Cauliflower Tabbouleh

The first time I saw Tabbouleh, it was a magical moment. Instantly, my eyes were draw to its vibrant colors and distinct aroma. My stomach told me, "Must consume that, now!" I did, and it was good. Oh, so good.

Of course, my digestive system disliked this wheat-infested dish, and I suffered much pain afterward, but it was all worth it (well, maybe that's going too far). But truly, Tabbouleh is a delicious concoction of ingredients that make it crisp, clean, and refreshing.

And now I can have it whenever I want, because I discovered that Tabbouleh can be made with cauliflower! Yes, it's true. Hoorah! Although it is not "traditional" per se, it still tastes of all things great in traditional Tabbouleh.

You may ask yourself, is this Lebanese dish spelled as "Tabbouleh, Tabouleh, or Tabouli"? Many may argue which is most correct, however I love what someone (named Sebaali) said about that: "What's important is the recipe, not the spelling."

Cauliflower Tabbouleh [grain-free, dairy-free]

Salad

1 medium to large head cauliflower, processed in the food processor (see below)

5 green onions, thinly sliced

4 to 5 tomatoes, chopped

1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 small bunch fresh parsley leaves, chopped

1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

Dressing

2 to 3 lemons, squeezed

--zest of those lemons (optional)

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

ground cumin (to taste)

Directions

Cut off the stems of the cauliflower, cut into chunks, and place in the food processor. Process the cauliflower for 10-20 seconds, or until it resembles pieces about the size of bulgur wheat grains. Place processed cauliflower in a large bowl. Add in the green onions, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, and mint. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk all the dressing ingredients together. Pour over the salad and stir. Allow Tabbouleh to sit and marinate for at least 10 minutes, so that the flavors meld together.

Cinco de Mayo--Salsa

For as long as I can remember, I always thought that salsa was meant to be chunky. I was happy buying the classic Pace salsa: jarred, chunky, and as unauthentic as you can get. But recently, I discovered that true Mexican salsa is more blended. I like to compare American salsa and Mexican salsa with peanut butter. Americanized salsa is like chunky peanut butter and Mexican salsa is like smooth peanut butter. Both consist of the same ingredients, but are prepared in different ways. The first experience I had with real salsa was in Oregon, when a friend made Tomatillo salsa. I was hooked at first bite. It was spicy yet sweet, and smooth yet not overly blended. 

And what is salsa without tortilla chips? My favorite brand is Santitas. (Plus they are usually the cheapest of all the brands--thank you grocery stores!) 

However, I must share with you my recent discovery and infatuation with homemade baked tortilla chips. Baked, spicy, crunchy--gah, so good! Okay, enough with my ranting and on with the recipes!

Authentic Salsa
Yield: About 6 cups (AKA a ginormous batch)

• 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (peeled) with juice
• 2 10-ounce cans Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies)
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 jalepeño, quartered and sliced thin
• ½ cup cilantro
• Juice from ½ a fresh lime 
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until you get desired consistency. Refrigerate for at least one hour, and then serve with your favorite tortilla chips.
2. Note: This makes a large quantity, so you may have to work in batches.
3. Another note: If you prefer a milder salsa, remove the seeds from the jalapeno.

Pico de Gallo (salsa, but not really)

• 2 cups tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• cumin to taste
• salt and pepper to taste 

1. Mix everything in a bowl. Yep, that's it.

Tomatillo Salsa

• 5 large tomatillos, about 2.5 pounds
• 2 medium Vidalia onions, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 jalapeno or habanero pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons cilantro leaves
• 1 avocado

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place tomatillos, onions, garlic cloves, and jalapeno (or habanero) into a small roasting pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 375°F for 1 hour, until the vegetables have released their juices and the tomatillos are slightly browned. Place cilantro into a food processor and pour in cooked tomatillo mixture. Puree the mixture, adjust seasonings if necessary. Add in the avocado and puree a bit more. 
3. Note: You can either roast your veggies or puree them raw.

Baked Tortilla Chips

• corn or flour tortillas
• spices: salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, basil, chili powder, cayenne pepper, etc.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Lay the tortillas on a cutting board. Stack in a pile. Slice tortillas with a knife, cutting into 4-8 equal triangles (cut like you would a round pizza).
3. Arrange tortilla triangles in a single layer on baking sheets. Lightly spray with vegetable or olive oil (optional). Sprinkle with spices. Bake for about 6-7 minutes until crisp and the edges start to curl and turn slightly brown. Watch chips carefully after 5 minutes because they can burn easily. 
4. Once chips are done, removed from the oven to cool. They will continue to crisp as they cool.

 Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Since Cinco de Mayo is just a day away, I thought that I would share this with you. If you are wondering, this is the t-shirt that I will be wearing on May 5, 2011. Yes, there are 5 jars of Mayo on my t-shirt. Isn't it fantastic? Haha :)  Also, Cinco de Mayo is the same day as my best friend's birthday. So Happy Birthday Carl. Think of me when you eat salsa (and Mayo).

