recipe blog - Liz Barbour's Creative Feast

Crunchy Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing

10/1/2020

Makes 6-8 servings

4 cups chopped Napa cabbage, red cabbage, or combination of both
1 cup shredded carrots
1 red pepper, thinly sliced thinly
1 small English cucumber, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced or spiralized into thin strands
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
Optional: add cooked, shredded chicken, pork, sirloin, or whole cooked shrimp.

Dressing
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from one lime
3 tablespoons avocado oil or peanut oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1-inch square piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

To prepare the salad, combine all the vegetables in a large bowl and toss to combine. If serving right away, drizzle the peanut dressing over top and toss; otherwise, serve the dressing on the side so the salad doesn't get soggy.

To prepare the dressing, combine all of the dressing ingredients except for the cilantro in a blender and process until completely smooth. Add the cilantro and blend for a few seconds until the cilantro is finely chopped. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

No-Bake Cheesecake Parfait

7/27/2020

6-8 servings

1 ½ cup crushed cookies (ginger snaps, chocolate wafers, graham crackers)
2 eight-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 14-ounce can (1 1/4 cups) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-12 package frozen raspberries (keep frozen)

Divide the crushed cookies evenly between 4-6 ounce glasses or dishes.
Using a food processor or mixer, combine the cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Process until smooth.
Pour the cheesecake batter over the cookie crumb layer. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or up to 4 days. Top with sliced or whole berries. Serve cold.

Alternatives:
Substitute the vanilla extract with 2 tsp rose water.
Use fresh or frozen berries-thaw frozen berries before topping your dessert.
Use your favorite jam or lemon curd in place of berries.

Liz's Classic Vinaigrette with Variations

4/29/2020

Make 1 ½ cups
1 cup olive oil or avocado oil
1/3 cup or more vinegar – unfiltered apple cider, sherry, rice, balsamic, etc.
2 teaspoons Dijon, spicy brown, or honey mustard

Combine the ingredients in a bottle and shake well. Taste and add more vinegar (a teaspoon or two at a time) to taste. Your vinaigrette can be kept on the counter. Season your salad with salt and pepper after you toss it with the vinaigrette.

Dressing Variations:

Creamy: Add 2-3 Tbs Avocado Mayonnaise, sour cream, or yogurt to taste. Store in refrigerator.

Cheesy: Add 1-2 Tbs grated parmesan to the creamy version.

Herby: 2 Tbs chopped fresh herbs or 2 tsp dried herbs (mint, basil, tarragon, cilantro).

Fruity: Replace half the vinegar with orange juice or fruit puree.

Sweet-ish: Add 1-3 tsp honey or maple syrup

Lemony: Replace the vinegar with lemon juice

How to use a vinaigrette:

Dressing for garden salad
Dressing for fruit salad
Dressing for pasta salad
Dressing for potato salad
Seafood Salad
Antipasto Salad
Marinade for meat, poultry, seafood
Drizzle on cooked meat, poultry, or seafood
Dip for vegetables and bread

Mint Vinaigrette

4/10/2020

Mint is the unsung hero of the herb family. It is such a wonderful addition to a meal any time of year. It always reminds me of spring. I use this vinaigrette as a dressing for side dishes and as a sauce for lamb, seafood, and chicken.

Makes about 1 1/4 cups

¾ cup avocado oil or olive oil
¼ cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup mint leaves, chopped
½ cup flat leafed parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and ground pepper

In a blender, combine the oil, vinegar, and sugar with the chopped herbs and pulse until the ingredients are pureed. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

How to use this vinaigrette:

Serve as a sauce for lamb, chicken, and seafood
Drizzle over roasted vegetables
Add to any rice dish
Combine with mayonnaise to create a creamy dressing
Toss with sweet peas, asparagus, or any other spring vegetable.

