10/4/10

Sunflower Sprout Salad with Preserved Lemons and Jujubes

Sunflower Sprout Salad with Preserved Lemons and Jujubes


Exotic, beautiful, healthy and delicious - this Sunflower Sprout Salad is all that and then some. A trip to the Irvine Center Farmer's Market in Irvine, California inspired this amazing salad.

I had stopped at a Chinese farm stand - Yao Cheng Farm - where they sold jujubes and a whole host of other Asian fruits and vegetables. A jujube is a small fruit that looks like a miniature apple but is a little firmer. They're mild, delicately sweet and the inside looks a little like a pear.

Yao Cheng Farm - a Chinese organic farm
These are the jujubes I bought from Yao Cheng Farm
another stand where they sold jujubes

Then I saw this fresh sprouts stand - Bolanos Family Sprouts - and I couldn't resist a wheat grass shot and picking up some fresh sprouts. I settled on the sunflower sprouts and saw a nice lady picking out the same.

Bolanos Family Sprouts offered an amazing selection

With advertising like that, how could I resist a shot?



So, I see that we're both buying the sunflower sprouts and I decide to ask her how she prefers hers. She says she likes them with a little lemon juice, fresh pear, and sunflower seeds. Upon further discussion (although we had a severe language barrier), I learned that she, too, has a food blog. I think this is it - All Home Cooking Recipe (the language barrier made it hard for us to understand each other). If you're interested, please check it out.

Lastly, I remembered I have these preserved lemons sitting in my fridge that I made several months ago and I guess I'd kind of forgotten about them. Turns out they were a great addition to this salad.

It's funny how things come together when you least expect it.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sunflower sprouts
2 jujubes, thinly sliced (or 1 wedge of pear or apple)
1 wedge preserved lemon, rind only, minced (see Cook's note)
2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds
juice of 1 wedge of fresh lemon

Wash sprouts, then arrange on plate, add jujubes (or pear or apple), preserved lemon, and sunflower seeds. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over salad and enjoy.

Cook's note: When using preserved lemons be sure to rinse before using as they are preserved in an enormous amount of salt. The rind is quite soft, salty, and delicious. Preserved lemons are often used in Mediterranean cooking.

15 comments:

  1. That salad looks so good! I'm envious of your farmers market, we don't have that good of a selection. I've never seen the sprouts or the jujubes. You have me thinking I may have to hit the road!
    -Gina-

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  2. Gina - believe me I was surprised at how much was available when I went to this particular FM. I've been going to the same 2 for awhile and decided to try this one. I was giddy with excitement and snapped close to 400 photos Saturday. Hit the road and come for a visit!

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  3. look at all the fresh veggies! looks yummy to me. I love veggies more than fruits. I have no idea why. I just enjoy it better :)


    Have a fabulous week!
    jen @ www.passion4food.ca

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  4. Love the farmers market! Ours here dont compare.
    Friday you are not going to beleive what made my day. I went into a local grocery, minding my own buissnes and i came apon BLOOD ORANGES!! I had been on the hunt for them and i was starting to think people were lying and just putting red dye on regular oranges! lol. Made my day!!

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  5. Wow, what a stunningly beautiful dish! So exotic and healthy too. Love it! Funny, the only jujubies I know are of the candy variety. Will have to look out for them at my own farmers market. Great post!

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  6. I've never even heard of sunflower sprouts, let alone jujubes. Your farmer's market certainly has a lot more to offer than ours! Beautiful dish!

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  7. Hi Jen - thank you!

    Mr. and Mrs. P - I can't believe you already found blood oranges! I thought they wouldn't come around until January or so. I know you've been dying for them so can't wait to see your creations!

    Diva - thank you so much! I had to keep asking the girl at the farm stand what they were called because I'd only heard of the candy before, too!

    Carolyn - You can get really spoiled around here with the availability of such a wide array of foods. Funny but true story...the eggs I buy from Gelson's come from a farm up in Santa Barbara and the chickens are on a strict SUNFLOWER SPROUT DIET! Isn't that too funny?
    Go to this earlier post of mine and scroll down to the bottom and there's a picture of the eggs: http://theenchantedcook.blogspot.com/2010/08/mountain-bread-im-fascinated-with-this.html

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  8. That's the prettiest salad ever, I never had sunflower sprout, it sounds great.

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  9. This salad looks divine! Makes me want to run out and get me some sprouts!

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  10. The salad looks awesome! So light and refreshing. Great photos!

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  11. Thanks Anna!

    Haha C! It was so good - I wish I had more!

    Thank you Debbie!

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  12. Love the pictures of the market, looks like such a cool place to to find ingredients. And the salad looks so elegant and picturesque! Thanks for sharing :)

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  13. Thanks Eva - I spent several hours there last Saturday morning - so many amazing fruits and vegetables, I just couldn't tear myself away!

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  14. Hi Veronica - thanks for stopping by my blog and your lovely comment - hope you give the ricotta a try -it is incredibly simple.

    I just had a nice long lunch break, sitting here catching up on everything you've been cooking for the last week or so. Love everything I have to say, but I especially love the idea of this salad. Had never heard of jujubes before, but now I know exactly what to do with them if I ever come across any. Have never found sunflower sprouts either but maybe I could try sprouting some of my own.

    Have a great weekend
    Sue :-)

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  15. I am having fun exploring your site! I thought they were a candy, jujube's and it was also my nickname for my clients small daughter for years, lol...this looks good, I will have to look for them at Weggies now!

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