Tag: salad
Orange You Gonna Try Persimmons? They’re Delicious

Orange You Gonna Try Persimmons? They’re Delicious

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It’s persimmon season!

About this time every year, my friend & co-worker, Trang, comes to work with bags of homegrown persimmons.  I am not ashamed to admit I am Johnny on the spot when she is doling them out.  I adore persimmons.  The thought has crossed my mind that I should plant my own persimmon tree but I think I will just depend on the generosity of friends that have persimmon trees. (HINT HINT)

How to enjoy persimmons.  Eaten out of hand, diced and tossed in salads, and baked in bread, cookies, and puddings.  How about stirred into a risotto for a sweet counterpunch to the cheese and rice?  Or dried, a wonderful way to enjoy them throughout the year.

I have been especially waiting for this persimmon season.  Way back at the beginning of this year from HELL, we celebrated our birthdays with dinner at State Bird Provisions in The City. (Dining in a restaurant-remember that?).  State Bird adopted the Chinese tea house concept, little plates of deliciousness brought out on trays for you to pick and choose from, just like dim sum.  Their signature fried quail, dumplings, risotto, house ribs…plate after plate of tasty tidbits that dazzled us.

The kicker for me was a beautiful dish consisting of bite-size pieces of crisp, sweet persimmons bathed in a dressing of sesame, Kinako powder, and ginger finished with a sprinkling of toasted black sesame seeds and flaky salt.  Simple and absolutely delish, I made a mental note to try this at home.  I found the recipe in my copy of the State Bird Provisions Cookbook.  The dish is incredibly easy to make. I spent more time getting the ingredients than putting the dish together.  The cookbook runs the gamut from this simple, elegant dish to complex dishes better left to enjoy at their restaurant.  I think of it as a coffee table cookbook, beautiful photos, an interesting read.

A Persimmon Primer

There are two kinds of persimmons, Hachiya and Fuyu.  They are NOT interchangeable.  Hachiya is an oblong, acorn-shaped fruit and pretty astringent.  They cannot be eaten until they are super soft and very ripe.  If eaten before they are soft, they will make your mouth pucker.  I use Hachiyas for baking (soft gushy fruit is not my thing).  Fuyu’s are flat, round, more tomato shape. They are non-astringent and can be eaten while they are still firm. For this salad, select ripe, firm fruit.

The recipe calls for grapeseed oil but you could use canola oil instead.  We bought Kinako Powder at H-Mart but it can be found in most Asian stores. Made of soybean, it has a nutty flavor, kind of like roasted peanuts.  If you have munched on manju or mochi covered with a fine light brown powder that’s Kinako.  Toasted sesame oil and black sesame seeds can also be found in Asian markets.

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Persimmons with Kinako Dressing and Black Sesame Salt

A simple and delicious tapas dish of sweet persimmons served with a savory sesame soybean powder dressing from State Bird Provisions
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, Asian
Keyword Persimmons with Kinako Dressing and Black Sesame Salt
Prep Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 ripe Fuyu persimmons peeled and cut into chunks

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup kinako roasted soybean flour, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil or substitute canola oil
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil found in most Asian stores
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Black Sesame Salt

Black Sesame Salt

  • Makes about 1/4 cup
  • 1/4 cup pre-toasted black sesame seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

Dressing

  • Combine the kinako, kosher salt, and ground ginger in a medium bowl and stir well. Slowly pour in the oil, sesame oil, and vinegar, whisking constantly until the dressing is well combined. It helps to let it sit just a bit for the powder to absorb liquid.
  • Pour the dressing in shallow serving bowls, arranging the persimmons on top, and sprinkle on the black sesame salt and a generous pinch of kinako. Serve immediately.

Black Sesame Salt

  • Combine the sesame seeds and salt in a mortar and pound until the mixture resembles coarsely ground black pepper.
  • Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.
Cool Hand Cuke (Cucumber Salad from A Common Table)

Cool Hand Cuke (Cucumber Salad from A Common Table)

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This summer I have been the lucky recipient of what seems like a bushel of cucumbers from the gardens of friends and neighbors.  Luckily, I LOVE cucumbers.  I saute’ julienned strips of cucumbers for Bi Bim Bap, put crispy slices in sandwiches in place of lettuce, and thrown every salad I toss together.  What’s a cheeseboard with an array of dips without cucumbers to serve as a “dip-stick” (lol) for them?  So much better than celery if you ask me.

