I have been brought low for nearly a week with the flu. I haven’t thought of doing the dishes, much less cooking. But with Sunday here and me feeling a tad better I decided it was time to get off my rump and get some meals made for the week ahead so that mate and I have food to bring for lunches and whatnot.
I tried to think of dishes that have some health benefits and ingredients popping with antioxidants and vitamins. After some browsing of the cook books I decided to make a lovely Moroccan salad that we’ve had more than a few times. The recipe comes from a series of cookbooks but out by Bay Books that mate bought on discount a few years back. These books (we have The Food of Morocco, The Food of China and The Food of India) were probably one of the best investments we’ve ever made. Unlike most “foreign” cookbooks the recipes here are easy to follow and come out tasting the way you imagined it would and not like you just stepped into a kitchen for the first time and have no clue what you’re about.
Anyway, on to the salad.
This is by far the simplest and most delicious dish. I like to make it in the summer and find it makes a nice side to go with eggplant dishes or with kefta kebabs.
Moroccan Red Onion Salad
3-5 lemons
1 large red onion
3 TBSP chopped parsley
1 Tsp salt
1 Tsp caster sugar
Cut the lemons with a sharp knife edge, cutting away all the peel and pith. Slice into 1/2 slices, pull out seeds. Chop.
Peel onion and cut in half. Slice each half into wafer thin slices.
Add all ingrediants to a bowl, mix and cover. Let sit for about an hour, top with coarse black ground pepper and serve.
I am serving this with a tagine of cannelli beans and polenta, which is another super speedy and quick recipe.
Tagine of Chickpeas
1 14 oz tin of diced tomatoes
2 14 oz tins of Cannelli beans (or other white beans such as chickpeas) – wash and drain
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 tsp ground hot pepper (I use an Indian red pepper but cayenne also works)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 TBSP fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 roll of pre-made polenta.
In a large saute pan add all ingredients except polenta. Mix well and heat over medium heat. In another pan add your polenta and 1/2 cup milk, or enough liquid to get to desired consistency. I like mine to be about the texture of mashed potatoes. When everything is heated through, remove from heat.
Plate a scoop (about 1/2 cup) of polenta and cover with bean mixture. Serve with onion salad on the side.
