Barley and Cabbage Salad

Serves 6

1/2 cup pearled barley

1/2 large savoy cabbage, cored, thinly sliced (about 7 cups)

1/2 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

1/4 cup (60 ml) rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

1 teaspoon (5 ml) honey

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I use 3 tablespoons)

Fresh ground black pepper

2 large carrots, coarsely grated

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil. Meanwhile, set a large skillet over medium heat, add the barley, and toast, tossing and stirring often, until slightly browned and fragnant. Remove from the heat.

Add barley to the boiling water and boil until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh sleve and transfer on a baking sheet or platter, spreading out the grains in an even layer. Cool completely.

Place cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Using your hands, massage the salt into cabbage. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Fill the bowl of cabbage with cold water, stir the cabbage with your hands to rise the most of the salt, and transfer the cabbage to a colander to drain.

In a large bowl whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, sesame oil, and honey. Add the ginger and garlic. Slowly pour in the olive oil and continue whisking until the vinaigrette is emulsified and creamy. Season to taste with salt, pepper and some lemon juice, if desired.

Add barley, cabbage, carrots, and scallions to the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Season to taste salt and pepper. 

Serve with meat or fish.  

Капустный салат с жареной перловой крупой и медовой заправкой

На 6 порций

1/2 чашки перловой крупы

1/2 головки большой савойской капусты, тонко нашинкованной (около 7 чашек)

1/2 чашки (80 мл) свежего лимонного сока (из 2 лимонов)

1/4 чашки (60 мл) рисового винного уксуса

1 столовая ложка азиатского кунжутного масла

1 чайная ложка (5 мл) меда

1-дюймовый кусок свежего имбиря, очищенный и натертый

1 зубчик чеснока, рубленый

1/2 чашки оливкового масла (Я использовала 3 столовые ложки)

Свежемолотый черный перец

2 большие моркови, крупно натертые

2 луковицы, тонко нарезанные

Довести большую кастрюлю с подсоленной водой до кипения. Тем временем,  нагреть большую неглубокую сковороду на среднем огне, добавить перловую крупу и жарить, часто перемешивая, пока крупа не подрумянится и не станет ароматной. Снять с огня.

Добавить перловку в кипящую воду и варить до готовности, от 25 до 30 минут. Слить воду и выложить на противень или блюдо равномерным слоем. Дать полностью остыть.

Выложить капусту в большую миску и посыпать 1 столовой ложкой соли. Руками перетереть капусту с солью. Оставить на 15 минут.

Наполнить миску с капустой холодной водой и размешать. Слить воду и выложить капусту в дуршлаг.

В большой миске перемешать лимонный сок, уксус, кунжутное масло и мед. Добавить имбирь и чеснок. Медленно влить оливковое масло, продолжать взбивать, пока заправка не станет эмульгированной и кремовой. Приправить по вкусу солью, перцем и небольшим количеством лимонного сока, по желанию.

Добавить перловку, капусту, морковь и зеленый лук к заправке, перемешать. Приправить по вкусу солью и перцем.

Подавать с мясом или рыбой.

Recipe come from "Poilâne: The Secrets of the World-Famous Bread Bakery"

Easy Blender Lemon Curd

Makes around 1 & 1/2 cups

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (5 medium lemons) 

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

8 tbsp unsalted butter quartered

1/4 tsp salt or to taste

Combine lemon juice, sugar, eggs and salt in a blender until thoroughly mixed. 

Melt the butter on the stovetop or in the microwave. Set the blender to medium speed, open the pouring spout, and add the butter in a slow and steady stream until fully integrated into the lemon mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens (about 5 minutes). Be sure that you are heating the mixture slowly and evenly, you don't want it to cook too quickly.It should be thick enough that your spoon leaves a trail behind it when you run it through.

