Wednesday, October 13

Today's Lunch

Persian Potato Salad

(Salad-e-Olivieh)

potatoes mashed with chicken, carrots, peas, pickles, lime juice and plenty of finely-ground pepper

Red Beet Salad

(Laboo Salad)

roasted beets with yogurt and fresh herbs

Naan

leavened, oven-baked flatbread

Sliced Peaches

with crushed graham crackers, cinnamon and nutmeg

Today’s post is dedicated to timeless friends. Friends and food go hand-in-hand. When you think about it, food is so much more than mere carbohydrates, proteins and trace minerals. A kettle of tea enjoyed with a confidant soothes the soul. Cookies baked for a loved one are undeniably sweeter. Mom’s chicken noodle soup magically cures just about every ailment. Food draws people together, because it is meant to be shared.

 Inspiration for today’s Persian Potato Salad is from my friend Golnar, owner of the fabulous M. Sharzad restaurant here in Gold River.  Having shamelessly begged Golnar to bring this addictively tasty dish to many potluck gatherings over the years, I was thrilled to stumble across ingredient guidelines for the Persian favorite. While I managed to recreate the general idea for our lunches, I daresay it pales in to comparison to Golnar’s version. Maybe she’ll share her trade secrets with me one of these days…

 Sadly, I lost a member of this same group of long-time friends yesterday to a slow-progressing, terminal illness. Janine was a remarkably beautiful person both inside and out, and an absolute pleasure to have known. Rest in peace, dear friend. You will be missed.

 P.S. If you venture out to M. Sharzad, you must try the Fessenjoon (a sweet-and-tart walnut puree and pomegranate sauce served over braised chicken), Gormeh Sabzee Stew (fresh green herbs with kidney beans, sun-dried lime and tender chunks of beef) and Persian Ice Cream with rosewater and saffron.