"I just want a simple salad…." Ah yes, the phrase that will send shivers down my spine. Although, I guess the end product does look like a simple salad.
It does look quite simple, right?
But, if you stage all the ingredients, it looks like this.
And then of course the there's the preferences….."I want beets, but no red beets…they taste like dirt". "No orange carrots….it's so mundane…." And the biggest problem with the salad above? "I don't want grated beets or carrots, it makes them mushy….you need to do that spiral slicing thing." So, we got a spiral slicer.
Today's salad turned out looking like this.
With the beets and carrots looking like this.
And instead of croutons, I reheated some left over falafel from Ibis Market in the Air Fryer.
As for the dressing….well, that's evolved as well. The Missus wanted something similar to what we get at the Turquoise Room in Winslow, a Tahini based dressing. So, I initially started with the standard vinaigrette ratio on acid to EVOO, but it turns out the Missus enjoys a thinner, lighter dressing, with a fresher acidity from fresh squeezed lemon juice, with just a touch of sweetness. Vinegar was eliminated, so I can't call it a vinaigrette anymore. The Missus enjoys savory-nutty-sourness from Tahini, so I slowly increased the amount and came up with this base recipe.
Sorry, my photo of the dressing ain't very pretty.
It's the Missus's current favorite dressing and I'm sure I'll be making this quite a bit as the weather warms up. Think of it as a base and adjust as necessary.
Tahini – Lemon Dressing
– Makes approximately 3/4 cup
1/4 Cup Tahini
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tb Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
2 Tsp Maple or Agave Syrup
1 Clove Garlic grated or finely minced
Zest of 1/2 Lemon
Sea Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
– Whisk Tahini, EVOO, Lemon Juice, and Maple or Agave Syrup together until smooth.
– Add Garlic and Lemon Zest
– Taste and adjust sweet-sour profile to your taste
– Add salt and pepper to taste
Super easy yeah?
Have a great weekend everyone!
aiyah! 🙂
Lol Kat!
That’s one beautiful salad!
If that’s a simple salad, I wonder what the Missus thinks is a complicated salad! Dressing recipe looks yummy.
Thanks Laurie; you made my day!
I shudder to think at what a “complicated salad” would be Sandy! ;o)
I think most people underestimate how many components go into a good salad. I have 4-10 dressings I make from scratch each morning when I send one or two lunch salads off from my gf and her daughter.
I’m going to dupe your tahini dressing. Tahini is such a great ingredient!
Yes, a good salad has many components Dereck!