potato and tomato salad with gremolata dressing

by Eva on May 2, 2013

Once upon a time I wished I were a princess. No never the queen, ladies with this job description have kind of a bad reputation. I guess there had been too much Grimm’s fairy stories in my early youth where the queen tent to be evil and demanding the princess’ heart. Lucky me becoming a princess never turned out… Growing up I also wished for white Christmas and I wished for endless ice cream. Then I wished for becoming a famous rock star but cancelled that early on due to my stage fright.

My childhood wishes sound pretty much unrealistic and hard to become true, but that’s also the problem with my grown up wish: finally becoming organized. Last week had been challenging. Isn’t it always the case just before leaving for vacation? I thought I had it all figured out, but my schedule had been turned upside down due to some switched appointments and I had been running all day to get everything done. It’s a mystery but working Eva is so much different, organized, accurate and dead on time. I am living proof for two extremes in one person, my inner organized genius being in conflict with my chaotic other half of the brain. So please tooth fairy, genie in a bottle or Santa Claus in future make me finish the laundry in time, so I can stuff my favorite shirt in my suitcase, make me buy deodorant (it makes all the difference) and let me go to the post office earlier, so they don’t close the door in front of my nose. And please make me pack my bag in time, so I don’t have to do it just before leaving and forget my toothbrush again. Thanks. That’s all for now.

This potato salad was the last meal I made at home before leaving for our road trip to Washington DC. The salad holds up very well until the next day. Actually that was my plan, taking the leftovers with me on the trip, but there was nothing left. It’s so much different from a German potato salad I grew up on and still love so much. But it is also much healthier, less work, easier and faster. This is a great potato salad for picnics, BBQ parties and office lunches, no mayonnaise therefor no problem if not being stored in a fridge for a long while. Actually it tastes best eaten at room temperature, marinated for some time.

potato and tomato salad with gremolata dressing

ingredients

1 pound potatoes (Fingerling or Yukon gold)
3-6 tomatoes (depending on size and you liking)
for the gremolata dressing:
1 small or ½ garlic clove
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

instructions

Boil or steam potatoes.
While potatoes are cooking, cut tomatoes in chunks and transfer to your salad bowl.
Peel the garlic clove, chop roughly, sprinkle some salt on it, and use a fork to press it firmly into the board. Go back and forth over it, pressing until the garlic is a mashed paste. …or use a garlic press.
Mix all ingredients for the dressing except the olive oil. Drizzle in oil while constantly whisking until emulsified.
Drain and cut the potatoes in bite size pieces if necessary. Add everything to a salad bowl and stir gently to combine.

variations

optional you can add one of those or all of them:

about 15 black olives (preferable Kalamata olives)

2 Tbsp. capers

60 g / 2.1 oz. feta or goat cheese, crumbled

{ 3 comments }

oven salad with kale, sweet potato and brown rice

by Eva on August 2, 2012

It is hot as blue blazes and my a/c is on duty nonstop and tries to keep the insight temperature at an human-appropriate level. I love my sweet treats, so I am still cranking up my oven despite the weather. I am not giving up my baking, that’s why ceiling fans are invented.

After popping cakes and cookies in my oven for weeks and eating rather cold meals like salads and sandwiches or cooking outside using the grill, I changed my strategy. I made some salads in the oven with roasted vegetables and switched to cold desserts, ice cream is in season right now.

I used tofu for this oven salad, not a stranger in my kitchen but neither a regular guest. If you like substitute tofu with chicken chunks, I’ll understand not everyone is in love with tofu in my house. The sweetness of the sweet potato and the crunchy kale work perfect together. Kale is known as a cold season vegetable but it is also very heat resistant and therefore available all year long. The other day I made a version with pearl barley instead of brown rice and loved it. As the cooking time is rather long for both, I like to double the amount and freeze half of it.

oven salad

serves 3

ingredients:

200 g / 1 cup brown rice

100 g / 3.6 oz kale, ribs removed and chopped

200 g / 7 oz. sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite size chunks (about one medium size)

200 g / 7 oz. tofu, extra firm (about half a block)

3 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil, divided

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

salt to taste

1 small lemon (juice and zest)

1 green onion, chopped

instructions:

Cook brown rice: in a medium saucepan bring 500 ml / 2 cups of water to boil, add salt and brown rice and reduce heat to medium, let simmer for 45 minutes. Drain if necessary and fluff with a fork.

