5/27/10

Tabbouleh



Tabbouleh is a great light summer salad.  I used whole wheat "pearl (Israeli) couscous" instead of bulgur, because I love the texture of the tiny sphere-shaped couscous, and the whole wheat really makes the dish heartier.

The photo is before I added the chopped greens (parsley and mint) and couscous.  I absolutely loved that the chopped vegetables (cucumber and tomatoes) filled an entire large mixing bowl.  


Recipe- Tabbouleh
Servings- 8
Prep Time- 45 minutes

1 cup bulgur (or prepared couscous)
3 tomatoes seeded and chopped
2 cucumbers peeled and chopped
3 green onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup lemon juice (about 3 large lemons)
2/3 cup olive oil

1. Place cracked wheat in a bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water.  Soak for 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water.  (Or, prepare couscous according to directions)
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients.  Toss and refrigerate for 4 hours. Toss before serving.

5/23/10

Healthy Thai- Soba Noodles with Grilled Shrimp and Cilantro

I recently made the cover recipe from the March 2010 Food and Wine "Healthy Recipes from Around the World" issue.  The flavors in the dish were bold, yet balanced.  The cooling cilantro and fresh lime zest and juice offset the spicy crushed red pepper.  Also, cilantro and lime are great in the springtime--the sour juice from the lime helps protect the respiratory system, and the cilantro assists when you are congested.

I don't normally cook Asian food, but some of my favorite restaurants in L.A. are Thai, like Saladang, and Saladang Song (the two restaurants are right next door to each other).  Because I'm not used to cooking with Asian flavors, I stuck to the recipe (mostly).  Next time I make it, I'll add lime juice directly to the noodles (in addition to marinating the shrimp in it) to really make it zing!

This dish pairs great with a dry Riesling.  All of these ingredients can easily be found at Whole Foods.

Link to recipe on Food and Wine website

Recipe- Soba Noodles with Grilled Shrimp and Cilantro
Total time- 45 min.
Servings- 6

6 oz. Soba Noodles
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons tamari
1 teaspoon agave syrup
2 large shallots, thinly sliced and separated into rings
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
salt
2 scallions (green onions), finely chopped
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
lime wedges, for serving

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring until tender, about 4 minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil with the soy sauce, tamari, and agave syrup.  Add the noodles and toss.

2. In a skillet, heat one tablespoon of the oil. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden brown and crisp, 3 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to paper towels.  Add the garlic to the skillet and cook over low heat until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer the garlic to paper towels.

3. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan.  In a bowl, combine the lime zest and juice with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.  Stir in the shrimp and lightly season with salt. (If you are substituting regular soy sauce for low sodium soy sauce, you may not want to add salt here).  Grill the shrimp over high heat, turning once, until glazed and just white throughout, about 3 minutes.

4. Arrange the noodles on a large platter.  Sprinkle with the scallions, cilantro, crushed red pepper and the fried shallots and garlic.  Arrange the shrimp on top and serve with lime wedges alongside.

5/17/10

Taste Beers from around the World at Disneyland's CA Adventures


If you're headed to Disneyland's California Adventures this month, be sure to enjoy some of the events at Disney's California Food and Wine Festival.  I didn't make it to the numerous wine seminars (only $1 for seminar and tastings) or free celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, but I did stop by the Festival Beer Walk.  You can taste four different wines or beers for $10.

The only "beer tasting" I had ever done was sitting at Gordon Biersch with a friendly bartender.  At the beer walk, I learned about how hops give beer a distinct flavor.  Typically, the only beers I drink are citrus-flavored Corona type beers, but my taste buds were awakened to a whole new world of beer flavors and textures.

One of my favorite beers from the tasting was Karl Strauss' Red Trolley Ale.  The beer is brewed with caramelized malts to give it a toffee flavor.  It was originally crafted as a holiday beer, but is available year-round due to its popularity.  I think this beer would pair great with a chocolatey/coffee dessert, like Tiramisu.

There really is nothing like enjoying a cold beer after the Tower of Terror and right before Soarin' Over California..