Shaved Cauliflower and Radicchio Salad with Ginger-Lemongrass Dressing

I know what my strengths and weaknesses are as a cook and I'd say that one thing I'm consistent with are salads and slaws. Like soups, I love the countless possibilities, the endless flavor combinations. You can go sweet, spicy, creamy, zesty. Whichever way you want it. You can make them during any season, using any produce that's available. I guess I'm kind of geeking over this, but I think they're a wonderful addition to meals. Especially epic dinners like a Thanksgiving feast, where the table tends to be overloaded with cream and butter and cheese (you know, all the good stuff). A bright, crunchy salad can lighten it all up.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, this next week we have a lot going on. On Saturday, we're hosting our annual Friendsgiving and have 18 guests joining us. Usually, I'm pretty stressed over the whole thing, but this year I'm really not worried. I guess I know it'll all come together. There'll be food and drinks and people will have a great time. That's really all that matters.  We're staying local for the actual Thanksgiving festivities, doing brunch with Eric's father and then heading over to do dinner with his mom. 

I may or may not pop in next week to post something else. If I don't, I hope everyone has a happy and delicious holiday.

SHAVED CAULIFLOWER AND RADICCHIO SALAD WITH GINGER-LEMONGRASS DRESSING
Yield: 6-8 servings, as a side

Ingredients:
1 small cauliflower
4-5 radish
1 head radicchio
3 scallion, light and dark green parts only, sliced on the bias
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon chopped lemongrass
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt

Directions:
Using a large chef's knife, remove the green leaves, as well as the stem, from the cauliflower. Quarter the cauliflower and then cut the pieces into thin (approximately 1/4-inch thick) slices. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Thinly slice radish and radicchio and add that, along with the scallion, to the bowl with the cauliflower.

In a separate bowl, add the ingredients for the dressing and whisk until blended. Taste for seasoning and add salt. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to combine. Let sit for at least 20 minutes before serving.  Taste for seasoning and, if necessary, add more salt.

Cabbage and Kohlrabi Slaw

I plan on sharing a few dishes inspired by my recent trip to Spain, but vegetables were what I craved when I got home. I ate more meat while I was away than I had planned (I have no regrets... it was all really good and totally worth it) and when I returned I just wanted salad. We had a few heads of cabbage and kohlrabi tucked in our vegetable drawer and then I came across a recipe in Ottolenghi's Plenty that called to me. His version has dried sour cherries, but I thought some fresh cranberries would be a great substitution. I didn't quite expect this slaw to be as addictive as it is. I think it's that combination of garlic and lemon, along with the tart cranberries and the beautiful crunch of the kohlrabi that keeps you wanting to go back for another forkful. 

Cabbage and Kohlrabi Slaw

Source
Slightly adapted from Ottolenghi's Plenty

Yield
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 medium or 1/2 large kohlrabi
1/2 white cabbage (8 to 9 oz)
Large bunch of dill, roughly chopped
1 cup fresh cranberries, sliced in half
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt
Black pepper

Directions
1. Peel the kohlrabi and cut into thick matchsticks that are about 1/4 inch wide and 2 inches long. Slice the cabbage into 1/4-inch thick strips.

2. Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to massage everything together for about a minute so the flavors mix and the lemon can soften the cabbage and cranberries. Let the slaw sit for about 10 minutes.

3. Check for seasoning and, if necessary, add more salt. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Honey Glazed Grilled Salmon + Carrot Slaw with Miso-Ginger Dressing

Honey Glazed Grilled Salmon and Carrot Slaw with Miso-Ginger Dressing

Growing up, my father, like most dads, was the grill master.  He will still find any excuse to cook outside... nothing will deter him. A little rain? Put on a jacket and get an umbrella! Eric's the same way and has been known to uncover the grill in the middle of winter. I certainly have an appreciation for the art of grilling and realize how exhilarating it is to cook over an open flame. But I let these guys enjoy their moment. They know what they're doing and they seem to take great pride in their talents, so why take that away from them? I'll stand back and let them do their thing.  Of course, my mother and I are the ones who season the food before it hits the grate... but I'll let that little detail slide.

I learned something recently that blew my mind, and yet it makes perfect sense. If one uses a marinade to baste meat or fish, then that liquid must first be cooked before it can be applied. I will often marinate whatever we're cooking, but seeing that I'm rarely in charge of grilling, I didn't pay attention to the process after the fish left the kitchen. It wasn't until I started to develop this recipe that I found out that marinade that's been used on raw fish or meat shouldn't be used to baste the protein, unless it's been heated prior to this point.

Now that we're half way through the work week, I suggest you get your weekend grill plans in order. We'll be using it quite a bit over ourselves, including next week when we spend a little time on the Cape.

Honey Glazed Grilled Salmon + Carrot Slaw with Miso-Ginger Dressing

Servings 8-10 servings as a side

Ingredients

For the salmon

1 ½ lb salmon fillet (skin on)
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce

For the carrot slaw
4 cups grated peeled carrots
1 scallion, light and dark green parts only, chopped
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon white miso paste
2 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoons red pepper flakes

Directions

For the carrot slaw

1. Make the dressing for the slaw by whisking together the rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, white miso paste, ginger, honey, and red pepper flakes.

2. Place the grated carrot, scallion and raisins in a serving bowl. Pour dressing on top and mix to combine. Cover and let sit in the fridge for an hour before serving.

For the grilled salmon

1. Prepare the marinade by whisking together the honey, olive oil, ground ginger, orange juice, lime juice and soy sauce in a bowl.

2. Place the salmon fillets in a glass baking dish and pour marinade over the fish. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Lightly oil the grill. Preheat the grill to medium heat.

4. Transfer the salmon to a platter. Reserve the marinade.

5. Place the marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, cook for one minute. This will kill off any bacteria and make it safe to baste the salmon while it’s cooking.

6. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the grill.

7. Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon, basting every 5 minutes. The way to tell if it's done is by testing the flesh with a fork. When it's done, it will begin to flake. Additionally, if you cut into the salmon, the meat should be opaque.

8. Transfer the fish to a platter and serve with carrot slaw.