Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

500g ground chicken
1 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
4 Tbsp hoisin sauce
soya sauce, to taste
1 Tbsp, sriracha sauce

salt & pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp oil
1 8oz can of water chestnuts, diced
fresh green onion
1 head butter lettuce

Method

1. Brown minced chicken in oil on medium heat (3-5 mins) & drain excess fat.
2. Stir in onion, sesame oil, fresh ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, hoisin sauce & soya sauce until onions are translucent.
3. Add sriracha sauce (or gochujang) to taste & cook until sauce thickens.
4. Turn off heat & add water chestnuts & fresh green onion & stir in.
5. Serve with butter lettuce.

Caesar Salad

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 large bunch romaine, torn into bite-size pieces (10 cups)
1 cup garlic-flavored croutons
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Mix oil, lemon juice, anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, mustard and garlic in salad bowl.
2. Add romaine; toss until coated. Sprinkle with croutons, cheese and pepper; toss.

Thai Fried Chicken & Som Tum

PREP TIME 25 minutes + marinating

COOK TIME 50 minutes
SERVES 4

Ingredients
4 boneless chicken thighs (preferably with the skin on)
2 cups plain flour or all-purpose flour
vegetable oil for deep frying
sea salt

Marinade:
4 garlic cloves
2 coriander roots, cleaned and roughly chopped
½ tsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp fish sauce

Som Tum Papaya Salad:
200g (7 oz) shredded green papaya*
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 birds’ eye chillies (use more or less to taste)
2 snake beans, cut into 3cm-long batons (alternatively use green beans)
¼ cup dried shrimp, soaked in water for 5 minutes to soften
2 tbsp roasted peanuts
2 tbsp (about 20g) shaved palm sugar
1½ tbsp fish sauce
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp soy sauce

Steps

1. For the marinade, use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic, coriander roots and peppercorns to form a rough paste. Mix through the fish sauce. Then add the chicken and toss until well combined. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside to marinate for 10-20 minutes.
2. In a large som tum mortar, pound garlic and chillies until just smashed but still chunky. Drain the dried shrimp and add those. Pound lightly. Then add the green beans and peanuts and pound lightly. Add the palm sugar and pound to soften. Now add half the papaya and lightly bruise with the pestle, using a spoon to mix as you lightly pound. Add remaining papaya, fish sauce and tomatoes. Lightly pound with the pestle and mix with the spoon. Add the lime juice and mix until well combined. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce, sugar and/or lime juice to taste.
3. Alternatively, the salad can be made by placing ingredients in a large bowl or a ziplock bag and using a rolling pin to bruise the ingredients.
4. Coat the chicken pieces in the flour. To cook the chicken, fill a saucepan or wok to about 1/3 capacity with the vegetable oil. Heat over high heat. Once the oil is medium-hot (320°F or 160°C or when a wooden spoon dipped into the oil forms small little bubbles), add the chicken pieces and cook for about 10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Turn the chicken pieces as they cook to ensure an even golden colour. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.
5. Serve sliced fried chicken with som tum papaya salad.

Recipe from Marion's Kitchen https://www.marionskitchen.com/thai-fried-chicken-and-som-tum/

Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 35 mins

Servings: 4 - 5 people
Calories: 264cal

Ingredients
Pumpkin:
600 g / 1.2 lb pumpkin (after peeling), cut into 3cm / 1.25" cubes (Note 1)
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Dressing:
2.5 tbsp / 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper

Salad:
1/4 cup / 35g pine nuts (Note 2)
150 g / 5 oz baby spinach leaves (4 handfuls)
60 g / 2 oz feta , crumbled (or more!!)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 220C/430F (standard) or 200C/390F (fan/convection).
2. Toss pumpkin with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on baking tray, bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, flip, then bake for a further 7 - 10 minutes until golden but not mushy. (Note 3) Loosen pumpkin with egg flip (it can adhere as it cools), then if serving salad at room temperature, leave to cool.
3. Shake Dressing in a jar. Taste and adjust to taste. I like it a bit sharp because it balances out the flavours in this salad.
4. Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until light golden and it smells nutty. Remove pine nuts from skillet as soon as it's ready.
5. Place Spinach in a bowl. Drizzle with a bit of dressing then toss.
6. Add pumpkin, just a bit of feta and pine nuts, then GENTLY BRIEFLY toss just to disperse the feta. (If you toss vigorously, the feta can make it look messy).
7. Transfer to serving plate. Sprinkle over remaining feta and pine nuts. Just before serving, drizzle with remaining dressing (dressing doesn't stay on baby spinach well, so worth drizzling at end). Serve!

