215: Quick Salmon Kale Quinoa Salad

All the events occur in the same week of the month. My interests really should check with each other and spread it out so I have a bit of time here and there. And this time, unfortunately, the only evening I had free to cook was Monday. The last of the prior week's share got used up easily enough, but there was definitely not enough leftovers to sustain three or four days of meals. Even three of four days of lunches.

And as much as I love (love) root veggies season, my love stems from long-roasted dishes, soups, and other things that I can't easily prepare in 15 minutes before work. So my easy option this week was Kale, which I paired with some smoked salmon still kicking around my fridge, walnuts, and quinoa left over from those garlicy kale leftover. I made an easy dijon vinaigrette with lemon juice and olive oil.

It was actually fairly awful with the salmon, but that's more the fault of the cheap (kinda old but not bad) IKEA salmon. There needed to be a bit more dressing to mask the fishiness. Without the salmon the salad was really nice, though. Very hearty and fall. I'd do that part again, with a few scallions at the least, maybe some mushrooms or squash if I wanted to get fancy.

201 & 202: Radishes and Turnips

A two-fer this post, as neither dish was all that successful and they both contained about the same ingredients.

201: Braised Radishes and Turnips

My only criteria for this dish was that it be the simplest thing ever involving radishes and turnips. And lo: this recipe from the NY Times couldn't really get more basic. The issue came down to the turnips. Mine was really huge, bitter, and cooked much faster than the radishes. Definitely not something I'd make again.

202: Radish and Turnip Salad

Another sad dish- quick slaw with radishes, turnips and scallions- made bitter by that same turnip (I said it was really huge), and then with a lime dressing that didn't work. I may try this again as it was quick, but I'd do something more basic, maybe not as much a dressing as a little oil, maybe some vinegar.

Definitely picking smaller turnips if they come in the share again. The one I roasted was so nicely sweet (even when raw)...and about half the size.

132: Muhammara

I used this recipe for Muhammara from Bittman. I roasted the small green and red peppers from my delivery on a burner (something I will never get tired of), blended in the food processor with walnuts, garlic, olive oil and a little cumin. Added the red pepper flake and lemon later.

It ended up a little thin and lemony. My initial processing was too short, resulting in a weird texture, but when I threw it back in the food processor for another minute or so it greatly improved. Part of me wonders if he intended you to use those jarred roasted red peppers.

Looking up muhammara on google, I found a few recipes that were vastly different. So I added a few more walnuts to the food processor, the leftover leftovers, some bread crumbs, tomato paste, and as I had no harissa, some sriracha. The end result was much better, though still too lemony.

I'm not opposed to the concept of this dish- I'm a huge fan of most of these flavors. The big problem is a lesson I apparently will never learn: have at least some idea how the recipe you're going to make will turn out before you start it, otherwise it'll be harder to tell if something is going wrong.

Dish 35: Zucchini Lettuce Tart Fail

 

Something went terribly terribly wrong.

I used this recipe I'd found online- I copied the filling below. It's sourced as being from a good baker and chef, so I gave it a decent bit leeway. Too much. Especially going through a third party.

Anyway, my crust started out alright. The blog said it would be pale even when cooked. My oven is smaller than I thought it would be, my large baking sheets fit perfectly...on the rack grooves. So while it was in there longer than it the recipe specifies, I don't think it cooked enough. Regardless- beyond being a little wetter than I think a pie-type crust is supposed to be, I'm happy with this.

The filling on the other hand- again, filling recipe copied from A Mingling of Tastes- my comments in red, her words are in blue. I didn't include most of the crust part.

For the tart:
2 large zucchini, or 3 small, sliced lengthwise, about 1/4-inch thick
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 heads butter lettuce (or substitute 1 head romaine) - I used 1 head of Romaine and 1 head of Encino.
1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken broth
4 oz. tapenade
Thinly shaved Pecorino-Romano cheese - Did not use this


Set the broiler to high. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange the zucchini on top. Spray the zucchini and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until soft and beginning to brown, then flip and cook on the opposite side, about 10-12 minutes total. (Mine were probably too thin, but I was working with less zucchini. I'm still not sure you can really get to the buttery, falling apart texture that this recipe would require)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for one to two minutes. Add the lettuce and stir to combine. (There is no specification or picture as to how she cut the lettuce- I did a rough chop. It needs to be very very fine, and probably de-ribbed). Add 1/4 cup chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add more if necessary to keep a thin layer of liquid on the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook two to three minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring often, until all the liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Pour off any excess liquid, remove from heat and set aside.

Spread the tapenade over the bottom of the pastry shell. (I did not have tapenade- I take full responsibility for how terrible the replacement I came up with was- it had olives and capers and rosemary...but was no good).

Layer half the zucchini, all the braised lettuce and the remaining zucchini. Place tart pan on a baking sheet, return to oven and bake for five minutes. (This confused me- I'm not sure how five minutes in the oven would do anything. I left mine in for 15 and it hadn't really melded at all. Is the lettuce supposed to be still hot from being cooked above? Was I missing an egg or something?) Cool for 10 minutes, top with thinly shaved Pecorino-Romano cheese and serve either warm or at room temperature.

I'm just baffled.

Here's my finished tart. Obviously that crust is still very undercooked.

Here is the "finished" cross-section. Again...baffled. She does not show a cut tart- so unfortunately I can't tell what she did differently.

I saved what I could- took off the zucchini and lettuce. Tossed the crust. Thankfully both of the former ingredients are still edible. I can easily throw either into a few different dishes. And hey...I used up two heads of lettuce!

Part of me really wants to find this book and make this recipe right. But it's not available at my library and I don't think I'll buy it. I guess there's a reason I can only find this recipe on that one blog though. Next time I want to make a lettuce tart I'll try this Pea and Lettuce one. There are a few more on there that look lovely as well.

Don't Do This: Juice

Yeah. So this happened. Last of my lettuce from last week, some grated up carrots and ginger. Immersion blender. Mason jar. 

That is it in the background, strained. The front is mixed with a little seltzer. It did not make it more palatable. 

I still have the pulp. Part of me is thinking of throwing it in muffins. But the rest of me says ...no. I think I'll listen to the latter.