Cooking Vacations - Salad of Zucchini, Almonds, and Tzfetit Cheese, with Jerusalem Herbs and Lemon Dressing:
Ingredients:
10-12 small Zucchini, cut en Julienne (or use mandoline) to equal about 3 cups finished Julienne
Lemons- 2-3 (preferably Meyer's) juice to get about ¼ cup, plus zest .
Splash of white balsamic or rice vinegar
Fresh oregano-(leaves only) about 1TB, chopped
Fresh parsley- (leaves only)about 3 TB, chopped
Fresh thyme or lemon thyme- (leaves only) about 1 TB, chopped
1/2 cup whole mint leaves
1 small garlic clove
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Pasteurized egg-white, or1 Tb. Mayonnaise (optional It, is for emulsification)
Salt and pepper to taste
Demerara sugar, about 2 TB
Tzfetit or Queso Fresco Cheese- about 1 cup crumbled
Slivered Almonds, ½ cup, lightly roasted in oven
Olive oil- as needed
Method:
1. Blanch the Julienne zucchini in large pot of salted water for 30 seconds. Shock chill in ice- bath, or spread out on sheet pan on paper towels to drain excess water off, and chill in frig.
2. Inblender: Put the lemon juice and zest, vinegar, garlic, herbs, Dijon mustard or spoonful of egg-white (pasteurized only! or mayonnaise) plus a very small splash of olive oil, and buzz.
3. Taste the base and add demerara sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Turn blender back on and drizzle in enough olive oil to make a balanced vinaigrette.
4. To serve: Mix the zucchini with the crumbled Tzfetit and roasted slivered almonds, add dressing to taste, add Grey salt to taste if desired, and garnish with whole branches of oregano and thyme.
Rima Olvera for CookinIsrael
|
