New Ideas for Side Dishes

I have two "salads" to talk about today. One is Guacamole: everyone already knows guacamole. And the other is a new mixture. I saw somewhere online a picture of white beans and artichokes, and thought, "Ooh! I have those in my pantry!

For the Guacamole, I have always made mine simply, as I learned in Guatemala. Smash the avocado a bit, sprinkle with some salt and lime juice. Taste. Adjust those two seasonings. And voila! Sometimes I take the time to chop scallions to go in it, and sometimes I have added Gorgonzola crumbles, somewhat a la Nigela Lawson's "Roquamole". Love that addition, BTW! It is stellar.

Guacamole with Fermented Hot Pepper Relish

This time though, as I have been making fermented foods, about 13 days ago I had started fermenting a Hot Pepper Salsa. In The Art of Fermentation, Sandor Katz advises that although the fermentation process at room temperature should not be exceedingly long, the salsa should be kept in the fridge for 3 or even 6 months before using, as the flavors will continue to develop, getting better and better with time. Provided, of course, that one can keep themselves out of the jars, because it smells heavenly! When I made the pepper salsa, I used a large variety of peppers, some hot, some not. The amount came out to be just a bit more than I was comfortable putting in the one large jar I had available, so I put a little bit of it into two little jars. One of these I gave a friend as a gift, and the other I kept, to be my sampler and taste tester.

Fermented Hot Pepper Salsa

Let me say, this sampler is not going to last. I am finding it difficult to stay out of it, now that I tasted the results! It is hot, but just a nice amount of hot. No mouth-searing, but just a gentle burn. Yesterday morning I had an omelet and spooned out some of the salsa on top of the omelet. Bliss! Heaven. O-M-G, good! And after tasting it, I thought it would be good mixed into guacamole. 

I know most of the world seems to have taken to mixing chopped tomatoes into guacamole, but I just do not like that combo. I love guacamole. I love tomatoes. Just not stirred together. This Fermented Hot Pepper Salsa, on the other hand, sounded good. The result last night makes me think I don't know how I am going to ever again eat guacamole without this addition! If you try my Fermented Hot Pepper Salsa, I guarantee you will want more! The little jar is almost empty after two meals! This is so good I could just eat it spooned straight out of the jar. Yes, it was a royal pain to hand chop all those peppers. No, I did not have to hand chop, but wanted that even-sized texture. Maybe I will have to try using the food processor next time. And oh yes, there will be a next time!
 

Fermented Pepper Guacamole & White Bean & Artichoke Salads

The other dish I made last evening was the White Bean and Artichoke side dish or Salad. I am not sure which to call it by. Being a cold dish suggests it more likely to be termed a "salad", though there is nothing much of fresh veggies in it. I did use celery for a little crunch, but without overwhelming the flavors of the beans and artichokes. The result was really wonderful. It ended up that these two dishes were my dinner last evening. I made a quick "slap a piece of cheese between two corn tortillas and heat it" type quesadilla to go with the meal and I was one happy gal!

White Bean and Artichoke Salad 

White Bean & Artichoke Salad

Serves 4 - 6

1 (15.8-ounce) can white beans, drained, well-rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh basil,sliced in chiffonade

VINAIGRETTE:
2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
3 tablespoons olive oil
a few grinds of pepper
1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

Slice the drained artichoke pieces into reasonable sized pieces. Combine them with the beans, celery and basil in a bowl. 

Separately, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients (or alternatively combine the ingredients in a small jar with tight fitting lid and shake) until emulsified and pour over the bean mixture and toss well. Allow the mixture to set for a few minutes to meld flavors and serve. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Lovely Salad for Brunch or RAW Diet

Fresh RAW Corn Salad

Many years ago, I spent nine months doing a completely RAW diet. In effect, it was also vegan for the most part, as I ate no kind of meat or cheese or eggs or even honey. I truly believe that going totally RAW is a great thing for anyone, most particularly if you have aches and pains in joints or a tendency to edema, or even diabetes. I had all of these. They disappeared within 2 weeks. 

