シュガーキャット

I'm getting better and more creative when it comes to lunches at QUITOKEETO. Soups are the easiest, and I bring them most often. But, I also love a good, substantial salad. Today's was inspired by the pilpelchuma paste in Yotam and Sami's Jerusalem.

A friend gifted me a jar a couple of years ago, and I've been making and adapting it since. It's strong and dynamic with ancho and sweet paprika depth, heat and feistiness from cayenne, and a lot of garlic coming together in a brick-red smear. Pilpelchuma. I add it to all sorts of preparations, and worked it into yogurt for a simple salad dressing here. Of the components in this salad, the paste takes the most time to prepare.

That said, you can make quite far in advance, it keeps for a week or so. Once you've made the paste, a salad like this comes together fast. Along with a little ice pack, I bring the romaine lettuce, mung beans, seeds, hard-boiled egg, and any other toppings in one large Mason jar, and then the dressing in another smaller jar. A quick toss, and you've got a beautiful, vibrant salad. It's a good one for work, or picnic, or potluck. I posted the recipe here.