P is for Pasta

 

Many different cultures eat some sort of noodle-like food, varying from Greek itrion made up of flour and water to Israeli itrium, a kind of boiled dough.  But pasta is believed to have originated from China.  In China, noodles of wheat, millet or rice have been eaten for thousands of years.  However, we cannot deny the Italian claim to fame of inventing the pasta dish.  Italian pasta is made from durum wheat and water, formed into various shapes, and boiled in water.  

Pasta is often eaten hot with a tomato-based sauce, but not today.  Nope.  Today it is cold with a vinegar-based sauce.  I must admit that I HATE pasta salads.  Actually, I despise them.  They are called Macaroni Salads.  Do you know which ones I am talking about?  The pasta salads that are full of macaroni, mayonnaise, mustard, and celery.  The pasta salads that make you think of that hot summer day at the local social picnic, where the salad has been sitting out for hours and and the flies are a buzz around it.  Yes, those pasta salads.  Yuck.  Bleh.  Ick.  BUT this pasta salad is different.  It is fresh.  It is flavor-packed.  It is delicious.  Full of penne, spinach, olives, tomatoes, green onions, feta, and vinaigrette, this pasta salad will being a smile to your face :)

Italian Pasta Salad

• 1 pound penne pasta
• 2 cups black olives, drained and chopped
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup marinated banana peppers, chopped
• 2 handfuls of spinach, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente.  Drain and cool under cold water.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the envelope of dressing mix, herbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, olives, tomatoes, green onions, and peppers.  Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture.  Stir in the spinach.  Gently fold in the feta cheese.
4. Cover and refridgerate for at least one hour.
5. Serve cold.

*Feel free to add in any of your favorite dressing mixes.  Some options include: sun-dried tomato vinaigrette, raspberry vinaigrette, or Caesar dressing.

Yummo.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

 

 Pizza. There's just something about it that is so magical. The crispy yet soft crust, the melted stringy cheese, the sweet warm tomatoes. That first bite. The way the oozing sauce and cheese dribbles onto your chin. The sweet and savory flavors blending so perfectly in your mouth. It's all so enticing.

Okay, so I decided to refrigerate my dough for 24 hours before rising and baking. YES, 24 hours! Apparently it makes your pizza crust easier to work with, and gives it have a better texture and flavor. After trying it out, I concur with all of the above. It makes your pizza go from good to AMAZING. I will refrigerate my pizza dough from now on--and hey, maybe I will try it with other breads too.

This dough was incredibly pliable and absolutely perfect. I am telling you, refrigerating it is key.

I have a confession...I used to work at Papa Murphy's Pizza. You heard that right. Me (Sarah) was once an employee of the classic take'n'bake pizza franchise. I do not have many fond memories, but I did get to experiment with the dough and all the wonderful toppings. My favorite thing to do was to make the stuffed Chicago pizza with a braided crust. So here it is, the braided crust.

Creamy garlic Alfredo sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and grilled chicken. Oh yes.

The final product. Now that some lovin' in the oven.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon pure olive oil
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Olive oil, for the pizza crust
• Flour, for dusting

Toppings:

• 1 cup Alfredo sauce, jazzed up with some garlic and basil
• 1/2 teaspoon herbs, oregano, basil, thyme
• A combination of 3 grated cheeses such as mozzarella, Parmesan, Monterrey Jack, provolone
• Spinach, green onions, tomatoes, grilled chicken (all chopped, of course)

1. Mix the sugar, olive oil, water, and yeast a bowl. Let this sit for about 5 minutes. Then stir in 1 cup of flour and salt. Add remaining cup of flour into a standing mixer's work bowl. Using the paddle attachment, start the mixer on low and mix until the dough just comes together, forming a ball. Lube the hook attachment with cooking spray. Attach the hook to the mixer and knead for 15 minutes on medium speed. (Or you can do this by hand. Yay.)
2. Roll the pizza dough into a smooth ball on the countertop. Place into a stainless steel or glass bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the bowl and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
3. Preheat oven from 450 to 500 degrees F. Split the pizza dough into 2 equal parts using a knife. Flatten into a disk onto the countertop and then fold the dough into a ball.
4. Wet hands barely with water and rub them onto the countertop to dampen the surface. Roll the dough on the surface until it tightens. Cover one ball with a towel and rest for 30 minutes.
5. Repeat the steps with the other piece of dough. If not baking the remaining pizza immediately, spray the inside of a ziplock bag with cooking spray and place the dough ball into the bag. (This can be refrigerated for up to 6 days.)
6. Sprinkle the flour onto the countertop and roll out using a rolling pin, or toss in the air with your hands. Place the stretched dough onto a sprayed pan. (Dress and bake the pizza immediately for a crisp crust or rest the dough for another 30 minutes if you want a chewy texture.)
7. Brush the crust of the pizza with olive oil. Spread the pizza sauce evenly onto the pizza. Sprinkle the herbs onto the pizza and top with the cheese. Lay down spinach, green onions, tomatoes, and chicken. Top off with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
8. Bake for 10 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Rest for a few minutes before slicing.
9. Devour.