Jewish flavors 101

Cooking with Masha

Dear cooks!

Are you getting tired of serving the same salads at your Shabbos table every single week? Me too. No matter how delicious those salads are, our taste buds are calling for a new adventure! This is simply human nature. We need to change things from time to time. Of course, this requires a bit more time and preparation. And I know it does not always work for a busy balabusta who may prefer to do the Shabbos meal preparation on autopilot with the familiar and honed menu that never changes. Especially during short winter days. But if you have a little extra time (that does sometimes happen) and you do want to try something new, or rather a twist on old and familiar, here are some ideas.

Carrot salad

3 medium carrots, peeled

1 ½ tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chili paste

¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp hot paprika

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup walnuts, chopped finely

1 tsp maple syrup

1½ tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp chopped parsley

½ tsp salt

2 small cucumbers, sliced thin

½ fennel bulb, sliced thin on a mandoline

2 radishes, sliced thin on mandoline (can be substituted with a small piece of daikon radish)

1 tbsp chopped dill

1 tbsp lemon juice

½ tbsp olive oil

½ tsp sumac

Salt, to taste

Put all the ingredients into a bowl and toss together. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel around the core of the carrots to form ribbons into a large bowl. Discard the cores.

Heat a small pan over mediumlow. Add the olive oil, chili paste, cumin, coriander, paprika, garlic, walnuts and maple syrup. Warm through until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Immediately pour over the carrot ribbons.

Add the lemon juice, parsley and salt and toss to combine. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

½ cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced crosswise

1 bunch radishes, sliced into matchsticks or thin rounds

1 cup red cabbage, finely shredded

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

1 lemon, zested and juiced

¼ cup olive oil

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp rice vinegar (use can substitute with apple cider or white wine vinegars)

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Combine snap peas, radish, cabbage, and peas in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients to a jar with a lid. Shake to mix well. Toss salad with dressing just before serving. Enjoy!

Until next week and happy cooking!

Don’t forget to send the recipes you would like to share or any questions to cooking@jewishnorthyork.org

Masha Rodov