No-Cook Week: Here s what to eat when you can t stand the heat Chilled sweet-and-sour cucumber noodles with shrimp by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste 2 medium cucumbers, peeled ½ cup diced red onion 1 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined ¾ cup seasoned rice wine vinegar 2 ½ teaspoons sugar ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 1 ½ teaspoons white sesame seeds Equipment A mandoline (with julienne blade) or a spiralizer 1. Attach the julienne blade to the mandoline, and adjust it to the ⅛-inch-thick setting. Applying medium pressure, carefully run one of the cucumbers down the blade to form noodles, slicing until you reach the core. Rotate the cucumber a quarter turn and continue slicing and rotating until you ve cut the entire cucumber. Repeat the slicing process with the second cucumber then transfer the cucumber noodles to a medium bowl. Note: If you re using a spiralizer instead of a mandoline, simply twist the cucumber into the spiralizer to form noodles. 2. Add the red onion, shrimp, rice wine vinegar, ¼ cup water, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes (optional) to the bowl, tossing to combine. 3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cucumber noodles for a minimum of 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until chilled. 4. When ready to serve, use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the noodles and shrimp to serving plates and top with the sesame seeds.
Chinese chicken salad with sesame dressing by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste For the salad: 4 cups shredded pre-cooked rotisserie chicken (discard the skin) 3 cups shredded Romaine lettuce 2 cups shredded purple cabbage 2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts) 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced into batons ⅓ cup sliced almonds For the dressing: 3 tablespoons sesame oil ¼ cup seasoned rice wine vinegar ¼ cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon fresh black pepper makes 4-6 servings In a large bowl, combine all of the salad, tossing until well mixed.
No-cook lasagna with tomato, zucchini and basil pesto by Kelsey Banfield of The Naptime Chef 2 to 3 zucchini, cut lengthwise into ⅛-inch thick strips 2 cups fresh ricotta cheese 2 tomatoes, cut into ⅛-thick slices Kosher salt freshly cracked black pepper 2 tablespoons fresh basil pesto 1. Layer the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish with zucchini strips. Top it with half of the ricotta cheese, half of the tomatoes, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Top the tomatoes with a second layer of zucchini and repeat the ricotta and tomato layer, finishing with the zucchini. 2. Top the final layer of zucchini with the pesto, drizzling it generously so it covers the top of the zucchini completely. 3. Slice and serve immediately. Or, cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve. Serve within 24 hours or it will get too soggy.
No-cook Mediterranean tapas platter by chef Michael Psilakis of Kefi, Fishtag and MP Taverna Cucumber-garlic tsatziki 1 English cucumber, peeled 10 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped 1 cup distilled white vinegar 4 shallots, thickly sliced 1 cup small, picked sprigs dill 2 ½ cups strained or Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Kosher salt and cracked black pepper makes 2-4 servings 1. Quarter the cucumber lengthwise and trim off the triangular wedge of seeds. Cut the cucumber into a very small, even dice. Transfer it to a mixing bowl. 2. In a food processor, combine the garlic, vinegar, shallots and dill. Pulse until finely chopped but not pureed. Add the mixture to the cucumbers; add the yogurt. Fold together with a rubber spatula, adding the olive oil and lemon juice. Season liberally with kosher salt and pepper, starting off with 1 tablespoon salt. Taste for seasoning. 3. You can store tsatziki in a covered, clean jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.
No-cook Mediterranean tapas platter (continued) Figs stuffed with feta and wrapped with prosciutto 10 ripe black Mission figs 3 to 4 ounces feta cheese, in a block 2 small, picked sprigs of thyme, leaves only Cracked black pepper 10 thin slices of prosciutto 1. Halve the figs through the stem (if you find very large figs, quarter them). Scoop up about 1 teaspoon of the feta and place in the center of the cut side (the feta should be just big enough to cover the pink part of the fig). Push a few little leaves of thyme into the cheese and grind a little pepper over the top. 2. Halve the prosciutto slices crosswise. Place a stuffed fig on one short end and wrap up snugly. Prepare the remaining figs in the same way. Serve the figs as is. Roasted pepper and feta spread Extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and cracked black pepper 1 cup crumbled feta cheese 2 fire-roasted red bell peppers, store-bought, cut into strips 1 to 2 pepperoncini (pickled yellow peppers) to taste, sliced ½ teaspoon dry Greek oregano 2 pinches ground coriander 2 pinches ground cumin 4 small, picked sprigs parsley 4 small, picked sprigs dill 1 tablespoon snipped chives or scallion greens, sliced ¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest 1. In a food processor, combine all and process until very smooth. Taste for seasoning, but be careful not to add too much salt, as the feta is very salty.
Fresh kale with tofu and spicy Sriracha dressing by chef Michael Ferraro of Delicatessen For the tofu: 8 oz firm tofu, cut into large dice 1 teaspoon fresh lemon 1 ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste For the dressing: 2 tablespoons silken tofu 1 tablespoon Thai chili sauce 1 teaspoon Sriracha 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 2 teaspoons mirin ½ clove garlic 1 teaspoon chopped shallots 1 teaspoon honey ½ lemon (juiced) 3 teaspoons vegetable oil salt and pepper to taste For the kale: 2 cups baby kale (chopped) ¼ cup cashews ⅛ cup blond raisins ½ cup bean sprouts ¼ cup shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced) 1 tablespoon wasabi furikake seasoning, crushed (optional) 1. Gently place diced tofu in a bowl with lemon, rice wine vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Blend together silken tofu, chili sauce, Sriracha, rice wine vinegar, mirin, garlic, shallots, honey and lemon juice. Drizzle in vegetable oil; season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 3. Toss the kale, cashews, raisins, bean sprouts, and mushrooms with the dressing. Separate onto four plates. Add 2 ounces of tofu to each. Top with the wasabi furikake (optional). 4. Slice and serve immediately. Or, cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve. Serve within 24 hours or it will get too soggy.
Tuna, tomato and zucchini napoleon by chef Ben Pollinger of Oceana 1 medium zucchini 1 medium gold bar squash or yellow squash salt and pepper to taste 1 cup basil leaves, torn ½ cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup red wine vinegar ¼ tsp red chili flakes 1 large or 2 medium beefsteak tomatoes 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise ½ cup pine nuts 1 bunch arugula, cleaned 1 pound high-quality olive-oil-packed tuna 1. Cut stem and blossom ends off zucchini and squash. Cut in half width-wise. Slice zucchini and squash halves lengthwise 1/8 inch thick with a knife or Japanese mandoline. Place squash slices in a large bowl, and season to taste with salt and pepper. 2. Add half the basil and half the parsley, ¼ cup olive oil, the red wine vinegar and chili flakes. Toss. Reserve, allowing to marinate and soften. 3. Remove core from beefsteak tomatoes and slice tomatoes thin, no more than ¼ inch thick. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve. 4. Place cherry tomatoes in a small bowl, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with ¼ cup olive oil, half the basil and half the parsley. Reserve. 5. Place pine nuts in a small food processor or a blender with ¼ cup olive oil. Puree or blend until relatively smooth, about 30 seconds. Reserve. 6. Divide arugula completely over four dinner plates. Divide the squash mixture among the center of four plates, roughly making a 3- or 4-inch square. Lay the tomato slices over the squash. Spread the pureed pine nuts over the tomato slices. Arrange the tuna over the nuts. Spoon cherry tomatoes over top of tuna, and spoon remaining juices over the arugula.