Spicy Chorizo, Cippolini, and Tomato Soup

Oh man, it is getting chilly here in San Diego!  And of course, by chilly I mean highs in the mid sixties during the day, and lows of high forties at night.  I know, some of you have snow already, and I feel for you.  I really do.  But I swear my blood has thinned after living in Southern California for six years now.  After dealing with Midwest winters and living in the snow belt for most of my life, you would think I would be tougher.  And I can be pretty tough, but right now, I am just cold.  

So here is what I have been doing lately - eating a hot bowl of creamy oatmeal for breakfast, wrapping my hands around a steaming cup of coffee, wearing thicker socks and comfy sweaters, and cuddling up on the couch with my sweet little puppy.   Oh, and I have also been eating lots and lots of soups.  

Cippolini onions.

I have been filling up on pho and chicken noodle soup from some of my favorite restaurants, but when it comes to tomato-based soups I would just rather make it at home myself. (Call me picky, but I always find tomato soups from restaurants to be sort of bland, not nearly tomato-ey enough for my taste.)  I have had the idea in my head for awhile now that I wanted to make a batch of nice and spicy tomato soup, and I knew I wanted to heat it up with chorizo.  I had seen a recipe for including Spanish chorizo in a sort of thick stew-like soup, but I wanted to experiment with the Mexican chorizo since that is more readily available and less expensive around here.  Normally, Mexican chorizo is used in tacos and the like, but I thought it could definitely be used in soup too.  But I just couldn't decide what to pair with the chorizo... 

And then, as usually happens, I got inspired by a visit to the farmers market.  As I was browsing around last Saturday at the Little Italy Farmers Market, I happened upon these adorable golden cippolini onions from Schaner Farms.    

Holding on to Summer: Easy Pickled Radishes and Pickled Green Beans

I refuse to believe that summer just passed me by this year.  In the blink of an eye, I missed those bright sunny days, sandy trips to the beach, and backyard barbecues.  I could tell you that I don't know how it happened, but really it was just my all-consuming dissertation; I dug in to get the job done, and when you are glued to your computer and working night and day, you barely notice the happenings in the outside world.   

Looking back, it seems a small sacrifice to completely give up one summer of my life in order to close the door on my PhD.  But that is my rational mind speaking - my heart is trying to do the impossible by tugging me back to mid-summer.  It aches for long days without a care, backyard grilling with friends, and plump heirloom tomatoes.  These days, my poor little heart seems surprised to notice that the air is cooler and the days are shorter.  The summer vegetables are beginning to be in scarce supply at the farmers markets as everyone snatches up the last summer corn or brightly colored zucchini.  And since my heart is stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the arrival of fall, I think I can indulge it for just a few more weeks and try to hang on to the last remnants of summer as best as I can. 

So I have been eating ungodly amounts of sweet tomatoes; I grilled corn when I went camping with my sister; and I baked sugary treats with the remaining summer berries.  None of those meals or desserts ended up here on The Cilantropist, because I needed some time to myself to get back in touch with my kitchen, and just cook.  It is so therapeutic and relaxing for me.  But then I decided it was time to grab some of these bright summer veggies and pickle them, and I knew I had to share these with you.    

Grilled Mushroom Sliders with Spicy Cilantro Almond Pesto

Isn't your mouth just watering looking at this slider??  I never fail to be amazed by the inspired recipes Dara of Cookin Canuck dreams up, and this is definitely a fantastic one.  This guest post from Cookin Canuck is for Grilled Mushroom Sliders, topped with Zucchini, Tomato, and a Spicy Cilantro Almond Pesto.  I am especially excited by the spicy cilantro pesto (for obvious reasons) but I also can't stop thinking about the grilled mushroom!  Oh yeah, you know what I am talking about - a thick, juicy, seasoned and grilled mushroom is a little bite of tender heaven.  I think these sliders would be the perfect vegetarian option for your Labor Day parties... but I bet meat-eaters wouldn't be able to resist them either.  And since they are miniature, you can feel free to eat more than one (or two).  


I hope you enjoy this guest post, and if you love 'mini' foods as much as we do, be sure to stop by Cookin Canuck and check out her other small dishes like Mini Grilled Pizzas with Shrimp and Red Pepper Pesto, Mini Frittatas with Parmesan and Bacon, and Mini Pepper Biscuits.  Or, just stop by to get a little dose of sunshine from her happy personality.  Thanks Dara! 

