We recently hosted a brunch featuring heavily seasoned dishes (kedgeree and Jamaican jerk chicken). We wanted a refreshing, minimally seasoned healthy side dish to complement these flavors, so we made this: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cucumber_salad/. We used 6 Persian cucumbers (diced, skin on), 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill, 3 Tbsp Marukan rice vinegar (green label), and a dash…… Continue reading Cucumber dill salad
Tag: side dishes
Roasted cauliflower and farro salad
We wanted to make a hearty vegetarian dish for a potluck, so we tried this recipe from Cookie & Kate: https://cookieandkate.com/roasted-cauliflower-and-farro-salad-with-feta-and-avocado/ Our modifications: first, we omitted the feta. Second, instead of uncooked greens, we added about 2 cups of blanched kale (torn into bite-sized pieces prior to blanching, then rinsed in cold water and squeezed…… Continue reading Roasted cauliflower and farro salad
Israeli couscous with roasted cauliflower and dates
We tried this recipe: https://www.thefullhelping.com/israeli-couscous-salad-roasted-cauliflower-pistachios-dates/ Our modifications: first, in addition to 1 small cauliflower (cut into bite-sized florets), we also oven-roasted 1 red bell pepper and 1/2 yellow bell pepper (cut into 1/2" slices along the vertical axis) and 3 shallots (1/4" slices along the vertical axis). We increased oven temp to 425 and roasted… Continue reading Israeli couscous with roasted cauliflower and dates
Chef John’s classic, fluffy mashed potatoes
We love homemade mashed potatoes, and we decided to try this classic recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/219077/chef-johns-perfect-mashed-potatoes/. Chef John's video is filled with useful tips. We accidentally did not cut the Russet potatoes only lengthwise, but the dish still turned out well. To make this recipe a little healthier: for 3 large Russet potatoes, we reduced the salt… Continue reading Chef John’s classic, fluffy mashed potatoes
Chinese seaweed salad
I tried this recipe to repurpose kombu seaweed that we had simmered to flavor a vegetarian Korean soup base: https://omnivorescookbook.com/chinese-seaweed-salad/ Our modifications: for the hot chili oil, we used 1.5 Tbsp corn oil and 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (which we ground by hand). We garnished with part of a chopped Thai bird's eye chili. This… Continue reading Chinese seaweed salad
White bean hummus with coriander and white miso
We love hummus and wanted to try more variations. This recipe offers an unlikely combination of cannellini beans, tahini, white miso, and coriander that works surprisingly well: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019521-white-bean-hummus-with-tahini-and-coriander?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share For the coriander, we used 1.5 tsp ground coriander. (July 2022)
Black bean dip
We generally followed this Melissa D'Arabian recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/black-bean-dip-5536208 Our modifications: first, we halved the recipe to only one 14.5 oz can of no-salt black beans. Second, we drained the beans, placed in a small pot, then added 1/2 cup water. We brought to a boil, then reduced to a simmer (uncovered) until the beans were… Continue reading Black bean dip
Japanese savory simmered kabocha
We had 1/4 kabocha squash, so we halved the ingredients in this simple but tasty recipe: https://onolicioushawaii.com/simmered-kabocha/ We used chicken broth, but if you use vegetable or kombu stock, it can easily be vegetarian. (June 2022)
Potato salad with mustard dressing
This recipe called for fingerling potatoes, but based on our pantry, we used baby yukons. Details here: https://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/fingerling-potato-salad-mustard-vinaigrette In the end, we added 1 tsp Spanish sherry vinegar and a little more salt for brightness. (May 2022).
Couscous with dried apricots and toasted slivered almonds
We tried this recipe: https://www.recipetineats.com/couscous/ We omitted oil and lemon juice. (Jan. 2022)
Cooking Adventures 