Cucumber and Radish Yogurt

 Simple and refreshing.  A fast salad great for any rice dish.

Cucumber and Radish Yogurt

3 inches English cucumber

2 radishes

1 spring onion

fresh mint

1 cup of plain yogurt

salt and pepper

Cut up the veg.  Mix with yogurt.  Season.

 Yummy!

Zucchini Ribbon Strawberry Salad

Just a simple salad from my garden.

Zucchini Ribbon Strawberry Salad

1 small zucchini 

4 strawberries

mint

balsamic vinegar and olive oil

salt and pepper

Using a veg peeler ribbon the zucchini.  Cut up the strawberries and mint.  Top the zucchini with the strawberries and dress with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Finish with salt and pepper.

7 Layer Olivia Salad

 Olivia a salad popular in Iran but it is from Russia where its called Olivier.  To me its like baby food mixed with mayonnaise...gross and far too rich.  A few weeks ago my mom told me about a deconstructed olivia that she was making.  It got me thinking what if Olivia was constructed as a American 7 Layer Salad?  But without the mayo because 7 Layer Salad is gross and far too rich too!

7 layer Olivia Salad
Makes on large Salad

1 kg of new potatoes boiled and sliced
2 large carrots shredded
1 cup of peas
1 cup of cooked chicken shredded
3 eggs hard boiled and sliced
2 pickels sliced
15 olives sliced
Salt and Pepper


For Dressing
1 cup Plain Yougurt
jucie from 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper

Mix up the yougurt dressing and season to your teast or use mayo.  Assemble the salad by layering each ingredent with 1/4 cup of the dressing between each layer of potatoes, carrots, peas and chicken.

Everyday Coleslaw and Summer Rolls

 I have been eating this coleslaw just about everyday for the last month.  I posted my mothers Ramen Coleslaw way back in 2010 this is a new version of that salad.  I've taken out the Ramen as it turns out the Baby also likes to eat uncooked Ramen and I would rather he did not. But not to worry the taste is even better than before.  I've been eating it as a side with dinners and with/on a sandwich for lunch.  It even makes a great low-cal snack in a Summer Roll.

Everyday Coleslaw
makes about 3 cups

2 cups of shredded cabbage
2 med carrots shredded
2 spring onions sliced thin
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp chinkiang vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp roasted sesames
salt and pepper (and hot pepper if you like)

Mix and Eat


Coleslaw Summer Rolls
1 Filling Snack or Light Lunch

3 pieces of rice paper (for summer rolls)
1 cup coleslaw
fresh herbs: mint, coriander, basil, parsley

Dipping sauce
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 chinkiang vinegar

Fill a plate or pan with warm water.  Soak one piece of rice paper until its limp.  Remove the limp rice paper and fill with 1/3 of the coleslaw.  Add fresh herbs and roll.  Repeat and eat!

 Simple and Local. Yummy right after its mixed or after a day in the fridge.  

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

This salad is is simple and fast to throw together. No one in my family (who eat salad) needs a recipe for this but for those who are new to Italian food may need some help. This salad is great as a side with pasta, or topped on bread as bruschetta. 

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Cucumber (English or de-seeded)
Tomato
Basil
Olives
Soft Cheese (Feta or Mozzarella)
Olive Oil (1 tsp)
Balsamic Vinegar (1/2 tsp)
Salt and Pepper

Cut up some cucumber and tomato.  Rip up some fresh basil. Add some olives.  Top with cheese, oil and vinegar.  Salt and pepper if you like.

Gochujan Cucumber Salad

 This Gochujan Cucumber salad has a secret but I will share it.  Tahini!  Korean recipes often call for sesame seed salt, which is just toasted and ground sesame seeds.  My pestle and mortar are in KS with my sister so I had the idea just use Tahini.    I used tahini in bulgogi a few time and it works. Tahini and Gochujan mix together so well and they make the perfect not too spicy smooth dressing.

Gochujan Cucumber Salad

1 English Cucumber
1 green onion
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 tsp gochujan
1/4 tsp tahini
1 tsp mirin (sweet rice wine vinegar)
1 tsp soy sauce

Mix the gochujan and tahini. Add in the vinegar and soy.  Slice the cucumber and green onion and dress.  Top with the sesame seeds.

This is a great salad for introducing a baby to gochujan...if your baby don't throw the cucumbers on the floor!

