Mediterranean Diet Recipes - Classic Greek Salad Recipe

Ingredients

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
12 to 14 small vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered
1 cup kalamata olives, halved and pitted
5 Persian cucumbers
1 4 -ounce block Greek feta cheese, packed in brine
Fresh oregano leaves, for topping (optional)
Soak the red onion in a bowl of heavily salted ice water, 15 minutes.

Directions

Meanwhile, whisk the vinegar, lemon zest and juice, honey, dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified. Add the tomatoes and olives and toss.

Peel the cucumbers, leaving alternating strips of green peel. Trim the ends, halve lengthwise and slice crosswise, about 1/2 inch thick; add to the bowl with the tomatoes. Drain the red onion, add to the bowl and toss.

Drain the feta and slice horizontally into 4 even rectangles. Divide the salad among plates. Top with the feta and oregano; drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper. 

Shrimp Spring Rolls

 Ingredients

16 shrimp (16 to 20 count), peeled and deveined, tails removed
3 cups dry white wine
2 bay leaves
Juice from 1 lime
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 ounces thin rice vermicelli
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and julienned
1/2 red bell pepper, thin julienne
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
8 large rice paper wrappers (8 1/2-inch rounds)
1 jalapeno, cut into 1/8-inch slices
8 fresh Thai basil leaves, chiffonade
Peanut Dipping Sauce, for serving, recipe follows
Peanut Dipping Sauce:
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons sambal olek
Chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish

Directions

Score the shrimp on the underside in three equally spaced horizontal cuts. Press firmly on the shrimp to straighten.

In a soup pot, combine 4 cups water, the wine, bay leaf, lime juice and salt and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat, add in the shrimp and cover until the shrimp are pink, about 4 minutes. Scoop out the shrimp and shock in ice water to stop the cooking. Then drain and dry. Reserve the poaching liquid, keeping it hot but not simmering.

Add the vermicelli to the hot poaching liquid (no need to simmer or boil the water because that may over cook the noodles). Cook until just al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain.

Toss the carrots, cucumbers and red bell peppers with the rice wine vinegar and soy sauce.

Dip each rice paper wrapper in warm water, one at a time, for a second (no longer or they will get too soft). The wrapper should still feel somewhat hard when you first start working with it. By the time you finish getting all of your fillings in, the wrapper will have continued to soften. Layer the first one with 2 shrimp, a basil leaf, jalapeno slice, some vermicelli and vegetables. Gently wrap like a tiny burrito and cut on the sharp bias. Serve with Peanut Dipping Sauce.
Peanut Dipping Sauce:

Add the peanut oil to a small saute pan over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute, and then turn off the heat. Then add the peanut butter, hoisin, sambel olek and 3 tablespoons water and mix together. You may need to add a little extra water if the mixture is too thick. Garnish with the chopped peanuts.

Spicy Beef Stir-Fry

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxing rice wine, dry sherry or white vermouth
1 pound beef sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain into strips
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 to 4 tablespoons peanut oil
1 1 -inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
5 to 7 dried red chiles, halved
1 small onion, thinly sliced
8 heads baby bok choy, halved
Pinch of sugar
Cooked rice, for serving

Directions

Whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons rice wine in a medium bowl; add the beef, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon rice wine, the oyster sauce and sesame oil in a large bowl; set the bowl near the stove.

Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot, about 1 minute. Add 3 tablespoons peanut oil, then the ginger, garlic and chiles; stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef and cook, stirring or shaking the skillet occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the beef with a slotted spoon to the sauce mixture and toss.

If the pan is dry, add 1 tablespoon peanut oil, then add the onion and stir-fry until just soft, about 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and sugar; stir-fry until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the beef and any juices to the pan and stir to combine. Serve over the rice

Asian Noodles with Shrimp and Edamame

Ingredients

10 ounces soba ( buckwheat) noodles
1 10 -ounce package frozen shelled edamame
1 clove garlic
1 1 -inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha (Asian chile sauce)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, plus more for drizzling (optional)
1/2 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and/or scallions

Directions
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook as the label directs, adding the edamame during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the noodles and edamame.
Meanwhile, puree the garlic, ginger, Sriracha, 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons water in a blender. Mix the lime juice, soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl.
Heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the shrimp dry and season with salt; add to the pan and cook, turning, until just pink, 2 minutes. Add the Sriracha mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture, noodles and edamame, herbs and the reserved cooking water and toss. Divide among bowls and drizzle with more sesame oil.