A jar of hot pink pickled red onions is currently cooling on my kitchen counter. Normally I’d wait three days to eat them at their best, but my fridge door menu says Thoughtless Salad, and my heart says now.
Thoughtless Salad is something I invented in a sleep-deprived fugue state last year. How I came up with a recipe so good while completely zoned out, I can’t say. But it was such a surprising instant favorite that I wrote down the ingredients on paper to save in my cherished wooden recipe box.
It’s long strips of honeynut squash roasted with oil, salt and sugar until dense and creamy, crunchy shaved green cabbage, and punchy pickled red onions coated in my favorite 1-2-2 vinaigrette— one part maple syrup, two parts each olive oil and apple cider vinegar. I toss everything with smoked salt, sumac and herbs (usually dill). Greek feta and pumpkin seeds are also often welcome players. Tonight I think I’ll serve it alongside fat slices of breaded, pan fried chicken of the woods mushrooms and toasted triple corn (corn kernels, their blanching water, cornmeal) sourdough E baked a couple days ago.
For dessert, cute little ramekins of pudding, which are just melted milk chocolate pureed with silken tofu, Dutch processed cocoa powder, vanilla bean paste and sea salt.
Love how you think and prepare food! Always inspires us…
Last night was a salad of baby romaine, pickled beets and red onion, a bit of random brie, dried cranberries, and a candied mix of pecans, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds - tossed in a bit of homemade vinaigrette. And it was delish! That salad will surely make many more varied appearances (butternut and honey nut squash) thru the Fall!