Tuesday, December 30, 2008

My BFF's


The fun thing about this time of the year is that my life long friends come into town, and we always try to get together. This year I had the girls (and their families) up to my place for dinner. Originally, I had visions of this great "martha stewart-esque" fancy pants dinner party. With all the skiing and playing we have done over the holidays, I couldn't even get my house clean! (you can faintly see my unmade bed in the upper left corner of the picture, I tried to cut it out as much as possible). So I went with one of my one pot wonders and a great salad, and had someone else bring a dessert. These are the girls I have known since the beginning and I love them to death! I made Bon Jon, which is a Iranian dish passed down from my Grandma who learned it as a young mother when she lived in Iran. It is one of my favorite dishes. Unfortunately for all of you, I am going to share the recipe next time. Today, I will share the recipe for the salad, which is all I have the energy for, when do the kids go back to school again?

Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad w/ balsamic vinaigrette



This is a salad I invented after having a similar salad in Washington DC. 
Salad Ingredients:
Baby Spinach
Arugula
Romaine lettuce
Strawberries
Red Onions
Pomegranates
Sliced almonds
Soft Goat Cheese

Salad Dressing:
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
1/3 c sugar or honey
3/4 c olive oil
1/2 lemon squeezed
1 shallot
1 t salt

In your blender, combine shallot, honey, vinegar, salt. Blend until the shallot is fine blended. Add lemon juice. While blender is running, slowly add oil till emulsified. 

Putting together the salad. Slice the strawberries and onions as pretty as your little hands can do them, make them thin. Crumble the goat cheese (which can be messy, so crumble it right out of the fridge, it kind of has the consistency of cream cheese but a little harder) . Seed the pomegranates. Combine romaine, spinach and arugula (buy the pre-made mix bag).Toss with dressing, top with the rest of the ingredients. 
So pretty, so yummy.

This is Bon Jon, stay tuned I make it all the time!


2 comments:

Shannon & Summer said...

It was a blast! And, of course the food wes delicious!! Good friends, good times. Thanks Nat!

Jessica Brown said...

Can't wait for the bon de jon post! I've been wanting that recipe forever. I think its awesome you have a cooking blog. I have personally witnessed your great food and know your a great cook!