Remove from heat and transfer the curd to a bowl or container. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to stop a skin from forming on the top. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Flavor improves dramatically when chilled (the "egginess" that is present when first cooked dissipates as it chills). Keep covered in the refrigerator and consume within 4 weeks. Lemon curd also freezes well for up to a year in a tightly covered container.

Recipe comes from Tori Avey cooks

Light Warm Potato and Corn Salad

Yields 2 servings

2 medium-large regular potatoes, cooked in their skins, cooled, and cut into medium cubes
2 medium fresh corn cobs
2-3 tablespoons, red onion, cubed
1 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 & 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt, black and cayenne peppers to taste

Optional add-ins: chopped pickles

In a medium bowl, mix together 2 teaspoons olive oil, lemon juice, potato and red onion. Toss to completely coat. Lightly season with salt and black pepper.

Using a serrated knife, cut the kernels off the cobs. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add corn; lightly sprinkle with salt and cayenne pepper, cook and stir until tender, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat; give a minute to cool and stir in cilantro. Add to potato mixture and mix all together.

Check for salt and pepper. Serve immediately. If you want you can add chopped pickles. 

Теплый салат из картофеля и жареной кукурузы

На 2 порции

2 среднe-крупных клубня картофеля, приготовленных в мундире, охлажденные и нарезанные на средние кубики
2 средних початка кукурузы
2-3 столовые ложки красного лука, нарезанного кубиками
1 столовая ложка петрушки, мелко нарезанной
3 чайные ложки оливкового масла
1 и 1/2 чайной ложки лимонного сока
Соль, черный и острый красный перец по вкусу

Дополнительные надстройки: нарезанные соленые огурцы

В средней миске смешать 2 чайные ложки оливкового масла, лимонный сок, картофель и красный лук. Слегка приправить солью и черным перцем.

Ножом срезать кукурузные зерна от початка. В большой сковороде разогреть 1 чайную ложку оливкового масла на среднем огне. Добавить кукурузу; слегка посыпать солью и кайенским перцем, жарить помешивая до готовности в течении 3-5 минут. Снять с огня; дать остыть в течении минуты и перемешать с петрушкой. Добавить к картофельной смеси и все перемешать.

Проверить на соль и перец. Подать к столу. Если хотите, можете добавить нарезанные соленые огурцы.

Marinated Beets and Tomato Salad

Yields 2 large servings

1 medium-large beet root, cooked or roasted
2 medium tomatoes, cut into medium chunks
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

Marinade
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoons zaatar
1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste

To make marinade, in a small bowl, use the back spoon to mash the garlic clove with parsley, zaatar, salt and pepper. Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil and whisk until the salt is dissolved.

In a medium bowl, add beets and pour marinade. Mix together very well and leave to marinade for about 1 hour at room temperature.

In a large bowl, add tomatoes and beet mixture. Check for salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Салат из маринованной свеклы и помидор

На 2 большие порции

1 средняя по величине красная свекла, сваренная или печеная
2 средних помидора, нарезать на средние куски
1/4 чашки красного лука, тонко нарезанного

Маринад
2 столовые ложки оливкового масла
1/2 чайной ложки zaatar
1 средний зубчик чеснока, измельченный
2 столовые ложки петрушки, мелко нарезанной
3 чайных ложки бальзамического уксуса
1/4 чайной ложки соли
Черный перец по вкусу

Для маринада в маленькой миске чайной ложкой размять зубчик чеснока с петрушкой, zaatar, солью и перцем. Добавить бальзамический уксус, оливковое масло и перемешать до того, пока соль не растворится.

В среднюю миску добавить свеклу и залить маринадом. Перемешать и оставить в маринаде примерно на 1 час при комнатной температуре.

В большую миску добавить помидоры и свекольную смесь. Проверить на соль и перец. Подавать тут же на стол.

Pistachio-Walnut Pesto

Loving toasted walnuts, I tweaked Teri's recipe and result is delicious.

