Cookbook Challenge, Week 8 Assignment
As it happens, mcsassypants and I had discussed this week's assignment, so the fact that she forgot to post it did not prevent me fulfilling it last night.
EEEP!!!
I completely forgot to post this week's assignment!
*ahem*
In honor of spring and warmer (in theory) weather, your assignment this week is to pick your favorite neglected cookbook and make a main dish salad. Bonus points if you get to use a grill and not your stove or oven.
Last night, I made Spring Wild Rice Salad from 101 Cookbooks, which is not so much a neglected cookbook as a cooking blog I check somewhat compulsively.
Spring Wild Rice Salad
You can use tahini or experiment with other nut butters here. Also, If you like a bit more texture you can pan-fry the split peas for a minute or so - don't go too far or that get overly crunchy. You can easily make this vegan by omitting the goat cheese.
Almond Dressing
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup almond butter
zest of one lemon
scant 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
scant 1/4 cup hot water
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Salad
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
4 cups cooked wild rice*
1 cup cooked yellow split peas**
1 bunch chives, chopped
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
Whisk together the garlic, almond butter, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt. Set aside.
Bring a saucepan full of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the asparagus. Cook for just a minute - until the asparagus is just bright and tender. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
In a large bowl combine the wild rice, yellow split peas, asparagus, and abot half of the almond dressing. Give it a good toss. Add more dressing if needed. Taste, and add more salt if needed. Serve topped with chives and crumbled goat cheese.
Serves 8.
*To cook wild rice (SNC 60). Rinse 1 1/2 cups wild rice. In a medium sauce pan bring the rice and 4 1/2 cups salted water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes or until rice is tender and splitting open, stirring occasionally.
**To cook dried yellow spilt peas: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add 3/4 cup dried yellow split peas, and cook for 20 -30 minutes, or until tender. Drain, salt to taste and set aside.
I followed the recipe pretty exactly, substituting chana dal (it's an Indian yellow bean that looks just like yellow split peas, but doesn't go mushy and is more nutritious) for the yellow split peas and sheep's milk feta for the goat cheese. The dressing was a little thick, so we added a splash of white wine (Château Ste. Michelle sauvignon blanc) to thin it a bit. This was a good choice. The recipe made a bit more dressing than we needed for the salad, so we set out a bowl of crackers to go with it. It disappeared very quickly.
The recipe is just as quick and easy as it looks, especially since doctorconquest made the dressing while I cooked and chopped the salad bits. One thing that's really easy to get daunted about with many salad-y things is the extra step of making the dressing. It has a way of sounding like more work than it actually is. I kept worrying that this wouldn't be a full meal, but wild rice is very filling. This is also a salad that would work very well to make ahead of time, or to bring to a potluck. It's served cold, and the only delicate component is the asparagus.
EEEP!!!
I completely forgot to post this week's assignment!
*ahem*
In honor of spring and warmer (in theory) weather, your assignment this week is to pick your favorite neglected cookbook and make a main dish salad. Bonus points if you get to use a grill and not your stove or oven.
Last night, I made Spring Wild Rice Salad from 101 Cookbooks, which is not so much a neglected cookbook as a cooking blog I check somewhat compulsively.
Spring Wild Rice Salad
You can use tahini or experiment with other nut butters here. Also, If you like a bit more texture you can pan-fry the split peas for a minute or so - don't go too far or that get overly crunchy. You can easily make this vegan by omitting the goat cheese.
Almond Dressing
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup almond butter
zest of one lemon
scant 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
scant 1/4 cup hot water
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Salad
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
4 cups cooked wild rice*
1 cup cooked yellow split peas**
1 bunch chives, chopped
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
Whisk together the garlic, almond butter, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt. Set aside.
Bring a saucepan full of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the asparagus. Cook for just a minute - until the asparagus is just bright and tender. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
In a large bowl combine the wild rice, yellow split peas, asparagus, and abot half of the almond dressing. Give it a good toss. Add more dressing if needed. Taste, and add more salt if needed. Serve topped with chives and crumbled goat cheese.
Serves 8.
*To cook wild rice (SNC 60). Rinse 1 1/2 cups wild rice. In a medium sauce pan bring the rice and 4 1/2 cups salted water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes or until rice is tender and splitting open, stirring occasionally.
**To cook dried yellow spilt peas: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add 3/4 cup dried yellow split peas, and cook for 20 -30 minutes, or until tender. Drain, salt to taste and set aside.
I followed the recipe pretty exactly, substituting chana dal (it's an Indian yellow bean that looks just like yellow split peas, but doesn't go mushy and is more nutritious) for the yellow split peas and sheep's milk feta for the goat cheese. The dressing was a little thick, so we added a splash of white wine (Château Ste. Michelle sauvignon blanc) to thin it a bit. This was a good choice. The recipe made a bit more dressing than we needed for the salad, so we set out a bowl of crackers to go with it. It disappeared very quickly.
The recipe is just as quick and easy as it looks, especially since doctorconquest made the dressing while I cooked and chopped the salad bits. One thing that's really easy to get daunted about with many salad-y things is the extra step of making the dressing. It has a way of sounding like more work than it actually is. I kept worrying that this wouldn't be a full meal, but wild rice is very filling. This is also a salad that would work very well to make ahead of time, or to bring to a potluck. It's served cold, and the only delicate component is the asparagus.