mellow melon salad / August 12, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

we celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary a couple of weeks ago, not with some blowout dinner or glasses of bubbly, but in a sea-breezy field on a couple of adirondack chairs with 2 crisp beers, just me and frank, and our pup, Quint. we had kind of intended to do nothing since we're planning to take a celebratory trip later on in the year, but going back to where we got married, where this whole lindsey and frank thing started turned out to be the best way to ring in the occasion. we stopped by the farm on long island where we got married , had lunch at our favorite spot, and then took Quint for his first (and very apprehensive) swim in the ocean!

it was great reliving that day with similar sights and smells, but with my life partner and all that has come to mean in the past 2 years. it was almost like looking back on that day and thinking about how long ago it felt, how much we were babies then, but also feeling that nothing has really changed. they say the first year of marriage is roses and cupcakes. however, year 2 felt a bit more like that as our first year married was a lot of figuring out some of the dynamics of what being married meant to us as individuals, and finding compromise and balance within that.

excited for year 3? heck yes! for i feel as though these past couple of years, through the arguments and good times, we continue to accept differences, learn each other's language a bit better, and be fiercely in love with one another - flaws and all!

and now i'm going to awkwardly shift gears to this salad! there's a great deal of flavor and texture highlighted in this salad, all while keeping it super light on preparation time. the corn is lightly charred for a bit of smoky flavor, while the squash is peeled into noodles giving the salad some movement and texture. this is a cool and soothing salad, with a sweet and savory flavor, perfect for hot summer days!

big hugs!

mellow melon salad (v + gf)

while i use melon wedges here cantaloupe would be just as delicious, as would watermelon. the leopard melon indicated in the ingredients list is not so easily accessible, and can be substituted for cucumber, as it has a similar taste and texture. this is great served as a side to any meal, or as a hydrating snack during the day.

| serves 4-6 |

dressing

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon thyme leaves
3 teaspoons maple syrup
1 small shallot
salt + pepper

salad

half of 1 leopard melon (or 1 small cucumber)
2 medium summer squash
2 ears of corn, shucked
2/3 cup grape or cherry heirloom tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped mint
1/2 teaspoon chopped lemon thyme
salt + pepper
half of 1 cantaloupe or honeydew melon, cut into wedges
a small handful of mint flowers

green cantaloupe + snow leopard melon | dolly and oatmeal

method

place dressing ingredients in a mini food processor and blend until emulsified. taste and adjust seasoning. store dressing in a lidded jar in the refrigerator until ready to use.
prepare an ice bath and set aside. peel the skin from the melon (or cucumber) and cut in half lengthwise. using a mandolin, shave each half of the melon and place the pieces in the prepared ice bath to crisp, about 10-15 minutes. drain the melon and place on dishtowel to dry.
using a julienne peeler (or a mandolin) peel each side of the summer squash until you reach the seedy center. place strands in a large serving bowl and set aside.
over a gas top stove, light a burner to a low flame. one at a time char the corn cobs rotating with tongs to evenly cook the corn. set aside and allow corn to cool. once cool enough to handle, stand the corn upright; use a large knife to cut the kernels from the cob. repeat with other ear of corn and place kernels in the bowl with the squash.
to the bowl, add the tomatoes, leopard melon, parsley, mint, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. remove the dressing from the refrigerator and give it a good shake. drizzle a few spoonfuls over the squash noodles, then taste and adjust, adding more dressing if needed.
slice the cantaloupe or honeydew melon into even wedges, then cut the flesh from the skin. plate wedges and top with the summer squash noodles and mint flowers.

enjoy!

more summer recipes

raw veggie + ginger rice bowl w/ sriracha tahini

pickled corn succotash salad — pickled corn succotash salad

summer socca salad w/ burst tomatoes + roasted zucchini / July 14, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i've had a very loose summer "to-do" list, and i'm actually making progress on it (which is really encouraging because i'm the biggest procrastinator and lists rarely ever keep in line)! some items are coming along, while others are more of a long-term kind of deal:

plant a wild flower/meadow garden (and keep it alive) - so far ✔
work on toning my arms a la linda hamilton in terminator 2 - ✔ still a work in progress ;)
grill (gf + v) pizza! - ✔ we did this the other night, and while the grill was too hot, and the bottom of the dough was black and charred, it was still awesome. i'm planning a major post for this recipe when we get it just right!)
a designated no-social-media-day - eh, i have good weeks and not so good weeks with this one.
read more books, like real tangible books - half-✔. am i the only one who has my nose in the middle of about 5 books for the past 2 years? halp.

speaking of schedules and lists, the opposite can be said for what we've been eating recently. i've been on this kick of preparing easy peasy meals with familiar pantry items and whatever i pick up at the market that the weekend. there's always some sort of grain or legume, a punchy sauce to make things exciting, and little extras like fried capers or toasted breadcrumbs for added crunch and flavor. since the development side of my cookbook has wound down, i'm feeling like i have a surplus of quiet energy that's insisting to just go with the flow. for a while it was a non-stop schedule of recipe testing, styling, and shooting. and while it's been a really fulfilling project, it was also mentally and physically exhausting. so laying back and letting food, and cooking be breezy is what life is dictating at the moment, and i'm just going with it! this socca salad recipe is very much in line with what meals have been looking like around here this summer, veg-heavy, super gratifying, and importantly, low key.

my husband has always been on board with socca since i first began making it a few years ago. it was one of the first bread-y things (since going gluten-free) we could partake in and enjoy together, and it's been a wrap since then. this recipe is a very basic socca recipe, one that i've been making and tweaking for years. it's one of those tried and true recipes that i love preparing for lunch, dinner, or as an appetizer for when we have friends over. socca is so good that sometimes it's best when left plain and topless, but it can also be a blank canvas for just about anything you want to pile on top of it; in this case a simple summer salad. there's a bit of easy prep required but nothing that's tiresome or laborious, just some mixing, roasting, baking, and serving, all for an uncomplicated summer meal!