Mango Mint Salad

My mom has been visiting me over the past few weeks. We both had planned on cooking and eating great food while she is here but the lure of sightseeing was too great. My mom did make this lovely Mango Mint Salad to go with the chicken curry I made a few nights ago.

Mango Mint Salad
Serves 6
1 large ripe mango
1/2 English cucumber
1/2 red onion
1 orange
1/2 lime
2 Tbs mint
1 Tbs coriander
1 Tbs chives
1/4 tsp mango powder (Amchoor Powder)
1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp of ground cumin seed
Salt, Pepper and hot red pepper flakes

Peel and slice mango into long strips. Slice cucumber into strips. Finely slice the red onion into crescents. Zest the orange, peel and slice. Zest the lime and juice half. Chop the herbs. Mix everything and add the spices and salt and pepper.

I would have used tons more hot pepper, but my mom wanted to make something cooling to go with the spicy curry.

Vermicelli Salad with Prawns

Vermicelli are rice noodles. The cook really fast and are the perfect base for any summer salad. This one is Ng Thai or the cheating way that I make Thai (a mix of soy and fish sauce, sweet chill sauce and lime juice).

Vermicelli Salad with Prawns
for 4
1 package of Vermicelli
1 carrot shredded
1/2 English cucumber shredded
2 green onions chopped
1/2 cup of fresh herbs chopped (Thai basil, lemon basil, coriander, chives and parsley)
1/2 cup of cooked and peeled prawns
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp of fish sauce
1 tsp of sweet chill sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp of sesame seeds (to top)

Cook the Vermicelli for 3 min or follow the package. Mix with the carrots, cucumber, herbs, pawns, sauces, lime and oil. Taste and add more lime to brighten or sweet chill to sweeten or fish sauce for salt. Top with more herbs and sesame seeds. Eat right away or let it hang out in the frig for a few hours and enjoy cold.

I like it cold.

Creamy Beet Salad

The beets in my garden are still filling out but luckily be found a lady selling them for 1e a bunch. One of the first recipe I made was this creamy beat salad. For years I have been grating cooked beets into bowls of plain yogurt. I even wanted it this salad at my wedding (it was vetoed by my mom). Last Dec we tried beet salad some Russian friends made. It had garlic, dried dill and creame fresh or yogurt. I've been adding garlic and dill ever since.

The greens I used raw in salad and cooked on pizza.

We ate a few beets raw, but mostly I roasted them. Just wash and bake them until the skin comes off. I cover the beet in tin foil and throw them in the oven when I'm baking something else. It takes about an hour before they soften.
Creamy Beet Salad
makes one bowl
3 roasted and pealed beets
1/2 clove a garlic
1 Tbs chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp dried dill
1/2 cup plain yogurt
salt and pepper

Grate the beets. Make a paste with the garlic by mashing it with 1/4 tsp of salt. Mix the beets, garlic, dill and yogurt. Add salt and pepper to taste.
We enjoyed this hot pink salad with homegrown cucumbers and homemade burgers. Yummy!

Dill Pickle Cucumber Salad

I know posted a recipe for German Cucumber and Radish Salad exactly one month ago today but its summer and I love both cucumbers and salad. Before moving to Ireland I hated cucumbers turns out I just disliked the seeds and thick skins of American cucumbers because English cucumber are great.
This is our cucumber plant. I grew it from seed and it is now trying to conquer our conservatory.
We have picked 5 large cucumbers in the last week. All week we have been living off cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches. I made this Dill Pickle Cucumber Salad to go with hamburgers and no one even bothered to open the jar of dills on the table.
Dill Pickle Cucumber Salad
Serves 3-4
1 English Cucumber (or 2-3 pealed and seeded American ones)
1 Spring Onion
1 Tbs of Fresh Dill
1 tsp Dry Roasted Caraway Seeds
1/2 tsp elderflower vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1/2 tsp walnut oil
Salt and Pepper

Slice into thin rounds. Chop the spring onion and dill. Mix all together with the caraway seeds, dress with oil and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Green and Purple Zucchini Salad: dressed with elderflower vinegar

One of my many elderflower experiments that I've made in the last few weeks is Darina Allen's Elderflower Vinegar from her Forgotten Skill of Cooking. A simple just warmed vinegar and elderflowers but wow! I've been dressing all my salad with it including this Green and Purple Zucchini Salad.
Green and Purple Zucchini Salad: dressed with elderflower vinegar
For 1-2 people who love salad
1 zucchini
1/2 cup fresh green herbs chopped: musted cress, chives, mint and oregano
2-3 heads of purple chive flowers
a few purple thyme flowers
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp elderflower vinegar
salt and pepper

Peal the zucchini into long ribbons with a veggie peeler. Mix with green herbs and purple flowers. Add salt and pepper and dress with olive oil and elderflower vinegar.

