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Food for Thought Friday: my #1 cooking client's most requested side 🤩


From about 2016 - 2019, I dabbled in personal cheffing, meaning I would go to people's houses and cook for them (or make food at my place and have them pick it up). I was working for a few caterers at this same time and gathering knowledge that way, but I really had no experience or examples of this type of business, so I was pretty much just making it up as I went.

I quickly realized that my motivation to cook for people was based on a somewhat nebulous "vibe" that we either did or did not have, based partly on how much our cooking/eating philosophies aligned, but also on other intangible factors. There were some clients I loved cooking for, and others for whom I dreaded showing up on their doorstep, chef bag and apron in hand.

There was one family who had the most gorgeous kitchen with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and every appliance I could ever want, but the mom liked to be there, hovering, when I cooked, which I hated because I needed to be alone in my creative zone. I loved that she bought the most incredible ingredients from the fanciest farmers market in town, but I would have no idea what I was gonna cook when I showed up at her house, which was sometimes a fun challenge and other times, very nerve-wrecking. I'll never forget the time she had bought a whole rabbit and asked me if I could cook it. "Oh sure! I can definitely do that!" I exclaimed through my teeth... then as soon as she left to take the kids to school, anxiously looked up "how to cook a rabbit" on my phone - I had absolutely never done that before, yikes! Somehow, thankfully, the rabbit turned out great - they all loved it, she said 🤣. All this to say - I learned a lot cooking there... but I wasn't sad when she didn't need my help anymore.

There was one wonderful family, though, with whom I just VIBED right away, and ended up cooking for weekly for 2+ years. Everything was easy with them - they loved my food, shopped according to my list (haha), always remembered to give me feedback, and we balanced perfectly on our menu choices: they were open to trying new things - and requested fun foods that were a nice challenge - but also picked old favorites enough that I didn't have to constantly come up with new ideas. I also got to do my cooking while I babysat their adorable, sweet and super-chill daughter, so I had a little buddy to share my love of cooking with from a young age.

I was reminiscing the other day and remembered this recipe I'm sharing with you today; I temporarily forgot about it, but it was one their most-requested salad/side dishes (and it's a personal favorite of mine too).
It's really pretty seasonless, but extra good when the radishes are fresh and springy like they are now. It's the perfect side/salad when you're craving something crunchy-and-refreshing, but also hearty at the same time. I would always use the mandolin slicer when I made this for them, because it gives it such an elegant feel, but you could also just chop the veggies small, and it would become more of a chopped salad. Either way, it's super delicious!

This recipe is extremely flexible, so definitely feel free to make subs or use up/add whatever you have in the fridge. Oh yeah, and it just so happens to be vegan (if you care about that)!

Hope you enjoy!

Love,
Jess

 

Favorite Shaved Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
takes about 35 minutes, serves 4-6

Ingredients:
  • 2-4 carrots
  • 1 bunch radishes
  • 1 large fennel bulb
  • 1/4 bunch of cilantro (or sub dill or another fresh herb!)
  • about 3/4 cup sliced almonds, pepitas or pistachios
  • salt and pepper
Dressing (makes about 3/4 cup):
  • 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup lemon juice)
  • 3T tahini
  • 2T water
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 5T olive oil
  • (optional) tiny dash maple syrup or pinch of sugar

optional special equipment: a mandolin slicer makes this salad extra elegant, if you have one / feel comfortable. If not, totally fine - just chop into small-ish pieces about the same size, and/or slice as thinly as you can with a sharp knife.

Instructions:
  1. First, toast nuts. Heat a dry pan over high heat. When hot, add nuts and spread in an even later. Turn heat down to medium. Toast for 3-5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to make sure they don’t burn and toast evenly. When done, pour into large salad bowl and let cool. Set aside.
  2. Rinse cilantro, shake over the sink, and leave on a towel to dry.
  3. *Optional step - if you have time. Wash the lemon and zest it over the toasted nuts.
  4. Make dressing: Roll the lemon on the counter or cutting board to help release the juices. Into a wide mouth jar, small container, or 1 to 2 cup measuring cup, juice the lemon. It should be about 1/4 cup of juice. Grate or press the clove of garlic into the lemon juice and give it a quick stir. Add 3T tahini and 2T water. Gently whisk with a fork until it just comes together. Add 5T olive oil and gently whisk again until incorporated. Taste and add a dash of maple syrup or sugar if desired. Set aside.
  5. Use mandolin or veggie peeler to shave the veggies into the large salad bowl. For carrots, coins or ribbons work well. For radishes, cut in half if large or keep them whole if small. For fennel, cut off the stalks. Stand it up on the cutting board with root flush to the cutting board. Cut in half lengthwise but don’t cut all the way through. Then, holding the root, shave on the mandolin. OR just chop all the veggies into similar-sized, small pieces with a sharp knife.
  6. Finely chop cilantro, stems and all, and add to the bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add about half the dressing. Toss and add more dressing as needed. You can also add a bit more olive oil if it seems a little thick/dry. Salad will keep for a few days in the fridge (if it lasts that long)!
All photos are taken by me and recipes written by me, unless otherwise noted.

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Hi, I'm Jess! I help health-conscious, busy people transform their cooking from chore to lifestyle through intuitive cooking, which I teach through online classes, free content, coaching and more. This is my newsletter, Food for Thought Fridays, where I share highly actionable tips and inspiration to help you cook more intuitively (which makes cooking feel easier and SO much more fun!). Once a month, I share a recipe that's really worth making, and I only share those with my email subscribers. Sometimes the text above may include affiliate links, meaning (at no additional cost to you) I get a commission if you click through and make a purchase. This helps me to continue to share free content, so I would love it if you buy through my link! Thank you for supporting Garlic Press Jess!

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