Grain/Noodle Bowl Dressings

4/9/2020

Curry Miso Dressing
Makes 1 cup

2 tsp fresh ginger
2 lg garlic cloves
1 Tbs miso paste (white miso)
1 ½ Tbs honey
1 tsp curry powder
1/3 cup rice vinegar
¼ cold water
½ cup avocado oil

Combine the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Coconut Peanut Sauce
adapted from GreenCityGrowers.com
Makes 1 ½ cups

2 cloves of garlic
¼ cup soy sauce
3 Tbs toasted sesame oil
3 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs peanut oil
3 Tbs crunchy peanut butter (unsweetened)
3 Tbs honey
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
7 ounces (1/2 can) coconut milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Southwest Dressing
1 tsp Southwest seasoning: see below
3 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
Kosher or sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Southwest seasoning:
¼ cup smoked paprika
2 tsp chipotle power or ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbs granulated garlic
1 Tbs ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Kosher salt

Ginger Sesame Dressing
Makes 1 ½ cups

¼ cup Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
½ cup olive oil,
¼ cup sesame oil
¼ cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
2 Tbs local honey
3 cloves, organic garlic
1 Tbs organic ginger
1 scallion
1 Tbs organic sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients in a blender or use and emersion blender.

Curry Miso Dressing...I'd drink this if I could!

10/12/2017

Sometimes you come across a sauce or dressing that you can use on anything and it tastes great! This dressing is one of those recipes. I use this on salads, coleslaw, noodle bowls, hot and cold veggies, fish, and chicken. Its the right combination of sweet and savory. I hope you like it!

P.S. I wondered how long miso can keep in the refrigerator. According to Mark Bittman...months or years! Here is a link to his article on miso: https://bittman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/12/the-miso-primer/

Curry Miso Dressing

Makes 1 cup

2 tsp fresh ginger
2 lg garlic cloves
2 Tbs miso paste (white miso)
1 ½ Tbs honey
1 tsp curry powder
1/3 cup rice vinegar
¼ cold water
½ cup canola oil

1. Combine the ginger, garlic, miso paste, honey, curry powder, rice vinegar, and water in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

2. With the food processor running, slowly add the oil. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.

Sweet Peas with Mint Vinaigrette

11/22/2015

This recipe will turn a pea hater into a pea lover. Honest! Frozen petite peas that have been thawed combined with the sweet and savory mint vinaigrette is a winning combination. It is the perfect sidedish to bring to a dinner party. Add steamed sugar snap peas, asparagus, or cauliflower for variety. Dress the peas with half of the vinaigrette about one hour before serving, Save the rest for another day. Season with salt and pepper and serve cold or at room temperature. You'll love it. Honest!

Serves 6-8
1 pound frozen petite peas, thawed
1/2 pound of sugar snap peas, steamed for 2 minutes, then cooled
2 tablespoons red onion, chive or scallion, chopped
¾ cup avocado oil or olive oil
¼ cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup mint, chopped
½ cup flat leafed parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and ground pepper
Edible flower petals for garnish: pansy, bachelor buttons, dianthus, etc.

Optional: Add ½ pound sugar snap peas that have been steamed for 30 seconds then cooled in cold water.

Place the thawed peas, sugar snap peas, and red onion in a medium bowl.
In a blender, combine the oil, vinegar, and sugar with the chopped herbs and pulse until the ingredients are pureed.
Dress the salad with enough dressing to lightly coat the peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Save remaining dressing for another salad.

* Keep remaining dressing for another salad or to serve with vegetables, salad, fish, lamb, or chicken.

Gremolata…the perfect topping

11/12/2015

I recently featured this recipe on WMUR's Cook's Corner. Click here to see the segment.

Makes 1 ½ cups
Zest of 2 lemons, chopped
4 small garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups fresh Italian flat-leafed parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in small bowl.

How to serve your gremolata:

Toss with 1 pound of hot linguini or fettucine
Serve with cooked green beans
Stir 1 spoonful into a bowl of lamb stew or ossobucco
Serve with roasted or seared chicken
Serve with grilled fish

Marinated Spring Peas

4/2/2015

1 pound frozen petite peas, thawed
3 Tbs cider or red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
½ tsp fresh thyme
1 Tbs flat leafed parsley, chopped
1 egg hard cooked, chopped
1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
1 Tbs capers, drained
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Place the thawed petite peas in a medium serving bowl.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, oil, thyme, parsley, egg, onion, and capers, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over the peas and toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Keep remaining vinaigrette refrigerated for up to 5 days. Use on salads, boiled potatoes, or on top of cooked chicken or fish.

Optional vegetables:
Asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, and sugar snap peas make wonderful additions or substitutions. Steam until just cooked but still crisp and cool before adding marinade.