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To start, I am sending a sincere “thank you” to Amanda for asking me to share this post with you.  I can never resist stopping by her blog to see what recipes she cooked up and to gawk at her gorgeous photos.  And, by the way, she is just as sweet and bright in person as she appears on her blog.  If you didn’t catch the informative and downright jaw-dropping post she wrote and photographed for my blog - Orange Cantaloupe Sorbet –  be sure to check it out.  As Amanda is toiling over her computer, hammering out her Ph.D. dissertation (yes, I’m officially in awe), I am happy to give her a little blogging relief.  So, let’s move on to these tasty mushroom sliders, paired with a spicy cilantro pesto.

I don’t know what it is about things in miniature, but they have the effect of turning me into a weepy-eyed, cootchie-cooing fool.  Kittens, puppies, babies – you name it, I’m a sucker for it.  One would hope that these behaviors would be relegated strictly to the “baby animal/people” category but, sadly, they also cross over to food.  Cocktail parties and tapas restaurants are my preferred playgrounds as I prefer small tastes of multiple flavors rather than one large dish.  Sliders, typically about half the size of a regular burger, fit my idea of  “miniature” perfectly.

One of our favorite sliders recipes is Smoky Beef Sliders with Grilled Pineapple and Chipotle Mayonnaise.  When you’re in the mood for beef, this one is bound to satisfy your craving.  However, if you prefer something a little lighter or on the vegetarian side of the scale, turn to grilled mushrooms.  Portobello mushrooms are typically the mushroom of choice for grilling.  However, they are a little too big for sliders, unless you buy the baby bellas, which would work well for this recipe.  While at the market, I stumbled upon some very large crimini mushrooms, which were just the right size to fit inside some whole wheat dinner rolls.  If you are unable to find large crimini mushrooms, fill each slider with two small ones instead.

Thai Crab and Watermelon Salad

Wow, is it almost the end of August already?  This month has flown by for me, and it is hard for me to imagine that summer is almost over.  But not yet!  Case in point, this beautiful guest post today from Joy of Joylicious features an Easy Thai Crab and Watermelon Salad with gorgeous multi-colored melons, light and and healthy crab, fresh herbs, and a tangy dressing.  If you ask me, it is the perfect way to savor the last days of summer.  Plus, isn't it beautiful?  Although that is to be expected, since it came from Joy's kitchen.  Behind the lens, Joy works magic, and all her posts featuring stunning photography plus amazing recipes and experiences.  I also adore how she artfully integrates text into her photos.  Genius.  And of course, I love that she is just an all around happy gal.  Enjoy the post and be sure to stop by and check out Joylicious! 

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Amanda has been one of my great blogger friends since the beginning.  I rooted for her during Project Food Blog and continue to be mesmerized time and time again with her beautiful pictures, recipes and words. While she’s slaving away in graduate school, she’s asked a few of her friends to hold the fort during her dissertation.  So I am so honored to be the guest blogger at The Cilantropist today, thank you Amanda for having me!

One of my favorite parts about summers in Texas are the family get togethers we have on the weekends around the pool.  Every Sunday the family gets together to enjoy a little beer, plenty of grilling and of course lots of eating.  I found this recipe through Food and Wine – they originally had grilled chicken which I’ve replaced with crab.  I love the addition of the watermelon with the bold yet light vinaigrette.  It’s a great appetizer for the summer as it’s easy to prepare and would wow any crowd. 

Herb Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

I don't really care that it is summer and it is hot, because these days I have been wanting to roast everything.  My abundance of summer squash goes into the oven, I have been making Spice Roasted Carrots like crazy, and I just made another batch of Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Dip this weekend.  Call me crazy, but doesn't roasting make everything taste better?

Isn't this bag of little potatoes just the cutest?

Roasting also saves me time - which I don't need to remind you, is in short supply these days.  So naturally, when I picked up some beautiful fingerling potatoes from Weiser Farms at the Little Italy Farmers Market, I made big plans to toss them into the oven with some olive oil, and little salt, and some fresh herbs. 

Beautiful different colors of fingerling potatoes.

I love roasting sliced potatoes with some onions, red peppers, and rosemary, but for these whole fingerling potatoes I wanted something a little more rustic, so I turned to sage.  I adore the soft texture of fresh sage, it just draws me in like a delicate feather.  The earthy and sweet fragrance is so different from other herbs, and it pairs perfectly with fresh-from-the-ground fingerling potatoes. 

