I’ve heard that trying to please everyone, as a general life strategy, may at best lead to disappointment and, at worst, failure. Eek.
But what if, say, without even trying, you just happen to please everyone? Hmm.
I thought about this on Sunday night as I sat at Pizza Buono, our favorite neighborhood spot not only for its delectable pizza and fresh-squeezed juices but also for its dining room, which is equipped with a well-stocked play kitchen for the kids.
Ben and I had grabbed a salad, a pre-made sort-of slaw, to tide us over while our pizzas cooked. We ate it straight from its clamshell packaging, passing it back and forth every few bites. Lightly dressed, the raw shavings of cauliflower and broccoli tasted fresh and crisp, and with every bite, I kept thinking how this combination would make the perfect side dish for a summer bbq, the ideal salad to take camping.
And as I inspected the ingredients, I realized I had encountered a gold mine. It’s raw. It’s vegan. It’s gluten- and nut-free. And it happens to be delicious. Who would suspect that raw, shaved broccoli and cauliflower would pair so nicely with sesame seeds and pepitas?
When I made the salad the next day at home, I added a few things I always add to these sorts of salads: a little heat (jalapeño and red pepper flakes), sliced scallions, red onion, and a little dried fruit (dates) for a touch of sweetness. For the first time ever, I used the slicer attachment to my Cuisinart and discovered that one head of broccoli and cauliflower yields an enormous salad, more than enough for one dinner and lunch the following two days. Bold statement: no salad in the history of the world better stands the test of time than this one. A no-mayo dressing, too, means it will be safe on that buffet table for hours.
Look, I’m not trying to foster any people-pleasing tendencies you might be wrestling with, but this salad might just be your ticket to bbq bliss all summer long.
Slicer attachment to food processor:
Pepitas, ready for the oven:
This salad packs so nicely:
On day two, veggies are just as crisp, salad just as delicious:
Description
Inspired by a salad offered at a local restaurant, Pizza Buono.
Because the pepitas are toasted, this salad isn’t probably technically raw, so feel free to leave them raw if you are sticking to that sort of diet. And because sesame seeds can trigger allergic reactions, please check before serving this salad to those with nut allergies.
This salad keeps very well. Can be made a day in advance. Unfortunately, I can’t think of a great alternative to the slicer attachment of the food processor. A blender will likely turn the vegetables to mush; a mandoline (or a sharp knife) will work but will take forever.
- 1 cup raw pepitas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 small red onion or a couple of shallots
- 3 to 4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 bunch (about 6 stalks) scallions
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted or not
- 1 jalapeño or other hot chili, minced
- 2 to 3 Medjool dates, finely diced, or other dried fruit (golden raisins, dried cranberries)
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a few more tablespoons to taste
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spread pepitas on a sheetpan, toss with 1 tablespoon (you could probably get away with using less) olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread out and toast for 7 to 10 minutes or until you hear them starting to pop. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, dice the onions or shallots and place in a small bowl. Cover with three tablespoons of vinegar and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Using the slicer attachment to your food processor, slice up the cauliflower and broccoli. I used almost the entire head each of cauliflower and broccoli and stopped forcing florets down the shoot once my food processor was loosely filled. The final yield was about 8 loosely packed cups.
- Place sliced cauliflower and broccoli in a large bowl. Thinly slice the scallions (white and light green parts) and add to the bowl. Add sesame seeds, minced jalapeño and diced dates to bowl. Add cooled pepitas and macerated onions (with the vinegar) to the bowl. Add olive oil to bowl. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss well. Taste. If the jalapeño has provided enough heat, omit the red pepper flakes; if not, add pepper flakes to taste. Add more salt if necessary. Add more olive oil and vinegar as necessary: I added two more tablespoons olive oil and one more tablespoon vinegar. I used a whole teaspoon of salt. Toss again and taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Toss
- Cuisine: American
I’ve heard that trying to please everyone, as a general life strategy, may at best lead to disappointment and, at worst, failure. Eek.
But what if, say, without even trying, you just happen to please everyone? Hmm.
I thought about this on Sunday night as I sat at Pizza Buono, our favorite neighborhood spot not only for its delectable pizza and fresh-squeezed juices but also for its dining room, which is equipped with a well-stocked play kitchen for the kids.
Ben and I had grabbed a salad, a pre-made sort-of slaw, to tide us over while our pizzas cooked. We ate it straight from its clamshell packaging, passing it back and forth every few bites. Lightly dressed, the raw shavings of cauliflower and broccoli tasted fresh and crisp, and with every bite, I kept thinking how this combination would make the perfect side dish for a summer bbq, the ideal salad to take camping.
