Back to Butter: A Traditional Foods Cookbook - Nourishing Recipes Inspired by Our Ancestors (17 page)

Red Rice Salad with Cumin Dressing

This sweet ’n tangy salad features a unique variety of heirloom rice—red rice—that is a deep and beautiful maroon hue. Heirloom, in layman’s terms, is an antique seed that typically has more nutrition and unique qualities than many of today’s mass-produced seeds. Several varieties of heirloom red rice are available in large grocery stores today, but when it’s nowhere to be found, short-grain brown rice serves as a delicious substitute.

FOR SALAD:

3 cups (495 g) cooked red rice (
page 54
)

1
/
2
cup (55 g) coarsely chopped crunchy walnuts (
page 49
)

1
/
4
cup (36 g) crunchy sunflower seeds (
page 49
)

1
/
2
cup (72 g) dried blueberries

3
/
4
cup (90 g) finely diced celery

1/3 cup (35 g) thinly sliced scallion, both white and green parts

2 tablespoons (12 g) chopped fresh mint

FOR DRESSING:

1
/
4
cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons (40 g) raw honey (
page 64
)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin

1
/
4
teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon sea salt

1
/
4
teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

TO MAKE THE SALAD: In a medium-size bowl, combine all the salad ingredients. Toss gently and set aside.

TO MAKE THE DRESSING: In a small-size bowl or jar, combine all the dressing ingredients. Whisk well or shake.

Drizzle the dressing over the mixed salad and toss gently to incorporate. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

YIELD: 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

RECIPE NOTE

Look for dried blueberries that have been sweetened with apple juice concentrate rather than cane sugar. If dried blueberries can’t be found, substitute currants, raisins, or dried cranberries.

Sweet Onion Dressing

This old family favorite appeals to all kinds of taste buds. It’s a hearty dressing consisting of very basic ingredients—if you’ve got an onion in the pantry, chances are you can pull this off without a hitch. The dressing takes on a slight pink color when using a red onion. A sweet white onion, like a Vidalia, is a nice substitute and will result in a whiter dressing.

1
/
2
cup (80 g) roughly chopped red onion (about 1 medium)

1/3 cup (80 ml) apple cider vinegar

1
/
4
cup (40 g) honey granules (
page 64
)

1 teaspoon celery seed

1
1
/
2
teaspoons powdered mustard

1 teaspoon sea salt

3
/
4
cup (180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Place all the ingredients except the oil in a blender and blend until creamy.

Slowly drizzle the oil into the chute with the blender on medium speed. Continue to blend until the oil is incorporated.

Use immediately or refrigerate if not using the same day. Allow refrigerated dressing to warm to room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Shake well before pouring.

Yield: 1
1
/
2
CUPS (355 ML)

Quick, classic, and delicious. Consuming raw honey from local beehives can actually help a body adjust to seasonal allergies. A cold dressing is a seamless way to add raw honey to the daily diet.

3 tablespoons (45 ml) balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons (22 g) Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon raw honey

1
/
4
teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

1
/
2
cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

In a small-size bowl, combine all the ingredients except the oil.

Pour the oil into a liquid measuring cup, then slowly whisk into the balsamic mixture.

Use immediately or refrigerate if not using the same day. Allow refrigerated dressing to warm to room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Shake well before pouring.

YIELD:
3
/
4
CUP (180 ML)

Look for a jam that is 100% fruit to avoid added sugar. Try different flavors for completely different results! Apricot is delicious for a salmon salad. Strawberry is lovely over a spinach salad with raw milk Cheddar.

3 tablespoons (60 g) all-fruit jam

2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice

1 tablespoon (11 g) Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar

1
/
4
teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

7 tablespoons (105 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

In a small-size bowl, combine all the ingredients except the oil. Whisk to combine.

Whisk in the oil 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time, whisking until fully combined.

Use immediately or refrigerate if not using the same day. Allow refrigerated dressing to warm to room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Shake well before pouring.

YIELD:
3
/
4
CUP (180 ML)

RECIPE NOTE

Try a creamy version, too. To make, simply stir a few tablespoons (45 g) plain yogurt into the original batch.

Living on a farm filled with fragrant lemon trees never gets old! This vinaigrette is a simple example why. In my case, I can easily collect the main ingredient on the 50-yard (45 m) “commute” from my office to the kitchen. Sure beats running to the grocery store!

3
/
4
cup (180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1
/
2
cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 2 large)

1
/
4
cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar

3 pitted Medjool dates, roughly chopped

1
/
2
teaspoon sea salt

1
/
2
teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until combined.

Use immediately or refrigerate if not using the same day. Allow refrigerated dressing to warm to room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Shake well before pouring.

YIELD: 1
1
/
2
CUPS (355 ML)

CHAPTER 9
NOURISHING SUPPERS

EVEN WHEN WE SEEM SO DIFFERENT—politics, race, religion, and so on—we all share the need to be fed. Through food, we bridge gaps. Simple nourishment gives us a source of conversation, a way to share, and a way to learn about each other’s wants and needs. If you’re ever in a conversation with someone and don’t know what to say, ask them what kind of food they grew up eating for dinner, then just listen and learn. Food deserves a higher place in our hearts and on our priority lists. Let’s spend more time talking about what we want for dinner. And when we can,
let’s cook it at home.

Seared Scallops with Creamy Carrot Purée