Kokkari Dressing

adapted from Kokkari: Contemporary Greek Flavors
by Katy Lonergan
makes ½ cup

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and minced

2 teaspoons minced shallot

2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced flat-leaf parsley

½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

¼ teaspoon dried Greek oregano

Kosher salt and peppers

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, capers, shallot, garlic, parsley, and fresh oregano. Add the dried oregano and whisk in salt and pepper to taste.

Perfect dressing for the Kokkari Spiced LambSkewers.

Sandy McNett Javaras' Belgian Endive Salad

submitted by Katherine Koelsch Kriken

                     

For the salad:

8 Belgian Endive - both green & red

Handful of micro greens

½ cup whole Marcona almonds

Asian pear, thinly sliced

⅓ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

For the dressing:

Seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, pressed

Salt to taste

Sprinkle of cayenne pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Slice endive on the diagonal. Combine sliced endive with micro greens, thinly sliced Asian pears and Marcona almonds.  Mix all lightly with vinaigrette dressing. 

Arrange whole endive leaves around edge of large round platter. Compose dressed ingredients inside circle of leaves.  Garnish with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese.

Instead of pears and almonds, sliced, cooked beets with almonds or pecans could be substituted. This is a light, refreshing salad and is very simple.

Spicy Carrot Salad

from Jerusalem: A Cookbook
via Anne Halsted
serves 4

6 large carrots, peeled (about 1½ pounds)

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 large onion, finely chopped (2 cups)

1 tablespoon harissa

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon caraway seeds, freshly ground

½ teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1½ cups arugula leaves

Salt

Place the carrots in a large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil.  Decrease the heat, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until the carrots are just tender. Drain and, once cool enough to handle, cut into ¼-inch slices.

While the carrots are cooking, heat half the oil in a large frying pan.  Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until golden brown. 

Tip the fried onion into a large mixing bowl and add the harissa, cumin, caraway, ¾ teaspoon salt, sugar, vinegar, and the remaining oil.  Add the carrots and toss well. Leave aside for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Arrange the salad on a large platter, dotting with the arugula.

Easy and flavorful salad!

Warm Potato Salad with Watercress

adapted from Gourmet Everyday Quick Kitchen

via Jeanne Milligan

serves 6

3 pounds yellow-fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold

¼ cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon sugar

½ cup thinly sliced shallots (2 medium)

½ cup olive oil

2 bunches watercress (4 cups loosely packed), coarse stems

Peel potatoes and cut into ¾-inch pieces, then cook in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan of boiling salted water, uncovered until just tender, 10 – 15 minutes.  Drain in a colander.

While potatoes are cooking, whisk together vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and sugar in a large heatproof bowl until combined, then stir in shallots and let stand until ready to use.

Toss potatoes with vinegar mixture, then add oil and watercress, tossing gently to combine.

A delicious accompaniment to fish, chicken, or pork!

Burnt Eggplant + Mograbieh Soup

from Jerusalem: A Cookbook
via Anne Halsted

serves 4

5 small eggplants (about 2½ pounds total)

Sunflower oil for frying

1 onion, sliced (1 cup)

1 tablespoon cumin seeds, freshly ground

1½ teaspoons tomato paste

2 large tomatoes, skinned and diced (12 ounces)

1½ cups chicken or vegetable stock

1⅔ cups water

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

⅓ cup mograbieh or fregola, or giant couscous

2 tablespoons shredded basil, or 1 tablespoon chopped dill

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Start by burning three of the eggplants.  Score the eggplants with a knife in a few places, about ¾ inch deep and place them on a baking sheet under a hot broiler for about an hour.  Turn them around every 20 minutes and continue to cook even if they burst and break.  Remove the eggplants from the heat and cool.  When cool enough to handle, cut an opening along each and scoop out the soft flesh, dividing it with your hands into long thin strips.  Discard the skin.  Drain the flesh in a colander for at least an hour.

Cut the remaining eggplants into ⅔-inch dice.  Heat about ⅔ cup oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  When it is hot, add the eggplant dice.  Fry for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring often, until colored all over; add a little more oil if needed so there is always some oil in the pan.  Remove the eggplant, place in a colander to drain, and sprinkle with salt.

Make sure you have about 1 tablespoon oil left in the pan, then add the onion and cumin and sauté for about 7 minutes, stirring often.  Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute before adding the tomatoes, stock, water, garlic, sugar, lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons salt, and some black pepper.  Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Meanwhile bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil and add the mograbieh or alternative.  Cook until al dente, drain and refresh under cold water. Transfer the burnt eggplant flesh to the soup and blitz to a smooth liquid with a handheld blender.  Add the mograbieh and fried eggplant, keeping some to garnish at the end, and simmer for another 2 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Serve hot, with the reserved mograbieh and fried eggplant on top and garnished with basil or dill.

Mograbieh, or giant couscous, is a pea-sized grain, used in Middle Eastern cooking. 

This soup is absolutely delicious and not as hard as it might sound.    

Celery Root Soup

 from Chef Ryan Scott (KGO radio)
via Judy Gray
serves 6 – 8

1 large celery root, chopped in small pieces, approx. 3 cups

1 cup onions, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

5 cups chicken broth

1 cup whole milk or half-and-half

1 – 2 tablespoons cream

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot over medium-low heat, sauté butter, onions and garlic together for about 5 minutes. Add celery root and sauté 5 – 8 minutes more, until celery root is tender.

Add broth and turn heat up slightly. Bring to a boil then turn heat down and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat to cool. Once cool, purée soup in a blender or using an immersion blender.

Reheat in soup pot and add vinegar, milk, cream, salt and pepper to taste.

This is a very easy soup to make and the vinegar adds a nice zing to the flavor.

Chilled Cream of Corn Soup with White Truffle Oil

from Bon Appétit, June 2000

via Anne Halsted

serves 10

8 large ears corn, husked

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) butter

⅛ cup minced shallots

6 cups chicken broth

¼ cup dry white wine

½ cup half and half

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chopped chives

1 tablespoon white truffle oil (optional)

Cut corn kernels from cobs.  Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat.  Add shallots, sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.  Add corn kernels, 6 cups broth and wine.  Bring mixture to boil.  Reduce heat, simmer 2 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes. 

Working in batches, purée soup in blender.  Cool.  Add half and half. Season with salt and pepper.  Chill until cold, at least 4 hours.  (Can be made 2 days ahead.  Keep chilled.) 

Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with chives.  Drizzle truffle oil over, if desired.

Very easy, yummy soup.  Original recipe suggests puréeing until smooth and then straining, but we prefer with texture of some corn!  Truffle oil really makes it!