Lighten Up

I think we're all in need of a break from the holiday gluttony. Before the parties begin, before the cocktails and cookies lead you to a New Year's resolution that beats last year's by 5 pounds, what do you say me and you take a little breather?

Freshen up with this light, crunchy salad. The whole batch probably has less calories than a glass of eggnog.
I'm just saying.

Beet & Apple Salad
(yield: 6-8 servings)


1/2 cup canola oil
6 shallots (about 1/2 cup), sliced into thin rounds
1 large beet (about 1lb), peeled & julienned*       
1 large grannysmith apple, julienned
1 1/2 oz red onion, thinly sliced
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt & pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat, about 2-3 minutes. Once oil is hot, drop the sliced shallots into the pan. Cook 8-10 minutes, until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove the shallots from the oil, place on a paper towel, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Strain the cooking oil into a bowl, and let cool. Reserve.

Combine julienned beets, apples, and onions in a large bowl. Dress with reserved shallot oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine, top with fried shallots, and serve.

* The grater attachment of a food processor produces perfect beet and apple matchsticks. If you don't have the attachment, you can use a hand held mandolin to form thin slices. Stack the slices, and then just cut into 1/4-inch matchsticks.

Project Turkey: Day 1

Every year, when Thanksgiving comes a knockin' I get the urge to ditch the whole roasted bird and do something different. And every year, tradition gets the best of me, and I chicken (or turkey) out.

This year, however, I vow to funk it up. Being that I haven't gone entirely mad yet, the turkey will still make its grand appearance at the table, but in a different fashion, if you will. For this reason, I have already purchased an experimantal bird that I will...experiment with, until I find the perfect turkey recipe for turkey day. Mwahahahahaha!!!!

We start with a recipe that makes use of my favorite meat on the bird, and what, in my opinion, the whole turkey should be made of - the dark meat.

Barbecued Pulled Turkey with Holiday Cole Slaw
(yield: 6-8 servings)

2 tbsp canola oil
4 turkey leg quarters
1 large Spanish onion, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
3 cups turkey stock (or chicken stock)
2 dried bay leafs
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt





Heat the oil in a large, deep pan. Brown the turkey, about 5 minutes per side. Stir in the onions, garlic, and saute 1-2 minutes. Add turkey stock, bay leafs, peppercorns, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, and simmer, covered, for 3 hours. Remove everything from pan except about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Once turkey is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones, and add back to pan, along with barbecue sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt. Bring to a simmer, and cook over low heat for 40 minutes. Serve on crusty bread with Holiday Coleslaw.

Holiday Coleslaw
(yield: 8 servings)

2 lbs cabbage (1 learge head), shredded
2 large carrots (4 cups), grated
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp spicy brown mustard
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tbsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp pepper

Place the cabbage and carrots into a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and sugar. Using your hands, squeeze well to distribute the salt and sugar until the cabbage begins to release its juices. Place into a colander set over a bowl, and top with a heavy weight (you can use some heavy bowls). Let stand 3 hours.

Mix the remaining ingredients into drained slaw. Serve right away, or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Shrimp Antipasto Salad

DHA was on the brain this morning, as I realized that I hadn't eaten seafood in weeks. In the mood for a satisfying light lunch, I whipped up a beautiful salad of shrimp, garbanzo beans, roasted red peppers, and a couple of other flavorful helpers. The colors on my plate reassured me that I was doing something right; it did taste right afterall :)

Shrimp Antipasto Salad
(yield: 2-3 servings)

1 tsp whole peppercorns
1 bayleaf
1 lemon, sliced
1 lb shrimp, skin on
1/2 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
1 large roasted red pepper, julienned
1 plum tomato, medium dice
1 cucumber, medium dice
1/4 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Poach the shrimp: Fill a deep saute pan 3/4 of the way up with water. Add the peppercorns, bayleaf, and lemon slices. Bring to a simmer. Season heavily with salt. Reduce heat to low, and add the shrimp. Simmer until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from poaching liquid. Once cool enough to handle, peel the shrimp.

In a large bowl, combine peeled shrimp with garbanzo beans, roasted pepper, tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, and romaine lettuce.

Make the vinaigrette: Whisk the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt together in a small bowl. Continue to whisk as you slowly stream in the extra virgin olive oil. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss to coat.

You can serve this salad right away, or let the flavors mingle in the fridge for a couple of hours. Your call. Enjoy!

The Edgier Side of Tofu

I'm tired of feeling like a health nut every time I eat tofu. Yeah it's healthy, but it's a whole lot of other things too...like good. 

Eat this --->

Grilled Tofu Salad with Pickled Carrots & Savoy Cabbage

            

(yield: 4 servings)

1 package firm tofu

1/4 cup Teriyaki Marinade

5 tbsp carrot pickling liquid (recipe follows)

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1 small head savoy cabbage (3 cups), shredded
1 oz red onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups Pickled Carrots (recipe follows)

canola oil, as needed
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Remove the block of tofu from the package, and slice length-wise into 1-inch thick strips. Keeping the block intact, place back into package and pour Teriyaki Marinade over. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a large bowl, whisk together pickling liquid, sugar and salt. Add cabbage, onion, and pickled carrots to the bowl and toss to combine.

Brush a grill pan with oil and place over medium-high heat. Retrieve the tofu from the marinade, and dab off excess liquid. Once pan is hot, grill the tofu about 2 minutes per side, turning 90 degrees at the halfway point to achieve cross-hatch marks. Top salad with grilled tofu, and sprinkle with peanuts.

Pickled Carrots

3 cups hot water

3 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp salt

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1 large carrot, peeled into thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler

Place the water, sugar and salt into a glass mason jar, and stir until everything is dissolved. Stir in rice vinegar, and add carrots, making sure that they are all submerged in the liquid. Close jar with airtight lid and refrigerate for at least 2 days (the longer it sits the better). These keep for up to  month in the refrigerator.

Do It Like a Chef

On the evening of "End of the World Day", I hosted a cooking class at my house.
My students cooked their butts off, creating a meal that anyone would gladly eat as their last.                      
           
Thankfully, it wasn't over, and in the end everyone was reminded to savor life, one bite at a time.

The first course that we made reminded me of the silly beauty of life, and how simple yet incredibly complicated it all is.

Here is my metaphor of a starter - Watermelon Carpaccio with Feta Cheese, Mint & Frisee.   

8 oz block feta cheese
8 oz block seedless watermelon

2 oz pistachios, chopped

1 oz shallot, finely chopped 

1/4 cup mint leaves 

1/4 cup olive oil 

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 cup canola oil 

3 cups frisee

4 quail eggs, pan fried

Slice feta and watermelon into thin rectangular slices (same size), about 3-inches long, and lay them out on a plate in an overlapping fashion. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with pistachios and shallots, and set aside.                       

Make Mint Oil: Blanch mint in boiling water for 1 minute, until leaves turn bright green. Remove mint from water and immediately submerge into a bowl of ice water. Drain, squeezing out most of the water, and place into a blender along with olive oil. Blend for about a minute. Strain, and drizzle oil over plated watermelon and feta.

Make Vinaigrette for frisee: In a small bowl, whisk together honey, vinegar, and mustard. Continue to whisk while slowly pouring in the canola oil. Season with salt and pepper, and toss with frisee.

Top watermelon carpaccio with dressed frisee and quail eggs, and don't ever forget to enjoy the simple, extravagent things in life.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Seder Success

I tackled my first seder dinner yesterday, and I'm happy to report that I'm still alive.

Yes, I did kind of stray from the original menu that I posted last week, but the food was great and most importantly, the fam was fed. Though my family was ravenous, and would have probably been content eating cardboard by the time we got through all the rituals and explanations of Passover, they did seem to enjoy the food very much.

So, with no further adeau, I'm really proud to present to you Mama Chef's final Passover Seder Menu...

- Matzo Ball Soup

- Baby Spinach Salad with Roasted Beets, Oranges, Walnuts,  

   & Red Wine Vinaigrette

- Garlic & Walnut Eggplant

- Crispy Flounder Cakes with Avocado Horseradish Cream

- Braised Chicken with Dried Apricots & Moroccan Spices               - Apple Matzo Upside-down Cakes

Matzo Ball Soup
(yield: approximately 10 servings) 

carcass of a medium (6 lb) chicken, insides & meat removed

 3 ¾ quarts (15 cups) cold water

1 large yellow onion, peeled & cut in half (keeping root end intact)

3 medium carrots, each peeled & cut into 2-inch pieces

2 medium stalks celery, each cut into 2-inch pieces

3 ounces celery root, peeled and halved

1 ½ oz parsley stems

2 bay leaves

5 black peppercorns

salt, to taste

1 pkg matzah ball mix

3 tbsp dill (optional)

Prepare the chicken: Remove the innards and skin from the entire chicken, and rinse it inside and out under cold running water. Remove the meat (thighs, drumsticks, breast, and wings) from the chicken, and reserve for Braised Chicken with Dried Apricots & Moroccan Spices (or any other chicken dish you may want to make). 