big hugs! x

summer socca salad w/ burst tomatoes + roasted zucchini (v + gf)

i make this socca 2 ways. the first one is using the entire batter in a 10-12" pan for 1 large, slightly thick round. the other way is to divide the batter between 2 pans and make 2 smaller soccas with a crispy texture. both variations are great, but i tend to like a smaller crispier socca when served with a salad. the toppings can of course vary to include different grains or vegetables, and the yogurt or hummus can be substituted for creme fraiche or labneh if dairy is your thing.

| serves 2 as a main |

socca

1 cup chickpea flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup + 1-2 teaspoons water
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2-3 garlic cloves minced

salad

5-6 small vine tomatoes
1 medium zucchini (about 1 heaping cup), sliced into 1/4" thick slices
olive oil
salt + pepper
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
2 cups mixed baby greens
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3-4 tablespoons hummus or tahini yogurt sauce
herb flowers or torn squash blossoms, for serving (optional)

method

socca batter

in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper; whisk in 1 cup of water - batter should be similar to thin pancake batter (but not as thin as crepe batter), if batter is too thick, add water a teaspoon at a time until batter has thinned out. drizzle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and the garlic, whisk until thoroughly combined. let mixture sit for 30 minutes or up until 12 hours lightly covered with a dishtowel.

salad

preheat oven to 400° F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. in a small bowl toss together the tomatoes, zucchini, and 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper. turn out onto the lined baking sheet and bake until tomatoes are burst and zucchini is tender, about 12-14 minutes. (if you're using smaller tomatoes like grape or cherry, cook time may be less.) remove from oven and let cool. combine the quinoa and greens in large bowl, then add the cooled roasted vegetables, set aside.

assemble

when you're ready to make the socca, place a 10-12" cast iron skillet (or an oven proof skillet) on an oven rack in the bottom third of your oven, then preheat to 450° F.
once the oven is preheated, carefully remove the skillet from the oven, pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into the skillet and gently swirl the pan to distribute the oil. give the socca batter one last whisk and then pour it into the skillet, swirling to evenly cover the pan. quickly place back into the oven and bake for 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned; turn oven temperature up to 500° F and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until edges are crisp and browned and top of socca is golden.
remove skillet from oven, and let it rest while you dress the salad. drizzle salad with 3 teaspoons olive oil, and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. use a spatula to lift the socca from the pan and place on a large cutting board. slice the socca in half, or serve whole and top with hummus or yogurt, and the burst tomato and roasted zucchini salad.

enjoy!

**to make a smaller, thin socca (like the one pictured). heat two 10-inch skillets in the oven. once oven is preheated, remove pans one at a time; add 1-1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and swirl to cover pan. add half of the socca batter and swirl to cover the bottom of the pan; place back in oven and repeat with other pan. cook until edges are golden and crisp, about 10 minutes; turn oven temperature up to 500° F and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until edges are brown and top of socca is golden. remove from heat and serve with hummus/yogurt, and salad.

related recipes

a midsummer cherry + amaranth panzanella salad

chopped tahini salad w/ crushed pine nuts + mint / September 10, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

the weather here has been so insanely gorgeous, temperatures in the low 70s, cool breezes, blue skies, and plentiful sunshine. it's been perfect weather for shorts and a sweater, or your favorite denims with a T. i am seriously looking forward to breaking out a scarf or two, and perhaps my new wool panama hat...just saying. anywho, this salad was the perfect picnic salad, so we did just that...on our fire escape of course. we used our rad picnic blanket (ahem, i mean tea towels), laid them out to cover the beautiful black metal beneath, served our salad, and dug in.

this chopped salad was inspired by a fresh vegetable salad in Jerusalem, and also inspired by the massive amounts of beautiful tomatoes and peppers out there this time of year. you may notice that i include sweet peppers in the ingredient list. mine somehow never made their way into my bag at the farmer's market, but i left them on the list because they i know they will surely be a lovely addition here. the tahini sauce is super dreamy and creamy, there's nothing better than when the tomato juices mix with the tahini sauce and you're left with a slightly tomato-spiked sauce! the crushed pine nuts and mint was kind of an afterthought, but i had the mint on hand and i love the flavor of toasted pine nuts, and thought it would be a great addition. turns out it was, but next time i will add more (i increased the amounts in the recipe below).

the next couple of weeks are fun ones for me and my husband. he will be turning the big 3-0, and i will be celebrating my birthday a few days later. lots of celebration and good times around here. stay tuned for celebration goodies, swiftly followed by detox!

chopped tahini salad w/ crushed pine nuts + mint

salad inspired by, and tahini sauce from: Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi's Jerusalem

| serves 4 as a side salad |

ingredients »

2 cups chopped greens
1 cup chopped heirloom tomatoes
1 cup chopped cucumbers
1/2 cup chopped sweet peppers
1 tablespoon fresh chives (i used garlic chives)
2-3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 teaspoons fresh mint leaves
a pinch of salt
smoked paprika to taste

tahini sauce (i halved the original recipe) »

1/3 cup tahini paste
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

instructions

for the tahini sauce »

in a medium sized bowl, whisk the tahini, water, lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt until combined
cover, and let the mixture sit in the fridge until ready to use

for the salad »

with a mortar and pestle, crush the toasted pine nuts with a pinch of salt, add the mint and grind until the mint and nuts are small pieces. set aside
in a large bowl, combine the greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. drizzle the tahini sauce, and garnish with crushed pine nut/mint mixture, chives and paprika

serve with additional tahini sauce and enjoy!