Thai

In this simple Thai-inspired chicken and cabbage salad recipe, cabbage is tossed with a simple dressing—fresh lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and Sriracha—and a ton of chopped cilantro, scallions, and vegetables. It comes together in a snap, and tastes light and summery. I’ve added shredded chicken to make it more of a meal, but it could work as a side salad, too, a cooling accompaniment to grilled fish or steak.

Earlier this year I learned a salting-and-rinsing technique for cabbage from The Slanted Door cookbook that forever changed my slaw-making (and eating) experience. A brief salting softened the shreds of cabbage, allowing them to better absorb the dressing . The texture, too, improved, making the cabbage easier to eat.

PS: Simplest Cabbage Slaw .

Description

Carrots: I like to use a mandoline, because the pieces look so pretty. If you can find fat carrots, this makes mandoline work easier. When you get down to the bottom of the carrot, simply slice it up with a knife or eat the pieces as a snack. Alternatively, shred it with a box grater or the shredder attachment of a food processor.

• 2 chicken breasts, about 1 lb., optional
• 1/2 cabbage, Savoy or Napa or whatever you have
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 to 3 carrots, thinly sliced, see notes above
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped to yield about 1 cup
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1.5 tablespoons sugar (4.5 teaspoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha + more to taste

1. If you are using the chicken, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Drop in the chicken breasts. Cover the pot. Remove pot from heat. Let stand 15 minutes. Uncover. Remove breasts. Let cool briefly. Pull/shred into pieces.
2. Meanwhile, remove the core from the cabbage. Thinly slice the cabbage and place in a large bowl. Pour in the oil. Sprinkle evenly with the salt. Massage the cabbage with your hands. Really squeeze it firmly until it shrinks in size and becomes more saturated in hue.
3. To the bowl of cabbage, add the peppers, carrots, scallions, cilantro, and red onion. Add the chicken, if using.
4. Make the dressing: Stir together the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and Sriracha. Pour over the bowl of vegetables. Toss to coat evenly. Taste. Adjust with more salt or Sriracha as needed.

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Poach
• Cuisine: Thai

Description

Carrots: I like to use a mandoline, because the pieces look so pretty. If you can find fat carrots, this makes mandoline work easier. When you get down to the bottom of the carrot, simply slice it up with a knife or eat the pieces as a snack. Alternatively, shred it with a box grater or the shredder attachment of a food processor.

• 2 chicken breasts, about 1 lb., optional
• 1/2 cabbage, Savoy or Napa or whatever you have
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 to 3 carrots, thinly sliced, see notes above
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped to yield about 1 cup
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1.5 tablespoons sugar (4.5 teaspoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha + more to taste

1. If you are using the chicken, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Drop in the chicken breasts. Cover the pot. Remove pot from heat. Let stand 15 minutes. Uncover. Remove breasts. Let cool briefly. Pull/shred into pieces.
2. Meanwhile, remove the core from the cabbage. Thinly slice the cabbage and place in a large bowl. Pour in the oil. Sprinkle evenly with the salt. Massage the cabbage with your hands. Really squeeze it firmly until it shrinks in size and becomes more saturated in hue.
3. To the bowl of cabbage, add the peppers, carrots, scallions, cilantro, and red onion. Add the chicken, if using.
4. Make the dressing: Stir together the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and Sriracha. Pour over the bowl of vegetables. Toss to coat evenly. Taste. Adjust with more salt or Sriracha as needed.

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Poach
• Cuisine: Thai

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2017/07/07/thai-inspired-chicken-cabbage-salad/

This cucumber and green grape gazpacho soup recipe is a variation of the chilled Spanish soup ajo blanco. It’s so refreshing and always a huge hit! Topped with a spicy tomato salsa, it looks striking, and with a hunk of bread on the side, can be a nice summer lunch or dinner.

Sometimes I find myself baking bread solely for the purpose of making bread crumbs. This is one of my favorite uses for a stash of fresh crumbs: cucumber and green grape gazpacho, a variation of the chilled Spanish soup ajo blanco.

Ajo blanco , also known as white gazpacho, is a chilled summer soup originally from Andalusia. Arabs, who ruled the Iberian Peninsula for centuries, brought almonds to the region and are believed to have introduced this soup as well, which is typically made with almonds, bread, and garlic.

Green grapes are a usual garnish, a sweet counterpoint to the bracing purée, but here they join the mix, along with cucumber and fresh dill, all of which tinge the soup a light green. Topped with a spicy tomato salsa, this striking soup is a nice addition to a summer lunch or dinner.

Fresh Bread Crumbs

This recipe comes from my cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs , specifically the third chapter of the book: Crumbs.

If you have yet to discover the wonderful world of bread crumbs, watch the video below! From halloumi and bread skewers to panzanella salad to crispy goat cheese rounds to tomato and bread soup to frittata with mustard croutons to broiled striped bass with capers, the uses for bread crumbs are vast.

Happy Crumbing, Everyone!

My Book: Bread Toast Crumbs :

Description

From my cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs

For the Gazpacho:

• 1 English cucumber (about 12 ounces ), thinly sliced
• ½ pound seedless green grapes, halved
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
• 2 slices bread, torn into pieces
• ¼ cup almonds
• ¼ cup fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 to ½ cup yogurt
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

For the Tomato Salsa:

• 1¼ cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
• ½ cup finely diced red onion
• 1 jalapeño, finely minced (about 1 tablespoon ), seeded if sensitive to heat
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar, plus more as needed

1. Make the gazpacho: In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, grapes, and garlic. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the vinegar, toss to coat, and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, pour ⅓ cup water over the bread. Let it sit until it softens, about 10 minutes.
3. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds, tossing frequently, until fragrant and starting to color, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a plate to cool, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the almonds to a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Add the cucumber mixture, soaked bread, dill, oil, yogurt, and a grinding of black pepper to the processor bowl. Purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.
5. Make the salsa: In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, salt, oil, and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Spoon a tablespoon of the salsa on each bowl of soup just before serving, passing more on the side.

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Soup
• Method: Food Processor
• Cuisine: Spanish