⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
The yolks of 2 hard-boiled eggs
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt
1 cup dried cannellini white beans, soaked and cooked as directed, and drained (see note)
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
Note If cooking the beans long in advance, keep them in their liquid and warm them up gently before using them.
1. Put all the ingredients, except for the beans and the black pepper, in a food processor and chop to a creamy consistency.
2. Toss the drained beans, preferably when they are still warm, with the processed ingredients. Add black pepper, toss again, and taste and correct for salt and other seasoning. Allow to steep at room temperature for 1 hour, then toss again just before serving. Do not refrigerate.
Radicchio and Warm Bean Salad
THE IDEAL COMPONENTS of this salad are long Treviso radicchio (see Radicchio), and fresh cranberry beans (described here), but there are satisfactory substitutes for either or both. Instead of Treviso radicchio you can use the more common round one, or even Belgian endive, which is part of the same family. Instead of fresh beans you can use the dried, and if you can’t find either fresh or dried cranberry beans, you can turn to dried cannellini beans.
For 4 to 6 servings
Cranberry beans, 2 pounds fresh, OR 1 cup dried, soaked and cooked as described
1 pound radicchio, either the long-leaf Treviso variety or the round head OR Belgian endive
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Choice quality red wine vinegar
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1. If using fresh beans: Shell them, put them in a pot with enough cold, unsalted water to cover by about 2 inches, bring the water to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and cook at a slow, steady pace until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Time their preparation so they will still be warm when assembling the salad.
If using dried beans: Time their cooking, following the directions, so that they are still warm when you put together the salad.
2. If using radicchio: Detach the leaves from the head, discarding any blemished ones, shred them into narrow strips about ¼ inch wide, soak in cold water for a few minutes, drain, and either spin-dry or shake dry in a towel.
If using endive: Discard any blemished leaves, take a thin slice off the root end, then cut it across into strips ¼ inch wide, washing it and drying it as described above.
3. Drain the beans and put them, while they are still warm, into a serving bowl with the radicchio or endive. Add salt, toss once, pour in enough oil to coat well, add a dash of vinegar, liberal grindings of black pepper, toss thoroughly, and serve at once.
Asparagus Salad
WHEN ASPARAGUS is at its seasonal peak, the most popular way of serving it in Italy is boiled, as the salad course. It is served while it is still lukewarm or no cooler than room temperature. A little more vinegar than usual goes into the dressing. To keep the asparagus fresh, see suggestion.
For 4 to 6 servings
2 pounds fresh asparagus, peeled and cooked as described
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
Extra virgin olive oil
Choice quality red wine vinegar
1. Cook the asparagus until tender, but still firm, drain, and lay it on a long platter, leaving one end of the platter free. Prop up the opposite end, to allow the liquid shed by the asparagus to run down toward the free end of the platter. After 15 to 20 minutes, pour out the liquid that has collected, and rearrange the asparagus, spreading it out evenly.
2. Add salt and pepper, coat generously with oil, and drizzle liberally with vinegar. Tip the platter in several directions to distribute the seasonings uniformly, and serve at once.
Green Bean Salad
For 4 servings
1 pound green beans, boiled as described
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Choice quality red wine vinegar OR freshly squeezed lemon juice
Drain the beans when they are slightly firm, but tender, not crunchy. Put them in a serving bowl, add salt, and toss once. Pour enough oil over them to give them a glossy coat. Add a dash of vinegar or lemon juice, as you prefer. Toss thoroughly, taste and correct for seasoning, and serve while still lukewarm.
Baked Red Beets
THE VERY BEST WAY to cook beets is to bake them. It concentrates their flavor to an intense, mouth-filling sweetness that is to swoon over if you have never had them before. No other method compares favorably with baking in the oven—not boiling, not microwaving, certainly not buying them in cans. It takes time, but it doesn’t take watching and it leaves you free to do whatever else you like. Sliced baked beets seasoned with olive oil, salt, and vinegar is one of the most delicious salads you can make.
One of the bonuses of buying raw beets is getting the tops. Both the stems and leaves are excellent when boiled and served as salad. Look for the tops that have the smallest leaves, an indication of youth and tenderness. The spindly red stems strewn among the lush green leaves are delightful to look at, and delicious is the contrast between the crunchiness of the former and the tenderness of the latter.
For 4 servings
1 bunch raw red beets with their tops, about 4 to 6 beets, depending on size
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Choice quality red wine vinegar
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Cut off the tops of the beets at the base of the stems and save to cook as described in the recipe that follows. Trim the root ends of the beet bulbs.
