Belgian Endive, Apple and Blue Cheese Dressing

This post is not about a recipe per se, but more about how to create different looking dishes by using the very same ingredients.

Yukon Gold Potatoes, Broccoli and Feta Cheese Salad

This simple and tasty salad is the proof that not all potato salads have to be heavily seasoned with mayonnaise.
It is light and fresh and easy to assemble. The fact that it is also aesthetically pleasing is an added bonus.

Feta and Scallions Stuffed Tomatoes * Tomato and Bread Salad

Summertime means lots of salads with fresh ripe tomatoes. However, sometimes it’s nice to use the tomatoes for other purposes, such as in the recipe here, for tomatoes stuffed with a tasty cheese mixture.
This doesn’t mean we’ll skip the tomato salad option altogether. Quite the contrary, the scooped inner part will be a base for a quick and tasty salad.

Curried Bow Tie Pasta and Tuna Salad

Here is a very easy and very tasty summer salad, which is a perfect addition to a BBQ lunch, or on its own (think lunch at work, for example).

Eggplant Salad Two Ways

In Mediterranean and North African cuisines, there are many versions for eggplant salads that start with roasted eggplant that is further cooked with additional vegetables and flavorings, and served at room temperature.
In the recipe here I “mixed and matched” my own version.

Colorful Couscous, Lentils and Raisins Salad

One more post from the early days of the blog.
See you next week with a new post. :)

Tasty Eats

Preparing traditional couscous from scratch is a labor intensive task; it requires mixing semolina with oil and water, passing it through a sieve, steaming it in a special pot, mixing it again, and repeating the process once or twice more… No wonder that up until modern times, when the instant couscous was created, this great grain product was not as popular as it is today.

The homemade couscous purists may snub the instant couscous, claiming it is not as tasty as the original. They may be right to some extent, just like those who are in favor of fresh homemade pasta versus dried pasta are. However, just as most of us will not start making fresh pasta for lunch, the same goes with instant couscous. It is extremely easy and quick to prepare, and when made properly, it is tasty and highly versatile. So don’t be deterred by the term…

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Three Crunchy Celery Salads

Celery is mostly known as an ingredient for flavoring soups and stocks, but in summer, I find myself using it more on its own right, as a base for great tasting fresh and crunchy salads. I just love the salty-sweet-juicy flavor and crispy texture of fresh celery, combined with other vegetables and fruits.
Here are a few of my favorite summer salads. Try them, and feel the crunch. :)

Roasted Beets and Orange Salad + Savory Beet greens Cheese Patties

When you see at the store a bunch of beets with the greens still attached to them, you know they are as fresh as it gets. Nevertheless, the fresh greens are not just an indication for the beets’ freshness; they are also edible and tasty on their own right, so it makes even more sense to buy the bunch.
Here, I have used the bunch to create two dishes: a colorful roasted beets salad and savory beet greens cheese patties.
Both dishes go great together, but you can, of course, serve each on its’ own.

Colorful Potato Salad

Most potato salads are, how shall we put it politely, “aesthetically challenged”… They are pale and heavy, with way too much mayonnaise and in many cases, too much sugar.
Here is a lighter and more colorful version, inspired by a Russian potato salad, named “Olivier” after the Belgian chef who created it when working in Moscow. The original salad contained many rare and expensive ingredients, so later on more down to earth versions were created. The majority of these versions contain a large amount of cold cuts and canned peas and carrots, and even though they are more colorful than the average potato salad, they are still quite heavy.

Scallops with lemony cream sauce + Israeli couscous salad

When I found these beautiful fresh wild scallops at the store, I quickly grabbed a few.

Skirt Steak with Green Tahini and Spicy Eggplant Salad

Here is a “mix and match” type of lunch or dinner, which is great for easy summer entertainment: place all the components on a big tray and let your guests fill their pita bread as they wish.
The skirt steak is a wonderful, juicy cut, with a pronounced meaty flavor. It cooks very quickly and evenly. Served with green Tahini dressing, eggplant salad and some fresh cherry tomatoes, it makes for a colorful, fresh dinner.
The green Tahini dressing and eggplant salad can be prepared in advance, so all you need is to roast the skirt steak just before serving.
If you can’t find skirt steak, or prefer a chicken option, boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead. Whatever options you may choose, I’m sure you’ll enjoy these bold, tasty flavors.