Waldorf Salad
Ingredients
1/2 cup walnuts halves
1/2 cup non-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 lemon, zest finely grated
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large crisp apples, such as Gala
2 ribs celery (with leaves), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (leaves chopped)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 head Boston lettuce, trimmed, washed, and dried
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.2. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool and break the nuts up into small pieces.
3. Whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, parsley, honey, and lemon zest in a large bowl and season generously with pepper.
4. Halve, core, and cut the apples into 3/4-inch pieces, leaving the skin intact. Add the apples, celery and raisins to the bowl, and sprinkle with the lemon juice; then toss with the dressing. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately.
5. When ready to serve, toss walnuts into the salad. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter, or divide them among 4 salad plates. Place the salad on the lettuce and serve.
Breakfast Grilled Cheese with Arugula Pesto
Remember how we talked about pesto being amazingly versatile? Well, here we are. The best part of this pairing is also having the delicious pesto in the fridge ready to be thrown together for brunch at home.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh arugula leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
½ shallot (about 2 tablespoons), chopped
¼ - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
8 slices sourdough bread
8 slices Havarti cheese
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 egg
Method
• First, make the pesto. Add the garlic, shallot, arugula, and basil into the food processor. Pulse a few times, then slowly drizzle ¼ cup olive oil in as you continue pulsing. Add additional olive oil as needed to achieve desired pesto consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.• Next, lay the sourdough bread slices on a clean working surface. Spread the pesto evenly between 4 of the slices. Top with Havarti cheese, and then place the other bread slices on top
• Add ½ of the butter to a nonstick pan. Heat over medium high until butter is melted. Carefully add the sandwiches to the pan (work in batches if needed). Cook about 3-4 minutes on the first side, until golden brown. Flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, until both sides of the sandwich are golden brown and the cheese is melted through. If the cheese is not completely melted, you can top the pan with a lid and allow it to steam for 1-2 minutes.
• Meanwhile poach egg in simmering water. Once egg is at desired consistency remove from water, pat dry and place on top of toast.
Butter Beans, Paprika, and Piquillo Peppers
I didn’t realize I was feasting on a vegetarian dish, as there is no lack of flavour or weight in this dish! Aside from being rich enough to stand up to this Cabernet, make a little extra, and serve them chilled on top of a salad the next day.
Ingredients
3 red onions, diced
125 ml (about ½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 Tbsp. dried chile flakes (preferably pul biber)
1 1⁄2 Tbsp. sweet smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. tomato purée
2 14-oz. cans butter beans or lima beans, drained and rinsed
5 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
10 1⁄2-oz. jarred piquillo peppers, rinsed and sliced
Kosher salt
Method
• In a wide-based pan over a medium heat, caramelize the red onions in 5 Tbsp. of the olive oil for 15 minutes or until they turn golden and soft. Add a little fine salt, the garlic and spices and continue to cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the tomato purée and cook for another minute.
• Add the beans and sherry vinegar and reduce the liquid by half over a medium heat. Turn the heat off. Add the piquillo peppers and the remaining olive oil and season with salt to serve.
Grilled Cauliflower and broccoli with Lentils
We have to be honest, after we went to town on the double portion of short ribs, this lighter-on-its-feet veggie dinner hits the spot. Lentils for the win to match the earthy and mushroom notes in the wine.
Ingredients
1 bunch cilantro, tough stems trimmed, coarsely chopped
1 bunch mint leaves
1/2 serrano chile
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp Morton kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup French green lentils, rinsed
1 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp Morton kosher salt
1 medium head of cauliflower
1 medium head of broccoli
1/4 cup unsalted roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Juice of 2 limes
Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Kosher salt
Cilantro leaves with tender stems and mint leaves (for serving)
Method
GREEN CHUTNEY
Step 1
Blend cilantro, mint, lime juice, chile, garlic, cumin seeds, sugar, salt, and ¼ cup water in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer purée to a small bowl. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly until emulsified. Set chutney aside.
LENTILS
Step 2
Bring lentils, salt, and 2½ cups water to a boil in a medium pot. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until lentils are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
Do ahead: Lentils can be cooked 5 days ahead. Let cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Cover and chill.
VEGETABLES AND ASSEMBLY
Step 3
Remove toughest outer leaves from cauliflower (leave the tender inner leaves) and trim 1" off bottom of stem. Resting cauliflower on crown and starting at stem end, cut lengthwise into thirds. Trim off outer edges of crown from both outside pieces to create three 1"-thick steaks; reserve trimmed-off florets for another use. Repeat with broccoli. Arrange broccoli and cauliflower steaks on a large baking sheet; drizzle with oil and season both sides with salt.
Step 4
Prepare a grill for medium indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off). Place broccoli and cauliflower on grate over indirect heat. Cover and grill until tender, 15–20 minutes. Uncover and move steaks over to direct heat; continue to grill until they are golden brown and edges are charred, about 2 minutes per side.
Step 5
Arrange lentils on a platter and drizzle half of the chutney over. Place cauliflower and broccoli steaks on top. Drizzle with remaining chutney and top with pumpkin seeds and herbs.
Ricotta, Kale, and Mushroom Toast
This little beauty may have you saying goodbye to your beloved avocado toast. Especially during these frosty months the richness of the mushrooms and earthy kale hit the spot.
Ingredients
Wild mushrooms
Garlic
Olive oil
Kale
Fresno chile
White wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Ricotta
Country-style bread
Method
Cook wild mushrooms and sliced garlic in olive oil, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp. Add torn kale leaves and sliced Fresno chile (seeded for less heat) and cook, tossing, until kale is wilted; season with white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Season ricotta with salt and pepper and spread onto toasted country-style bread; spoon mushroom-kale mixture on top.