Place the chicken carcass into a large stockpot. Cover with cold water. Place the onion, carrots, celery, and celery root into the pot.

Wrap the parsley stems, bay leaves and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth. Secure the cheesecloth tightly with kitchen twine, and add to the pot. Bring to a boil, and skim off any foam that floats to the top. Season with salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 45 minutes, skimming every 15 minutes. Strain the bouillon, reserving the carrots and celery. Discard the onion pieces, celery root and cheese cloth. Adjust seasoning with more salt if necessary.

While the soup simmers, you can make the matzo balls. Just follow the package instructions, carefully.

Okay, you want to hear my opinion on using packaged matzo ball mixes? I say, why the heck not. Granted, you choose the right brand of course. I've tried my fair share of mixes, and they are not all created equal. Streits is currently my favorite brand, because their matzo balls come out light and fluffy, and don't take away from the flavor of your delicious broth, which you must prepare from scratch. 

Assemble the soup: Ladle the broth into bowls, along with carrots, celery, and matzo balls (about 3 balls per serving is appropriate in my opinion). Garnish with dill.

Spinach Salad with Roasted Beets, Oranges, & Walnuts

(yield: 4-5 servings)

2 tsp red wine (or grape juice)
1 tsp orange juice
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2 oz olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste
3-4 small red beets
4 cups Baby Spinach
1 medium orange, cut into segments (reserve the unused portions for the vinaigrette)
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted









 Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse and dry the beets (making sure to cut off the beet greens). Place onto a large piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil or vegetable oil, and fold the foil over the beets, sealing to form a pouch. Roast for up to an hour, checking for doneness with a knife after 45 minutes. The knife should ease right through the beets when they are done. Once done, let the beets cool slightly. Using a paper towl or kitchen towel, rub the skins off (they should come off easily). Dice into 1/2-inch rounds or half moons (depending on the size of the beets), and set aside.

Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together the red wine, orange juice, and red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Continue to whisk as you drizzle in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss the baby spinach with prepared vinaigrette (reserving 2 tbsp of the vinaigrette) and place onto a large serving platter. Arrange the roasted beets, orange segments, and walnuts over the greens, and drizzle with remaining 2 tbsp of vinaigrette.

Garlic & Walnut Eggplant

(yield: 4 servings)

1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
kosher salt, as needed
olive oil, as needed

1/3 cup walnut oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted & finely chopped
salt & pepper, as needed

Arrange the eggplant slices on a large plate or baking pan, and sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Let sit 20 minutes. Rinse eggplant, and pat dry.
Coat the bottom of a large saute pan with olive oil and heat over a medium flame. Once the oil is hot, add the eggplant slices, and fry until tender and golden, about 4-5 minutes per side. You may have to work in batches, so as not to overcrowd the pan. Remove eggplant from the pan, and arrange in overlapping layers on a plate.

Drain away excess oil in the pan, and wipe the surface with a paper towel. Pour walnut oil into the pan and warm over low heat. Add garlic and parsley. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Pour warm oil over eggplant, and sprinkle with walnuts. You can definitely eat this dish immediately, but it is best to let it sit for at least an hour.

Crispy Flounder Cakes with Avocado Horseradish Cream

(yield: 8-10 cakes)

water, as needed

1 lemon, sliced

2 bay leafs

1 tsp whole peppercorns

2 lbs filet of flounder

2 eggs

1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard

1 scallion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup matzo meal

vegetable oil, as needed

Avocado Horseradish Cream

1 avocado

1 1/2 tbsp prepared horseradish

juice of 1 lemon                           1 1/2 tsp salt

Poach the fish: Fill a saute pan 1/4 of the way up with water. Add lemon slices, bay leaf, and peppercorns and bring to a simmer. Add flounder filets to the pan in a single layer (if it gets too crowded, use a second pan). Simmer gently until fish is cooked through and opaque, about 20 minutes. Remove from poaching liquid and let cool.

Flake the cooled fish into a large bowl. Add 1 egg, dijon mustard, scallion, garlic, parley, oregano, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of the matzah meal. Gently mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Form mixture into 8-10 patties (depending on how big you want them).

In a wide, shallow bowl, beat the remaining egg with 1 tbsp of water (this is the egg wash). Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of matzah meal into another wide, shallow bowl.

Fill a large non-stick pan with vegetable oil to reach 1/4 of the way up the sides, and place over medium-high heat. Coat the patties in the egg wash, dredge in matzah meal, and fry until golden brown and crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Serve right away with Avocado Horseradish Cream.

Make the Avocado Horseradish cream: Combine all ingredients for the cream in a food processor, and puree until smooth and creamy.

