Spring Pea, Radish, and Feta Salad

What a hell of a week last week was.

As if the disturbing events Boston and Texas, weren't enough to deal with, the dreary drab rainy weather put a damper (ha!) on whatever happiness we could muster in Midwest. Things had to look up this week, right?

This week, after an entirely-too-cold start, Springtime is FINALLY in the air. This calls for a celebration of spring vegetables and a break from the beets-kale-sweet potato-soup combinations of winter.

Using peas, radishes, spring onions and lettuces that can be found in abundant quantities at the grocery store right now, I made a simple spring vegetable salad with a Mediterranean-style dressing.

And it's healthy, too! I treated myself to this after a long run. You can add simply seared scallops to the salad to make a truly complete meal. Bon appétit!

Spring Pea, Radish, and Feta Salad
Serves 2 (or one... I won't judge!)

                                     
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumbers
• 1 cup fresh peas
• 1/2 cup chopped spring onion or scallion
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa (lighter-colored, milder varieties will work better)
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 cups chopped fresh butter lettuce
• 1 cup chopped fresh radicchio
• 1 tsp oregano
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. To make Lebanese dressing: Whisk together lemon juice, oregano, vinegar, olive oil, tsp of salt in small bowl. 

2. In a medium saucepan, bring about 3 cups of salted water to a boil. Fill a separate bowl with ice water. Cook the peas in the boiling water for only 15-20 seconds, until just barely tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water.

3. After peas have cooled, combine first 6 ingredients, and stir in dressing. Toss gently with lettuces in large bowl, then sprinkle feta over the top. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Easy!

Salted Chocolate Chip & Pistachio Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies.

Simple. Amazing. If you disagree, stop reading now-- unless you haven't tried them with pistachios yet.

Yes, pistachios.

Those little green nuts primarily preserved for fancy Italian cookies and baklava. They're more versatile than people think! And the best part is, they elevate such a simple baked morsel of goodness into an adult-friendly indulgence. Don't be afraid to serve these around Easter time to both the little kiddies and the kids-at-heart.

Isn't she a beaut? How can you say no? Seriously guys, I think I hit gold here. Quite possibly the best cookies I've ever had. In. My. Life.

And the secret? Salt and time-- lots of both. Salt + chocolate + overnight refrigeration = you're going to want to have a full cup of milk after digging into this bunch of cookies. So make them the morning or night before your big Easter feast. All they'll need is a quick 20 minutes in the oven and you have instant happiness. You won't be able to stop at one! Or in my case, 3. No shame.


Salted Chocolate Chip & Pistachio Cookies
(adapted from a Jacques Torres recipe)
Requires minimum 12 hours refrigeration
Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups minus to 2 tablespoons cake flour
• 1 2/3 cup bread flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 butter) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup unsalted pistachio pieces / halves
• 1 pound dark chocolate "wafers"(see note below)
• Course sea salt for garnish

1. 12-24 hours before baking: Sift cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder in small bowl.

2. In large stand mixer with paddle attachment (or with a good electric mixer), cream butter and sugar together on high speed for 5 minutes until fully mixed, light, and fluffy.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next. After both eggs are incorporated, mix in the vanilla.

4. Reduce speed to low and add 1/3 of dry ingredients. Waiting a few seconds in between, slowly add remainder of dry ingredients in thirds. Mix until just incorporated (less than 20 seconds).

5. Keeping speed on low, slowly drop in chocolate chips and pistachios and let them stir in for 5-10 seconds. Remove bowl from stand mixer, and by hand to make sure chips don't break, make sure the chocolate and nuts are mixed in and not falling away from the dough.

6. Place the mixture in a bowl and tightly cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours. The longer the better.

7. When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread a couple of teaspoons of the coarse sea salt on piece of parchment / wax paper. Form cookies into golf ball sized mounds, and press and roll the face-up side of the mound lightly in the salt. Make sure it is a SPARSE sprinkle. Too much salt is not a good thing. Repeat for all cookies. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 18-20 minutes (I take them out on the early side, because I love them super soft and gooey. But keep in for 20 in order to have cookies that are easy to transport).

8. Enjoy with a large glass of milk IMMEDIATELY after removing from oven. Trust me on this one. Even if you have to sneak one before dinner. I won't tell!

Note: chocolate wafers are the larger, flatter cousin of chocolate chips. Guittard and Callebaut both make wonderful versions. You can find them at Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table, Whole Foods, or specialty stores online. I use bittersweet 70% chocolate, but you can use semi-sweet if you want something a little milder. 

Traditional "Kafta bil souniyeh" (layered meat and potato bake)

What was my mom's game-plan to feed 5 hungry and picky kids? And a husband with a large appetite?

She made this: kafta bil souniyeh. Quite literally meaning "Kafta in a pan". From the looks of it, this dish could take hours to prepare. Layers of ground meat Lebanese style with, potatoes, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and whatever else you have in your fridge that may go well with it.

When my mom put this on the table next to a bowl of steaming hot rice with vermicelli, we considered dinner to be a special occasion. My dad, a famously picky and moody eater, always loved it. When a dish repeatedly passes the "hungry dad" test, you know it's golden.

And it's so so so easy. It makes a great Sunday supper perfect for feeding a hungry bunch.

And Mama if you're reading this: I won't screw around with this recipe one bit- it's perfect as is!

Kafta bil souniyeh ("Kafta in a pan")

serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 pound kafta (lean ground beef thoroughly mixed with a finely diced large onion & a bunch of parsley)

5 medium potatoes cut in rounds

1 sweet onion, sliced thin

1 large green pepper, cut in wedges

2 medium tomatoes, sliced into rounds

1 12 oz can tomato sauce or equivalent in fresh pureed tomatoes

18-20 oz water

Salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• In a 10" casserole or deep dish/pan, pat the kafta flat about 1/4 inch thick & cut in 6 wedges using a plastic knife tip
• Layer the vegetables over the kafta in this order: potatoes, onion, green pepper, tomatoes
• Mix tomato sauce with water, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper in a saucepan and bring to boil; pour mix over the arranged ingredients and bake casserole for 60 minutes.
• Note: for stew-like texture which can be served with rice, cover casserole while baking.
• Otherwise, bake uncovered for a bit longer, about 75-90 minutes; the tomatoes will roast and liquid will evaporate. Serve with warm pita bread.

Enjoy!