Video

Notes

1. You can use any pumpkin or squash for this recipe. 
2. Pine nuts are expensive but worth using in this recipe, it's the perfect finishing touch However, you can sub with any other nuts of choice. Chopped almonds and macadamias are great.
3. Pumpkin turns to mush if baked for too long. You don't want mush in your salad. So keep an eye on it - it should be tender with a nice golden surface on at least 2 sides (i.e. the sides that were in contact with the tray during baking). And also, loosen pumpkin from tray using an egg flip / spatula when you take it out of the oven - if you don't do this while hot, it might stick to the tray.
4. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings and that all the dressing is consumed. Reality is that most of the Dressing ends up at the bottom of the bowl because dressing doesn't stick that well to baby spinach. So actual calories will be less than this.

Simple Egg Salad for Sandwiches

Ingredients

8 eggs
½ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
¼ cup chopped green onion
salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon paprika

Method

1. Place egg in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
2. Place the chopped eggs in a bowl, and stir in the mayonnaise, mustard and green onion. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Stir and serve on your favorite bread or crackers.

Niçoise Salad

Prep Time : 20 mins

Total Time : 20 mins

Ingredients
For the Salad
3 to 4 medium tomatoes halved and sliced into wedges
4 ounces soft lettuce such as Bibb or Boston
6 radishes thinly sliced
1 cucumber peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup pitted black olives, Niçoise olives or other black olives
1 cup quartered artichoke hearts canned in water, drained
4 hard-boiled eggs peeled and quartered
1 5-ounce can quality tuna packed in oil
4 spring onions white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
freshly ground black pepper
10 basil leaves

For the Dressing
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Put the tomato wedges in a large colander and place the colander over a bowl. Season the tomatoes with kosher salt and let them sit in the colander while you prepare the rest of the salad. Do not discard the tomato juices.
2. Arrange the lettuce on a platter and top with the sliced radishes, cucumber, olives, artichoke heart quarters, eggs, and drained tomato wedges over the lettuce. Arrange chunks of tuna, green onions, and torn basil leaves all over. Sprinkle some black pepper.
3. Make the dressing. In the same bowl with the juices from your tomatoes, add the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and salt. Whisk to combine. While you are whisking, pour the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Taste and adjust salt
4. Serve the dressing next to the composed Nicoise salad and allow everyone to help themselves. Otherwise, you can pour a bit of the dressing over the salad and toss very gently so that the salad does not lose its beautiful composition.

Notes

1. To make perfect hard-boiled eggs, you can either pressure-cook them in an Instant Pot, or use the stovetop method. Place the eggs in a large saucepan and cover with 1 inch of water. Bring the eggs to a boil over MEDIUM heat (not high). This may take some time. Once the water has come to a boil, turn it off, and allow the eggs to sit in the hot water, covered, for twelve minutes. Drain the eggs and rinse under cool running water and allow them to sit in the cool water for 10 minutes or so (this makes them easier to peel).
2. Nicoise Variations: Omit the tuna for a vegan option, or you can use anchovies or cooked salmon in place of tuna (as mentioned earlier, cooked salmon is not a traditional option for this salad. You can also add cooked green beans and boiled potatoes to this salad, if you prefer.
3. Leftovers & Storage: Leftover nicoise salad does not last very long. Transfer to a tight-lid glass container and save in the fridge for a few hours or no more than 1 night.

Nutrition
Calories: 332.8kcal

Carbohydrates: 13.7g

Protein: 9.8gFat: 26.6g

Saturated Fat: 4.5g

Cholesterol: 186.6mg

Sodium: 911.8mg

Potassium: 522.5mg

Fiber: 5.2g

Sugar: 5.9g

Vitamin A: 2265.9IU

Vitamin C: 19.6mg

Calcium: 80.3mg

Iron: 1.9mg

Caprese Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
453.59 g Ripe tomatoes (3-4 medium) sliced 1/4” thick
226.8 g Fresh mozzarella sliced 1/4” thick
0.67 bunch Fresh basil (1/3 cup basil leaves)
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
0.33 tsp Sea salt or to taste
0.17 tsp Black pepper or to taste
1.33 Tbsp Balsamic glaze or added to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Start by layering slices of tomatoes on a serving platter. Tuck slices of cheese between each tomato so both are visible then tuck whole basil leaves between the cheese and tomatoes. Arrange the slices so you can see every layer.
2. Season generously with salt and pepper, drizzle all over with extra virgin olive oil and drizzle with 2 Tbsp balsamic glaze or add it to taste.

