elevating the status of the salad

Tag Archives: tahini

This recipe comes from Food and Wine’s March 2012 issue. The kale, carrots, and garlic came from the Carroll Garden’s farmer’s market. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup long-grain brown rice
  • 1 cup red quinoa
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
  • 1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
  • Salt
  • 1 head of broccoli—stems peeled and sliced into coins, heads cut into small florets
  • One 12-ounce bunch kale, large stems discarded
  • 1/4 cup tahini, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 cup mung bean sprouts (I omitted these)

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan, cover the brown rice with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the rice is just tender, about 40 minutes. Drain and return the rice to the saucepan; keep covered.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan and simmer over low heat until the quinoa is tender and all of the water has been absorbed, 20 minutes.
  3. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the carrot and cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the shiitake, cover and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini, season with salt and cook, stirring a few times, until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
  4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Add the broccoli, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until deep green, 5 minutes. Add the kale, cover and cook, stirring a few times, until the broccoli and kale are just tender, 4 minutes. Season with salt. Stir in the other vegetables.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, garlic, warm water and crushed red pepper. Season with salt.
  6. Transfer the brown rice and quinoa to bowls. Top with the cooked vegetables, diced avocado and bean sprouts (if using). Serve, passing the tahini sauce at the table.
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This recipe from Cooking Light’s September, 2011 magazine was great for dinner and then even better for lunch the next day. I’ll admit that my “drizzle” turned into more of a thicker sauce. It may not have looked as pretty, but it tasted delicious. For those who missed the memo: yes, I am eating meat. I can hardly believe it still myself. To make this vegetarian, use chickpeas instead of chicken. The recipe called for chicken thighs. I got this chicken at Forager’s in DUMBO, where they get all their meat locally. They also only have chiken breasts, so I used those instead.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1 cup uncooked bulgur, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups chopped tomato
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup tahini (roasted sesame seed paste)
  • 1/4 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon water

Preparation

1. Combine 1 1/4 cups water, 1 cup bulgur, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes (do not stir) or until the liquid almost evaporates. Remove from heat; fluff with a fork. Place bulgur in a medium bowl; let stand 10 minutes.

2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Sauté for 4 minutes on each side or until done; shred chicken. Combine bulgur, chicken, tomato, and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl; toss gently.

3. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, tahini, and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad.