Saturday morning dawned clear and hot! Not too warm for the shoppers at the Brookhaven Farmer’s Market, tho. A group gathered with me at 10 to share some ideas and samples about good cooking using local produce! Thanks to Manager Yusef from the Cooks Warehouse for asking me to the market – it was lots of fun.
As promised, here are the recipes we enjoyed.
Vidalia Onion Dip
Use this dip with chips, crudite and as a yummy sandwich spread! Slather it on a piece of the Fat Lady Baker’s Ezekiel Bread, top it with a early ripe tomato and a couple of slices of avocado. Heaven on earth!
Vidalia Dip
2 Cups Water
1 Cup White Vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar
4 Cups Thinly Sliced Vidalia Onions
1 Cup Light Olive Oil or Canola Oil Mayonnaise
1 Tsp Celery Seed
1 Dash Hot Sauce
1 Dash *Worcestershire Sauce
Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper to Taste
In a saucepan on high heat, bring the water, sugar and vinegar to a rolling boil. Put the onions in a large bowl and pour the vinegar mixture over them. Place in the refrigerator at least 8 hours or overnight. The next day, drain the liquid from the onions and add the mayonnaise, celery seed, hot sauce, Worcestershire and salt and pepper to taste.
You’ll need to chop a Napa Cabbage for this recipe – here’s a quick video to help you chop it!
Not Grandmom’s Coleslaw
I too, love the sweet sticky mayonnaise-y southern cole slaw that is often served with fried chicken and biscuits. Every once in a while – a dinner like that is a real treat. But for more-often-eating here’s a wonderful coleslaw recipe that can even be a whole meal, topped with a little garam masala* rubbed grilled chicken or fish.
1 Head Napa Cabbage, Sliced
4 Carrots, Grated
1 Cup Sliced Green Onions
1/4 Cup Minced Jalepenos
1 Cup Quartered Grape Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Chopped Roasted Salted Peanuts
1 Recipe South Asian Salad Dressing
To make it a meal: Garam Masala Rubbed Chicken or Fish, Sliced
Step One
To make the salad, layer the cabbage, carrots, green onions, jalapenos and tomatoes on a large platter. Top with the peanuts and drizzle about 1/2 of the salad dressing on top – add more as desired. Arrange the chicken or fish on the salad. Serve, making sure to scoop up all the yummy ingredients for each person.
South Asian Salad Dressing
1/4 Cup Georgia Olive Oil (or other olive oil, canola or grape seed oil
2 TBs Rice Vinegar
Zest and Juice of 2 Large Limes
1 Tsp Garam Masala
¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 ½ TB Honey
Sea Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
Whisk the ingredients together, and taste for salt and pepper.
*Garam Masala Rubbed Chicken or Fish
Garam Masala is a spice blend from India with fragarant spices like cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, cardamom and black pepper. You can find garam masala in any grocery store. My favorite brand, though, is Modern Day Masala. Here’s a link to the website where you can find it! Modern Day Masala
Fresh Berry Parfait
Here’s a dessert to celebrate the season using fresh berries – and no additional sugar. Naturally sweet fruit needs no help, it shines all on its own!
½ Cup Chopped Walnuts and Almonds
1 Cup Regular Oatmeal OR Grapenuts OR a combination of both
2 Cups Nonfat Greek Yogurt
1 Cup Chopped Strawberries and/or Cherries
1 Cup Blueberries
1 Cup Blackberries or Raspberries
1 Orange
Fresh Mint for Garnish
Step One
Spread the walnuts and oatmeal out on a sheet pan. Bake in a 400F oven for about 6 – 8 minutes, or until the mixture is golden and toasty. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Step Two
Place the fruit in a bowl. With a fork, lightly press the berries together to allow the juices to combine. Zest the Orange and Squeeze ½ of it into your berries.
Step Three
In a narrow parfait glass, layer the yogurt, then the berries and finally the oatmeal topping. Repeat and end with the topping, garnishing with a fresh berry and a sprig of mint.