Grilled Thai Coriander Chicken

I am really excited to share another guest post with you today - this one is from my good friend and co-worker, Steve.  Steve is not a blogger, but he is a true food connoisseur at heart.  His skills in the kitchen are undeniable, and he is always making really amazing Thai foods and other Asian dishes.  He and I talk about food ALL the time (he says this below, but I thought I would repeat it for emphasis), so many of the recipes you see here on The Cilantropist have been discussed with Steve over a cup of coffee before we start the workday.  He has given me invaluable advice on most, if not all, of the Asian dishes I have featured here, including my recipe for Tom Yum Goong (Hot and Sour Soup with Prawns) and Turkey Larb.  In fact, sometimes he even brings me fresh kaffir lime leaves, limes, or lemongrass from his parent's garden up in LA.   


All of Steve's cooking is fantastic, but I know he is an expert grill master, so I asked him to share one of his summer recipes with you today.  This Grilled Thai Coriander Chicken is perfect for an end-of-summer backyard barbecue, or to make for the upcoming Labor Day weekend, or just to make on a weekday for dinner.  The chicken doesn't need to marinate for very long, and is extremely easy to make. And as a bonus, Steve also shared his recipe for a Green Salad with Thai-inspired Lime Dressing!  Together with some extra grilled veggies, this is basically the perfect family summer meal. 


This is Steve's first time posting here or ever, and this a fantastic post so let's show him some love!  I am sure you will enjoy this recipe and I hope he will share more in the future. 

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Since Amanda is toiling away everyday working on her PhD thesis, I have observed firsthand the craziness of finishing up and graduating.  I am actually her friend and neighbor in the lab (our desks are next to each other), and I love food.  We both talk about it ALL the time and share each recipes and experiences in cooking with each other.  I have to say, I am pretty lucky to be able to taste The Cilantropist’s food.  So when she asked me to do the guest post, I was both honored and apprehensive, since this is the first time I have ever written a food post.  I really like to cook and try new things, but taking pictures and cooking at the same time is definitely hard and I give props to everyone that does this.  


Now, onto the food!

Many times you have guests come over unexpectedly, or a lot of visitors, and you want to make them something good, but that is still simple enough to manage.  I came from a very big Chinese-Thai family and we often had family gatherings (either random or planned) at my Grandma’s house.  My dad has 7 brothers and sisters, so I have lots of cousins and we all gathered at Grandma’s house.  When I was a kid, I remember running around the house playing hide and seek, climbing trees, playing video games with my cousins, BUT in the background I could see that the kitchen and backyard was also active with my relatives cooking.  In particular, the grill was definitely being utilized and the smell of grilled meat and charcoal sticks to my mind whenever I think of Grandma’s house.  We aren’t unaccustomed to non-Asian foods or food snobs, but we just didn’t make your usual fare of burgers and hotdogs at our gatherings.  We all love to eat good food, and in particular, good Thai food.  


Being that we all lived and grew up in southern California, BBQ was definitely something we did a lot in the backyard during the cool summer evenings.  So this marinade for Grilled Thai Coriander Chicken that I rediscovered from my parents brings back many memories.  Not only is it very easy to prepare at short notice, but very versatile for grilling different kinds of meats.  I have never tried it with tofu, but maybe that would work as well.

For the chicken, the coriander-cilantro marinade is a very simple recipe and requires few ingredients, but the secret to making this marinade is in the preparation of some of the ingredients.  Coriander is just the seed of cilantro, so in this recipe you get double cilantro (which is, coincidentally, part of The Cilantropist’s namesake).  The seeds are dried and you can get it at any Mexican or Asian market, even many larger supermarkets such as Whole foods should have it.  The first thing you want to do is dry toast the seeds in a heavy pan for 5 minutes until you can smell the fragrant coriander, but NOT burned.  You need to shake the pan every once in awhile so that the coriander seeds are evenly toasted on all sides. 

Chili Lime Marinated Shrimp: For the Grill or the Saute Pan

Do you have plans for Memorial Day weekend?  


Here in San Diego, gloomy skies had taken over the city, but now our sunny, 70 degree weather seems to have returned just in time for the weekend.  In America's Finest City, that means everyone will be celebrating the long weekend with beach parties and barbecues.  If you live in an area of the country where it is not quite summer yet, maybe I can help you kick off the season by sending some sunshine your way... along with a great recipe for grilled Chili Lime Marinated Shrimp.  And guess what?  Even if rain ruins your Memorial Day picnic, you can go ahead and bring the sunshine inside because this recipe is just as good made in a saute pan as it is on the grill.    