And as I inspected the ingredients, I realized I had encountered a gold mine. It’s raw. It’s vegan. It’s gluten- and nut-free. And it happens to be delicious. Who would suspect that raw, shaved broccoli and cauliflower would pair so nicely with sesame seeds and pepitas?
When I made the salad the next day at home, I added a few things I always add to these sorts of salads: a little heat (jalapeño and red pepper flakes), sliced scallions, red onion, and a little dried fruit (dates) for a touch of sweetness. For the first time ever, I used the slicer attachment to my Cuisinart and discovered that one head of broccoli and cauliflower yields an enormous salad, more than enough for one dinner and lunch the following two days. Bold statement: no salad in the history of the world better stands the test of time than this one. A no-mayo dressing, too, means it will be safe on that buffet table for hours.
Look, I’m not trying to foster any people-pleasing tendencies you might be wrestling with, but this salad might just be your ticket to bbq bliss all summer long.
Slicer attachment to food processor:
Pepitas, ready for the oven:
This salad packs so nicely:
On day two, veggies are just as crisp, salad just as delicious:
Description
Inspired by a salad offered at a local restaurant, Pizza Buono.
Because the pepitas are toasted, this salad isn’t probably technically raw, so feel free to leave them raw if you are sticking to that sort of diet. And because sesame seeds can trigger allergic reactions, please check before serving this salad to those with nut allergies.
This salad keeps very well. Can be made a day in advance. Unfortunately, I can’t think of a great alternative to the slicer attachment of the food processor. A blender will likely turn the vegetables to mush; a mandoline (or a sharp knife) will work but will take forever.
- 1 cup raw pepitas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 small red onion or a couple of shallots
- 3 to 4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 bunch (about 6 stalks) scallions
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted or not
- 1 jalapeño or other hot chili, minced
- 2 to 3 Medjool dates, finely diced, or other dried fruit (golden raisins, dried cranberries)
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a few more tablespoons to taste
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spread pepitas on a sheetpan, toss with 1 tablespoon (you could probably get away with using less) olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread out and toast for 7 to 10 minutes or until you hear them starting to pop. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, dice the onions or shallots and place in a small bowl. Cover with three tablespoons of vinegar and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Using the slicer attachment to your food processor, slice up the cauliflower and broccoli. I used almost the entire head each of cauliflower and broccoli and stopped forcing florets down the shoot once my food processor was loosely filled. The final yield was about 8 loosely packed cups.
- Place sliced cauliflower and broccoli in a large bowl. Thinly slice the scallions (white and light green parts) and add to the bowl. Add sesame seeds, minced jalapeño and diced dates to bowl. Add cooled pepitas and macerated onions (with the vinegar) to the bowl. Add olive oil to bowl. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss well. Taste. If the jalapeño has provided enough heat, omit the red pepper flakes; if not, add pepper flakes to taste. Add more salt if necessary. Add more olive oil and vinegar as necessary: I added two more tablespoons olive oil and one more tablespoon vinegar. I used a whole teaspoon of salt. Toss again and taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Toss
- Cuisine: American
Description
Inspired by a salad offered at a local restaurant, Pizza Buono.
Because the pepitas are toasted, this salad isn’t probably technically raw, so feel free to leave them raw if you are sticking to that sort of diet. And because sesame seeds can trigger allergic reactions, please check before serving this salad to those with nut allergies.
This salad keeps very well. Can be made a day in advance. Unfortunately, I can’t think of a great alternative to the slicer attachment of the food processor. A blender will likely turn the vegetables to mush; a mandoline (or a sharp knife) will work but will take forever.
- 1 cup raw pepitas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 small red onion or a couple of shallots
- 3 to 4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 bunch (about 6 stalks) scallions
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted or not
- 1 jalapeño or other hot chili, minced
- 2 to 3 Medjool dates, finely diced, or other dried fruit (golden raisins, dried cranberries)
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a few more tablespoons to taste
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spread pepitas on a sheetpan, toss with 1 tablespoon (you could probably get away with using less) olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread out and toast for 7 to 10 minutes or until you hear them starting to pop. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, dice the onions or shallots and place in a small bowl. Cover with three tablespoons of vinegar and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Using the slicer attachment to your food processor, slice up the cauliflower and broccoli. I used almost the entire head each of cauliflower and broccoli and stopped forcing florets down the shoot once my food processor was loosely filled. The final yield was about 8 loosely packed cups.