But what is my favorite way to serve cucumbers?  As a refreshing cold dish.  I posted a simple Korean Cucumber Banchan (side dish) recently that is flavored with soy sauce, chilis, and sesame oil and sprinkled with green onions and Korean chili powder.  It’s incredibly easy and TASTEE!

I also love the Smashed Cucumber Salad from A Common Table cookbook (love, love, love).  A classic Chinese dish that is perfect on a hot summer day.  Cukes, crisp and refreshing are dressed in a blend of soy sauce, vinegar, and chilis. The secret is to lightly smash the cut pieces of cucumber and salt them.  The added surface area allows the salt to extract more moisture and the cucumbers to then absorb the dressing.   It’s so simple, comes together in minutes, and makes a lovely side dish.  I use English or Persian cucumbers, fewer seeds and the skin is much thinner, no peeling necessary!  American cucumbers, on the other hand, have a thick waxy skin, which means peeling.  They also have more seeds and higher water content. Stick to the English or Persian cucumbers, trust me.

As summer comes to an end and you fire up the barbecue for the last time, this would be a perfect, refreshing side dish.

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Chinese Cucumber Salad

A cool and refreshing cucumber salad which has its roots in Chinese cuisine.
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword cucumber salad
Prep Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Persian or Kirby cucumbers unpeeled (2 to 3 small cucumbers if using Persian)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons rice vinegar I use 1 teaspoon
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon or more to taste, substitute Ponzu, Soy Dashi or Yuzu Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to taste or use Korean chili powder, Gochugaru

Instructions

  • Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise, then into 1-inch pieces or cut at a diagonal and rotate cucumber 1/4 turn, cutting angled 1-inch pieces.
  • Place the pieces cut-side down on a cutting board. Working with a few pieces at a time, lay the broad side of a wide chef's knife or cleaver on top of the cucumbers, and carefully use the palm of your free hand to smash down lightly on the blade.
  • Place the smashed cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle them evenly with the salt. Set aside until cucumbers release water, 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Stir 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and red pepper flakes together and add to drained cucumbers. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired. Let sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour (*note: the salad will taste better with more time, so if time allows, refrigerate and marinate for 6 hours or longer to let the flavors develop.

Notes

The key for crispy cucumbers is to smash and salt the cukes!
Summer Madness #1: Too Hot (Miso Sesame Chicken Salad to Keep the Gang Kool)

Summer Madness #1: Too Hot (Miso Sesame Chicken Salad to Keep the Gang Kool)

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The weather has been pretty darn warm.  Actually, I’d say damn hot lately.  I grew up in San Francisco, a warm day meant temps in the ’70s. Growing up we spent most of July and August in a blanket of fog.  My first car had an all-black interior and NO AIR CONDITIONING.  NBD.

But now I live in Silicon Valley, 50 miles south of San Francisco.  My cars have AC, my house has AC (a non-negotiable requirement of the Hubster who grew up in Sacramento).  I once scoffed at folks who succumbed to installing air conditioning.  No more.

I will say we do try to keep usage to a minimum, preferring to leave windows and doors open so the evening breeze cools down the house.  We keep oven baking and cooking on the stove to a minimum by eating lots of sushi, salads, and bbq.  We fire up the grill in the backyard and enjoy our meals outside. Summer alfresco dining, what could be better?

I subscribe to NYT Cooking and each week Sam Sifton pops up with a What to Cook This Week column.  This week’s newsletter included a Miso Sesame Chicken Salad from David Tanis.  That caught my eye.

MIso Sesame Chicken Salad

Silky poached chicken, crunchy cucumbers, scallions on a bed of Bibb lettuce topped with a creamy Miso-Sesame dressing.  Karma, I had chicken in the fridge, cucumbers from a friend’s garden and Aedan Miso I had just bought at the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market.

The only cooking required is poaching the chicken.  I decided to make half the recipe so  I opted to poach chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken which took less time and works perfectly for this dish.

No brainer method for the best damn poached chicken.

