Colorful chard and bean salad
If you shopped at a farmers’ market lately you had to have seen the chard bundles piled high. Chard is delicious sauted with some tomato, garlic, and onion and then served either alongside a tender chop, steak or fish or on top of a bed of fettuccine. But I also love chard served fresh and raw…no cooking required when the leaves are this tender and sweet. Last summer I served up as a simple salad green. This week I was thinking about a salad I could take to work for my lunch but since I’ve been eating lettuce salads for over a month I was a bit bored with the salad idea. After rummaging through the refrigerator and the cabinets I came up with the idea of a bean salad with the addition of chard, sun dried tomatoes, and pine nuts. It’s not surprising that it’s pretty…all those jewel toned colors of red, yellow, and green but the flavors and textures work so well together that it is surprisingly addictive…the crunch and flavor of the chopped chard stalks and leaves, the butteriness of the beans, and the unique flavors of the sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts all held together with a good olive oil and my favorite apple vinegar from Vom Fass. I highly recommend this salad, not only for its flavor and visual appeal but also it packs a ton of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. This recipe makes a large batch and although the salad is not as visually impressive after the first day the flavors do improve…it makes a great lunch.
Chopped chard and bean salad
1 medium onion, diced
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can red beans, rinsed & drained
1 can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
1 bunch of chard, rinsed and dried, stalks chopped, leaves cut into strips
Handful of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/3 extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup star apple vinegar (Vom Fass) or perhaps a balsamic
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust of necessary. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Chickpea falafel
I’ve been kicking back enjoying a bit of a stay-cation for the past few days. I’ve been favored with blissful weather, good naps, and excellent eating. I confess I haven’t cooked anything interesting other than a batch of paella last week, but we did eat our way through three of Madison’s brasserie/bistro offerings and yes, we are lucky to have so many excellent restaurants in town.
After that bacchanalia of drinks, wines, frites, mussels, steak, frites, duck confit, frites, more wine, more drinks, and desserts we were in the mood for something a bit more healthy, simpler, and yet full of flavor.
Have I introduced you to my favorite sandwich? No, well meet Mr. Falafel, he’s from the chickpea side of the world and he’s an easy friend to make if you have a food processor and a hot pan of oil.
Chickpea Falafel
1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1/2 large onion
1 bunch of parsley, chop all but an inch of the stems off
1 teaspoon salt
4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
Several vigorous shakes of tabasco
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour
vegetable oil for frying
Toss everything but the vegetable oil into the food processor and process until it’s a rough blend but not pureed. You may need to stop and scrape the sides of the workbowl down to get a even consistency. Let it set for 10 minutes while you prepare the yogurt/cucumber sauce and slice some tomatoes and lettuce.
Yogurt Tzatziki Sauce
1 smallish cucumber, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup plain yogurt
dash of lemon juice
salt
Once everything is ready heat the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until the oil is hot (350 degrees F). Place globs of the falafel in the hot oil and cook until it browns, then gently flip it and cook again until golden brown. Place these golden/green nuggets in a pita pocket along with some Tzatziki sauce, some tomatoes, and some lettuce. Your only regret will be that you didn’t make a double batch.
While walking through the nearby Pheasant Branch Conservancy I spied this odd looking thing hanging from the branch of a tree. At first I thought it was a banana slug due to its yellow color and sluggish curl. But it turned out to be inanimate so I was wondering if any of you might know what it is.
