Tis the season for salad

Lately it's been warm in Montreal, and when it's warm out I don't really relish the idea of heating up my  apartment further by cooking something hot.  The answer is making a salad for dinner.

It's actually quite easy to make a salad into a meal.  One way is to add cooked grains to bulk it up...quinoa is one of my favourite choices in this case, but it does require some stovetop cooking time (couscous is another great option).

Another good way to make a salad into a meal is to add protein.  For this reason I usually keep a tin of chickpeas on hand...no cooking required, just rinse and add!  And, of course, you can also add meat, which is what I did to make this Thai-inspired salad.....

Dressing:
-1/3 cup fresh lime juice (2-3 whole limes)
-1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
-1 tbsp grated ginger
-1 tbsp fish (or soy) sauce
-1-2 tsp chile paste with garlic (less if you like your salad mild, more if you prefer spicy food)

Combine all five ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

Salad
-julienned carrot
-chopped cucumber
-fresh basil leaves (using a couple different varieties of basil really makes the salad delicious)

Exact quantities here are not important.  Basically...just cut as many vegetables as you like in whatever style you want (I, for instance, use julienned carrots because I have a vegetable peeler that does the julienning for me).  Feel free to add your favourite baby greens...cilantro and mint also go very well in this salad!!  Once you've chosen your salad ingredients, combine them with the salad dressing.

Steak
-flank steak, trimmed
-salt and pepper

Season steak on both sides with salt and pepper.  Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat; add steak to pan and cook for about 6 minutes on either side (or until the steak reaches the desired degree of doneness).  Remove from the pan and rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes (this seals in all the juices).  Cut the steak diagonally across the grain in this slices, drizzle with some of the salad dressing.  Arrange over salad and enjoy!

As always, I serve my salad with bread :)

What I'm eating now: Beets

As you know my parents were recently in town, and one morning while I was studying they took a trip to Jean Talon market to buy some ingredients for dinner.  I suggested that they purchase some beets for us to roast....so they did: several pounds in fact.

Red AND yellow!  Oh the variety.....

Luckily I happen to really enjoy beets.

Roasting beets brings out their natural sweetness, and it's one of the easiest ways to cook them.  All you need to do is:

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Clean the beets thoroughly.  No need to peel!
3) Wrap them in a large foil packet to make sure that they roast evenly (if you don't have any foil don't worry...the beets roast just as well naked.  If you do choose this method, make sure you turn them so that they cook evenly).  Roast until tender...time required varies.  The beets are ready when they pierce easily with a fork.
4) Remove from the oven and let them sit until they're cool enough to handle.  Once they are cool you can peel them easily...their skins should slide right off!  (If you have any trouble just pull off the peels with a small paring knife.)

I usually like to serve my roasted beets on the side seasoned with just a little bit of salt and pepper.  But they're also delicious in salads...they go well with roasted nuts, creamy cheeses, fruits, and slightly bitter greens.  I combined a number of those elements in this particular salad: roasted red and yellow beets, mixed greens, sliced pear, and toasted pecans.

Tossed with some blue cheese dressing...delicious!

While delicious, roasting is not your only option.  If you're looking to be a little more creative, give beet gnocchi a try.  It takes a bit more effort, but is a stunning dish if you're having people over for dinner.  You can also eat beets raw (though you will want to slice them thinly if you do)...alternatively, try giving them a quick pickle!