Tag: tomatoes

Tuna Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes and Basil

Tuna Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes and Basil

This is a recipe I adapted from Sur la table’s Tuna Tabbouleh with Tomato and Basil. I used quinoa instead of bulgur, left out the shredded carrot and used tuna packed in water instead of tuna packed in olive oil. Having tested their recipe at work**, I can vouch that both are delicious and very easy to make. I doubled the recipe in the photo above. It keeps nicely in the fridge and travels well for lunch or as a dish to bring to a pot-luck. Enjoy! And as always, let me know if you make it and if you liked it.

Tuna Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes and Basil
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 cup of Quinoa
  • 2 cups of water
  • 6 scallions, white portion only
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into ¼ inch dice
  • ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped basil
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 [6 oz] can of tuna
  • 2 tablespoons EVOO
  • 2 lemons juiced
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan combine quinoa and water
  2. Bring to a boil
  3. Reduce heat to low
  4. Cook covered approx. 10-15 minutes or until water has been absorbed
  5. Set quinoa aside to cool
  6. In a separate bowl, combine tuna, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper
  7. Once quinoa is cool, add scallions, cucumber, parsley, basil and cherry tomatoes
  8. Mix the tuna mixture gently into the quinoa mixture
  9. Season with salt and pepper
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** ICYMI I work at Sur la table Cooking School.

My Garden in Autumn

Earlier this year I posted photos of My Garden in Spring. What a difference a few months make. Here’s what my garden looked like then…
Garden then

Here’s what it looks like now…
Garden nowThe Swiss chard is monstrous. The Buddha statue’s head barely peeks out over the squash.

Tomatoes are everywhere.Tomato plants

Zucchini, squash and cucumber vines are spreading out and crawling up the critter fence.Squash vines

Here’s the Buddha back in Spring…Buddha then

Find him now…Buddha nowWe have had lots of hot sun and frequent rain this summer so my garden is abundant. It is also my first year flying the prayer flags. Coincidence? No apparent causal connection?
I think not.

“I bow low before the Exalted Garden Buddha”.

Food of the Greek Isles

I assisted Chef Nicholas Cornfield last night at a Sur la Table cooking class called “Greek Foods of the Greek Isles“.* The menu included recipes for:

  • Phyllo Cups with Tomatoes, Feta and Oregano
  • Flaming Prawns with Ouzo
  • Tomato Roasted Summer Vegetables with Dill
  • and Caramelized Figs in Port and Orange Sauce Phyllo Cups

A photo of a couple of the Phyllo Cups above. The recipe was easy to assemble and serve. These would make great hors devours  for a cocktail party.

Summer roasted veggies

The Roasted Summer Vegetables with Dill includes:

      • Eggplant
      • Onions
      • Garlic
      • Tomatoes
      • Potatoes
      • Zucchini
      • Peppers
      • Parsley

This vegetable dish is very similar to my Baked Veggies – Tourlou Tava. That post includes a how-to video. Now I would saute the onions and garlic, roast the peppers before hand and also add fresh herbs as well.

Prawns with OuzoAbove, the Flaming Prawns with Ouzo plated on top of the Roasted Summer Vegetables.

Caramelized Figs

Finally for dessert, the Caramelized Figs in Port and Orange Sauce plated with the sauce reduction and served with Greek yogurt. (You could also substitute the yogurt with ice cream.) This is such a delicious dessert. I’ve taken the liberty to add the recipe below. Fresh figs are in season right now. These were purchased from Whole Foods Market.

Caramelized Figs with Port and Orange Sauce
 
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Caramelized Figs with Port and Orange Sauce served with Greek yogurt
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • 2 pints fresh figs (about a dozen) halved lengthwise
  • ½ cup tawny port wine
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh orange juice
Instructions
  1. In a shallow dish, stir together the sugar and salt
  2. Press the cut side of each fig into the sugar and salt mixture to coat
  3. Heat a large skillet over high heat
  4. Add figs, cut side down
  5. Cook until sugar and juices caramelize, approximately 3 or 4 minutes
  6. Remove skillet from heat
  7. Add port
  8. Return skillet to heat
  9. Cook to reduce the syrup, approximately 30 seconds
  10. Scrap up any caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan
  11. Remove from heat again
  12. Add butter and orange juice
  13. Gently swirl pan to combine
  14. Cool at room temperature or serve warm
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Kali orexi! Come take a class at Sur la Table. Ping me for details or visit their site.

*Disclosure – I am employed by Sur la Table. I am an Assistant in the Cooking School.
All these photos were taken during last night’s class.

Delmonico steak dinner for two

Yianni and I had a delicious dinner for two last night. We grilled a Delmonico steak seasoned with garlic pepper. It’s easy to make a seemingly ordinary week night dinner more special. Take some time when you set your table. Use cloth napkins. Open a nice bottle of wine.

We also grilled zucchini. Just brush the zucchini with good olive oil and season with garlic pepper and salt, then put it on the grill with the steak. I dressed a bowl of quartered tomatoes with organic extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. All of the tomatoes were fresh from my garden and picked that day. Be sure to dip into the olive oil with a chunk of crusty multi-grain bread fresh from your favorite bakery.

Here’s a photo slideshow of our Delmonico steak dinner for two.


What do you do to make dinner special for your special someone?