spicy carrot salad
Serves 2
- 4 carrots, julienned (7 ounces)
- 3 red chili peppers, seeded and julienned
- 2 cloves garlic, fine minced
- ½ red onion, lyonnaise cut (3 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Salt to your tastes
Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Sweat the carrot, chili pepper, garlic, and onion in oil until it begins to soften. Add the brown sugar and coriander, stirring occasionally, cook until sugar dissolves. Deglaze the pan with vinegar, remove from heat, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Toss with fresh chopped cilantro and season with salt to your tastes.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or make a day in advance for enhanced flavor. Serve chilled.
RECIPE AND PHOTOGRAPH BY KRISTEL MATOUSEK
WWW.PHOTORICALFOOD.COM
TIP: For a sweeter and less spicy alternative, use mini sweet red peppers instead of red chiles.
citrus salad
Serves 4
Quick Pickled Onions
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 red onion, lyonnaise cut
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped mint leaves
Couscous
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup couscous
Salad
- 1 cup prepared couscous
- 1 cup arugula
- ¼ prepared pickled onions
- 2 fluid ounces retained pickling liquid
- 1 orange, peeled and sliced
- 1 red grapefruit, peeled and sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons pistachios, chopped
- Cracked and fine pepper
- Salt to your tastes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
For the quick pickled onions, in a saucepan, combine the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, peppercorns, mustard powder, coriander, and salt. Once sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Place the onions and mint in a bowl or jar. Pass the cooled pickling solution through a strainer, pouring it over the onions. Cover and chill for 12 to 24 hours. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
For the couscous, in a saucepan, bring the water, salt, and oil to a boil. Pour the couscous into the boiling water, stirring to combine. Cover with a lid, remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Fluff the couscous and chill for later use.
Assemble the salad by tossing the couscous with arugula, ¼ of the prepared pickled onions, and 2 fluid ounces of the retained pickling liquid. Spread the couscous over the surface of a serving plate and layer with sliced oranges and grapefruit. Garnish with mint and pistachios, season with pepper and salt, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve chilled.
RECIPE AND PHOTOGRAPH BY KRISTEL MATOUSEK
WWW.PHOTORICALFOOD.COM
sundried tomato pasta salad
Serves 6
- 8 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- ⅓ cup peas
- 4 cups cooked gemelli pasta
- 3 cups spinach
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes in oil
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to your tastes
Fill a medium-sized pot ¾ full of water and bring to a boil. Blanch the asparagus and peas, then remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and cool them immediately in an ice-water bath.
In the same pot, cook the noodles until al dente and strain off water.
In a large bowl, combine the warm strained pasta and spinach together to wilt it. After it has come to room temperature, add the peas, sundried tomato with oil, lemon juice, Parmesan, and basil. Mix together and season with salt and pepper. Serve chilled.
RECIPE AND PHOTOGRAPH BY KRISTEL MATOUSEK
WWW.PHOTORICALFOOD.COM
ADDING PROTEIN. Baste a chicken breast with sundried tomato oil while cooking. Season with salt, sweet paprika, crushed red pepper, and finish with fresh chopped basil.
Deborah Farmer