Crab Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 lb medium pasta shells
1 pound package imitation crab meat cut bite size
1 can medium black olives sliced
1 medium red bell pepper diced
3 or 4 green onions sliced thin about two inches into the green
3 stalks of celery diced

Dressing
1 1/2 cups plain non fat yogurt see note
1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise
1/2 TBSP Spike found in the spice aisle
1 tsp celery salt
1 TBSP yellow mustard
1/2 TBSP soy sauce
1/4 cup Italian vinaigrette salad dressing see note

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. In a very large bowl, mix the pasta, crab, olives, red peppers, green onions, and celery.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayo, Spike, celery salt, yellow mustard, soy sauce, and salad dressing.
4. Pour the dressing over the pasta and veggies and stir to combine. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

Asian Pasta Salad with Chicken

Prep Time : 30 minutes

Total Time : 30 minutes
Servings : 8 servings
Calories : 452kcal

Ingredients
1 package (16 ounces) rotini pasta
4.5 cups (5 ounces 147g) fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 and 1/2 cups (202g) shredded rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup (65g) red bell pepper, chopped
1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges
1/2 cup (45g) shredded carrots
1/3 cup (15g) fresh green onions, chopped
1/3 cup (9g) fresh cilantro, chopped
Optional: 1/3 cup sliced almonds (32g) (toasted if desired)

Dressing
1/2 cup (97g) vegetable oil
1/3 cup (88g) soy sauce
1/3 cup (73g) rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. PASTA: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta, and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl and immediately toss with 3-4 tablespoons of the dressing (see next step).
2. DRESSING: While the pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing. Combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, pepper, and sesame seeds in a mason jar. Place the lid on and shake until combined.
3. ASSEMBLE SALAD: Add the coarsely chopped spinach, shredded rotisserie chicken, chopped red pepper, drained mandarin oranges, shredded carrots, chopped green onions, and fresh cilantro to the large bowl with the cooled pasta,.
4. DRESS SALAD: Toss all the ingredients together gently and then coat with the dressing to desired amount. Enjoy immediately. (This salad doesn't store well with the dressing, so only dress what will be eaten right away). If desired, top with sliced toasted almonds (Note 1).

Notes

1. Note 1: If desired, toast the almonds. Spread the sliced almonds into an even layer in a small, dry (no need to add oil ) skillet over medium-heat and stir them around a bit until they are fragrant and toasted to your liking. Watch the almonds carefully; they can go from perfectly toasted to burnt in an instant! I like to remove them as soon as they begin to smell fragrant.

Nutrition
Serving: 8 servings | Calories: 452 kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.2g | Protein: 26.4g | Fat: 29.3g | Sodium: 500.8mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 9.4g

Thai fish cake tod mun pla

Ingredients

500g mackerel fillet (you can substitute snapper, swordfish, ling or barramundi)
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 egg white
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup finely sliced snake beans*
6 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Sweet Chilli Syrup:
1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 fresh long red chilli, halved, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
1/4 cup cucumber, seeded and finely diced

Method

1. Flake fish with a spoon. Mix fish, curry paste, egg white, salt and sugar and knead with your hands. Mix through snake beans and kaffir lime leaves.
2. For the sweet chilli syrup, heat the sugar, vinegar, fish sauce and 2 Tbsp water in a saucepan for about 3 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool. Place chilli and cucumber in a bowl and pour over cool syrup. Set aside until ready to serve.
3. Heat enough vegetable oil in a saucepan or wok to deep-fry. When the oil is hot, pinch off tablespoons of the fish mixture and carefully drop into oil. Cook in batches for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towel. Serve with sweet chilli syrup.
4. Note- snake beans are available from some Asian grocery stores. Substitute green beans if unavailable

Thai salad dressing

Ingredients

20 Thai bird chilies (พริกขี้หนูสวน)

15 cloves of garlic (กระเทียม)
6 Tbsp lime juice (น้ำมะนาว)
3 Tbsp water (น้ำเปล่า)

2 Tbsp fish sauce (น้ำปลา), alternatively use only salt or some salt and some fish sauce if you don't like the fishy sauce flavor - some Thais prefer using only salt in their seafood sauce.
½ tsp of salt for pounding the chilies and garlic (เกลือ)
1 Tbsp table sugar or palm sugar (น้ำตาล) - or you can use much less 

Method:

1. Add the bird chilies and peeled cloves of garlic into a mortar and pestle. Toss in ½ teaspoon of salt, and start pounding until coarse, making sure all the oils are released (should take 5 - 10 mins). Alternatively, blend or use a food processor or even just mince if you need to, but grinding by hand is the best method.
2. Add the crushed chilies and garlic to a bowl, then add the lime juice, water, fish sauce (or salt), and sugar, and mix thoroughly.
3. Start adding the ingredients especially the fish sauce and sugar gradually, and taste test and add more as needed.

