Black Bean and Corn Salad

It's been a hot summer.  The past few shabbats have been getting close to 100 degrees.  This does not make for happy campers in my house. We just want to zone out in front of the air conditioning vent and ignore the world.

Instead, I have things I have to do. I have kids I have to parent. I have guests I have to entertain. I do love both of those tasks. It's just the stove/oven/blech thing that I despise on hot shabbats.

I have been making a lot of salads lately. Trying to get away with just a crockpot on for shabbat lunch. Seems to be working.  Make a bunch of assorted salads to go with my daughter's beloved cholent. Everyone is happy.

One of the well-loved salads is a black bean and corn salad. Protein+crunch+veggies. You can't go wrong!

Black Bean and Corn Salad
Ingredients:
1 can black beans
1 can or white whole kernel corn or 2 cups frozen corn or about 3-4 ears of corn steamed and cooled down
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
handful of cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt
pepper
dash of cumin

This is the easiest recipe I might ever have on my blog.

Chop everything up and mix it all together. You've got a fantastic side dish! Enjoy!

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California Rolls - Sushi

I have never understood the gefilte - fish that is. It's a mish mash of all sorts of fish, and then it's boiled. It's not that appealing. There isn't much flavor going for it. Yet it's so popular. I like serving fish on shabbat - especially when I have company over. I want to serve something that I enjoy eating as well. Salmon is a nice treat, but it's too much of a main course dish to serve as an appetizer. I recently decided to carry on my dad's tradition of shabbat sushi.


One weekend last summer, I asked him for some shabbat sushi guidance. He suggested I cook the rice on Friday, right before shabbat, season it, and then keep it covered until you are ready to use it. Keeping it room temperature in the pot, keeps the rice ready to go. It worked out well. Everyone loves sushi and thinks I worked my tushy off to make it. It really is super easy.


To make the rice:
Ingredients:
2 cups sushi rice
2 cups water
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. salt

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. I like to use a strainer to do this.

Put the rice in pot (only wimps use rice cookers). Cover the rice with the water. Turn the heat on high.

When the water starts to boil, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot. Cook for about 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Keep the pot covered. No peeking. Let it sit for another 10 minutes.

While the rice is cooking and cooling.  Mix up the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat it. Do not let it boil. Stir it up. Let the sugar dissolve.

Mix the vinegar mixture into the rice mixture with rice paddle. Let the rice cool down.  I like to keep my seasoned rice covered.

For the California Rolls
Ingredients:
Nori
Cooked and seasoned sushi rice
Surimi (fake crab sticks)
Seedless Cucumber - julienned
Avocado - sliced thin, lengthwise (sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent browning)
sriracha (I like my sushi spicy)
black toasted sesame seeds


Cover your sushi rolling mat with plastic wrap. 

Cut your nori sheets in half.

Lay your sheet of nori on the mat.

Take a handful of rice and spread it out on to the nori. Sprinkle it with the sesame seeds and flip over.

Place a bit of the veggies and surimi in the middle of the sheet. Squirt a bit of sriracha on it if you like it with a little heat.

Hold on to the edge of the sushi mat (the edge near you). Start rolling, keeping the filling in place with your fingers. Roll and Shape with the mat. Set aside that sushi roll and make more rolls.

Slice the rolls up with a very sharp knife.  Enjoy your sushi with wasabi and soy sauce.  Enjoy!

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Pasta with Smoked Salmon in a Light Cream Sauce

Does one have to like lox to be Jewish? I like sable. Isn't that enough? When I was a kid, I was a picky eater as far as my family goes. My parents cooked for a pretty varied palate. My palate has thankfully expanded, but I still don't like lox. The smell, the texture, and the taste all bother me. When J wants a agel with lox - he knows enough to eat it at the bagel store or while I am at the gym. Both of my kids like it enough. J loves it. When I head back to the midwest for a family visit - I have to bring back smelly packages to my parents. You can't get the good east coast stuff in Minnesota. It's a rough life, you know?


J went and picked up a small package of smoked salmon at TJ's one Sunday morning. It was most definitely intended to be a special breakfast treat for him. Instead, I decided to play with it. Turn it in to some semblance of dinner. Can't remember the restaurant, but J used to love this one place that served the pasta with a cream sauce and smoked salmon. I decided to surprise him with a nice dinner treat.


Pasta with Smoked Salmon in a Light Cream Sauce
Ingredients:


1/2 a box of thin spaghetti
butter
olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
handful of cremini mushrooms, chopped
zest from half of a lemon
salt
pepper, freshly ground
juice from half of a lemon

1/4 cup half and half

4 oz. smoked salmon, chopped
parmesean cheese
frozen peas  - a handful or two
2 tbsp. dill, chopped



Instructions:
Cook the pasta until al dente. Do not overcook.  Set it aside.

In a large pan, heat up some olive oil and butter.  Toss in the onions and garlic. Cook it a bit. 

Add the mushrooms. Saute a few minutes.  Now add the cream and the lemon zest and juice. Add some salt and pepper. I would also recommend some red pepper flakes at this points.

Throw in the dill and the peas.  When you are almost ready to serve, toss in the chopped smoked salmon. You don't want to over cook that. Now toss in the pasta.  Mix it up a bit. Shred in some parmesean cheese.  Dinner is ready! Enjoy!

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