Like Whole Poached Chicken, this cooking method results in juicy, tender, delicious poached chicken breasts, perfect for salads, sandwiches, or morsels for your favorite doggy…

Fill a saucepan large enough to hold 1 whole chicken breast (split in half) with water. You don’t need to add much to the water except for a good pinch salt.  I cheat and add a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillion Chicken Base just to intensify the flavor, totally optional.  Bring the water to a boil and add the chicken.  Bring it back to a boil, lower the heat so that it is barely simmering.  Cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the chicken to sit for 15-20 minutes (do this by size, smaller breasts-15 minutes, larger-20 minutes).  Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool until it is easy to handle.  Ta-da, perfect chicken for salads, sandwiches, or Hainanese Chicken and Rice.

Back to the salad.  I love the textures in this salad.  Tender, silky chicken and crisp cold cucumbers.  You can use romaine or iceberg but I like using Bibb.  Instead of slicing the cucumbers I rolled-cut them and lightly smashed them. The Miso and Sesame Sauce has a touch of lemon zest which adds a hint of citrus.  I used Gochugaro, a Korean chili powder instead of cayenne to add some spice.

This is a tasty addition to the summer salad rotation.  Enjoy!

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Miso Sesame Chicken Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Asian sesame paste or tahini
  • 4 tablespoons white shiro miso I used Aedan Mild White Miso
  • 3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon roasted sesame oil
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Small pinch of cayenne optional, I used Gochugaro Powder instead
  • 1 3-poundchicken, cooked poach chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken as directed in post
  • 2 heads small Bibb or Boston lettuce can use Little Gems or romaine hearts
  • 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick, lightly salted I prefer Persian or English cucumbers
  • 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions or chives
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Put sesame paste, miso, vinegar, mirin, ginger, sugar and lemon zest in a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined. Whisk in sesame and vegetable oils. Check seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and cayenne, if using. You should have about 2/3 cup dressing. If it seems too thick, thin with a tablespoon or 2 of water.
  • Remove skin from chicken and pull all the meat from the carcass. Shred chicken meat into 1-inch strips and put in a medium mixing bowl. (Refrigerate or freeze any remaining skin, fat, bones and cartilage for making broth.) You should have about 4 cups shredded chicken.
  • Separate the lettuce leaves and arrange on a large platter, leaving space for the chicken at the center, then scatter with cucumber slices.
  • Gently toss the shredded chicken with salt and pepper. Pour all but a few tablespoons of dressing over the chicken and gently toss to coat. Transfer dressed chicken to center of platter and nap with remaining dressing. Sprinkle scallions and sesame seeds on top and serve.

Notes

I made a half recipe which was plenty for the two of us.  
Blueberry Avocado Spinach Salad (It’s Gettin Hot In Here, So Take Out All Your Salad Greens)

Blueberry Avocado Spinach Salad (It’s Gettin Hot In Here, So Take Out All Your Salad Greens)

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Woohoo, it is going to get really hot this weekend! When the temperature hits 3 digits it’s time to get out of the kitchen as fast as you can. Time for al fresco dining-cool, refreshing salads, sweet and juicy summer fruits along with an array of cheeses. A pitcher of thirst quenching Sangria…just maybe we can get through this heatwave.  I found a tasty and eye-catching salad from Over Easy by Joy the Baker (latest book and amazing blog) that I love. It’s my salad of the season, specifically, blueberry season, Blueberry Avocado Spinach Salad. The list of star-studded ingredients includes toasted hazelnuts, blueberries, avocados, and cucumbers. Dressed with a sweet, slightly tart dressing, it reminds me of the classic Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing from back in the day, it’s dee-licious.

Get to the farmer’s market now and pick up sweet, juicy peaches and nectarines along with your salad fixins!

I have gone crazy with this salad with additional yummies like pancetta “cracklins” or crispy bacon bits, thinly sliced red onions for some bite, or sliced hard-boiled eggs for protein, YUM.  The toasted hazelnuts have no substitute, their crunch and flavor are hard to beat in this salad and they go so well with blueberries, like Fred and Ginger.

The dressing is easy and quick.  Start with a squeeze of lemon juice, a dollop of dijon mustard, glop of honey and whisk in some EVOO.  Alternative easy method: throw it all in a bottle and shake, shake shake. Season with salt and pepper to taste and that’s it.  You don’t need no stinkin’ supermarket bottle stuff, nope.

This is a lovely salad, I hope you will try it. Share it with friends and family.

