Asian Tuna Salad Bowl

Poke bowls are new to me but I am embracing them whole heartedly! Yes, I know the above photo does not have raw fish in it, but hear me out. Mark Bittman - my personal food god - put out a recipe that inspired me to go with the look if not the exact ingredients of a poke bowl - canned tuna.

Add soy sauce, wasabi and lemon juice to canned tuna and surround it with a bunch of fresh, raw chopped veggies and herbs and presto! Deliciousness that you didn't know existed!

While Mark uses cooked rice as a base (similar to a poke bowl) I often stick with more veggies, but feel free to use what you like. This dish is definitely great for using up odds and ends in your veggie drawer, but there are a few staples that I think work well: cucumber, radish (daikon, red), and bell peppers. After that, it's a grab bag. Avocado is always good along with pickled onions or ginger. It's your bowl, make yourself happy!

Pan Roasted Cauliflower with Raisins, Almonds, Capers and Fresh Herbs

 

Adding fresh herbs to your cooking repertoire seems to feel daunting and although cookbooks abound on the idea, don’t bother with them, just follow your taste buds. Mine led me to this amazing cauliflower dish that apparently originates from a famous New York chef. I just know it was so delicious I may have eaten a whole head of cauliflower for dinner that night!

Raisins, almonds, and capers with cauliflower is a traditional Sicilian pairing, truly, no lie. But add in a bunch of fresh chopped herbs and this dish is something special. Fresh herbs are like citrus, they enliven all that they touch!

The original recipe called for fresh breadcrumbs toasted in butter, and while it was good, I felt disinclined to make them the second time and I found I didn’t miss them. For me, the star of the dish were the raisins simmered in a vinegar butter bath that plumps them into delicious sweet tangy bites that are mind-blowing with the crunch of almonds and the brine of capers, alongside the cauliflower and assorted herbs! This is truly a dish where you will want to fish around to get all of those flavors and textures in each bite!