The Shabbat Table is the latest CJN column from noted chef and food blogger Norene Gilletz. Click here for last week’s recipes.
Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom! This week, Shavuot starts as soon as Shabbos ends, so why not prepare some scrumptious salads and sides for family and friends this Shabbat, leaving lots of room for cheesecake and blintzes (a.k.a. “little packages of love!”) You may want to check out Dawn Lerman’s diet-friendly version of her grandmother’s recipe, Beauty’s Cheese Blintzes —With a Twist, from her recently published memoir, My Fat Dad.
The following versatile salads and side dishes are completely pareve, so they can be used for either dairy or meat meals. They’re ideal if there are vegetarians or vegans at your Shabbat table and make great additions to a Shavuot menu. As an added bonus, they can be prepared in advance and are delicious served chilled or at room temperature – no heating required. Who could ask for anything more – except second helpings!
Try my friend Gloria Kobrin’s Green Salad with Pomegranate Arils and Candied Pecans from her wonderful blog, Kosher by Gloria. Gloria writes: “Sometimes all you need is a light green salad to round out your meal. This salad is the perfect combination of slightly bitter and sweet – soft and crunchy. The arils add colour and brightness while the candied pecans add crunchy sweetness. A very light lemon vinaigrette, or just a drizzling of olive oil and a squirt of lemon juice, brings it all together.”
I also hope that you’ll be inspired to try the following family favourites that come from my kitchen and that of my co-author, Daniella Silver. Eat in good health! Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom, and Chag Shavuot Sameach!
NORENE’S TERRIFIC TABBOULEH (Pareve, Gluten-Free Variation)
Adapted from Norene’s Healthy Kitchen by Norene Gilletz (Whitecap)
Everyone will shout “yahoo!” when they taste this terrific tabbouleh. Most recipes call for soaking the bulgar in water, but I prefer the Lebanese method which I learned from Vivianne Barzel, of Israel. She rinses the bulgar, drains it well, and then mixes it with olive oil before adding the other ingredients. This produces a vibrant-green tabbouleh that isn’t watery. Vivi chops the parsley and herbs by hand, but I use my food processor. I like to layer the ingredients, which helps the bulgar absorb the other flavors.
1/3 cup bulgar (cracked wheat)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
4 plum (Italian) tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic (about 1 tsp minced)
2 cups tightly packed fresh parsley (washed and well-dried)
1/2 cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves (washed and well-dried)
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped red or green onions
3 Tbsp lemon juice (preferably fresh)
1 tsp grated lemon rind
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place the bulgar in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for 1 to 2 minutes. Press down firmly to remove excess moisture. Transfer to a bowl and add the olive oil and salt; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours (or even overnight).
2. Top the bulgar with a layer of chopped tomatoes. Mince the garlic, parsley, mint, cilantro, and onion. (This takes 10 to 12 seconds in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.) Spread the minced herbs and onions on top of the tomato layer. Add the lemon juice, rind, and pepper but don’t mix.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours to allow the flavours to blend. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. This tastes even better the next day!
Yield: About 4 cups (8 servings). Recipe doubles and triples easily. Keeps up to 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.
CONFETTI TABBOULEH: For a more colourful salad, add any of the following: 1/2 cup chopped English cucumber, 1/2 cup chopped red pepper, 1/2 to 1 cup corn kernels, or baby green peas. Basil can be used instead of cilantro. Add an extra drizzle of lemon juice and olive oil.
COUSCOUS TABBOULEH: Omit bulgar. Combine 1/3 cup couscous with 2/3 cup boiling water. Cover and let stand 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Transfer to a bowl and add the olive oil and salt; mix well. Continue as directed in Step 2.
BARLEY TABBOULEH: Omit bulgar and add 1 cup cooked barley.
QUINOA TABBOULEH (Gluten-Free): Substitute 1 cup cooked quinoa for the bulgar. Perfect for Passover.
BEV’S COLOURFUL COUSCOUS SALAD (Pareve, Gluten-Free Variation)
Adapted from The New Food Processor Bible by Norene Gilletz (Whitecap)
This nutritious, delicious salad from my friend Bev Binder of Winnipeg is an excellent vegetarian dish for a buffet and can be made in advance. Although the ingredient list is long, this grain-based salad comes together quickly with the help of your food processor.
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium or regular)
1 cup couscous
1 can (19 oz/540 ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh parsley
3/4-1 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1 small red onion, cut in chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut in chunks
1 medium zucchini, cut in chunks
Dressing/Garnish
2 cloves garlic
1 slice fresh ginger (1 Tbsp minced) (optional)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp curry powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds, for garnish
1. Combine broth with couscous in a large bowl. Cover and let stand 5-10 minutes, then stir with a fork. Add chickpeas.
2. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process parsley until minced, about 10 seconds. Add apricots, prunes, cranberries, and raisins and process with quick on/off pulses, until coarsely chopped. Add to couscous.