Braised Chicken with Dried Apricots & Moroccan Spices

(yield: 4-5 servings)

1, 6 lb chicken, insides removed & cut into 10 parts (reserve carcass for matzo ball soup)
vegetable oil, as needed
1 medium yellow onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

3 medium carrots

2 stalks celery

4 medium potatoes, large dice

5 sprigs fesh thyme

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1 cup chicken stock (you can use broth from the matzo ball soup)

1/2 cup dried apricots

salt & pepper, to taste

Fabricate the chicken: remove 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, and two breasts from the body of the chicken. Cut each breast in half. Reserve the carcass of the chicken for the matzo ball soup*.

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat, and coat bottom with vegetable oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and brown on both sides.

Lower heat, and add the onions, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon stick. Cook, stirring, until onions have softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery, potatoes, and thyme. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add wine, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken stock. Once everything reaches a boil reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours.

Apple Matzo Upside-down Cakes

(yield: 12 mini cakes)

4 sheets matzo
boiling water, as needed
4 tbsp butter, plus more for greasing
2 grannysmith apples, peeled and diced
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup amaretto or frangelico
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar









Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 12-portion muffin pan with butter.

Place the matzo into a deep bowl, crumbling it up slightly. Pour enough water over the matzo, to just cover. Set aside for 15 minutes. Once the matzo has absorbed the water and softened, place into a strainer and drain, squeezing some of the water out with your hands.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tbsp of butter in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the apples and 1/2 cup of sugar, and cook (stirring occasionally), about 10 minutes. Add the amaretto, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until apples have absorbed most of the liquor. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.

Combine eggs, vanilla, 1/3 cup sugar, and drained matzah in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Distribute the cooled apples among the muffin pan. Top with matzo batter, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Bake 22-25 minutes, until tops have set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool. Run a knife around the edges of each cake, and invert the pan onto a large plate. Some of the apples may get left behind (no biggie!) just help them along with a spoon.

Dinner and a Wax

This weekend, when my husband went out with the boys, I decided to stay in with two of my favorite girls - my mom and my sister. After putting the baby to bed, the three of us had a whole night of food, laughs, and beautification.

My mom came equipped with her new wax machine, and after a glass of wine I was brave enough to volunteer myself as the first victim.  Believe it or not, a full stomach and some wine really work to mute the pain.

I planned a menu that would be both satisfying and relatively healthy. I kept my pregnant sister's needs in mind, while also considering the needs of my mom and I (both desperately scrambling to lose weight before swimsuit season begins). In the end, my menu was not exactly diet food, but it was okay because I figured that we would compensate by limiting our portion sizes (with the exception of my sister of course). Boy was I wrong! When the three of us get together the indulgence does not end, and mysteriously, a container of Haagen Dazs along with three spoons always emerges.

In any case, the food was good, the company was great, and the wax was...painfully necessary.

The Menu:
Pizza with Caramelized Balsamic Onions & Ricotta
Salad of Spring Greens with Asian Pear & Mojito Vinaigrette

Pizza
yield: 6-8 servings
olive oil, as needed
pizza dough, store bought
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sugar
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste
  
Lightly grease a large rectangular sheet pan with olive oil, and stretch the pizza dough to cover the pan.

Coat the bottom of a medium saute pan with olive oil, and place over medium-low heat. Add onions to the pan, along with sugar. Cook, stirring, until onions are evenly caramelized, about 15-20 minutes. Add garlic, and saute 1-2 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar, and cook for another minute.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread the caramelized onions evenly over pizza dough. Dollop the ricotta over the onions, flattening each dollop slightly with the back of a spoon. Top with mozzarella. Drizzle pizza all over with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place into preheated oven  for 22-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and crust is lightly golden. Eat immediately.

Salad
yield: 4 servings
Mojito Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
3 tsp brown sugar
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup canola oil
 salt & pepper, to taste

6 cups spring greens (or mesclun leaves)
1 small Asian pear (or 1/2 of a large pear), sliced into 1/4-inch matchsticks
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Make the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk together first 3 ingredients. Continue to whisk while drizzling in the canola oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Add spring greens, pear matchsticks, and sesame seeds to the bowl. Gently toss to coat everything with the vinaigrette.

Slawin' it up

Cabbage - the cruciferous vegetable. Sounds pretty brutal doesn't it? High in a multitude of vitamins and nutrients and known to have certain cancer preventive properties, the only brutality that comes with this veg is its ability to kick some serious butt in the health department. FYI, cabbage leaves, used in the form of a compress, have also been shown to help breastfeeding mothers treat mastitis infections.

