Here’s a recipe for a zucchini version of carpaccio, perfect for a light, enjoyable side dish or stunning appetizer.
There is something ethereal and artistic about ingredients that are normally not whisper-thin, presented as such with other textures and flavors that make the entire dish sing with subtle harmony.
Ingredients
2 medium zucchinis
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Salt
Juice from ½ lemon, freshly squeezed
2-3 Tbsp fruity olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, very thinly sliced plus more for garnish
Fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini size), or burrata
Optional: 2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts or chopped almonds
Directions
Slice zucchini lengthwise as thinly as you can, using a mandoline or sharp knife. Sprinkle lightly with salt and put in a colander for ½ hour to remove excess moisture. Toss occasionally so all sides/nooks/crannies drain well.
Dry on paper towels and arrange zucchini in layers in a shallow serving dish, adding slices of garlic between layers. Drizzle with lemon juice and marinate, refrigerated, for 15 min – 1 hour. If there are more than two layers, you may need to gently flip things a few times to coat everything evenly with lemon juice.
To serve, arrange several slices of zucchini on each plate, removing/discarding garlic slices as you go. Drizzle with olive oil and top with nuts/mint. Add fresh mozzarella/burrata and serve.
There’s a lot of pasta salad out there, what makes a good one? Contrast and proportion. With so many ingredients coming together, use a variety of textures to keep things fun bite after bite.
Here’s a vegetarian recipe that hits some great flavor and texture notes. Perfect for summertime. Go with pasta with a little flavor depth, like red lentil or the whole wheat we use below. Make it a main by adding a protein like rotisserie chicken or fresh or tinned salmon.
Ingredients
8 oz whole wheat fusilli or penne pasta
½ cup medjool dates, halved/ chopped
3 medium stalks celery, cut in thin half-moons
½ cup feta, crumbled
½ cup red grapes, halved
3 green onions, sliced
¼ cup parsley, chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
¼ cup mint, thinly sliced, plus sprigs for garnish
½ cup green olives – Castelvetrano or similar – halved
½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp EVOO, divided
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 Tbsp fine lemon zest
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp coriander
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp pepper, plus more to taste
Directions
Cook pasta per instructions, leaving it a little al dente (about a minute shy of done) as it will continue cooking and soften up as you put the pasta salad together. Drain cooking water and gently fold in 2 Tbsp olive oil. Let pasta cool slightly.
Make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, garlic, zest, Dijon, thyme, coriander and salt/pepper. Slowly add in ¾ cup olive oil, whisking as you go. Set aside for flavors to meld.
Put slightly cooled pasta in a large bowl. Add in celery, olives, feta, grapes, green onions. Add in date pieces, separating as you go so they’re not one sticky clump. Stir everything together gently. Adjust salt/pepper in dressing and fold in half of it. Fold in chopped herbs.
If serving immediately, add more dressing until you’re happy with the amount. Pasta will absorb whatever dressing you put in, so if not serving immediately, add reserved dressing just before serving. Top with toasted walnuts, herb garnishes and serve.
Guasacaca (pronounced “wah-sah-cah-cah”) is the Venezuelan version of guacamole that includes vinegar along with the zing of citrus.
Smooth and creamy, this could be your new go-to dip or even salad dressing! And it’s oh-so-satisfying and ready in minutes using familiar ingredients.
Yes, eating healthy can be all these things.
Ingredients
3 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into pieces
3 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup white onion, chopped
1/3 green bell pepper, seeded/cut in large chunks
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded/deveined/chopped (or sub more green pepper to make ½ cup total)
¼ cup cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley
1-2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
½ cup neutral-flavored oil, like grapeseed
1-2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnishes: cayenne/crushed chili flakes/nutritional yeast flakes
Directions
To a blender or food processor, add avocado, garlic, onion, peppers, herbs. With machine on, add oil in a small stream, followed by smaller amounts of lime juice and vinegar.
Add pinches of salt/pepper and adjust acid level to taste. Process further to evenly incorporate all ingredients and ensure a smooth texture.
Put in serving bowl and garnish. Serve with chips, crackers (seed-based or other favorite) or crudités.
Radishes with butter and salt is a simple French snack that’s a great balance of taste and texture. This recipe turns the classic combination into a compound butter, ready to spread on toast points or crackers.
It’s all about showcasing simple flavors, so a rich and creamy Euro-style butter is a great choice. Make it vegan using your favorite plant-based butter!
Ingredients
8 oz. unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
½ shallot, finely minced
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp chives, minced
10-12 round red radishes, trimmed & brunoised (about 1 cup)
2 Tbsp finely minced radish leaves (fresh, clean, not too tough)
Pinches of kosher sea salt
Pinch black pepper
Maldon Sea Salt, for serving
Directions
Spread radish brunoise in thin layer on a paper towel. Cover with another and press gently to remove excess moisture.
In a mixing bowl, fold ingredients together with a rubber spatula. Let rest 15-20 minutes for flavors to combine.
When serving, sprinkle a few flakes of Maldon Sea Salt on top of where you spread or dollop the butter.
Serve on sliced baguette, Belgian endive leaves, grilled steak, baked fish, scrambled eggs, roasted asparagus, mashed potatoes, or anything and everything else you enjoy with a delicious, colorful, springy butter!
Butter will keep up to 2 days in fridge, covered in plastic wrap.
Part sushi, part sandwich, part rice ball, onigirazu is shaped into a flat rectangle with fillings inside of rice inside of nori.
By varying the fillings, you can have combos that are good for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Ingredients
4 full size nori sheets
4 cups cooked short grain white sushi or brown rice
Small sweet potato – about ½ lb
Small strip kombu seaweed (1 inch x 3 inches)
1 large avocado
7-8 oz. package marinated tofu
4 cups spinach, arugula and/or mizuna greens
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 ½ Tbsp olive oil
2-3 Tbsp warm water
1 Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp white miso paste
Toasted sesame seeds
Salt/Pepper
Directions
Peel and slice sweet potato into ½-inch slices. Place in small saucepan with kombu and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and simmer until sweet potato is soft but still firm enough not to fall apart. Remove sweet potato from water and set aside. Kombu can be sliced/diced into small pieces and used during onigirazu assembly, or discarded/composted.
To a small bowl, add 2 Tbsp warm water, tahini, miso paste. Mix to combine. Add maple syrup, lime juice and olive oil. Add more warm water to achieve desired consistency.
Open marinated tofu package over a small bowl and remove pieces. Slice pieces in half lengthwise, and then again if needed in order to get four equal slices. Set aside.
Open avocado, remove pit and cut flesh lengthwise into slices. Keep slices in half-shells until assembly to make things easier/cleaner.
Divide rice into four equal portions and arrange all ingredients for onigirazu assembly.
On a clean work surface, place a sheet of plastic wrap and then a piece of nori, shiny side down, with a corner facing towards you so it’s oriented like a diamond.
Take half of one rice portion and spread it in the center of nori, creating a 4-inch square or a little smaller. Corners of rice square will be pointing towards long sides of nori sheet and not corners. Add fillings one by one on top of rice, finishing with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Place another layer of rice on top of fillings, making sure this layer is covering fillings.
Fold corners of nori over filling to make a square shape and wrap the onigirazu tightly with the wrap it’s sitting on. Let it sit for a few minutes and then cut the entire bundle in half with a slightly moistened sharp or serrated knife. Drizzle/dip sauce over it as you eat.
