New Year’s “Beans and Belly” – Good Luck with This!

I wanted to sneak in this pork belly on black-eyed peas salad video before the New Year, to help ensure you a very lucky, and prosperous 2019. Of course, there’s no guarantee this roast pork belly on black-eyed peas salad recipe will bring you good fortune in the New Year, but what if it does? 

Either way, this is still one of the most delicious ways to enjoy both pork belly and black-eyed peas, and could not have been happier with how this came out. Since I’m still officially on vacation I’ll keep this post brief, but I did want to mention the bean soaking seen herein.

There are many articles online about this being an unnecessary step, and technically it is, but it’s been my experience that if you soak your beans the night before, they seem to hold their shape better, as well as cook a lot faster. So I say soak, but either way, I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year, and I really hope you start 2019 off with a big bowl of “beans and belly.” Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

For the Pork Belly:

2 pound pork belly (skin removed)

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus freshly ground black pepper and cayenne to taste

- Roast at 200 F. for 7 1/2 hours

For the Black Eyed Pea Salad:

1 cup dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight, drained

2 quarts fresh water

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 bay leaf

Dressing:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/3 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoon white vinegar

1/3 cup mild olive oil or vegetable oil

1 minced garlic clove

1/3 cup finely diced red onion

2 jalapeno, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

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DAIKON SALAD

A simple crunchy daikon salad goes well with your grilled meats or as a light snack by itself. You can make a variation by adding carrots or cucumber too. You may replace the roasted sesame seeds with roasted peanuts for a change.

Made this for A-Z Recipe Challenge ... the alphabet is D 
This is a group where we all make and share the recipe with the chosen alphabet. It is really

Green Chile Pesto and Roasted Chayote Squash Side Dish – Thanks, Rick!

If you’re going to steal one Rick Bayless recipe, you might as well steal two, which is exactly what I did here with this green chile pesto, and roasted chayote squash side dish. Like I said in the video, most great chefs encourage this type of thievery, as long as you give them credit, which I’m happy to do.

What I’m calling “Green Chile Pesto,” is really his Green Chile Adobo, but I thought my audience would better relate to a “pesto,” since that’s what this reminds me of the most. Although, I’m not sure how it would be in a pasta, and don’t have any immediate plans to find out.

What it was great in, was this very simple chayote squash dish, which is really more of a warm salad. If you can find chayote near you, I recommend you give it a try, but if not, grilled zucchini or other summer squash would also work, as would something like roasted acorn or delicata squash.

I’d try to choose a fairly mild olive oil for this, since we have enough heat and bitterness from the peppers. Which reminds me, don’t over blend this. While some chefs claim it’s just a wives tale, I’ve found that if you over-process an olive oil-based sauce, especially ones with garlic in them, it can get very bitter. Other than that, not much can go wrong, and so on behalf of Chef Bayless and myself, I’d like to say, we really do hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for the Green Chile Pesto:

6 Serrano peppers

1 Poblano pepper

6 cloves garlic, still in the paper

1 bunch cilantro

1/2 bunch Italian parsley

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or about 3/4 teaspoon fine salt)

3/4 cup mild tasting olive oil, or vegetable oil

juice from 2 fresh limes*

* You can add the lime right to the pesto if you’re going to use it all at once as a sauce for something, but this seems to keep longer in the fridge without it added in, and so I prefer to add it to whatever I’m using it with instead.

For the Chayote Squash Side Dish:

3 Chayote squash, cut in 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

juice from 1 lime (unless already added to your pesto)

2 or 3 heaping spoons of Green Chile Pesto

1/3 cup crumble soft goat cheese, plus more for the top

pumpkins seeds to garnish, optional

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My Big Fat Greek Salad and Its Big Fat Unoriginal Name

I had a feeling I wasn’t the first person to think of this cinematic play on words, but like I said in the video, so many other people called this a big fat Greek salad, I figured I wouldn’t get in too much trouble. If I had to guess, it was probably the caterer on the set of the movie who first coined the name, or at least I hope so.

This is such a simple salad that there’s no need for me to share a bunch of tips and tricks, although I will reiterate the most important instruction of all.  Be sure to toss the salad with the vinegar first, before adding the olive oil. If you don’t, it will not taste as good. Which reminds me, giving the amounts here is very difficult, since this really should be made to your tastes, so please use the ingredient list below as a very rough outline.

If you need to make this the day before, I suggest making the dressing separate, and then mixing everything before the event.  I think this should only be dressed about 30 to 60 minutes before service for maximum enjoyment, but that’s just my approach, and some folks prefer an overnight marination. Regardless of how long you let your ingredients “marry,” you’re going to be enjoying one amazing salad, which is why I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 1 Big Fat Greek Salad:

2 large English cucumbers

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1 cup sliced olives

2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon of dried

salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne to taste

1/4 cup red wine vinegar, or to taste

1/3 cup olive oil, or to taste

4 to 6 ounces feta cheese

HEALTHY METHI SPROUTS SALAD WITH HONEY LEMON JUICE DRESSING

Consuming methi (fenugreek) everyday in some form or the other is really beneficial for healthy living specially for diabetics. You can make these methi sprouts easily at home. make a salad, raita or just add them to your curries everyday.




Ingredients:
Methi sprouts ... 1/2 cup
Cucumber ........ 1/2 cup (diced)
Capsicum ........ 1/4 cup (diced)
Tomato ............ 1/4 cup (diced after

CARROT AND BEETROOT SAMBHARO / GUJARATI SAMBHARO / GUJARATI WARM SALAD

Sambharo is a Gujarati warm and crunchy stir-fried salad served as an accompaniment with the meals or with snacks like fafda, papdi and dhoklas.  It is made with grated or finely diced vegetables like cabbage, carrot, beetroot, raw papaya and radish either separately or combined together. A simple tempering of mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves is added along with finely chopped green

GREEK LENTIL SALAD / FAKES SALATA

An absolutely delicious and super healthy Greek style lentil salad with feta cheese and fresh and vibrant vegetables.. can be eaten as a snack or light meal.The dressing in Greek salads is always very simple.. just olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic. I like to use herb infused olive oil. You can toss in some fresh herbs like oregano, dill or parsley for Heavenly flavours. 


Ingredients:

HORIATIKI / GREEK VILLAGE SALAD

Horiatiki is a traditional Greek salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, feta cheese and kalamata olives. Green bell peppers and some lettuce can be added too. It is seasoned with salt, pepper and oregano. Though people sometimes use Greek dressing but traditionally only olive oil is used.
This month in our group, Shhhhhhh Cooking Secretly the theme is Summer Salads. I was paired with

FETA CHICKEN SALAD

A simple and delicious chicken salad with feta cheese.. for added flavours you can use fresh herbs, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and diced celery. The salad is quite filling and makes a light meal by itself. Remember that feta cheese is quite salty and add salt accordingly.

Ingredients:
Chicken ... 2 cups (boiled and shredded)
Bell pepper .. 1 (use any colour - sliced)
Cherry tomatoes .....

ROASTED BEETS WITH FETA / BEETROOT AND FETA SALAD

This is a simple side dish to pair with your grilled meats or sea food. You can relish it like a salad too.

Ingredients:
Beetroots ..... 2
Red onion .... 1 small
Parsley or coriander .. 2 tbsps
Feta cheese .......... 2-3 tbsps (crumbled)
Olive oil ............. 1 tbsp
Salt ................... to taste
Black pepper ..... freshly crushed.
Lemon juice ....... 1 tbsp

Method:
1. Peel and cut the