************

Farewell Diana Henry and Thank You!

Here's a few of our favourite Diana Henry's recipes 

Chicken Baked with Red Onions, Potatoes and Rosemary And Spring Couscous

Chicken Skewers with Lime, Chilli and Mint

Roasted Squash with Garlic and Thyme

Spanish Baked Fish

Asian Meatballs with Chilli Dipping Sauce

I'm linking this post with :

I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week "Farewell Diana Henry"

Souper Sundays @ Kahakai Kitchen

Cook-Your-Books #21 @ Kitchen Flavours