- Place sliced cauliflower and broccoli in a large bowl. Thinly slice the scallions (white and light green parts) and add to the bowl. Add sesame seeds, minced jalapeño and diced dates to bowl. Add cooled pepitas and macerated onions (with the vinegar) to the bowl. Add olive oil to bowl. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss well. Taste. If the jalapeño has provided enough heat, omit the red pepper flakes; if not, add pepper flakes to taste. Add more salt if necessary. Add more olive oil and vinegar as necessary: I added two more tablespoons olive oil and one more tablespoon vinegar. I used a whole teaspoon of salt. Toss again and taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Toss
- Cuisine: American
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2014/05/22/cauliflower-broccoli-pepita-salad/
Every spring this happens: I blink, and rhubarb season passes. And in one second, my to-make list of rhubarb recipes dissolves, my thoughts shifting to stone fruits and no-cook dinners and popsicles. Before we know it, it will be the Fourth of July, and I, my mother’s daughter, will be declaring summer over. Ugh, depressing.
I think I might, however, have a solution to these time-passing-too-quickly woes: rhubarb schnapps, a mixture of chopped rhubarb, sugar and vodka, the cheapest you can find, Nigella insists. Sounds like a win, right?
Let’s hope. Unfortunately, this is another one of those recipes whose success I cannot guarantee. In six weeks, I will report back, but as with the lemons , won’t it be more fun come mid-July to open our Mason jars together?
Perhaps I’m taking a chance. But at this present moment, I can’t imagine a better union of three ingredients to bet on. And at this present moment, could there be a kitchen task more worth its risk, the upshot being rhubarb liqueur, the most-adored flavor of spring captured in high-octane, liquid form? In just one day, the vodka has leached most of the pink from the rhubarb, giving the schnapps-in-progress a beautiful, rosy hue. I am so looking forward to tapping into this jar in just a few short weeks.
Friends, I urge you: don’t blink. Scrounge for those rhubarb stalks languishing in your nearest market; forage in your neighbor’s backyard. We’ll toast your efforts in six weeks. Nothing will taste sweeter. Cheers, and best of luck.
Another one of my favorites from How to Be a Domestic Goddess: rhubarb cornmeal cake:
Description
- 1 1/4 lbs. (about) rhubarb, cleaned and trimmed
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 liter vodka, cheap is just fine
- Chop the rhubarb and divide it between two 1-liter jars or one 2-liter jars. Add 3/4 cup sugar to each jar or all of the sugar to the 2-liter jar, put the lids on and shake well. Unscrew the lids and pour 2 1/4 cups of vodka into each to fill or all of the vodka into the larger jar.
- Close the lids, put the jars somewhere cool and dark for at least 6 weeks and up to 6 months. If you remember, shake the jars every day or every other day for the first month or so.
- Strain into a pitcher, then pour into a bottle.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
Description
Adapted from How To Be A Domestic Goddess
Note: Original recipe included cinnamon, which I omit. I have increased the salt and vanilla, too, but otherwise I follow the recipe. I love this cake — the cornmeal adds a creaminess as well as a lovely crunchy texture, and it’s a snap to throw together.
- 1 pound 2 ounces ( 510 g ) rhubarb
- 1 cup ( 232 g ) sugar
- 1 cup ( 128 g ) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp ( 90g ) fine cornmeal
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup ( 4 oz | 113 g ) unsalted butter (soft)
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp plain, whole milk yogurt
- 9 -inch springform pan, buttered and lined with parchment or wax paper
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Wash and dry the rhubarb if necessary, and then trim, removing and stringy bits, and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Put into bowl and cover with 1/3 cup of the sugar, while you get on with the rest of the cake. Don’t let the rhubarb stand for more than half an hour or the sugar will make too much liquid seep out.
- Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cornmeal together. With a fork, beat the eggs with the vanilla in a measuring cup or small bowl. In a large bowl (I used my stand mixer), cream the butter and the rest of the sugar, then gradually add the egg and vanilla mixture, beating while you do so. Then add the flour-cornmeal mixture alternately with the yogurt. They just need to be combined: don’t overmix.
- Finally, add the rhubarb together with its sugary, pink juices, folding in to mix, and then pour the speckled batter into the prepared pan. Put in the preheated oven and bake for about 55 minutes to 1 hour or until springy to the touch. You may need to cover it with foil after about 40 minutes so that the top doesn’t scorch. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for a while before unmolding.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
This one might have preferred angel food cake .
