Roasted Zucchini Salad with Parmesan and Balsamic Greens

September 20, 2021 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 0 Comment

Sweet grilled zucchini is a delight and while wonderful on its own or as a side dish, on this salad it holds the starring role. It’s simple to make, healthy and qiuet delicious once caramelized after roasting.

Ingredients

2 large zucchini, sliced in 1/2 inch thick, 4 inch long pieces

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

4 cups fresh arugula

Good quality Parmesan cheese

A handful of fresh mint

3-4 radish, thinly sliced

1 Tablespoon good quality Italian balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Slice zucchini and dress with olive oil, salt, pepper, mixing to coat evenly

Arrange zucchini slices on a baking sheet, taking care not to overlap them (this will cause them to steam instead of getting golden brown).

Roast until the zucchini is tender and nicely browned and caramelized, 13 to 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool while you assemble the salad.

In a large serving plate, spread the arugula and some fresh torn mint leaves. Drizzle greens with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Layer cooked zucchini, shaved parmesan cheese, radish. You can also add or substitute crumbled feta or ricotta cheese.

Drizzle the salad with more olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season to taste with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Garnish with more mint leaves and serve.

Versatile Salmon, done 3 ways

February 1, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 1 comment

Beyond being nutritious and tasty, salmon is also an incredibly versatile ingredient to work with. I only use wild caught salmon. Stay away from the farmed variety. The diet the fish are fed are is bad for our bodies and pollute the water. They also have 1/10 of the omega-3 fatty acids which is one of the main reasons I like to have this nutritious protein in my diet.

Here I highlight a few simple but elegant ways to prepare this wonderful protein:

Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche Canapes with Fresh Dill

Sesame Crusted Salmon Fillet

Cold Salmon Salad

I love to entertain often, but don’t always have time to prepare extravagant menus. The smoked salmon canapes with creme fraiche are easy to make yet quite elegant. Simply place small pieces of smoked salmon on a thin cracker of your choice or pumpernickel cocktail bread. Top with a dollop of creme fraiche and sprig of fresh dill and voila! These are a hit every time.

Smoked Salmon & Creme Fraiche Canapes with Fresh Dill

Sesame Crusted Baked Salmon

This recipe is great for dinner any night of the week or on a large salmon fillet for entertaining.

Ingredients:

1 pound wild salmon (can do a smaller or larger piece depending on size of group you’re serving)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup sesame seeds

Lemon wedges + fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon on the salmon.

Drizzle with olive oil or sesame oil.

Season with salt + pepper.

Coat entire top of salmon with white or black or mixed sesame seeds.

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25 minutes.

Garnish with herbs, lemon wedges and serve with any pasta, rice or grain you like.

Cold Salmon Salad or Sandwich

What’s better than a fabulous dinner? A new fabulous lunch with the leftover.

I love cold salmon sandwiches or salmon topped on a bright and colorful salad.

You can choose any veggies you like in your salad.

Here I mixed arugula and spinach with chopped tomatoes, raw cauliflower, red beats and chopped onion.

Toss with lemon juice + good olive oil, then top with leftover salmon.

An important final step: delight in a healthy, colorful, nutritious and fabulous salad while you reflect on the beautiful food you’ve made and the people you’ve shared them with…

Tuscan Grilled Veggie Sandwich

October 10, 2016 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 2 comments

I created this delicious sandwich for a celebration gathering for my sister’s birthday inspired by her favorite flavors and it was a hit! It’s colorful, flavorful and the presentation had a “wow” factor for guests… or maybe it was just the melty gooye cheese oozing out the sides of the sumptuous panino that had everyone excited… ?

The natural ingredients layer together nicely and create a depth of flavor that is nearly orgasmic (direct quote from of the guests!). It’s really easy to make too:

Ingredients:
I medium size loaf ciabatta bread (available at Whole Foods and other bakeries).
This time I chose a sun-dried tomato one which added another rich layer the flavor profile.
3 table spoons chopped rosemary
6 zucchini (may seem like a lot but they shrink when roasted).
4 sweet red peppers
Pesto (store bought, I like the options at Whole Foods or Fairway but choose your favorite).
Fresh mozzarella cheese.
3 cups arugula.
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar (of Modena of course)

Directions:
Slice zucchini and red peppers and spread out on a baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Chop rosemary and sprinkle on the veggies with salt and pepper.
Roast in the over for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove set aside.
Start assembling sandwich.
Cut ciabatta bread in half, separating top and bottom.
Layer remaining ingredients in the following order: Pesto, fresh mozzarella, zucchini, sweet red pepper, more mozzarella, arugula.
Cover with top piece of bread and press down.
Back in the oven for approximately 10-15 minutes to melt cheese and toast bread.

Slice as desired and enjoy!

I cut into small pieces for a party, but it can be served as a whole sandwich for your own personal enjoyment.