French Lentil and Roasted Beet Salad

I was really nervous for this meal as I had never had beets or lentils, but it was great! :)

Ingredients for Salad:

1 pound beets

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup lentils

1 sprig fresh rosemary, plus 2 teaspoons chopped leaves

1 bay leaf

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1/2 onion

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning

Dressing (directions below)

1/4 cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

6 cups mixed greens

6 ounces aged goat cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim all but 1 inch of the beet stems. Put the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, and seal the foil to make a tight package. Put the package in the oven and roast for about 1 hour. When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them (skins should slide right off with a bit of pressure). Dice the beets and set aside.

While you roast the beets, put the lentils in a saucepan with cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Put sprig of rosemary and bay leaf (tie it together if possible) along with smashed garlic, onion half, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat and simmer, about 25 minutes. Strain the lentils and discard herbs and onion.

Put the warm lentils in a bowl and stir in half of dressing. Cool the lentils completely, then add the beets, parsley, and chopped rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Lightly dress the greens with a bit of the dressing and divide among plates. Spoon some of the lentil salad onto the greens, crumble goat cheese over each serving, and drizzle with some of the remaining vinaigrette.

Ingredients for the Dressing:

3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots, minced

Whisk the vinegar with the mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream to make smooth, slightly thick. Stir in the shallots.

Enjoy!

Grilled Mahi Tacos with Escabeche

This was a great meal! Very refreshing flavor. Lots of fun to make! :) There are a lot of separate recipes, but they are quick and easy to make and taste amazing when they all come together!

Ingredients for Salsa:

2 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded (we couldn't find them, so we used poblano peppers)

3 tablespoons orange juice

2 teaspoons honey

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Toast the chiles in a dry skillet over medium high heat, turning and flattening with a spatula, until fragrant. Put the chiles in a bowl, cover with very hot water and set aside until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, roughly chop and puree the chiles in a blender with the orange juice, honey, salt, and a bit of water. Blend in olive oil. Set aside.

Ingredients for the Escabeche:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 to 3 jalapeños, thinly sliced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 red onion, halved and sliced

3 whole cloves

2 bay leaves

1 stick cinnamon

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried mexican oregano

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add remaining ingredients except cider vinegar and cook until carrots are crisp-tender. Add 1 cup water and the cider vinegar, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer until just soft, about 15 minutes. Cool.

Ingredients for Fish:

6 5 to 6 ounces of mahi mahi filets (we only purchased what we needed!)

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and ground pepper

Preheat a grill pan over medium high heat or prepare an outdoor grill. Brush the filets all over with a little olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Lay the fish on the grill and leave it until you see distinct grill marks and can lift without the fish sticking. Flip to the other side and do the same. Brush with some salsa and then prepare the tacos.

Ingredients for Tacos:

12 to 24 corn tortillas (depending on who is eating!)

12 sprigs fresh cilantro

Grill tortillas until slightly charred but still pliable. Lay a sprig of cilantro on a single or double tortilla and top first with some of the escabeche and then a piece of fish - half of a filet per taco. Top with sour cream, if desired, and additional salsa.

Enjoy!