Yield 1 & 1/2 cups

1/2 cup raw pistachio
1/2 cup walnut pieces
½  cup olive oil (for thicker version use a little bit less oil)
3 cloves garlic, put through the press
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black ground pepper

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the walnuts to the hot, dry pan, only toasting as many walnuts as fit in the pan in a single layer. Cook, watching constantly and stirring frequently until the walnuts start to brown and they smell toasted about 5 minutes.

In the food processor, pulse raw pistachios and toasted walnuts until coarsely chopped. Add the pressed garlic, basil and parsley. When all of that is mixed well, slowly add lemon juice, salt and pepper. With motor running, add olive oil and combine until well mixed.

Serve immediately or store in airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Base recipe comes from "No crumbs left" by Teri Turner

Orange Slice Tea Cookies

Makes 16 large cookies or 32 medium ones

Cookies:
1/2 cup + 2 1/2 Tbsp softened butter
1 large egg
2 tsp orange zest
2 cups ground almonds
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

Topping:
1 egg yolk
5 Mandarin oranges (I used 3 medium lemons)
White sugar, for sprinkling
Powdered (icing) sugar, for garnish

Wash the oranges thoroughly under hot water and wipe with a towel. Cut into very thin slices (as thin as you can slice them and keep them in one piece and place on a doubled-up paper towel. Before placing on cookies, flip them over on to fresh paper towel to dry the other side a bit.

In a bowl with an electric mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat softened butter with the egg until light and fluffy.

Add ground almonds, sugar, flour and orange zest/juice and mix until dough comes together. Shape dough into two rolls, about 2-inches each in diameter and put into the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Heat oven to 350° (180 C).

Slice each log into cookies about 1/4-inch and place on a baking sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking cup with a bottom about 1 1/2-inches, dip bottom of glass in to a bowl of sugar and press in to cookies, making a small indentation. Brush the top of each cookie gently with the beaten egg yolk.

Put one slice of mandarin orange in the indentation that you made on the top of each cookie. Sprinkle with more sugar and bake for 14-15 minutes. If you'd like to brown up the cookies a bit, sprinkle with a bit more sugar over the oranges and place under the broiler for a few minutes.

Remove cookies to a cooling rack to cool, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Cook's Notes These cookies are best on the day they are baked. They are still delicious as they sit longer, but the moisture from the orange will start to move in to the cookie and soften it up a bit. You can forestall that a bit by not keeping these cookies in an airtight container, but instead loosely cover them, to allow some of the moisture to escape. As the dough will keep well in the fridge, if you don't need them all at once, you can cook them off in two (or more) batches to enjoy them at their freshest.

Recipe comes from Seasons and Suppers from Canada

Warm Salad with Pan-Roasted Egglant and Zaatar-Lime Dressing

Yield 1 large serving

1 medium eggplant, peeled and medium cubed
1 medium tomato, cut into medium chunks
1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped
vegetable oil for frying

Dressing
zest and juice from 1 lime
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons zaatar (you can use 1 tablespoon cumin seeds instead of zaatar)
1 tablespoon honey
1 shallot, minced

Salt, black pepper, garlic-chili sauce to taste

In a large bowl, lightly sprinkle eggplant cubes with salt and set aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare dressing. If you use cumin seeds, toast them for 3-5 minutes on a dry frying pan before mixing into dressing. In a small bowl, combine the zaatar or cumin, honey, lime zest and juice. Whisk ingredients together and stir in the olive oil. Add in the minced shallots, and season with salt and black pepper. Leave on a counter for 10 minutes to marinate.

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a medium frying pan on medium-high heat.

Quickly rinse the eggplant and pat it dry. I prefer to drain water with hands and pat dry. Add eggplant cubes to hot frying pan, lower the heat to medium and roast slowly adding a bit of oil if needed for 8-10 minutes. Slow roasting will give quite caramelized color to eggplant. Remove from the heat and give a couple minutes to cool.

