Samin Nosrat’s Vietnamese Cucumber Salad

As someone who loves to cook, it’s a shame I’m not a better gardener. How nice would it be , I often think, to step outside with my kitchen shears to trim lettuce and herbs for our nightly salad, to pluck snap peas for snacking and cucumbers for pickling? I like to imagine my yard a sea of raised beds, to picture my days spent outside tending my mini farm, my nights in the kitchen cooking and preserving my daily harvests.

It’s fun to dream, right? For now, I’ll stick with the minimalist system that has (mostly) worked for Ben and me in recent years, which is to grow tomatoes exclusively in our single raised bed and various herbs in a few pots.

I say mostly because I’ve only had varying degrees of success with herbs, and cilantro, one of my favorites, has been particularly uncooperative. I recently learned why while chatting with A Way To Garden’s Margaret Roach: I haven’t ever planted cilantro seeds more than once a season. Cilantro, I learned, is a short-lived herb, meaning it’s always trying to “bolt” — to go to seed in order to reproduce. So if you want to have a constant supply of cilantro for all of your favorite summer dishes, you need to sow seeds about every two weeks. Aha!

I feel more hopeful than ever that come October, when all of our tomatoes arrive at once, I’ll have homegrown cilantro and basil for salsa , caprese salad , huevos rancheros, and no-fuss enchiladas . I can’t wait.

I’ll keep you posted on my herb-growing progress, and I’ll follow-up in a few weeks. In the meantime, if you’ve found yourself up to your eyeballs in herbs, below you’ll find a few herb-heavy recipes to help cull your supply.

Also, the Vietnamese cucumber salad pictured above comes from Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat . I made it for our pre moth-night picnic dinner a few weeks ago, and we loved it. Recipe below.

I hope you all are well! What are your favorite ways to use herbs? How do you preserve them in both the short and long term?

Cilantro: Cilantro-lime Chickpeas | Roasted Delicata Squash with Chilies, Lime and Cilantro | Moosewood Tomato Salsa | More → Cilantro Recipes

Basil: Sautéed Zucchini with Basil & Homemade Ricotta | Stewy Chickpeas with Tomatoes, Feta & Basil | Basil Pesto & Pasta | More → Basil Recipes

Dill: Cucumber and Green Grape Gazpacho | Paul Steindler’s Cabbage Soup | Greek Salad with Aunt Phyllis’s Vinaigrette | More → Dill Recipes

Tarragon: Broiled Tarragon Chicken Breasts | Little Gems Salad with Green Goddess Dressing | Unbelievable Lobster Rolls with Homemade Tarragon Mayonnaise | More → Tarragon Recipes

Chives: Broiled Lemon-Honey Arctic Char | Watermelon Radish Salad with Goat Cheese | Tartine’s Quiche with Potato Crust | More → Chive Recipes

Parsley: Tabbouleh | Pan-Broiled Halibut | Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon — Easy Weeknight Dinner | More → Parsley Recipes

Thyme: Fingerling Potatoes, Crispy or Not | Parmesan Chicken with White Wine and Olive Oil | No-Knead Thyme Dinner Rolls | More → Thyme Recipes

Rosemary: Quinoa Bake with Butternut Squash | Butternut Squash Lasagna | Melissa Clark’s Rosemary Shortbread | More → Rosemary Recipes

Description

From Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat

• 2 pounds (about 8 ) Persian or Japanese cucumbers, stripey peeled
• 1 large jalapeño, seeds and veins removed if desired, thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated or pounded with a pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
• 16 large mint leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup neutral-tasting oil
• 4 to 5 tablespoons lime juice
• 4 teaspoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Pinch of salt

1. Using either a Japanese mandoline or a sharp knife, thinly slice the cucumbers into coins, discarding the ends. Place slices in a colander. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of kosher salt. Toss and let drain 10 minutes. Transfer cucumbers to a tea towel and blot dry.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, jalapeno, scallions, garlic, cilantro, mint, and peanuts. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, 4 tablespoons lime juice, the vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, and a small pinch of salt. Dress the salad with the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and more lime juice as needed. Serve immediately.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Salad
• Method: Toss
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Description

From Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat

• 2 pounds (about 8 ) Persian or Japanese cucumbers, stripey peeled
• 1 large jalapeño, seeds and veins removed if desired, thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated or pounded with a pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
• 16 large mint leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup neutral-tasting oil
• 4 to 5 tablespoons lime juice
• 4 teaspoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Pinch of salt

1. Using either a Japanese mandoline or a sharp knife, thinly slice the cucumbers into coins, discarding the ends. Place slices in a colander. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of kosher salt. Toss and let drain 10 minutes. Transfer cucumbers to a tea towel and blot dry.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, jalapeno, scallions, garlic, cilantro, mint, and peanuts. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, 4 tablespoons lime juice, the vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, and a small pinch of salt. Dress the salad with the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and more lime juice as needed. Serve immediately.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Salad
• Method: Toss
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2017/08/05/trick-growing-cilantro-chatting-herbs-garden-expert-margaret-roach-vietnamese-cucumber-salad/

This one-pot baked ziti is quick and easy, crowd-pleasing, and a godsend on busy nights and weekends. It can be made with either fresh or canned tomatoes, and it is delicious either way.

This baked ziti recipe from Cook’s Country’s Cook It In Cast Iron , has the added bonus of being a one-pot wonder: after you crush the tomatoes with a potato masher (or whisk or spoon), you add the dried pasta and water directly into the pan and simmer everything together until the pasta is cooked and the liquid has evaporated.

After a quick pass under the broiler, your one-pan, no-fuss baked ziti is done: crisp noodles, melty cheese, bubbly sauce.

One and done!

For years I followed the recipe to a T, making it only during tomato season when the cherry tomatoes are sweet and plentiful. When I discovered, however, that it tastes just as good when made with canned tomatoes, it became a year-round staple.

Description

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Cook It In Cast Iron

For canned tomatoes, I love the small boxes of Colavita crushed tomatoes. Each box is 13.7 ounces. I use two of them in this recipe.

Salt: If you are using Morton or fine sea salt, use half as much as the suggested quantities in the instructions.

If Using Fresh Tomatoes:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1.5 pounds cherry tomatoes, halved
• kosher salt, Diamond Crystal brand, see notes above
• 12 ounces (3.75 cups) ziti
• 3 cups water, plus more as needed
• 1.5 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (heaping 1/2 cup)
• fresh basil leaves
• 8 ounces ciligiene mozzarella balls, halved
• Fresh cracked pepper to taste

If Using Canned Tomatoes:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1.5 cups diced onions
• kosher salt
• 3 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes, see notes above
• 1 lb. dried ziti
• 3 cups water, plus more as needed
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 4 ounces whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)

If using fresh tomatoes:

1. Adjust the oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element, and heat the broiler to high.
2. Meanwhile, place the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet (I use a 13-inch across, 2-inch deep skillet). Turn the heat to high. As soon as you see the oil beginning to shimmer, give the garlic a stir, cover the pan, and turn the heat to low. Cook for roughly 5 minutes, or until the garlic is soft and just beginning to take on some color.
3. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary to keep the tomatoes at a gentle simmer, for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes completely break down. Using a potato masher, coarsely mash the tomatoes.
4. Stir in the pasta, the water, and 1 more teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir well, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the pasta is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
5. Stir in the Parmesan and the basil. Taste—this is your chance to get the seasoning right. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Transfer skillet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 5 minutes. Serve.

If using canned tomatoes:

1. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.
2. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the onions. Season with a pinch of salt. Sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent and just beginning to brown. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, pasta, water, and 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, stir well, cover, and cook, stirring once after 10 minutes, until pasta is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Taste to ensure the noodles are cooked, then adjust sauce consistency with extra hot water as needed. Stir in the parmesan and basil. Taste—this is your chance to get the seasoning right. Add salt and pepper to taste — I always add more. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Transfer skillet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 5 minutes. Serve. Pass more parmesan and pepper alongside.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Pasta
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian