Crispy Fennel Salad

I'm going to say it. I think fennel is nifty. Just look at it:
The bulb and fronds (those green, whispy things on top which you can use like an herb) taste like licorice, it is crunchy, and it is elegant. See, what did I tell you: fennel is nifty.

Here's a shockingly quick way, courtesy of The Oliver (of course), to use fennel that really shows it off: crispy fennel salad. The licorice flavors come through with all their elegance, without overpowering you. And, with the heightening from the lemon and olive oil, the fennel just sings.

Did I mention it was quick and easy? Start by peeling the fennel bulb with a vegetable peeler, and be sure to reserve the fronds.
Dunk the shaved fennel into a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes. This is how the fennel gets 'crisp'.
Drain and dry the fennel.
Meanwhile, get out some sun dried tomatoes.
Chop them up.
Throw the fennel, sun dried tomatoes, and fennel fronds in a bowl. Toss with lemon juice, good olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Stir that together. And that's it!
While I served it over cod my father fished out of the waters in Alaska,
you could also serve it over poultry, pork, or greens, or along with avocado and segments of citrus (but, maybe omitting the sun dried tomatoes).

Just nifty!

Crispy Fennel Salad (from The Oliver's Cook with Jamie)
Ingredients:
2 fennel bulbs, fronds reserved
a small bunch of herbs, like marjoram or oregano*
juice of 1 lemon
extra virgin olice oil
8 sun-dried tomatoes (if in oil, drain and finely chop)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Using a speed peeler or a mandolin slicer, slice the fennel bulbs lengthways very, very finely and put in a bowl of iced water for 10 minutes or so until the slices go crispy.

Drain and dry the fennel and mix it in a bowl with the fennel fronds. Add the herbs. Dress the fennel salad with the lemon juice, some extra virgin olive oil, the sun-dried tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4

*Parsley or basil should work just as well.

The 'Wow': Spiced Candied Walnuts

I love when something is so good you are compelled to the following sorts of reactions:
-"Wow"
-"Oh my God"
-"this is /so/ good"
-"mmm"
-eyes lighting up
-eyes closed
-ecstasy visibly crossing your face
-the inability to stop consuming what is in front of you

And, it is always surprising to me when I make something that forces people in these directions. Not because I am shocked that I could make anything tasty. It is more that I completely lack the ability to anticipate what items will win this sort of approval. Take these candied walnuts, par example.

Look, they are delicious. They are candied walnuts after all. And they are a superior version of candied walnuts. Often, when you get candied walnuts on a salad in a restaurant, it is more like a clump of powdered sugar with something on the inside that might possibly be a walnut. The coating on these walnuts is light, just enough to caramelize and get a little crunchy in the oven, but never approaching gob-like consistency. Another great feature of these walnuts is all the flavor. Each bite has some sweet, some salt, some pepper, and just a hint of spice from cayenne.

So, I get it, these are tasty morsels. But for whatever reason, these walnuts are one of those things that just make people, time and again, say "wow" as they reach for more.

Bonus: they are so very easy to make.

For the coating, mix sugar, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and light corn syrup.

Toss the walnuts in the mix.

Spread on a sheet and put them in the oven.

Remove from the oven, cool, and brace yourself for the 'wow'.

I especially like these walnuts on a salad with mixed greens, Anjour pear, and Gorgonzola. But, they are great as an appetizer or as a dessert. I promise you, if you leave these in a bowl, they will rapidly disappear just about any time of the day.

Spiced Candied Walnuts (adapted from Epicurious)
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon sugar
a little less than 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
a generous pinch of cayenne (and if you compulsively measure like me, about 1/8 tsp)
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup walnuts (I prefer walnut halves)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. Spray sheet with Pam or cover with parchment paper.

Combine sugar, salt, pepper, cayenne, and corn syrup in a medium bowl. Stir in walnuts. Once walnuts are coated, spread on a baking sheet (some nuts may clump). Stir occasionally and bake about 15 minutes, until nuts are deep golden and mix is bubbling. Let cool on sheet.

Can be made three days ahead.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Quinoa is one of my favorite grains, mainly due to its fluffy (yet slightly crunchy) consistency , nutty flavor, and fantastic nutritional value. As a vegetarian, I'm always on the lookout for good protein soures. Quinoa has a 12%–18% protein content (compared to ~7% in rice) and has a full set of amino acids. And of course it's full of fiber and a good source of phosphorus, magnesium and iron. Awesome, no? And did I mention it only takes like 15 minutes to cook?
(Thanks, wikipedia, for all those factoids)

So getting on with this recipe: Quinoa Tabbouleh makes for a colorful, light, nutritious, and simple summer meal. I adapted the recipe below from The Kitchn.

Ingredients

1 cup dry quinoa
1 red onion
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch flat-leaved parsley (about 3 cups, but I'm never very precise)
8 ounces feta
2 ears fresh corn
1/4 cup good extra-virgin olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon (+extra to taste)
salt and pepper to taste

When cooking à l'Emmanuelle, assembly details don't matter so much. So my instructions for this recipe? Cook the quinoa, the rest of the ingredients are raw (yes, even the corn, try it). Cut everything up, add a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil, and toss. Salt and pepper to taste.

You can explore with different ingredients. Try adding mint or basil, cucumber, maybe even some fresh fruit? I added corn to this recipe and thought it added a delightful sweetness to it.

With the entire salad assembled and tossed, the longer you let it sit, the more the flavors evolve and fuse together. I love making a large batch then eating it for lunch all week.

Enjoy!

Fruity Green Salad

Inspired by Mark Bittman's 101 Salads for the Summer Season, and with a fridge full of bounty from Park Slope's 5th Avenue Farmer's Market, I decided to throw together some fruit and greens for dinner this evening. The result? Pure beauty.

Ingredients: Romaine lettuce
Nectarines
Blueberries
Basil (I threw about 10 leaves in there because our plants are becoming unwieldy)
Parmesan shavings
Splash of Balsamic Vinegar
Freshly ground pepper