Add dressing, tomato and eggplant to a medium salad bowl. Add garlic-chili sauce and check for salt and pepper. Add if needed. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serve immediately with fish, meat, pita or yogurt.

Теплый салат с баклажаном и заатаром

1 средний баклажан, очищенный и порезанный на средние кубики
1 средний помидор, нарезанный на средние кусочки
1 чайная ложка петрушки, мелко нарезанная
растительное масло для жарки

Соус

цедра и сок из 1 лайма
2 чайные ложки оливкового масла
2 чайные ложки zaatar (вы можете использовать 1 столовую ложку семян тмина вместо zaatar)
1 столовая ложка меда
1 лук-шалот, очень мелко нарезанный

Соль, черный перец, garlic-chili соус по вкусу

В большую миску выложить кубиками баклажана и посыпать солью. Оставить на 15 минут. Тем временем приготовить соус. Если вы используете семена тмина, их нужно пожарить 3-5 минут на сухой сковороде. В маленькой миске смешать zaatar или тмин, мед, цедру лайма и сок. Все перемешать и добавить оливковое масло. Добавить в соус лук-шалот, приправить солью и черным перцем. Оставить мариноваться на 10 минут.

Нагреть 1 чайную ложку растительного масла на средней сковороде на большом огне.

Быстро промыть кусочки баклажана под холодной водой и высушить на бумажных салфетках. Я предпочитаю выдавить воду руками и высушить на салфетках. Выложить кубики баклажанов на горячую сковороду, уменьшить огонь до среднего и медленно жарить, добавляя немного масла, если необходимо, в течение 8-10 минут. Медленное обжаривание придает баклажанам красивый карамельный цвет. Снять с огня и дать пару минут остыть.

В среднюю салатницу вылить соус, добавить помидор и баклажан. Добавить, garlic-chili sauce, если необходимо добавить соль и перец. Посыпать рубленой петрушкой. Подавать сразу с рыбой, мясом, питой или йогуртом.

Quick Spicy Chickpea Flatbreads

Makes 6  5-6-inch flat-breads

Dough
6 tablespoons butter or kosher margarine, room temperature, cubed
150 ml boiled water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour
Vegetable oil for frying

Chicken Filling
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
cayenne pepper for sprinkling
9 oz chicken, roasted (roasted chicken leftovers are welcome)

For filling, coat the bottom of the pan with oil. Heat the pan on medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion and stir to coat the onions with the oil. Spread the onions out evenly over the pan, sprinkle with salt and let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, spices and sprinkle with cayenne pepper to taste. Stir everything and saute for one minute.

Remove from the heat and give a couple of minutes to cool.

Place chicken and onion mixture into a bowl of food processor and process until small bits.

Filling might be done in advanced and kept in refrigerator in airtight container.

For the dough, place butter, salt and garlic powder into large mixing bowl. Pour boiled water and mix together until butter is melted. In a medium bowl mix flours and add to wet mixture. Knead the dough by hand, incorporating all flour.

Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour in a mound on your working space. Transfer the dough and knead a bit more.

Divide the dough and filling into six equal pieces; form each dough piece into a ball.

In the meantime, place a large skillet (9-inch) on the stove top and preheat it over medium heat.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it into a rough circle or oval about 3-inch in diameter, using more flour if necessary. Place 1 part of the filling in the center. Pinch the edges of the dough over the filling. Turn the flatbread over, and gently press down again on the bottom. This will push the filling out into the edges of the bread; using rolling pin roll out bread to a round 5-6 inches in diameter. Repeat with other 5 balls.

Fry with little oil the flat-breads in the skillet or on the griddle. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, or until golden brown, then flip and cook the second side for another 2 minutes. Transfer the flat-breads from the pan to a rack to cool slightly before serving.

Serve immediately with salads, salsa, dips, veggies and even fruits. Store flat-breads, well wrapped, in refrigerator for a couple days.