Friday, February 5, 2010

Friday Food

Ok, so I don't need it to be Friday to enjoy or share recipes with you, but it happens to be Friday and I happen to have tried out a new recipe that was so easy and delicious I had to share it with you!
Two days ago, I found this wonderful Tunisian recipe in Williams-Sonoma's Essentials of Mediterranean Cooking, which I checked out from our local library (a wonderful way to try new cookbooks before you think about buying them).
Spiced Carrot Salad

3/4 lb carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into slices 1/4 inch thick
3/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 teaspoon harissa (I made my own, but you can buy it prepared at Middle Eastern grocery stores - it's a past of dried chiles, garlic, cumin and oil)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 large eggs, hard-cooked, peeled, and quartered lengthwise
8 oil-cured black olives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)

Bring small saucepan three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook until almost tender, about 2 1/2 minutes. Drain and transfer the carrots to a bowl.

Using a mortar and pestle, crush the caraway seeds until they are finely ground. Alternatively, place them on a plate and use the bottom of a small cast-iron frying pan to press and grind them. Add the caraway seeds to the carrots. Add the garlic, harissa, and vinegar to the warm carrots and, using a fork, toss to mix well. Add the olive oil and continue tossing until the carrots are evenly coated.

Transfer the carrot salad to a serving platter. Arrange the eggs and olives over and around the carrots. Garnish with the cilantro and serve at once.
Served with some toasted whole-wheat pita bread - simply delicious!!

P.S. Last night, I made the bean soup found on Kary's wonderful blog My Farmhouse Kitchen. Click here to find the recipe - tasty, warming and comforting. Thank you, Kary!!

17 comments:

  1. Morning Silke,

    I love to cook but I think I'd rather come to your house for dinner later!! Williams-Sonoma is another problem of mine!! lol! It's hard for me to go in that store and not buy something. I'll definitely look out for that cookbook!

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  2. HAHAHAHAHA! GOOD MORNING! I was about to say I am coming over when I read Manon's comment and busted out laughing. I was just telling Bella last night about my obsessions and mentioned kitchen supplies and knives. HAHAHAHA! We are incorrigible.

    As for you my beloved Silke - you are a true gem. Everything you do is loaded with fun, excitement and I can see you, I can really see you smile and hop as you prepared this meal. Your enthusiasm and happiness is evident on everything you do. Even your frustration with difficult techniques that you later master, you are full of passion.

    I love that. I identify with that.

    You are a beautiful human being and I can sense that.

    Listen here: Keep warm and be safe from the storm. I know it's down south there, still you get the tail end of the storm.

    Have a wonderful day sisterfriend. I am need to get ready for my 8AM teleconference.

    TSUP!

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  3. Oh Silke,

    Please come to my house and cook!!! (just leave off the egg with my tummy!!!) And we can have lots of wine and laughter and good food and then the studio!!! (which would be interesting!)
    I am bribing as best I can, which is pretty pitiful..... <:)

    XXOO!!
    Anne

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  4. That salad looks seriously yummy. the real reason I came by, is because I saw your comment on another blog about Janet Evanovich's books and Grandma Mazur. I love the Stephanie Plum series, and Grandma Mazur is a hoot. I laughed so much reading those books that my husband got curious, and now he has read them all, too. We want to see some of them made into a movie with Sandra Bullock as Stephanie, Queen Latifa as Lula, and Cloris Leachman as Grandma. We haven't come up with the men yet, except that that Michael what's his name from The Long Green Mile would be perfect as Tank.

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  5. Hi Silke. That recipe does sound and look really good. I love Williams-Sonoma cookbooks. Just stopped by to say happy weekend to you. Take care.

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  6. De-Yummy! You appeared to be fully booked for the visiting chef program! But then again, it's warmer out here, so maybe I could get bumped up on the list! **happy smiles** Deb

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  7. haha your comments are so fun and sweet. i am definetly going to try this, i am mainly a vegetarian and always looking for new recipes. i've not made harissa before, but i think i'll try now. thank you silke!
    oh, i visited the farmhouse kitchen last night, so lovely! and i saw that recipe too, it looks great.
    have a wonderful friday!
    ♥ lori

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  8. Silke.... looks like we're going to get hammered! 2 days worth!! I'm going to hunker down in my studio!! Cooking supplies are awesome!! I can't get enough of those either!!

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  9. i am picky about cooked carrots but this recipe calls out my name. thank you! this weekend i am making hot and sour soup from allegra's blog and then i am going to make this recipe.

    silke, i don't have your restraint to first check out cookbooks at the library. it's a good thing i didn't join a cookbook of the month club or i would have books and recipes everywhere.

    i owned a restaurant for the shortest time ever and i have some awesome recipes from it. now you've gotten me inspired!

    what is your very favorite cookbook of all time?

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  10. What a wonderful recipe! Looks delicious...thanks for sharing it. :) I really would like a mortar and pestle. I keep looking around for one at antique shops, but I may have to break down and find a new one. :)
    Have a great weekend! Theresa

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  11. Yummy!
    I'm cooking my famous pasta dish tonight for two of my friends, I hope it ends up being as good as this looks!
    Thanks for joining in on my giveaway! Share with your readers if you'd like!
    Hugs,
    Kelly

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  12. This looks yummy, I am going to try to find harissa here.
    Thanks for sharing!
    And I just know my sweet friend Kary is going to love to hear that you liked her soup! Isn't she wonderful?
    xo

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  13. yummy...and it looks really pretty too!!! ; )

    i am definitely going to have to check out the soup recipe too.

    happy friday
    sending loves!
    xoxo
    k

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  14. Wish you would come to my house and cook, all your food sounds so good. I'm to lazy to go out the the store and shop for stuff. Have a wonderful weekend it sounds like you are off to a good start!

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  15. Ummmm this sounds so good, thank you for sharing this with us!

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