Dharma Feast Cookbook (14 page)
Read Dharma Feast Cookbook Online
Authors: Theresa Rodgers
If you’re a painter, this is your opportunity to paint yourself a salad. Purple cabbage is one of nature’s gifts. Have you ever cut open a head of cabbage and looked at the incredible stained-glass-like pattern? Imagine combining slices of purple with the green of fresh basil. A painter couldn’t do a better job. Tip: Slice the cabbage first and let it sit in the dressing so it can soften. Right before serving, add the basil so it doesn’t wilt.
| S ERVES 8 | P REP TIME 30 MINUTES |
1 medium-sized purple cabbage, sliced thinly ½ bunch basil, sliced thinly ¼ cup sesame seeds, lightly toasted D 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon honey | Put cabbage in a large bowl, combine ingredients for dressing, and pour over cabbage. Toss. Just before serving, add basil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve. Note |
| C AESAR S ALAD |  |
This salad is called Caesar Salad because Caesar used to make it for his wife, Pompeia, on a regular basis. She loved it, especially the croutons. This is how that busy man served his wife and it made a big difference for their relationship. (Just kidding.)
Many people love Caesar Salad, especially when it comes with crunchy homemade croutons. It’s considered elegant enough for special occasions and can be served either as a main dish or side salad. To make it even more special, toss or top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Because this recipe uses hardboiled eggs in the dressing, we don’t have to be concerned with the hazards of eating raw eggs.
| S ERVES 4–6 | P REP TIME 1 HOUR 55 MINUTES (30 MINUTES FOR DRESSING , 1 HOUR FOR CROUTONS , 25 MINUTES FOR LETTUCE AND SALAD PREP ) |
1 large or 2 small heads of romaine, torn into bite-sized pieces, and spun dry D 1 hardboiled egg, peeled and quartered, plus 1 hardboiled egg yolk 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard or more to taste ½ teaspoon tamari or more to taste 1 clove garlic, pressed ½ teaspoon sea salt or to taste Fresh finely-ground pepper to taste (optional) ¼ cup olive oil C ½ loaf whole grain French or sourdough bread, cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 3 cups) | Put romaine lettuce in a large bowl. Cover with lightly moist towel. Put in refrigerator until just before serving. For dressing running. Refrigerate until ready to use. For croutons Pour olive oil into a small bowl and add garlic, salt, and pepper, if using. Drizzle over bread crumbs. Toss to evenly distribute. Spread on baking sheet in one layer. Bake, stirring occasionally, until bread cubes are toasted and crunchy. Cool. Store in an airtight container. To prepare salad serving from bowl, add croutons and toss, if desired, or serve croutons in a small bowl on the side. If using individual salad plates, put salad on plate and top with croutons. Note |
| C ARROT S ALAD |  |
Usually when we make this carrot salad we get the question, “What’s in this?!” The answer is always, “Just olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, pepper, and salt.” For some reason the simplicity of the ingredients surprises people. The secret is pepper and salt. What makes it even better: toasted sunflower seeds on top. Here we go.
| S ERVES 4 | P REP TIME 30 MINUTES |
6–8 medium carrots, peeled and grated 2/3 cup olive oil 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon sea salt Black pepper (optional) Toasted sunflower seeds (see Put grated carrots in a bowl. | In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper, if using. Pour over carrots. Sprinkle with toasted sunflower seeds. Serve. |
| C UCUMBER S ALAD |  |
Our friend from Russia makes this salad often. It only takes ten minutes to put together. Dill is a common herb in Russia, and this salad brings the garden right onto your dinner plate. It goes well with baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and baked eggplant or zucchini.
| S ERVES 4 | P REP TIME 25 MINUTES |
4 small cucumbers 1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill ½ small red onion, finely diced D 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ¼ cup high-quality cold-pressed olive oil ½ teaspoon sea salt to taste | Peel cucumbers. Cut in half. Scoop out seeds. Slice. Put cucumber in a bowl, add dill and onions. Combine ingredients for dressing and pour over cucumbers. Stir and serve. |
| C UCUMBER -T OMATO S ALAD | |
There’s a time in the summer when an abundance of fresh juicy garden tomatoes is available. Nothing like eating a tomato straight from the garden! As children we would pick them and eat them like apples. As adults, sometimes we enjoy them sliced with nothing added and other times we like to jazz them up a bit with ingredients that don’t overpower their fresh taste. This salad is one of our favorite ways to eat garden tomatoes. Tip: Never refrigerate tomatoes. They lose flavor and the texture can become mealy.
| S ERVES 4 | P REP TIME 20 MINUTES |
3 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced 2–3 medium tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces ½ medium red onion, chopped D 1 clove garlic, minced 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice Sea salt to taste | Put cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion in a bowl. Combine garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Pour over vegetables. Serve at room temperature. |
| F ENNEL S ALAD | |
Try this salad on a picnic in a meadow with your family. It’s a welcome variation from the usual green salad. The avocado and olive oil combine to make a dressing that’s as green as blades of grass. The salad is light and fresh but filling at the same time. If you have children, you might want to serve them raw slices of fennel on the side.
| S ERVER 6 | P REP TIME 30 MINUTES ( WITHOUT SOAKING TOMATOES ) |
3 cups fennel, thinly sliced ¼ cup chopped parsley 1 yellow pepper, seeds removed, diced 1 rib celery, diced ½ avocado, peeled and diced 2 tablespoons olive oil 6–8 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for at least an hour and chopped | Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss. (from |
| G REEN S ALAD | |