I like raw zucchini but if you don't then pop the dressed ribbons on the grill and enjoy the salad warm.

Broccoli Salad- Made with Yogurt and Dates

Broccoli Salad can be found at just about any North American BBQ or potluck. The classic recipe being a mix of broccoli, raisins, red onion, mayo, sunflower seeds and bacos. While my mom never used bacos or bacon she stayed close to the classic recipe. I love yogurt and it is no surpise that I'm using the plain stuff in place of mayo. Saeid doesn't like raisins so I'm using dates, but so many other dried or fresh fruits work well in this recipe. Try using some pomegranates in the fall it works like a treat!
Broccoli Salad- Made with Yogurt and Dates
Makes about 4 cups
1 head of broccoli, washed and chopped (use the stem too)
1/4 of a red onion chopped
1 cup of dates chopped
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup of plain yogurt
2 tsp of fresh lemon juice
1 tsp cummin
salt, pepper, hot pepper

Mix the plain yogurt with the lemon juice and spices. Add the vegs, dates and half of the sunflower seeds and mix well. Top the remaining seeds.
This salad gets better with age. Fell free to add anything you like to it but try the plain yogurt.

Greek Salad

A friend of ours likes Greek Salad and asked me to post a recipe. In the summer that would be a really easy task, but the fresh veg is starting to look very sad here. Where are you spring?
Greek Salad
serves 2
Ingredients
1/4 cup of cubed feta
1/4 cup olives (chopped or not but pitted)
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped and seeded cucumbers
1/4 of a small red onion finely sliced
1 tsp chopped parsley

Optional Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
a few pickled hot peppers(peperoncini)
4 marinated artichoke hearts
1/8 tsp red hot chili flakes
1/4-1/2 cup fresh herbs
1 tsp capers
1/4 cup chopped radishes
1 smalled chopped beets
3 or 4 anchovies or sardines
1 or 2 cups salad greens

Dressing
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar or lemon
1/4 tsp of dried oregano
1/4 tsp of black pepper
salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients together and enjoy right away or let marinate and eat later. Don't worry if you don't have all the ingredients, few free to mix and match.

We enjoyed our Greek Salad on top of a green salad with homemade bread.

Beet, Clementine, Feta and Spinach Salad

Beets used to be a important crop in Ireland. Until a few years ago they made sugar out of them. Now the factories are closed and all the sugar is imported. Its very sad. Those kg's of sugar (found in someone's tea) used to be local and Irish. Thankfully we can still get the beets, and boy are they sweet!

Beet, Clementine, Feta and Spinach Salad
Severs 4 (if you like salad and I do!)

Into a bowl:

3 cups Spinach washed
3 small beets chopped (roasted and pealed, or pickeled)
3 Clementines pealed and seperated
1 tsp of feta
1 tsp Olive Oil
1/2 vinegar or lemon juice
few drops of balsamic vinegar syrup
Salt
Pepper

Mix and enjoy before the beets turn the feta pink!

Pomegranate Salad

I love fall! Figs, dates and pomegranates. It used to take me forever to peel pomegranates, but then I learned the Iranian way.
Cut a thin strip off the top and bottom. Should be able to see a tinny bit of fruit. Score around the fruit making four parts. Pull apart over a bowl. Then pop out the rest the seeds.

Done in record time. For pomegranate salad add salt and eat with a spoon.

Butternut Squash and Beet Salad

A simple fall salad. No need to cook the butternut squash. Its great raw!

Serves 4

2 cups washed spinach
1/2 cup grated butternut squash
1 roasted and peeled chopped beet
12 walnut halves
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Toss all the veg together, top with the walnuts and dress with olive oil and the balsamic vinegar.
Note:
It is best to use the top thin part of the butternut in this salad, peel the outside and then grate like cheese. To roast the beets wash and wrap in foil, cook for 30min at 300f. The skins will come off easily.
Feel free to add some feta, roast the walnuts or substitute with pecans.