3. Wash the beets in cold water, then wrap them all together in parchment paper or aluminum foil, crimping the edge of the paper or foil to seal tightly. Put them in the upper part of the oven. They are done when they feel tender but firm when prodded with a fork, about 1½ to 2 hours, depending on their size.
4. While they are still warm, but cool enough to handle, pull off their blackish skin. Cut them into thin slices.
5. When ready to serve, toss with salt, liberal quantities of olive oil, and a dash of vinegar.
Ahead-of-time note Baked beets taste best the day they are done, served still faintly warm from the oven. But they are very nice even if they must be kept a day or two. Refrigerate them whole, with the skin on, in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Take out of the refrigerator in sufficient time for them to come to room temperature before serving.
Beet Tops Salad
THE FRESHNESS of the stems and leaves is very short lived, and they should be cooked and eaten the day you buy them, if possible. You could make a nice mixed salad, combining the boiled tops with the sliced, baked beets. Or, you could put away the less perishable raw beet bulbs for two or three days and have just the tops in a salad while these are still fresh.
For 4 servings
The stems and leaves from 3 or more bunches raw beets
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Note If you are serving the tops and the sliced beets together, substitute vinegar for lemon juice.
1. Pull the leaves from the stems. Snap the stems into 2 or 3 pieces, pulling away any strings as you do so. Wash both the stems and the leaves in cold water.
2. Bring 3 to 4 quarts water to a boil, add salt, and as soon as it boils again put in just the stems. After 8 minutes or so—a little longer if the stems are rather thick—put in the leaves. They are done when tender to the bite, about 5 minutes or less. Drain well, shaking off all moisture.
3. When they have cooled down, but are still slightly warm, toss with salt, olive oil, and a dash of lemon juice. Serve at once.
Warm Cauliflower Salad
For 6 or more servings
1 head cauliflower, about 2 pounds, cooked as described
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Choice q
uality red wine vinegar
Note If you cannot use the entire head as salad, season only as much as you need to, and save the rest. It can be refrigerated and used a day or two later to make Gratinéed Cauliflower with Butter and Parmesan Cheese, Gratinéed Cauliflower with Béchamel Sauce, Fried Cauliflower Wedges with Egg and Bread Crumb Batter, or Fried Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese Batter.
1. Drain the cauliflower when tender, but still slightly firm, and before it cools, detach the florets from the head, dividing all but the smallest into two or three pieces.
2. Put the florets in a serving bowl, and season liberally with salt, olive oil, and vinegar. Cauliflower needs ample quantities of all three. Toss gently so as not to mash the florets, taste and correct for seasoning, and serve at once.
Italian Potato Salad
IN TAKING the measure of a good home cook, many Italians might agree that among the criteria there would have to be the quality of the potato salad. Not that there is any mystery about what goes into it: It’s just potatoes, salt, olive oil, and vinegar. No onions, eggs, mayonnaise, herbs, or other curiosities. But the choice of potatoes has to be right. Their flesh must be waxy smooth and compact, not crumbly; their color when cooked, warm and golden, like that of maize or country butter; their flavor fresh, sweet, and nutty, with no hint of mustiness. They should be boiled until fully tender, but without the least trace of sogginess. The slices must come off the potatoes whole, without breaking apart. They must be splashed with good wine vinegar when they are still hot so that they can soak up the aroma while their heat softens the vinegar’s acetic edge.
For 4 to 6 servings
1½ pounds waxy, boiling potatoes, either new or mature, and all of a size
Choice quality red wine vinegar
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
1. Wash the potatoes in cold water. Put them in a pot with their skins on and enough water to cover by at least 2 inches. Bring to a slow boil, and cook until tender, but not too soft. It should take about 35 minutes, less if you are using small, new potatoes. Refrain from prodding them too frequently with the fork, or they will become soggy, or break apart later when slicing them.
2. When done, pour out the water from the pot, but leave the potatoes in. Shake the pot over medium heat for just a few moments, moving the potatoes around, causing their excess of moisture to evaporate.
3. Pull off the potato skins while they are still hot.
4. Using a sharp knife and very little pressure, cut the potatoes into slices about ¼ inch thick, and spread them out on a warm serving platter. Sprinkle immediately with about 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Turn the potatoes gently.
5. When ready to serve, add salt and a liberal quantity of very good olive oil. Taste and correct for seasoning, adding more vinegar if required. Serve while still lukewarm or no colder than room temperature. Do not keep overnight, and do not refrigerate.
