Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Simple Mediterranean Salad

6 simple ingredients and you can create the best Mediterranean Salad.  It's light and fresh and will likely become a summer staple!

Hello and happy July!  I can't believe that half of 2020 is gone already.  It seems like such a blur with the stay at home orders from COVID-19.  We are actually having a new surge of spread in Los Angeles as our city opens up again, which has caused closures of the bars once again, and to avoid gatherings on this holiday weekend they've decided to close the beaches as well.

It's sure going to look different this 4th of July, but I hope that everyone stays safe and finds a new way to celebrate at home.  We will be having our usual Independence Day festivities by enjoying some pool time and grilling at home with some scrumptious food.  Which brings me to my 3rd Installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series!  This is where I offer you recipes using fresh summer produce, that's easy, light, and oh sooooo tasty!

SIMPLE MEDITERRANEAN SALAD

Monday's recipe was Grilled Chicken Kofta.  So yummy and perfect for the upcoming holiday if you are grilling outside (or inside!).  Today's dish is the perfect accompaniment to go along with the chicken kofta, or any other grilled item such as fish, beef, pork, or chicken.  This side salad is bursting with fresh ingredients and full of flavor, not to mention it's one of the easiest salads you'll ever make.  3 main ingredients along with 3 flavor enhancers and you are done!  Nothing is better during the hot summer heat that eating a refreshing salad.  One that light but still filling, and this salad fits the mold.

What do I need to make this salad?  Not much actually.  Fresh summer Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, and parsley are the main items.  To enhance the flavors we'll add a spice called Sumac, some extra virgin olive oil, and some freshly squeezed lemon.  That it's!  Super simple, yet fresh and tasty.  This will certainly become a go-to salad for summer.

Note:  Sumac is a wonderful tangy spice with a sour, acidic flavor reminiscent of lemon juice.  It really brightens up the dressing for this salad.   You can purchase at your local grocery or here.

Enjoy!


Summer Fresh Recipe Series:
1. Greek Cobb Salad
2. Grilled Chicken Kofta

1. 
   

Simple Mediterranean Salad

serves: 4-6

6 Roma tomatoes, diced (about 3 cups diced tomatoes)
1 Large English cucumber (or hot-house cucumber), diced
1/2 to 3/4 packed cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
salt, to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground Sumac
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

To a large bowl, add diced tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley. Add salt and set aside for 4 minutes or so.

Add the remaining ingredients and give the salad a gentle toss. Allow the flavors to combine a few minutes before serving.

source:  The Mediterranean Dish

Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Grilled Chicken Kofta

Tender flavor-packed grilled chicken kofta, filled with fresh herb & spices, will be on the table in under 45 min.  The perfect summer Mediterranean dish!

It's almost time to celebrate the 4th of July and that means you need to fire up the grill and get cooking!  Today I'm bring you my 2nd installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series.  Recipes that are filled with fresh summer produce and are easy, light, and oh soooo tasty!  The other day I brought you a light and fresh Greek Cobb Salad.  Since we have Independence Day in mind, some grilling is in order.  Let's take our grilling to the next level with a wonderful, but easy, Mediterranean dish.

GRILLED CHICKEN KOFTA

Kofta is similar to the Persian Kabob Chicken Koobideh which is made with ground chicken and grilled on skewers.  Kofta is made with ground chicken and is loaded with herbs and spices but instead of using skewers they are formed into oval patties and grilled for the best flavor.  They come out tender and juicy and bursting with Mediterranean spices.  

They are perfect served along side my Easy Mediterranean Salad (recipe coming next) or with a side a rice.  I served them with the salad, some hummus and toasted pita.  They are easy to prepare and grill up in 8-10 minutes.  You will have them on the table in under 45 minutes. MGG can attest that they made great leftovers! 

What makes them unique?  They are filled with mint and parsley for a burst of fresh herbs.  They are spiced with Ancho chili powder for complex flavoring, red pepper flakes for a little heat, coriander for a bright citrus burst, and sweet paprika for depth of flavor.  This is no ordinary meatball mix!  

Try something new this 4th of July, or anytime this summer and this dish will surely be a winner in your family.