Dried Ancho chili peppers.

Some meats or seafood seem to be made for the grill - for instance, a thick seasoned ribeye or a gorgeous swordfish steak just don't seem the same when they lose that dark char - but other things are just as good off the grill as they are on it.  In my humble opinion, shrimp are one of those great grill-to-stovetop transitional foods.  When threaded on skewers and grilled, marinated large shrimp cook quickly and they get a really lovely smoky flavor; they don't dry out and they are the perfect compliment to cool summer salads.  However, marinated shrimp also cook beautifully over high heat in a saute pan, and they can sometimes be even more juicy than when they are cooked on a grill.  

For this recipe, I marinated my shrimp with a classic combination of chiles, lime, and garlic (and of course, cilantro), and the results were fantastic.  For the heat and spicy flavor, I used Ancho chiles plus everyday red pepper flakes, and it worked extremely well.  If you have not used Ancho chiles before, they are extremely common in Mexican cooking and can be found in most grocery chains here in Southern California (check your local grocer).  Anchos are often used in cooked dishes, but I wanted to try them out in a marinade instead of fresh chiles - that way, I would be able to make my marinade at any time using only ingredients from my pantry plus refrigerator staples.       

Rehydrate dried chilis by soaking them in boiling water for 15 minutes.

Easy White Bean Spread, for a Celebration Lunch with Family

A few weeks ago I got an email from Renee from Kitchen Conundrum that I had won a copy of Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love cookbook.  Yahoo!  To enter her contest, she had asked readers to leave a comment about a recipe they love to make at home for their friends and family.  Here is what I said: 

I love making classic chocolate chip cookies – everyone always loves them and fresh out of the oven there is nothing better. I would love to win this cookbook for my mom!  **

Her question to readers was utterly perfect considering the "Big Bowl of Love" theme of Cristina Ferrare's new cookbook - the entire cookbook is devoted to simple, delicious recipes that you can share with family and friends.  Cristina describes each of the recipes in such a warm and genuine tone that it just makes you want to be home.  So naturally, her book and recipes made me think of my mom and how much she would love this cookbook.  Of course, when I actually won it I had a few self-indulgent moments paging through it and some more self-indulgent thoughts about keeping it, but in the end I gave it to my mom as a Mother's Day present; I knew she would appreciate it more than I would and it seemed like the perfect gift for her.  

But to make the gift even more perfect, I escaped home for two short days to surprise her and give it to her in person.  I combined a celebration of Mother's Day, my father's birthday, and my grandfather's 90th birthday (can you believe it!  Ninety years!) into a few whirlwind hours back in Ohio, and every moment of my time at home was precious and heart-warming.  Of course, we celebrated with birthday cakes and special dinners and lots of hugs and kisses, but one of the best times was a small, relaxing celebration lunch with my parents in our own backyard.  

I love my parents' antique-style knives.  I also love my mom's lilacs.

I set everything up so we could have a lunch that would be elegant enough to be 'special' but nothing that we would have to fuss over.  Life has been hectic for my parents (and for me) and I think we all really cherished time where we could relax, and just enjoy the pleasure of simple conversation and time spent together.  

Ana's Weeknight Broccoli Soup

I only recently decided that I actually like broccoli.  

For years, I despised it, avoiding it on veggie trays, picking it out of soups, and steering clear of casseroles and pastas with those pesky green crowns.  My boyfriend even used to make jokes about it - when we would go out to eat and I would order something that might have broccoli, he would smile and say, "I'll be sure to tell them you want extra broccoli."  I would usually roll my eyes, smile back, and reply with, "Ha, ha.  I know you think you're very funny."  (Incidentally, he is usually quite hilarious.)  

My aversion to broccoli was pretty strange, considering I am really not a picky eater, and I do enjoy most vegetables.  Plus, I am a big girl.  I know vegetables are good for me so I don't need to be coerced into eating them.  But still... Broccoli was always a sticking point for me.

Broccoli cut up and prepped the day before to make this soup even easier.

But now I would say I like broccoli.

I honestly don't know if my tastebuds suddenly took a liking to this veggie, or if it was just the fickle winds of change, but there was a definite turning point.  One day I hated broccoli, the next day I liked it.   