Now that we've got the health talk out of the way, I can get to why I like to cook with this "cruciferous" fellow (although my favorite preparation of  cabbage entails no actual cooking). As of lately, I've found myself somewhat addicted to the sweet, crunchy qualities of raw cabbage. My addiction has inspired experimentation in the slaw department.

Here's my latest creation:

Red Cabbage Slaw with Sesame Miso Vinaigrette 
yield: 4-5 servings

2 tbsp miso paste*
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup canola oil
2 oz sesame oil
1 small head red cabbage, shredded
2 cups carrots, shredded
4 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
1 scallion, thinly sliced on the bias

Make the Sesame Miso Vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk the first 4 ingredients together. Continue to whisk as you slowly drizzle in the oils.

Place shredded cabbage, carrots, and sesame seeds into a large bowl, and toss with prepared vinaigrette. (The slaw should be salty enough because of the miso paste, but if you require more now is the time to add it) Garnish with scallions.

This slaw gets yummier with time, so don't feel guilty for letting it sit in your fridge for a few hours.

*Miso Paste is a fermented soy bean paste. You can find it in any Asian market, and often in the international aisle of major supermarkets. 

Salads that Satisfy

People really underestimate how difficult it is to make a good salad. When I say good, I mean a salad that tastes and feels good, one that leaves you feeling satisfied but not full and regretful about consuming empty calories. If you think about it, just like with any other food, a great salad has to achieve the perfect harmony of flavors and textures.

There’s nothing I hate more than a plate of mushy greens drenched in a bad dressing. A dressing has to dress the salad like an accessory, adding to the salad’s components rather than overpowering them. It’s all too often that you order a salad in a restaurant and it comes soaked in a cloyingly sweet dressing that makes you think you would  have consumed less sugar just having dessert.

 It’s taken me long enough, but I think I’ve finally pinpointed what I want in a salad.

 Here are my top 5 requirements:

1. It has to have the perfect balance of salty, sweet, and acidic.
2. The greens have to be crisp and fresh, not wilted and soggy.
3. The textures of the salad components should contrast (i.e.: creamy, crunchy, meaty, juicy, etc.)
4. The consistency of the dressing should NOT be thicker than ketchup, and there shouldn’t be a puddle of dressing at the bottom of your plate (just enough to lightly coat everything)
5. The flavors of your salad ingredients should NOT conflict with those of your dressing (it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to use a raspberry vinaigrette in a salad with things like anchovies or olives).

Here's one that did it for me the other day...
                          Hearty Arugula Basil Salad  
(White Beans, Pecorino Romano, Poached Egg & Pomegranate Vinaigrette)

The sharpness of arugula and Pecorino was complimented by the tang and slight sweetness of the vinaigrette. The acidity of the vinaigrette also cut the richness of the poached egg and beans. But perhaps the best part of the whole thing was breaking into that perfectly poached egg, letting it ooze all over the place, and then mopping everything up with some crispy whole grain toast. Mmmm...salad nirvana.

                                              yield: 4 servings

                                         Pomegranate Vinaigrette 

                                                 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses

                                                 1/2 oz red wine vinegar

                                                 1 tbsp shallots, finely chopped

                                                 1/4 cup canola oil

                                                 salt & pepper, to taste

                                                 6 cups water

                                                 1 tbsp white vinegar

                                                 4 eggs

                                                 4 cups baby arugula

                                                 1/2 cup basil leaves, torn

                                                 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

                                                 3 plum tomatoes, halved & sliced

                                                 1/2 cup canned cannelini beans, drained & rinsed

                                                 1/2 cup shaved Pecorino Romano cheese

1. Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together first 3 ingredients. Continue to whisk as you slowly drizzle in the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 
2. Poach the eggs: Bring water to a small simmer in a saucepan. Add the vinegar. (Make sure that the water is not at a rolling boil when you add the eggs) Working with one egg at a time, crack an egg into a small bowl or ramekin. 

Gently lower the ramekin into the simmering water, introducing some of the water into the ramekin before releasing egg into water. Repeat with remaining eggs. 

 Allow a few seconds for the eggs to set, and skim off any loose whites that float to the top with a slotted spoon.

 






  
Simmer eggs for about 3 minutes, or until whites are fully cooked and the yolks are still soft to the touch. Remove eggs from pan with a slotted spoon, and allow excess water to drip off.
 3. Assemble salad:  In a large bowl, toss arugula, basil, red onions, tomatoes, and cannelini beans with reserved vinaigrette. Top with poached eggs and shaved Pecorino Romano. Serve with whole grain toast.