Light Summer Time Cooking 2008

Went back to visit the parents and decided to make them a nice light summer dinner. I wanted to do some Indian spices offset by some sweet fruits. The meal came out great - nice and light, but very flavorful. Great eating outdoors on a breezy summer day.

Waldorf Salad
I love a waldorf salad, which is perfect for the summer time. When you have fresh ripe fruits, you get this combination of awesome textures and flavors - creamy, juicy, crispy, and sweet. Traditionally, I believe the Waldorf Salad is apples, grapes, and walnuts only. Use whatever fruits you like - just make sure you get some crispy and juicy fruits. I like adding the arugula since it's a little crispy, but very peppery which plays a nice contrast to the sweet fruits. One of the rare recipes that does not require additional salt.

Ingredients
2 Ripe Peaches cut in 1 inch cubes
3 Fuji Apples cut in 1 inch cubes
3/4 cup red seedless grapes halved
3/4 cup toasted walnuts broken into smaller pieces
1 lime
1 cup Arugula
1 cup Kefer (yogurt with some fiz going on)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1) Whisk together Kefer and mayonnaise in a bowl - make sure to taste and adjust. Kefer will add the tang/pop and the mayo will add the fat. The dressing should be runny.
2) Add peaches, apples, grapes, and walnuts to the dressing. Squeeze half lime juice over the fruit to prevent browning and to waken up the flavors. Combine thoroughly for even coating.
3) Add arugula and stir together gently to not crush the arugula. Should still be crispy and hold it's shape. Like all salads make sure that it's not drowning in dressing. Everything should just be coated enough without sitting in a pool of dressing. Serve immediately otherwise the arugula will be soggy.


Salmon Tikka with Moroccan Cous Cous
Been wanting to cook a tikka dish for a while and figured the summer would be a great time for it. This dish is jam packed with flavors. Complex spices cut through the fatty salmon, which is very refreshing when eaten with the waldorf salad. The cous cous also has this complex flavor with the cinnamon and cumin. The juicy raisins and crunchy walnuts adds a nice textural contrast and balances the complex spiced fish. Light, refreshing and more importantly flavorful and satisfying.

Ingredients
1/2 cup garlic minced
1/2 cup ginger minced
1 bunch cilantro
1 cup whole fat yogurt
1 1/2 pounds salmon pin bones removed, skin on
1/2 onion thinly sliced
1 lemon
1 package shan chicken tikka bbq spices (I find Shan to be the best in Indian/Pakistani spices)
1 cup golden raisins sitting in 1 cup of white wine for 1 hour
1/2 cup toasted walnuts broken into smaller pieces
1 cup cous cous
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt

1) Add 3/4 cup spice mix and completely cover the salmon. Make sure to pat the spice in.
2) Combine garlic, ginger, 1/2 the cilantro, and yogurt in a large zip lock bag. Add the salmon in and massage yogurt mix into the salmon. Seal up the bag and let sit for 4 hours in the fridge.
3) Pre-heat oven to 375F and put a baking try inside. After 4 hours, remove the salmon from the fridge and let it sit for 15 minutes. Remove the salmon from the bag and remove the excess mix. Add to the tray and let it cook for 8-12 minutes until medium rare. Remove, sprinkle the rest of the spice mix on and let sit for 10 minutes tented in aluminum foil.
4) Add the cous cous, 1 cup of water, cinnamon, cumin, and white wine from the raisins to a small pot. Cook over medium low heat until cooked completely - 5 minutes. When finished, add the raisins, walnuts, and most of the remaining cilantro leaves - mix well.
5) To plate, add the cous cous to a plate, top with slices of the salmon. Drizzle the lemon juice on top, and top with clinantro leaves and onions to garnish. Buono appetito!



Here's a picture of a beef short rib dish my mom made from the Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way book. Not sure how she cooked it exactly, but I think it was sear the beef in a pressure cooker then add the potatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic; cover with wine and cook in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes. It was incredibly tender and flavorful...fast and flavorful!