The weather outside is starting to get warmer, and I thought I’d share this recipe with you so you can enjoy it before it gets too hot and what you’re really craving is a cool, crisp salad instead of a hearty bowl of warmth. My brother, when he was little, used to call this ‘love soup’ and he used to make it for me whenever I was sick or feeling a bit down—he’s younger than me, but this recipe is so simple he was able to whip it up when he was 9 or 10 years old.
It’s a recipe of my Teta’s, my grandmother from my dad’s side, and it’s a very traditional Egyptian way to make red lentil soup. My Teta is a wonderful cook—some of the fondest memories I have of my childhood are of meals with her. When I was in preschool, she used to pick me up at the end of the day (both my parents worked) and she used to prepare me feasts, ones that we would share in the simplest but most memorable of settings. One of my favorite things that we would eat together was a ringa—a smoked haddock—that she would serve simply with some lemon wedges, sliced onions, and grainy flatbread. She would lay out old newspaper on the floor by the balcony doors in her study, and we would share this meal together. Even at that young age, eating smelly fish and onions was awesome because it was such a special treat that I got to share with my Teta.
Now, my Teta is one cool lady—she has old-fashioned movie star looks, and is super-glamorous. She wears bright scarves and accessories and clothes that she designs herself. When I was little and could barely see the tops of the kitchen counters, she had the patience to teach me, along with my mother, how to cook, and the importance of sitting down and sharing a meal with family and friends, and even strangers. So this little recipe here is a tribute to her—I’ve adapted it ever so slightly, but it’s still pretty true to the original.
I hope you love it as much as I do.
WARNING: pointless post ahead. Read if bored at work and/or have time to spare.
I’m a total sucker for romance, and mush, and anything sappy. I love all things pink, heart-shaped, and glittery. If they’re retro-inspired or vintage too, then I’m sold.
But I’m not a huge fan of Hallmark holidays, and Valentine’s Day seems to be one of them. Having said that though, there’s nothing that says I love you like a giant box of chocolates from your man. Actually, I can think of another giant something from your man that could do and say a lot more than I love you * (teeheehee wink wink).
So when R. and I were at the candy store the other day (and we do seem to be finding ourselves there often) I could not—COULD NOT—resist this tin of Hershey’s kisses. Now, a few things I should mention before I continue with this post:
- Hershey’s (or anybody else) did not send me this chocolate tin for free. I paid for it myself.
- Hershey’s (or anybody else) did not pay me to write this.
Okay, so I fell in love with this tin. It’s pink, it has flowers, and it’s retro-inspired. I just had to have it. So I bought it, and I’m so thrilled I did; it’s gorgeous!
If any of you know of any other retro-inspired chocolate tins around, please let me know! Send me an e-mail or post a comment below.
Kisses to everyone!
xo
-S.
*Of course I mean a giant diamond. Why? What did you think I meant?
We’re back!
I can’t believe it’s been a month since our last post. I know we promised we’d be around more, but a lot happened in the last four weeks that made it difficult to post something. Things that happened:
- The water heater broke and flooded the kitchen (fun!)
- I had to close on a major project at work, which involved me practically living at the office
- One of our cats passed away. This was very upsetting for us. I’ve never had a pet die before, and I wasn’t in the mood for anything the week it happened.
- R.’s brother is traveling and going off on a new adventure, and we’ve been trying to spend as much time as possible with him before he leaves (tonight!) Family is so important to us both, so we’ll miss him a lot. But we’re so unbelievably excited for him—we wish we could go too!
So those are our excuses. I realize that that’s just what they are—excuses—but life gets in the way of blogging sometimes and you know what? It’s not the end of the world. But we’ve missed you, and we’ve missed posting. A LOT.
So here’s what this post is actually about: the easiest lunchy/brunchy thing you could possibly ever make. And I think I’ve mentioned before how much I love purslane. For those of you who’ve never tried it before, it’s a small, waxy, leafy green that kind of looks like lamb’s lettuce but isn’t. It’s got a really nice, grassy taste to it and holds its shape beautifully on a plate.
The highlight of this dish really is the purslane. I think purslane goes really well with fish because even though it’s got the same type of fattiness to it, it tastes to clean and fresh, and the texture is so unbelievably crisp that it complements fish so well. This particular salad is perfect for pairing with smoked fish dishes.
For the sandwich I used smoked trout, fresh baguette, and artisanal cream cheese. I also squeezed some lemon onto the trout to cut through the oiliness of it and add a bit of zing.
The dressing for the salad may not seem like it’s enough, but the idea is to lightly coat the purslane leaves, not drown them. The capers might seem strange, but they add little pop! of flavor when you eat them.
Here’s the recipe for the salad—I hope you like it!
I love beetroot. I have made many a beetroot salad in my time. Which probably isn’t saying much, mainly because I’m not that old, but whatever. I usually tend to cook the beets first, but I was really hungry when I made this and just didn’t want to wait. And you know how they say necessity is the mother of invention? Yeah, well, here it is. All I had was beets, and I was in a hurry. So not too many options there.
This salad is ridiculously easy to make, and is really healthy too. It takes about five minutes to put together, which is a total bonus. Plus ,it’s winter and it’s cold, and you’re probably sick of eating your typical winter root vegetables roasted or boiled. Beets have that wonderful earthiness to them, and putting them in a salad like this makes them feel lighter and makes it feel like summertime. Almost.
I usually make a very similar salad but with cooked beetroots, and parsley instead of dill. I substituted the herbs because that’s what I had on hand and I thought it would work well.
I like to eat this version with fresh baguette. Mopping up the sloppy purple juices that are left on the plate is my favorite part…mmmmm…
You could also serve this as a bruschetta with some crème fraiche on top, or as a side salad with some meat and potatoes.
Dig in!
I don’t know if this is a common problem, but have you ever noticed packets of smoked salmon often go unopened despite your best intentions? I find this happens to me a lot, and there’s only so many oat cakes and blinis one can stomach before it all gets a bit passé. Well here’s another option: smoked salmon pasta. I first tried this out when cooking for S. and her dad while he was visiting and it worked out pretty well. Guys, this is a really easy one to impress the ladies as the salmon gives it an air of refinement, and it’s sophisticated enough that they’ll think you’ve been slaving over a hot stove for a while. But—if you plan it properly the cooking time is only about ten minutes. The key to this dish is using really fresh lemons and dill, and good quality pasta.
Dig in!