Garlic & Herb Keto Salad Dressing

PREP TIME 5 minutes

TOTAL TIME 5 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup Keto-Friendly mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons Flax Oil
2 crushed garlic cloves or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 tablespoon chives
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp paprika powder
1/4 cup milk or non-dairy milk (only for a thinner consistency dressing - omit for dip)

Instructions
Add yogurt, mayonnaise, and flax oil together into a mixing bowl.
Mix with wooden spoon or whisk until well combined.
Add all remaining ingredients together and mix together.
Cover mixing bowl or transfer to a lidded container.
Place in refrigertor for at least 1 hour.

Notes
This Garlic and Herb Salad Dressing is best if refrigerated at least one hour before serving. Can it be made ahead too and is good for 6-7 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information:
YIELD: 40
SERVING SIZE: 2 tablespoons
Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 60 TOTAL FAT: 6g SATURATED FAT: 1g TRANS FAT: 0g UNSATURATED FAT: 5g CHOLESTEROL: 4mg SODIUM: 102mg CARBOHYDRATES: 1g FIBER: 0g SUGAR: 1g PROTEIN: 1g

KETO RANCH DRESSING
If you want a traditional ranch salad dressing for Keto diet, use the same recipe above, but:
Only use 1/2 the garlic listed
Omit lemon juice, tarragon, and paprika

Greek Salad with Chicken

Prep Time 14 minutes

Total Time 14 minutes

Servings 2 salads

Calories 334 kcal

Ingredients

• 6 cups chopped lettuce such as iceberg or romaine
• 1 8- ounce Greek Marinated Chicken Breast sliced or chopped
• 2 cups Mediterranean Tomato Salad or sliced tomatoes
• 1 cup sliced Persian or hothouse cucumber
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup feta cheese broken into chunks

For the Greek Dressing

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon sugar substitute
• 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Add the lettuce to a large serving bowl or two individual salad bowls. Top with the sliced chicken, tomato salad, cucumber, olives, and feta cheese.
2. To make the dressing, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, sugar and salt and pepper to a small canning jar. Top with the lid and shake well until blended and emulsified. Season with more sugar and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to taste.

Recipe Notes

If meal prepping these salads ahead of time, store the salads separately from the dressing. Dress the salads just before eating.

Nutrition Facts

Greek Salad with Chicken

Amount Per Serving (2 g)

Calories 334Calories from Fat 306

% Daily Value*

Fat 34g52%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Cholesterol 17mg6%

Sodium 476mg21%

Potassium 25mg1%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 180IU4%

Vitamin C 0.5mg1%

Calcium 133mg13%

Iron 1.1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Cheddar Bacon Egg Salad

YIELD: 3 BIG SANDWICHES

PREP TIME:10 MINUTES
COOK TIME:20 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME:30 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:
6 eggs
4 slices bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add the eggs to a medium sized pot and fill with water to 1 inch above the eggs. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid, and let sit for 15 minutes.
2. Run the eggs under cold water or place them in an ice bath until cold.
3. While the eggs are cooling, chop the bacon into bite sized pieces and fry until crisp over medium heat. Drain the fat and set aside the bacon.
4. Peel the eggs and mash them finely with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, parsley, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
5. Stir in the bacon and cheddar.
6. Serve as a dip with crackers or between bread as a sandwich.

Grilled Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Serves: 3

Ingredients
Marinade/Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon (1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice)
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2 Tbsp dried basil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
cracked pepper, to taste
(1 lb / 500 g) 3 skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets (or chicken breasts)

Salad:
4 cups Romaine (or Cos) lettuce leaves, washed and dried
1 large cucumber, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 red onion, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives (or black olives), sliced (optional)
Lemon wedges, to serve

Preparation:

1. Whisk together all of the marinade/dressing ingredients in a large jug. Pour out half of the marinade into a large, shallow dish. Refrigerate the remaining marinade to use as the dressing later.
2. Add the chicken to the marinade in the bowl; marinade chicken for 15-30 minutes (or up to two hours in the refrigerator if time allows). While waiting for the chicken, prepare all of the salad ingredients and mix in a large salad bowl.
3. Once chicken is ready, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a grill pan or a grill plate over medium-high heat. Grill chicken on both sides until browned and completely cooked through.
4. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes; slice and arrange over salad. Drizzle salad with the remaining dressing. Serve with lemon wedges.