I can't say I love it yet, but I like it.  Sort of like with any new relationship, I am still trying to decide exactly how I feel about it, but broccoli is growing on me day by day.  We haven't had our first fight yet, so we are still in the honeymoon phase, but so far things are looking good.  

So in the spirit of celebrating my new found feelings for broccoli, I thought I would share an easy, satisfying way to enjoy this lovely veggie.  This recipe is from my good friend and super-mom, Ana.  She makes this recipe on busy weeknights, and believe it or not, her 2 1/2-year old daughter actually requests this soup all the time!  She looooooves her broccoli soup.  

I got to try Ana's Weeknight Broccoli Soup right after her second child was born - I was over at her place one evening, and she was chatting, entertaining her daughter, making this soup, and cleaning up the kitchen while balancing her newborn on her hip.  Yes, I did say she was super-mom.  But basically, the fact that Ana can multi-task and make this soup at the same time is just a testament to how easy it is - and that is something that any busy guy or gal can appreciate.       

Spring Quiche: Asparagus, Green Garlic, and Humboldt Fog

Thank God for the weekend.  Lately work has kept me so busy that have barely had time for regular everyday life.  But rest assured, when I have had some extra time I have been spending it in the kitchen creating delicious dishes with the bounty of spring produce I have been getting from the farmers market.  These days the market seems to be a sea of lush green - baby lettuce, fresh herbs, shelling peas, artichokes, asparagus, leeks, spinach - and lucky for us, all those vibrant vegetables are extremely healthy.  

So to celebrate spring (and that wonderful fleeting time known as the weekend), I decided to whip up an easy Spring Quiche.  I decided to go sans crust to make it lighter and more airy, and also take out some of the work.  But most importantly, since I was focusing on using in-season, fresh produce, I wanted to make the most of the ingredients.  I used asparagus, green garlic, leeks, dill, Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese, and free-range brown eggs.  All the components harmonized perfectly, with the farmers market vegetables accented by the exceptional Humboldt Fog.  

Since this quiche is all about components, lets talk ingredients.  

Asparagus.  In most areas in the U.S., you can get asparagus year-round, but fresh, springtime asparagus is markedly different.  Asparagus always has bright green color with beautiful purple tips, but the major difference is in the texture and taste - the younger shoots of asparagus are sweeter, and more grassy in taste, and have far more moisture than the drier, more 'woody' asparagus found during other times of the year, making the texture more tender.  

When shopping for asparagus, look for stems that are medium diameter (not pencil-thin), buds that are fresh and tightly closed, and stems that are green and fresh (no dark soft spots).  If you break off the bottom of the asparagus or slice into it, it should be moist and not porous.    

Fresh asparagus bundles.

Classic Mussels with Shallots and Thyme

Welcome to the 100th post here on The Cilantropist!  

Over the last year this blog has grown and developed, and I am relishing in every moment of it.  I can barely believe that I have shared 100 posts with you!  I am committed to bringing you fresh, seasonal, and delicious food (plus cakes and cookies, we can't forget those!) and I do my best to only share things that I think are excellent.  Compared to when I first started, The Cilantropist is so much more like what I dreamed it would be, and it is still evolving.  Keep your eyes peeled for a few changes and additions in the weeks and months to come, but be assured that you will still always be able to find great food over at this corner of the web.  

I also want to give a big shout out to YOU!  Each and every one of my readers, please know that I love love love having you here and it means the world to me knowing that you appreciate food, family, and friends.  I also adore your comments and emails - they make me smile and laugh, and they brighten my day each time I read one.  (And I read all of them!)   I truly appreciate that you share my blog and recipes with family and friends, since feeling connected to people is really at the heart of my cooking.  I hope you will continue to follow along with me as I create another 100 recipes and share stories from my adventures in the kitchen.  

I can also say that over the last year my passion for food and cooking has increased exponentially, and everything about it brings me so much happiness. I am more conscious of what I eat now, and more committed than ever to eating sustainably and locally, and working more towards living a hand-crafted life.  This doesn't mean eating only organic or natural foods - that is just not realistic for me right now - but it does mean shopping at the farmers market as often as possible and making dishes from quality well-sourced ingredients.  Very simply, I think it is a healthier way to live and eat.   

So I thought, for this 100th post, that I should share one of my favorite dishes with you since I can source all the raw ingredients from my farmers market.      

Are you able to find fresh bay leaves?  I think they are just beautiful. 