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Kofta

serves: 4

1 small  slice of sandwich bread
1 lb ground chicken
1/3 cup grated onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 1/2 tsp Ancho chile powder 

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp sweet paprika
Kosher salt and pepper
1 egg (raw)
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil


Serve along with: (optional)
Hummus

Mediterranean tomato and cucumber salad
Toasted Pita Bread

Instructions:

Toast the slice of bread in the toaster until golden brown.  Place it in a small bowl and add a little water so the slice become soggy and tender.  Squeeze out the excess water from the bread.  

Place the bread in a large mixing bowl.  Add the ground chicken, onion, garlic, parsley, mint, all the spices, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Add the egg and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  Mix the chicken mixture with your hand until well combined.

Form chicken mixture in to 8 oval patties.  (Wet hands help with the stickiness of the mixture.) Place on a tray and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes to allow to set.  Meanwhile preheat your grill.

Grease the grates of your grill or indoor grill pan with oil.  Heat to medium-high heat.  Place the patties on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until fully cooked through.  Remove from grill and serve.  

adapted from: The Mediterranean Dish

Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Greek Cobb Salad

Romaine salad loaded with crisp summer veggies, roasted red peppers, chickpeas, Kalamata olives and tangy feta cheese. Oh what a salad!

Hello Summer!  My favorite time of year by far.  Summer has always represented freedom, travel, good vibrations, beaches and pools, and fresh summer fruits and vegetables.  Our love the outdoors just shines in the summertime.   You can be sure to find us in our backyard at all times, and eating alfresco is a summer requirement in our home.

So this year I've decided to bring you a Summer Fresh Recipe Series filled with fresh summer produce that's easy, light, and oh soooo tasty!  Lucky you, today's my 1st installment and I have a wonderful salad for you.

The classic cobb salad takes on a Greek flair in this Greek Cobb Salad.  It's filled with Mediterranean ingredients such as chickpeas, tomatoes, and cucumbers, and several flavor bombs like fresh dill, Kalamata olives (briny and flavorful), and tangy feta cheese.  Now one ingredient that makes a cobb salad a "cobb salad" is the hard boiled eggs.  You may notice are missing from my pictures.  That's because I completely forgot to cook the eggs.  But it's wonder of a salad either way.  I've put them in the list of ingredients along with instructions for you if you choose to include them.

 

I displayed this salad on a platter as a deconstructed salad.  A deconstructed salad is one which the ingredients are kept separate instead of tossed.  The presentation is spectacular and everyone enjoys it, however, you can just put all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss it all together if you would like.

Perfect as a main entree for 2 people, or as a side dish for 4 people this salad will become a go-to recipe during the hot summer months.  Fast, fresh, and screaming.with.flavor.  What more could you ask for!


Enjoy!








Greek Cobb Salad

serves 4 as a side - 2 as a main dish

2 large eggs
1 14.5 oz can of chickpeas
2 garlic cloves
2 oz. roasted red peppers
2 tsp. dill, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
1 Roma tomato
1 Romaine heart
1 cucumber
4 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for cooking
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp red wine vinegar, divided use
kosher salt and pepper


Add water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Carefully add the eggs and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.  Immediately drain and return to the saucepan.  Cover and shake pan to gently crack shells, then fill saucepan with ice water.  Set aside and let stand.

Rinse and drain the chickpeas.  Finely chop one clove of garlic.  Lightly crush the 2nd clove.  Coarsely chop the roasted red peppers.  

In a medium sized skillet heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the chopped garlic and cook 30 seconds.  Add the chickpeas and roasted red peppers.  Increase heat to medium high and cook 3 minutes until warmed.  Stir often.  Remove from the heat and add 2 teaspoon of red wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, stir to combine.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl add 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon water, and 3 tablespoon olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in 1/2 of the chopped dill.  Whisk until combined.  Remove 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette to a small bowl.

Cut tomato into 1/2 inch pieces.  Halve the romaine heart lengthwise, and then cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces.  Thinly slice the cucumber (peel if desired).  Peel eggs under running water and cut into quarters.  

Add the romaine and half of the feta and the remainder of the dill to the bowl with the vinaigrette.  Toss and season with salt and pepper.  Spread romaine mixture along the length of a platter.  Add chickpeas, eggs cucumbers, tomatoes, and olive in sections for a deconstructed salad.  Drizzle with reserved vinaigrette.   


adapted from: Marleyspoon.com