Fresh Baby Arugula

It is amazing how many wonderful recipes I learned during this period, and how to circumvent many beliefs we have about foods or how they "must" be prepared. I guess for whatever reason, I never realized you could eat some vegetables raw. Corn, for instance is one I like almost better raw than cooked, as it is so sweet. I have a lovely recipe for a Fresh RAW Corn Salad that is excellent in the summer when fresh corn is plentiful and delicious. Another salad that is just perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner on a RAW diet, or for a nice lunch or patio brunch is an Avocado Mango Salad. Simple as it sounds with ingredients that go together quickly, it is a combination of mango, avocado and a little red bell pepper for color, dressed simply and served over a bed of greens. I love arugula for its peppery bite. It makes a wonderful counterpoint to the sweetness of the mango and the smooth creaminess of the avocado. Serve it over any greens you choose, or none, if desired. This salad is a pure delight, and also very pleasing to the eye as well.

This recipe will serve one person for a meal if you are on a RAW diet, or 2 if you are using it as a first course to a meal.

Avocado Mango Salad

Avocado Mango Salad

Serves 1 or 2

DRESSING:
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon agave syrup (or honey or other sweetener of choice)

SALAD:
1 red bell pepper, seeds & membranes removed, sliced thinly
1 mango, peeled, sliced thinly
1 avocado, sliced thinly
4 cups mesclun, arugula or baby greens
½ cup fresh herbs of choice: basil, cilantro

Whisk together in a small bowl the dressing ingredients. Combine in a large bowl the bell pepper, mango and avocado and pour the dressing over. Toss gently to combine. Set the greens onto a large plate and pour the salad over. Garnish with herbs of choice.

These are both really wonderful salads, once I ate very often as they were particular favorites. Being on a RAW diet does not mean all "rabbit food". At least it is possible to make fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetables into some great foods that do not resemble a typical salad. I used one of Ani Phyo's cookbooks (Ani's Raw Food Kitchen) to start with and made some of her Black Sesame and Sunflower Seed Bread. It was so marvelous with guacamole, and I used it with some smoked salmon (smoked at under 115 degrees; still considered "RAW") and fresh tomato slices one morning for breakfast. It is thinner than bread, and obviously it is not real bread as we know it, but it is delicious and satisfying. I used her recipe for poblano chilies stuffed with cashew "cheese" but found her recipe for the mole sauce completely wrong. Having spent my formative "learning to cook" years in Guatemala, this recipe did not resemble anything I ever knew as a mole sauce. So, I made up my own, calling it Guatemalan Mole in the RAW. I love this mixture and it can also be made sweet and served over fruit if desired. I created soups regularly, using my Vita Mix blender for smooth consistency. 

Guatemalan Mole in the RAW

Serves 2 - 3

SAVORY VERSION:
1 tomatillo, cut in quarters
½ red bell pepper, cut in chunks
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 dates
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cocoa powder (RAW, preferred)
½ teaspoon ancho chili powder,or other hot chile, to taste
¼ cup water, as needed
1½ teaspoon unhulled sesame seeds
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1 inch whole Mexican cinnamon (true cinnamon), OR 1 teaspoon ground)
2 allspice berries
½ teaspoon annato powder (sold in some specialty shops)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

If using a Vita Mix blender, place all ingredients into blender and puree until very finely ground, adding the water as needed to make a thick gravy-like sauce.

NOTES: If using a standard blender, place all ingredients in the blender except the whole spices and seeds. Using a spice grinder or a small bullet blender with flat blade, grind the spices and seeds until very fine, then add to the blender and process until well pureed.

SWEET VERSION:
1 tomatillo, cut in quarters
½ red bell pepper, cut in chunks
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes
½ cup dates
2 packets Sweet Leaf Stevia
1 tablespoon agave syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil (can substitute Walnut oil)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (RAW, preferred)
½ teaspoon ancho chili powder (or other dried hot chile, to taste)
1 cup water, as needed
1½ teaspoon unhulled sesame seeds
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1½ inch whole Mexican cinnamon (true cinnamon), OR 1 teaspoon ground)
4 allspice berries
½ teaspoon annatto powder (sold in some specialty shops)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Follow same directions. May add 2 - 3 bananas to the blender and use this as a pudding, or use the sauce over other fruit, as desired. 


If you are interested in getting healthier, try the RAW lifestyle. There are hundreds of recipes all over the internet with great recipe ideas from the mundane to the sublime. There are more "cookbooks" than I can count that will help you to discover all that is possible on a RAW food lifestyle. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.