This classic dish of Mussels with Shallots and Thyme has its roots in traditional French cooking since it uses a broth made with cream, wine, shallots and herbs, to steam open fresh mussels.  I made this dish for the first time almost four years ago, when my boyfriend and I discovered we could get fresh Carlsbad mussels at the farmers market near my apartment.  Nowadays, I can get everything else I need to make it from the farmers market as well, including fragrant thyme and beautiful green bay leaves.   

Easy Lemon-Garlic Kale Pasta

Maybe you saw it last week, but I started gathering friends with my NEW Facebook page for The Cilantropist!  Head over and check it out, and 'Like' it to be sure my new posts come up in your daily feeds. 

It seems like many readers were just waiting for me to add the email subscription link because they signed up right away when I introduced it last week!  If you don't want to miss any of my posts and would like recipes from The Cilantropist delivered right to your inbox, be sure to enter your email address and subscribe (on the sidebar). 

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So I had planned to have a new post up for you last Thursday or Friday, or even Saturday at the latest...and now it's already Sunday!  Last week was busy and stressful for me, and life gave me my share of lemons.  So you know what they say: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."  (Is it appropriate to add a number of vodka shots to that lemonade?) 

But lets be honest, no matter how many lemons life pummels you with, no man can survive on lemonade alone (even if it is spiked with alcohol).  So instead take your lemons and make an easy, healthy meal of Lemon-Garlic Kale Pasta.

This pasta relies on what I use as an old standby for weeknight meals: Plain boxed pasta dressed up with infused oil.  I try to have a box or two of Barilla pasta in the pantry for nights when I want a filling meal but don't feel like making pasta from scratch; however, boxed pasta with store-bought pasta sauce is a less-than-appetizing meal, on both a taste and nutritional level.  It is for this reason that I keep frozen homemade pasta sauce on hand, or that I make a sauce with high quality extra virgin olive oil infused with whatever strikes my fancy.  

Classic Stuffed Peppers

So I already admitted to you that I am not a big meat eater, which means that I don't make and post many "main dishes" here on The Cilantropist.  And while I know that main dishes can certainly be meatless, they still seem to be lacking.  Is this just because I love soups and salads so much?  Or is it something else?      

Because I don't really think this idea is as simple as "I don't eat much meat."  I think it means something different: I think it means that I don't yet have a family to feed, and that there are no little hungry mouths that are depending on me to provide them with a well-balanced meal.  And sure, I have a boyfriend (with a big hungry mouth to feed), but even he is not depending on me since he is currently more than 6,000 miles away.  When it comes down to it, I can really eat whatever tickles my fancy, because at this exact point in my life, the only person that I am responsible for is me.       

Is this is a luxury?  Many would say yes, and both my brain and my tastebuds would probably agree (who doesn't want cookies for dinner?).  I am sure more than a few of my readers would tell me to enjoy these carefree days while they last.  But I am just as sure that other readers would say that they throughly enjoy feeding their families and spouses, and although it is a responsibility, it is one they would never trade for anything.  And so while I do appreciate the luxury of languishing over a batch of ladyfingers or spending hours with my friend The Kitchen, I don't know that I actually want that luxury anymore; feeding people is really what I love the most about cooking, and my heart tells me that I want something more.

Lemony White Bean and Tomato Salad with Dill

Another So Cal Summer Salad!  Yay!  Actually I was sort of feigning excitement; to be honest, I was almost tempted not to make this salad.  You see, this salad came from the June issue of Bon Appetit, and this particular issue was the one where I had found my recipe for Arugula, Fennel, and Apricot Salad... and well, we all know how that turned out.  A recipe for disappointment and pain (specifically a battle wound that has just finally healed), and that is certainly not what The Cilantropist is striving for.  

So, needless to say, it was with some trepidation and marked hesitation that I approached this recipe. (I also decided to be a little superstitious and not use my nemesis The Shun.  I figured if I brought out my trusty Henkels workhorse I would be less likely to cut myself and would instantly increase my chances of eating a delicious salad.  This is ridiculous, I know, but I refuse to apologize for the crazy way my mind works.)

It started out like the previous Bon Appetit salad: I enjoyed all the ingredients, the flavors seemed like they would meld together flawlessly, and the colors were fresh and bright. Then I was chopping everything up, and somehow the combination of the scents wafting up from the cutting board and the small tastes I took when I quickly licked my fingers (we all do this right? A little taste test here and there...) seemed somehow, just off.