Blueberry Avocado Spinach Salad

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Blueberry Avocado Spinach Salad

Perfect during blueberry season, a spinach salad with avocado, slices of hard-boiled egg and hazelnuts all of which compliments blueberries dressed with honey mustard dressing.
Course dinner, first course, lunch, Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword avocado, blueberry, Caesar Salad, hazelnuts, honey mustard dressing, spinach
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

The Dressing

  • 2 tbsp Honey
  • 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • ¼ tsp. sea salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup olive oil

The Fixings

  • 6 cups Baby spinach (generous cups) washed, rinsed and dried
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 cup English or Persian cucumber thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts coarsely chopped
  • 1 ripe avocado thinly sliced
  • 1-2 hard-boiled eggs sliced

Instructions

  • Whisk together honey, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in lemon juice. Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly, until mixture is emulsified and thick. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
  • Toss together spinach, blueberries, cucumber and 1/2 of the hazelnuts in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over the salad, and toss to combine. Sprinkle with remaining hazelnuts. Top with avocado.

Notes

Optional adds:
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced, Bacon or pancetta bits fried crisp, as little or as much as you like,
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced, or
2 green onions, sliced
 
 

 
What’s Up Doc? (Roasted Carrots with Avocado)

What’s Up Doc? (Roasted Carrots with Avocado)

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Though I am not a vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination we have definitely cut back on our carnivorous ways.  I find myself perusing cookbooks, favorite blogs or magazines for recipes that showcase vegetables.  This recipe for Roasted Carrots and Avocado Salad from Smitten Kitchen caught my eye and with Jamie home for the weekend, it was time to give it a whirl.

Wow.

Just wow.

Aside from being visually stunning.  This salad is absolutely delicious!  The different textures and flavors play off of each other.  The warm carrots with the cool yogurt and avocado, the crunch from the seeds against the creaminess of the avocado.  Sweetness from the citrus dressing compliments the cumin and coriander.  I could go on and on but I think you should just stop reading, skip to the recipe at the end of this post and MAKE this salad.  Really.

 

carrots

Great dishes invite imitation but often with a personal twist or tweak by each chef, this is no exception.  I found versions of this salad on NYT cooking, Jamie Oliver and the Spotted Pig.  Variations included using sour cream instead of yogurt, different spices, pumpkin seeds instead of sesame seeds, arugula for the sprouts.  Use you imagination.  I plan on adding orange segments, a pinch of smoke paprika next time and maybe some cilantro.  Can’t wait to make this dish again!

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What’s Up Doc? (Roasted Carrots with Avocado Salad)

Ingredients

For carrots:

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons teaspoon cumin seeds toasted and cooled or ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds toasted and cooled, ground coriander instead
  • 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt plus more to taste
  • Red chile flakes to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 garlic cloves minced or pressed
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 pounds thin-to-medium carrots scrubbed, not peeled; mixed colors if possible
  • 1 -2 oranges cut into segments, reserve 1/2 of an orange uncut for the dressing (segments optional)
  • 1/4-1/3 cup cilantro leaves optional

To finish

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice from about 1/4 orange
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice from about 1/2 lemon
  • 1 large or 2 medium firm-ripe avocados cut in thin slices
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 to 2 cups radish sprouts other sprouts or light salad greens of your choice
  • 1/4 cup plain non-fat or 2% Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons roasted hulled pumpkin seeds sunflower seeds, toasted sesame seeds or a mix thereof

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Cover 1 large baking sheet or shallow roasting pan with foil. Pour 1/4 cup water in bottom of pan
  • Make your spice paste by either pounding the cumin, coriander, thyme, salt and peppers in a mortar and pestle until roughly ground or using an electric spice grinder or small food processor to do the same.
  • If using ground spices, combine them in the bottom of a bowl large enough to fit carrots.
  • In bottom of bowl, combine prepared spices, salt and pepper, garlic, vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil and whisk to blend. Add carrots and toss to coat evenly.
  • Spread carrots in prepared pan, drizzle with extra marinadeand cover tightly with foil. Roast for 25 minutes covered then remove the foil and roast for additional 35 minutes, until the carrots are lightly browned and tender but not falling apart.
  • Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, orange and lemon juices in a small bowl with salt and pepper.
  • When carrots are done, scatter with avocado, sprouts or greens of choice and orange segments then drizzle with citrus dressing
  • Dollop yogurt or sour cream over the top and sprinkle with seeds.
  • Enjoy!