THE SHABBAT TABLE – CREATIVE SUMMER SALADS

Quinoa salad (Flickr photo)

Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom! The summer is going by quickly—it’s hard to believe it’s already the last Shabbat of July!! Summertime salads are always a welcome choice when the weather is warm and we tend to gravitate towards lighter, healthier fare.

Simply Delicious by Mindy Ginsberg (Gefen Publishing House)

Thanks to cookbook author Mindy Ginsberg for sharing some nutritious summer salads from her book, Simply Delicious: Creative Cooking for the Kosher Kitchen (Gefen). Mindy is based in New York and Tel Aviv and has had three previous cookbooks published in Israel. Her imaginative, flexible recipes are written in American style, with an Israeli influence.

When she was growing up, Mindy had no interest in the preparation of food – only in eating it. But the great taste of her mother’s cooking was the quintessential cooking course, and cooking became a delightful, gratifying adventure.

Mindy loves to entertain. She shares: “Elegance is in the presentation. You can either bring the pot or pan to the table, or take that extra step and place the food on a platter or in a bowl with a little garnish.”

Mindy recommends that you choose your menu in advance. Decide which foods can be prepared and which utensils can be set up beforehand (platters, bowls, serving pieces, coffee cups and cake plates). And most importantly, don’t skimp on ingredients. Remember, taste is the key to a successful meal!

And if you’re planning a BBQ for the upcoming long weekend, here are some simply delicious dishes to serve: https://thecjn.ca/food/the-shabbat-table-lets-get-grilling. Enjoy!

 

MINDY’S SPINACH-NUT SALAD

1 lb (1/2 kg) fresh spinach, washed and dried

1/2 lb (250 g) snow peas

2 mandarin oranges, cut up

1 cup Chinese noodles

1/4 cup each pine nuts and cut-up cashews

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup cider or wine vinegar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

  1. Cut the spinach into strips. Place the salad ingredients in a salad bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss.

 

MINDY’S VEGETABLE, BEAN & PASTA SALAD

The ingredients for this nutritious, delicious salad are flexible. Add or subtract according to your taste. It’s preferable to prepare this a day in advance.

3–4 Tbsp olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, sliced

1/2 each red pepper and green pepper, cut into strips

2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced

1 tsp paprika

2 tsp salt

1/4–1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp each dried coriander, basil and tarragon

1/2 lb (250 g) pasta, cooked

2 carrots, grated

1/2 corn kernels

1 cup cooked beans

1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

1 tomato, diced

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1 tomato, diced

1/2 cup each chopped parsley and chopped dill

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup almonds or pecans, broken up

1/4 cup pine nuts

Vinaigrette Dressing (below)

  1. In a large frying pan or wok, heat oil and stir-fry garlic, onions, red and green pepper, fennel, and paprika for about 7 minutes, stirring continuously.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, coriander, basil, and tarragon.
  3. Place pasta in a large bowl. Add rest of ingredients.
  4. Add enough Vinaigrette Dressing to give a good taste and mix well.

Variation: Add 1 1/2 cups flaked cooked salmon and 1 avocado, diced.

 READ: THE SHABBAT TABLE – SHARING RECIPES AT THE DENTIST’S OFFICE

 

MINDY’S QUINOA-NUT SALAD

1 cup water

1/2 cup quinoa

1 cup corn kernels

2 scallions, cut up

2 carrots, grated

1 red pepper, diced

2 Tbsp chopped mint leaves

1/2 cup each of chopped parsley and chopped dill

1/2–1 cup of dried cranberries

1 clementine, cut up

1 small avocado, cut up

2 Tbsp each of sunflower and sesame seeds

1/4–1/2 cup pecans, cut up

1/4 cup lemon juice

Vinaigrette Dressing (below)

  1. Run quinoa through a fine strainer under water for about 15 seconds to remove bitterness.
  2. Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add quinoa and cook over low flame, for 12-13 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Place quinoa in a bowl, add remaining ingredients with enough dressing to give it taste, and mix.

 

VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp water

2/3 cup olive oil

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp paprika

2 Tbsp prepared mustard

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

2 tsp dried basil

2–3 tsp sugar

  1. In a food processor, mince garlic first, then add rest of ingredients.