Mango & Kale Salad with a Mango Lassi

I just got back from almost two weeks in Los Angeles, and I have a million ideas for new recipes.  But since I'm also in the process of moving to a new house, an easy (but still delicious) dinner never hurt anyone.  This one features some orangey ripe mangoes, in both food and drink.  I sliced and shredded about twelve kale leaves, massaged them (yes, I massaged them), added a bittersweet dressing, and tossed in some chopped mangoes.  And what mango dish would be complete without a crisp fruit drink to wash it down?  Served in a Miller High Life (c'mon, it's the champagne of beers!) flute is a cardamom mango lassi.

And just in case you weren't sure, a lassi is a sweetened yogurt drink, typically made with yogurt, water, sugar, and spices.  I've made some changes from the more traditional recipes, and, as if you didn't already know, I sweeten mine with honey.

Since this is a fruit-inspired dinner, and since I've been searching for a vinyl copy of his 1969 album Five Leaves Left to no avail, I've got Nick Drake's "Fruit Tree" on my mind. 

Salad and Dressing:

--12 leaves washed and julienned kale

--2 ripe mangoes, chopped

--1-2 tsp. salt

--1-2 tsp. pepper

--1 tsp. honey

--1 tsp. agave syrup

--2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

--juice from 1/2 lemon

--1/4 tsp. orange blossom water

In a large bowl, massage julienned kale for approximately 15 minutes, or as long as you can stand it.  (Literally, massage it with your hands--it makes it much softer and sweeter for the salad.)  Mix in mangoes and set aside.  In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, honey, agave syrup, vinegar, lemon juice, and orange blossom water.  Whisk to combine and pour over salad.  Serve with a few slices of a crispy baguette.

Mango Lassi:

--1 ripe mango

--1/2 c. mango juice, + extra if you want to thin out your lassi

--1 c. plain Greek yogurt (you don't need to use Greek yogurt, but I like the thickness and sharp flavor it provides)

--1 c. unsweetened almond milk (you can, of course, use whatever you like here)

--1/4 c. honey (you want it sweet, don't you?)

--1 tsp. cardamom

--1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse under smooth, for approx. 2-3 minutes.  (If you want a thinner drink, add more mango juice and pulse to blend.)  Serve fresh!

Summer Squash Pasta

I've never been crazy about tomato sauce on pasta dishes, yet I'm addicted to noodles (have you seen my mac & cheese posts?).  I'll gladly eat rotini and shells with butter, milk, and cheese, but sometimes I like to have a lighter summertime dinner.  Made with some locally grown zucchini and yellow squash, along with a few carrots for sweetness and color (and topped with some parmesan, of course), this veggie sauce is delicious both hot and cold.  Best served on an outdoor table with a glass of white wine and a balmy June evening.

A few months ago, I found a Chad & Jeremy record in a $1 record bin.  This British duo from the 1960s had a few hits, and I've always loved Wes Anderson's use of their music in Rushmore.  While the $1 album turned out to be priced somewhat accordingly (sorry, guys), I still love "A Summer Song" from 1964.

Ingredients:

--2 large carrots, peeled

--1 zucchini

--1 yellow squash

--1/2 yellow onion, peeled and chopped

--1 clove garlic, minced

--1 tbsp. olive oil

--3 tbsp. tomato paste

--1/4 c. parmesan

--1 tbsp. salt

--1 tsp. pepper

--1 lb. shell noodles (or whatever you'd prefer)

In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion for 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and continue to sauté until golden-colored.  Turn heat to low.

Remove the stems and tops from the zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots.  With a large grater or a grater attachment on your food processor, shred zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots.  Add to pan with onions and garlic, add salt, pepper, and tomato paste, and sauté for approx. 10-12 minutes over medium heat, or until the veggies have softened.  If the veggies are sticking to the pan, add another tbsp. of olive oil or 2-3 tbsp. of chicken stock (or veggie stock, if you're making this vegetarian-friendly).  

While veggies are cooking, boil water and cook 1 lb. of shell noodles until al dente, approx. 8-9 minutes.  Pour the cooked noodles into the pan with the veggie sauce, mix, and plate.  Serve with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan.   

Banana Hazelnut Pain Perdu

Sweet or savory brunch?  Often I have trouble deciding.  But this one is decidedly sweet: day-old French bread stuffed with Nutella spread, chopped hazelnuts, ripe bananas, and sprinkled with confectioner's sugar.  

Pain perdu, or "lost bread" in French, is just a version of American french toast.  Typically made with day-old (or so) French bread, this breakfast or dessert is soaked in eggs, pan-fried, and served warm with a dusting of sugar.  My version is a stuffed pain perdu, drenched in a cinnamon-clove egg batter and crisped to sweet perfection.

What song pairs well with a breakfast-time sweet tooth?  Dave Rawlings Machine's "Sweet Tooth," a re-worked version of Mississippi John Hurt's "Candyman."  I love Dave Rawlings' and Gillian Welch's homage to the amazing Delta blues guitarist. 

Ingredients:
--1/2 day-old French baguette (the bread should be hard/stale--it's "lost")
--3-5 tbsp. Nutella spread (to your liking, but I tend to fall on the "more Nutella!" side)
--2 ripe bananas, sliced in thin circles
--1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
--3 eggs
--1/4 c. whole milk
--1 tsp. ground cinnamon
--1 tsp. ground clove
--2 tbsp. butter
--1/4 c. confectioner's sugar (for dusting)

With a sharp, serrated-edged knife, slice baguette into 1/4" to 1/2" slices.  On one slice, spread Nutella, banana slices, and a light sprinkling of hazelnuts.  Top with another slice of the baguette, making a miniature sandwich.  Repeat with remaining baguette slices, Nutella, banana slices, and hazelnuts.  

Heat butter in a frying pan over low-medium heat. 

While your pan is heating, in a small bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon, and cloves.  Dip each "sandwich" into the egg batter, submerging it and ensuring that it is fully coated.  Repeat for remaining "sandwiches."  Pan fry for approx. 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden and crisp.  Flip the sandwiches to crisp the opposite side. 

Place a few sandwiches on each plate and dust with confectioner's sugar.  Serve warm.