Lag B'Omer/Classic Potato Salad

Happy Lag B'Omer to all my readers.  Hope you all have plans to celebrate.  Here in Montreal, a parade was organized, followed by a Chaim Fogelman concert, jugglers and jumping castles in the park.
Celebrating Jewish holidays comes with many benefits. One of them is, starting the barbeque season a few weeks earlier.  For most, Memorial day, which isn't till May 28th this year, is when they bring out the barbeque and celebrate summer.  But not for us.
Last night, my family and I were graciously invited to a barbeque by my dear sister-in-law.  When I asked what I can contribute, she asked me to bring a potato salad.
Of course, I went straight to the Purple Cookbook, to figure out which one to take along. I decided to make the Classic Potato Salad (Spice ans Spirit, page 284)
I love the color combination in this salad, and the crunch imparted by the diced peppers.  The flavor was exactly what would be expected of a classic potato salad.

Jalapeno Eggplant Salad

This evening, when making my salads for Shabbat, I was inspired to make a change from the norm and created a whole new dish.  I like this enough to call it a keeper, we will have to wait till tomorrow night for my husbands verdict.

Jalapeno Eggplant Salad
1 large onion - diced
6 cloves garlic - crushed
2 chinese eggplant - diced
1-2 jalapeno - minced
salt and pepper to taste

Fry eggplant till golden color, remove from pot.  Brown onion in a small amount of oil till translucent, just starting to brown.  Return eggplant to pot. Add crushed garlic,  and jalapeno.  Stir fry till jalapeno softens slightly.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with challah or bread.

Enjoy,

Chanie

Lox Salad With Poppy Seed Dressing

12 years ago, I spent a year in a seminary in Johannesburg, South Africa.  One family I occasionally went to for Shabbat dinner, would make a delicious lettuce salad with lox in it.  I have yet to find a recipe for this salad.  Yesterday, I decided to come up with my own variation of this dish.

Lox Salad With Poppy Seed Dressing
1 medium head romaine lettuce
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes - halved
8 oz. lox - cut in small pieces (or for a more economical salad, use lox trimmings)
1/2 red onion - thinly sliced (I didn't have any in the house, but I think the salad could use it, for both color and taste)

Poppy Seed Dressing
6 Tbsp Sugar
2/3 cup oil
1/3 cup vinegar
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds
salt and pepper to taste.

Shake all dressing ingredients in a jar with lid on.  Pour over salad just before serving

Have a good week,

Chanie