Photo by Mark Weinberg at Food52
Psyched to see that Food52 chose my Mahi Mahi and Avocado Tacos with Mango-Cilantro Salsa recipe as a Community Pick! Check out the recipe and beautiful photo by Mark Weinberg, plus a Food52 review, here. Cheers to summer feasting!
Our family doesn’t have a regular taco night, but we’re thinking of starting one after having these. Just look at all those colors and textures on the plate — the slightly spicy and zesty mayo drizzled over pan-seared mahi mahi, a bright mango-cilantro salsa, some crisp red onion and raddichio and soft slices of avocado. Playful, flavorful and healthful, these make a great quick meal for a summer evening with family.
While living in Japan, I grew to love sushi, not only for its fresh flavors but also for the playful variety of colors and textures. When I saw Emma Galloway’s vegetarian sushi tutorial on Food52 last week, I decided to get creative and come up with my own variations. Like Emma, I love avocado + sesame seeds + mayo, so I made that one, then looked to other colors and flavors for inspiration. Beets, asparagus, cucumber, carrot, sprouts and baby lettuces also made great sushi fillings, I discovered. Then I wanted to mimic the texture of that orange roe (fish eggs) you often see atop sushi, so I made little carrot juice bubbles, thickening them with some cornstarch and piping out little spheres and letting them gel in the fridge. It was fun getting playful, creating a feast for both the palate and the eyes. Continue reading
My ultimate salad is a mixture of flavors, textures and colors that is fresh, and never boring. This rice salad has been a favorite of mine since my host mother in Paris used to prepare it for me many years ago. She would use brown rice, which lends it a softer texture, but I like the toothsome feel of this black wild rice contrasting with the soft avocado and grapefruit. I would never have guessed that avocado and grapefruit would pair so nicely together, but tasting is believing.
This nutritious and scrumptious salad tower can be enjoyed any time of year, but I think it is festive and perfectly color-coordinated for the holidays. Plus, it helps to balance out all those decadent meals and treats consumed at holiday parties. It’s great as an appetizer, as a healthful snack, or for lunch, and can be tweaked with different ingredients to your taste: optional layers of artichokes, olives, crab, tuna or chicken salad. Enjoy! Continue reading
The Seasoned Traveler 