With Spring finally sprung and summer just around the corner, it’s more important than ever to eat healthy and get your skin and body glowing from the inside out. Culinary curator Nadege Fleurimond, owner of Fleurimond Catering, brings her unique Haitian culinary background to the masses with her cookbook Haiti Uncovered. The author utilizes the unique and creative flavors from Asian, Latin American and European cuisines to put together a cookbook of over 100 recipes, all of which are easy to make. Not only does the book feature recipes that showcase the Haitian culture, but it also serves as a travel journal, showcasing photos from all ten provinces in Haiti, as well as the country’s progress and rebuilding. Fleurimond is no stranger to good food, having made appearances on Food Network’s Chopped, catered for big names like BET, The Colbert Report, Vivica Fox and Ann-Hauser Busch, and has even been quoted in the New York Times. Additionally, the cookbook includes a foreword written by New York Times best selling author Edwidge Danticat.
From the book, we have snagged two amazing (and easy) salad recipes that will bring some Haitian flavor straight to your home. Whip ’em up and tell us what you think!
Watercress and Avocado Salad
1 lb. fresh watercress
1 whole avocado
1 red onion julienned
juice of one lime
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 lb. grape tomatoes
2 garlic cloves smashed very finely
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbs. Dijon mustard
In a small bowl combine lime juice, garlic, salt, pepper and mustard. Mix well with a whisk. Add oil to mixture and whisk until emulsified then set aside for 20 minutes. In a big bowl add clean watercress, red onion, grape tomatoes and cubed avocado. Pour mustard and oil mixture over it. Mix gently with salad spoons. Serve cold with French baguette or any meal (or add cooked shrimp or lobster for complete meal). Serves 8.
Russian Salad
2 carrots (diced after boiling)
3 potatoes (cubed)
2 lbs. fresh beets (cubed)
2 tbs. fresh parsley
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. salt
In a large pot boil the carrots and potatoes, adding 1/2 tsp. salt to the water. Cut the beet stems about 1 inch from the top to preserve beets’ color. In a separate pot, add water and 1/2 tsp. salt, boil the beets for approximately one hour or until tender. In a mixing bowl, peel and chop the carrots and potatoes into half inch chunks. Peel and dice the beets then add to the mixing bowl. Drizzle melted butter over the salad. Combine fresh parsley, mayonnaise and ground pepper and stir. Serve hot or cold. Serves 6.
Twisted Talk: Which of these salads do you plan on making? What’s your favorite veggie to use in a salad? Discuss below!
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