Notes;
Add ½ cup crumbled feta to give the salad an even better flavour!

30 salads we're obsessed with

30 Salads we're obsessed with

Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

6 anchovy fillets packed in oil

1 small garlic clove

2 large egg yolks

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

3/4 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 Tbsp finely grated Parmesan

freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Chop together anchovy, garlic and salt. Use the side of a knife blade to mash into a paste, then scrape into a medium bowl. 

Whisk in egg yolks, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, and mustard. 

Adding drop by drop to start, gradually whisk in olive oil, then vegetable oil; whisk until dressing is thick and glossy. 

Whisk in grated Parmesan. Season with salt, black pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. 

Can be made 1 day ahead.

THE CROUTONS
Make your own. Tearing, not cutting, the bread ensures nooks and crannies that catch the dressing and add texture. Toss 3 cups torn 1-inch pieces country bread with 3 tablespoons olive oil on a baking sheet; season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake at 375°, tossing occasionally, until golden, 10-15 minutes.

THE LETTUCE
Use whole leaves from 3 romaine hearts to feed 6 people. They provide the ideal mix of crispness, surface area, and structure.

THE CHEESE
Caesars crowned with a mound of grated Parmesan may look impressive, but all that clumpy cheese mutes the dressing. Instead, use a vegetable peeler to thinly shave a modest amount on top for little salty bursts.

THE ASSEMBLY
Skip the tongs. Use your hands to gently toss the lettuce, croutons, and dressing, then top off with the shaved Parm.

Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato
6 cloves of garlic, skin on

50 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 small packet 80g wild rice
1 large pomegranate
75g thick Greek yoghurt
1tbsp organic tahini
juice & zest of 1 lemon
¼ clove garlic, crushed
flaked salt
cracked white pepper
pinch of sumac
¼ bunch dill
¼ bunch mint leaves

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees. Wash and dry the sweet potato, cut into thick chunks and pop into a roasting tray along with the garlic. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt, pepper and sumac. Place into the oven and roast for 40 minutes turning once or twice to ensure they cook evenly and turn a nice golden brown.
2. Meanwhile place the wild rice in a small pot and cover generously with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a moderate heat. Simmer and cook until the grains are tender approximately 40 minutes. Drain, cool and set aside.
3. Place yoghurt into a small bowl and mix in the tahini, lemon zest and juice and a pinch of pepper, sumac and salt. Cut the pomegranate in half, place the cut side into your palm over a medium sized bowl. Using a wooden spoon tap the top of the pomegranate with enough force to loosen and remove the seeds.
4. Spoon a little of the tahini sauce into a wide salad bowl and place the warm sweet potatoes on top. Sprinkle with the rice & herbs, add the pomegranate seeds and a good pinch of sumac. Add a drizzle of olive oil just before serving.

Coleslaw

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package coleslaw mix
2 Tbsp minced onion
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Combine the coleslaw and onion in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar and lemon juice; mix until smooth. Pour mixture over the coleslaw and onion; stir well and chill for 1 hour.

Ceviche

Ingredients:

2 lbs of firm, fresh red snapper fillets (or other firm-fleshed fish), cut into 1/2 inch pieces, completely deboned
1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 cup of chopped fresh seeded tomatoes
1 serrano chili, seeded and finely diced
2 teaspoons of salt
Dash of ground oregano
Dash of Tabasco or a light pinch of cayenne pepper
Cilantro
Avocado
Tortillas or tortilla chips

Method:
In a non-reactive casserole dish, either Pyrex or ceramic, place the fish, onion, tomatoes, chili, salt, Tabasco, and oregano. Cover with lime and lemon juice. Let sit covered in the refrigerator for an hour, then stir, making sure more of the fish gets exposed to the acidic lime and lemon juices. Let sit for several hours, giving time for the flavors to blend.
During the marinating process the fish will change from pinkish grey and translucent, to whiter in color and opaque.

Serve with chopped cilantro and slices of avocado with heated tortillas for ceviche tacos or with tortilla chips.