3. Process onion, bell pepper, and zucchini with quick on/off pulses, until coarsely chopped. Add to couscous mixture.
4. Dressing: Drop garlic and ginger (if using) through feed tube while machine is running and process until minced. Add remaining ingredients except almonds; process until blended.
5. Pour dressing over couscous mixture and mix well. Adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish with toasted almonds at serving time.
Yield: 12 servings. Leftovers keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Variations
- Add other dried fruits such as dates, figs, dried cherries, etc. Toasted sesame or sunflower seeds also make a nice garnish.
- Gluten-Free Variation: Substitute 1 1/2 cups quinoa for couscous. Place in a fine strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Cook in 3 cups vegetable broth for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Cool completely. (Optional: Omit chickpeas, cumin, and curry powder.) Combine quinoa with remaining ingredients and mix well.
DANIELLA’S BLACK RICE WITH MANGO, POMEGRANATE & AVOCADO (Pareve, Gluten-Free)
Adapted from The Silver Platter: Simple to Spectacular by Daniella Silver and Norene Gilletz (Artscroll)
Dark, unique, and unexpected, this fabulous dish will wow the guests at your next dinner party. The bright, tropical colours of the fruit contrast beautifully with the black rice, making a stunning presentation.
3 cups lightly salted water
1 1/2 cups black rice, rinsed and drained
2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 ripe Hass avocado
Dressing
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pomegranate or orange juice
2 Tbsp honey or agave
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add rice; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes. The rice should be tender but slightly chewy. Remove from heat, let stand, covered, for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl; let cool.
2. Add mangoes, pomegranate seeds, scallions, and basil to the serving bowl.
3. Dressing: Combine ingredients for dressing in a glass jar; seal tightly and shake well.
4. Shortly before serving, peel, pit, and dice avocado. Add avocado and dressing to rice mixture; toss gently to combine. Serve at room temperature.
Yield: 6-8 servings. Do not freeze.
Norene’s Notes
- In China, black rice was called “forbidden rice,” as it was considered the finest grain and served only to the royal family.
- How to seed a pomegranate: Score around the middle of the pomegranate, but do not cut through. Twist to separate pomegranate into two halves. Invert one half in your palm over a bowl, seeds facing down. With a wooden spoon, firmly tap the skin several times to release the seeds into the bowl. Pick out and discard the white pith. Repeat with second pomegranate half. Seeds will keep fresh for 2-3 days in the fridge in a covered container.
- Instead of mangoes, substitute 2 cans (11 oz/312 g each) mandarin oranges, well drained.
DANIELLA’S SHAVED CORN & ASPARAGUS SALAD (Pareve, Gluten-Free)
Adapted from The Silver Platter: Simple to Spectacular by Daniella Silver and Norene Gilletz (Artscroll)
This fabulous salad is a staple in Daniella’s house – it looks and tastes phenomenal and is always a crowd pleaser. For a grilled, smoky flavour, place the boiled corn on the barbecue grill for a few minutes, then shave off the kernels in long strips.
8 ears corn, husked and cleaned
1 bunch asparagus (snap off and discard tough ends)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Dressing
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice (preferably fresh)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add corn and cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus; continue cooking for additional 3-5 minutes, until tender-crisp. Drain corn and asparagus; place in ice-cold water for 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
2. Shave off corn kernels with a sharp knife, leaving them attached to each other, if possible. Place into a large serving bowl.
3. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces and add to corn along with tomatoes and basil.
4. Dressing: Combine dressing ingredients in a glass jar; seal tightly and shake well.
5. Add dressing to salad. Toss gently to combine. Cover, refrigerate until shortly before serving time. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Yield: 8 servings
Norene’s Notes
- When corn on the cob is not an option, use frozen corn kernels. Cook 5-6 cups frozen corn in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain well and pat dry. Canned corn niblets are also an excellent option.
- If using fresh corn, stand it upright on its base so the corn is stable. Shave off the kernels with a sharp knife — or even a shoehorn!
Norene Gilletz is the leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada. She is the author of eleven cookbooks and divides her time between work as a food writer, food manufacturer, consultant, spokesperson, cooking instructor, lecturer, and cookbook editor.
Norene lives in Toronto, Canada and her motto is “Food that’s good for you should taste good!” For more information, visit her website or email her at [email protected].