Drain the tofu: cover tofu with paper towels and set it on a plate, top with another plate and put something heavy on it (like a pan). Let stand for 15 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 200 C / 400 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Toss sweet potato chunks with 1 Tbsp ghee, season with salt and spread in one layer on one baking sheet. Put into the oven for about 20 minutes at first (after that you will add tofu and kale and continue cooking all together).

Cut the tofu into cubes. Mix soy sauce and sesame oil in a medium bowl and add tofu and marinate for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare kale and toss in 2 Tbsp ghee, spread evenly over the other baking sheet.

Remove sweet potato from the oven, flip them with a spatula and add the tofu cubes to this baking sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and put both baking sheets into the oven, continue cooking for 15-18 minutes.

In a big bowl bring together brown rice, sweet potato and kale, sprinkle with lemon zest and juice. Season to taste and top with green onion.

{ 2 comments }

salmon and cucumber – the appetizer

by Eva on March 20, 2012

Visiting my family in Germany itself is a happy event, the other thing is the food. I always have a long must-eat-list and a not shorter nice-to-have-list, usually I manage them both. I know in advance I have to cut back sweet treats for a while after returning home. In addition to my superb and long food-lists, I always get some extra meals while visiting friends. If I think about that for a second I am certainly amazed about the huge amount of meals and calories I am able to manage in a couple of days. No prob…

On one occasion about two years ago, I drove to my friends place and it took me over an hour for a usually 30 minutes drive. I remember snow was falling in big fluffy flakes, I took my dads car and was about to freak out and already worried how I would get home. Despite the bad circumstances everything went well, I met my dear friend, she introduced me to her cute baby and showed me her recently painted art and some pictures she had taken, we had a lot to catch up on. Although we had been talking all the time, she managed to put an impressive and at the same time simple meal together. This salmon and cucumber appetizer had been just the beginning.

I don’t know what is it? Not even a real salad, so simple and easy but at the same time decadent and some how classy without overdoing it and leaving out caviar, truffle and all that stuff. As always the less ingredients you use the better the quality should be.

salmon and cucumber – the appetizer

smoked salmon, about 3 thin slices per person or approx. 100 g / 3.6 oz.

European cucumber (the long and lean ones)

sour cream or strained Greek yoghurt

some spritzer lemon

and some herbs, especially dill is great with salmon

Slice the cucumber longways with a vegetable peeler to create long, wide ribbons. If you half the cucumber, you will get shorter ribbons which are easier to handle.

Arrange everything on plates and serve with bread or bread sticks (grissini)!

{ 3 comments }

apple cucumber salad

by Eva on January 9, 2012

Usually I would have a desire for hot soup this time of the year. The calendar says it’s winter but outside it’s warm and sunny, strange weather isn’t it? Don’t get me wrong I am not complaining, love it. A couple of days ago I splurged on tea. The lady in the store told me: “Congratulations you spent 15 Dollar on your health.” Well I didn’t said it loud but for this little bit of tea I would expect it heals cancer or at least warts. Since then the tea is sitting on my counter and I am not in the mood at all for hot tea, as good as it might be. Instead I am making light salads. Like this apple cucumber salad. I got so much friendly feedback for the lentil salad with smoked almonds, sweet potato and goat cheese that I thought you might like to nibble on another salad as well. You and I still have to make up for the last holiday eat marathon, I can see you nodding your head… If not keep this simple salad in mind for the next spring or summer.

