We are still at the beach with a limited pantry. We tried this simple recipe using 1/2 lb string beans, 1.5 Tbsp canola oil, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and juice from 1/2 a lime. As the recipe notes, the key is maintaining medium-high heat and letting the string beans sit, untouched, for a few mins.… Continue reading Blistered green beans
Tag: side dishes
Pico de gallo
We had planned to make guacamole, but due to not-great avocados, we quickly had to switch gears. We don't have cilantro in our beach pantry, so we made this cilantro-free version that uses ground cumin instead: https://poshplate.us/salsa-no-cilantro/ Our modifications: first, we combined 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 finely minced small shallot, 1 finely minced jalapeño… Continue reading Pico de gallo
Simple summer melon salad
We are still at the beach. A local olive oil merchant recommended this simple recipe: peel and cut cantaloupe and watermelon into bite-sized pieces, then drizzle with peach-infused white balsamic vinegar and basil-infused olive oil (in a 4:3 ratio). Lightly toss, then serve. This was refreshing and delicious. If we were home with our full… Continue reading Simple summer melon salad
Cuban cassava in mojo sauce (yuca con mojo)
We tried this recipe, and it was quite tasty: https://www.thespruceeats.com/yuca-with-garlic-sauce-yuca-con-mojo-2138229 Prior to boiling the cassava pieces, we removed the tough stem that runs from top to bottom of the cassava. We also used a small shallot instead of two red onions. (July 2023).
Japanese kombu salad
We had simmered an 8" piece of kombu for soup base, so we repurposed the kombu for this simple salad: https://thejapanstore.us/kombu/kombu-salad-recipe/ We modified slightly to reduce the toasted sesame seeds to 1 tsp and also added 1 tsp Korean red pepper flakes. (Apr. 2023)
Korean cucumber salad (oi muchim)
As a kid, I remember watching my mom toss together this refreshing cucumber salad as an easy side dish for meals. I hosted a Korean lunch for friends today and decided to make this recipe: https://kimchimari.com/korean-cucumber-salad/ It's surprisingly quick and easy to make. This cucumber salad offers a bright complement to well-seasoned fatty proteins. For… Continue reading Korean cucumber salad (oi muchim)
Beninese black-eyed peas and rice (atassi)
This is another great recipe from Marie Kacouchia's Vegan Africa. We have had the Ghanaian version of this recipe (i.e., waakye). We followed the printed recipe (it's not online), and we made the following modifications (mainly correcting conversions from the French / metric system to the American English / imperial system): First, we soaked 2.5… Continue reading Beninese black-eyed peas and rice (atassi)
Taiwanese seaweed, tofu, and bean thread noodle salad (inspired by Din Tai Fung)
We had simmered a 9×5″ piece of kombu for broth, and we wanted to repurpose the cooked kombu. Many years ago, we visited Din Tai Fung in Seattle, and I was blown away by their seaweed and bean curd appetizer. So this evening, we tried this recipe based on our pantry: https://whattocooktoday.com/din-tai-fung-seaweed-and-beancurd-salad.html Our modifications: first,…… Continue reading Taiwanese seaweed, tofu, and bean thread noodle salad (inspired by Din Tai Fung)
Ethiopian potato and carrot stew (alicha), 2023 version
Back in 2016, we first tried this wonderful, easy recipe: http://howtocookgreatethiopian.com/ethiopian-potato-and-carrot-alicha/. The video was more helpful than the written recipe. Now it's January 2023, and we just discovered that the link no longer works (the website may have been taken down). Fortunately, we happened to print out that recipe 7 years ago, so we were… Continue reading Ethiopian potato and carrot stew (alicha), 2023 version
Roasted purple sweet potatoes with garlic and rosemary
We had roasted some purple sweet potatoes (recipe here: ) yesterday, and we cut them into 1.5″ penny slices. We had slices from 1 tuber leftover, so we tried this recipe: https://www.runningtothekitchen.com/roasted-purple-sweet-potatoes/ Our modifications: first, we used the roasted sweet potatoes instead of boiling them. Second, we halved the seasoning (melted ghee, rosemary, garlic), which…… Continue reading Roasted purple sweet potatoes with garlic and rosemary
Cooking Adventures 