On another note, you might think I am a technical idiot (I am not denying that) but I can’t get my comment section working again. I even manage to delete your previous comments. I am so sorry! So please don’t hesitate to write me an email (contact.1bigbiteATgmailDOTcom) or twitter me or leave a message on my facebook wall. Looking forward to hear from you. In the meantime I am trying hard to move this side to wordpress but as I just mentioned I am not the smartest geek and this might take a while. If you know or you are someone who can help me and it won’t cost me a arm or a leg, contact me. Please!

apple cucumber salad

4 servings as a side dish

I like to wash and peel off strips from the cucumber and apples for a decorative look after slicing. I don’t bother to remove the seeds from the cucumber but do so if you like.

1 cucumber
2 apple (preferable tart apples)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 green onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
4 tablespoons yoghurt
fresh dill

For the salad:
Cut cucumber and apples into fine slices or use your food processor or mandolin. Add to a bowl with the lemon juice, green onion and toss well.
For the salad dressing;
Add the remaining ingredients into a small bowl and stir until combined.
Pour over the salad and stir well.
You can eat this salad right away but it tastes even better after it sats around for two hours in the refrigerator. Makes a great lunchbox salad even the next day.

some notes
Crystallized honey is difficult to stir, heat it in your microwave oven just for a few seconds to liquify. A pot of hot water does the same job.

{ 1 comment }

lentil salad with smoked almonds, sweet potato and goat cheese

by Eva on January 2, 2012

I can’t believe 2011 is already gone! It was a great year and never boring: I conquered the wicked witch, moved twice into different states and made new friends (miss my old friends).
I baked countless breads, cakes and cookies, but it was also a year full of coffee, red wine, chocolate and many good dinners. If I would take a look on the healthy factor (which I don’t) I might not be proud on everything I ate, but at the end it was a year of pretty darn good food.
I don’t believe in new year’s resolutions it’s more like the new year came with a white canvas, ready for me to throw all the paint on it I can. But still shiny and spotless, I am trying to make as many things right as I can.
Not that I am really into black cats and don’t walk under a ladder curses but eating lentils is rumored to bring luck and fortune as they look like coins. I think it won’t hurt to follow some common superstition for the new year. There is nothing wrong about being careful and hey they are healthy!

A couple of months ago we had been on one of our long road trips and while making a pit stop I went into the nearby market and bought accidentally smoked almonds. They were actually quite good, although I am able to eat just a few of them, their flavor is too intense. I buy a tin from time to time and place them next to the coffee maker after a while it empties itself magically.
So this is how I came up with this salad, lentils for my purse and smoked almonds for crunchiness and a little smokey taste. I added goat cheese for creaminess and feta might also work as well. The sweet potato was just laying around since two weeks and starting to demand for a name, it simply had to go. I added nice color, more smoky flavor and some spice with Pimenton picante ahumado (Spanish smoked paprika powder), half a teaspoon is at least what you should add, more if you dare. I think cayenne pepper would be a good substitute. This all comes together very well and delicious, give it a try!

lentil salad with smoked almonds, sweet potato
and goat cheese

The sweet potato becomes a little soft after a while but leftovers are still great for the next day’s lunch box.
4 – 6 servings as a side dish

450 g / 1 big sweet potato (about 3 cups cubed)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Pimenton picante ahumado
1 teaspoon salt

90 g / 1/2 cup puy lentils

80 g / 1/2 cup smoked almonds

20 g / 1/3 cup parsley
3-4 green onion, chopped

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple vinegar

100 g / 3.57 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat your oven to 200 C / 400 F. Peel and cut the sweet potato in dices. In a medium bowl mix 3 tablespoons olive oil, Pimenton and salt, add the sweet potato and toss until well covered. Pour in one layer on your baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until golden brown.
Meanwhile rinse the lentils and check for little stones etc. Cook over medium heat, slightly simmering for 25 minutes until done (not mushy). Don’t add salt to the cooking water.

Roughly chop the almonds. Wash the green onions and the parsley, shake of any water and chop finely. This all can be also done in a food processor.

Make the vinaigrette: add the olive oil and the vinegar into a ball jar and shake well.

Bring everything together in a bowl, serve still warm or cold.

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potato and tomato salad with gremolata dressing