Boiled Swiss Chard Salad
YOUNG SWISS CHARD has thin stems that must be discarded, but mature chard has broad, meaty stalks that are very good to eat. In the salad described here, both the leaves and the stalks are used. If, however, you prefer to utilize the stalks separately, such as in this gratinéed dish, set them aside and make the salad solely from the leaves.
For 4 to 6 servings
2 bunches Swiss chard
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. If the chard is young, with skinny stems, detach and discard the stems. If it is mature chard with broad stalks, pull the leaves from the stalks, discarding any blemished leaves. Cut the stalks lengthwise into narrow strips a little less than ½ inch wide, and then trim these into shorter pieces about 4 inches long. Soak all the chard in a basin with several changes of cold water until there is no trace of soil in the water.
2. If using just the chard leaves: Put the leaves in a pan with only the moisture clinging to them, add 2 teaspoons salt, turn the heat on to medium, cover, and cook until fully tender, about 15 to 18 minutes from the time the liquid in the pan starts to bubble.
If using both stalks and leaves: Put the trimmed stalks in a pan with 2 to 3 inches water, turn the heat on to medium, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes after the water comes to a boil. Then add the leaves and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until tender.
3. Drain the chard in a colander, and gently press as much moisture out of it as possible, using the back of a fork. Transfer to a serving platter. When lukewarm or no cooler than room temperature, toss with salt, olive oil, and 1 or more tablespoons of lemon juice. Serve at once.
Boiled Zucchini Salad
For 6 servings
6 young, firm, glossy zucchini
3 large garlic cloves
Extra virgin olive oil
Choice quality red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
Salt
1. Soak and clean the zucchini as directed, but do not cut off the ends yet.
2. Bring 3 to 4 quarts of water to a boil, put in the zucchini, and cook until tender, but slightly resistant when prodded with a fork, about 15 minutes or more, depending on the vegetable’s youth and freshness. Drain, and as soon as you can handle them, cut off both ends and slice each zucchini lengthwise in two.
3. While the zucchini is cooking, mash the garlic cloves with a knife handle, splitting the skin and removing it. As soon as you have cut the cooked, drained zucchini in half, rub each cut side while it is still hot with the crushed garlic.
4. Lay the zucchini on a long platter without spreading them out, but collecting them toward one end. Prop up that end, to allow the liquid shed by the zucchini to run down. After 15 to 20 minutes, pour off the liquid that has collected, and rearrange the zucchini, spreading it out evenly.
5. Season the zucchini with a liberal quantity of olive oil, a dash of vinegar, the parsley, and several grindings of pepper. Add salt only just as you are about to serve, otherwise the zucchini will begin to shed liquid again.
Variation all’Agro, with Lemon Juice
When served all’agro, zucchini is cooked exactly as described in the preceding recipe, but instead of slicing it in two long halves, it is cut into thin rounds. The garlic is omitted, and lemon juice, to taste, replaces the vinegar. The zucchini rounds are tossed with all the condiments, including salt, only when ready to serve and preferably while still lukewarm. A popular late spring and summer salad in Italy combines the zucchini rounds with boiled green beans and boiled sliced new potatoes. It is served all’agro, with lemon juice.
Insalatone—Mixed Cooked Vegetable Salad
IT TAKES a considerable amount of time to assemble all the components of this magnificent cooked salad, but the time it needs is mainly for cooking, not for watching, so you might plan on doing it when you have something else on the fire that requires lengthy cooking, such as a pot roast. Serve this salad the same day you make it, without refrigerating it, and with some of the ingredients still lukewarm, if that is possible.
The preparation of the ingredients is necessarily listed as a sequence, but in fact, except for the beets, which can be done a day or two earlier, they can all be done at the same time and taken in any order.
For 6 servings
3 medium round, waxy, boiling potatoes
5 medium onions
2 yellow or red sweet bell peppers
½ pound green beans
3 medium or 2 large beets, baked as described
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Choice quality red wine vinegar
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Boil the potatoes with their skins on as described. Drain when tender, peel while hot, and cut into ¼-inch slices. Put on a serving platter.
3. Meanwhile, bake the onions with their skins on on a baking sheet placed on the upper rack of the preheated oven. Cook until tende
r all the way through to the center when prodded with a fork. Pull off their skins, cut the onions into halves, and add them to the platter.
4. Char and peel the peppers as described, split them to remove the pulpy core with all the seeds, and cut them lengthwise into 1-inch-wide strips. Add them to the salad platter.
5. Boil the beans as described, drain and put them on the platter.
6. Squeeze off the dark skin of the baked beets, cut them into thin slices, and add these to the salad.
7. Toss the salad with salt, enough olive oil to coat all ingredients, a dash of vinegar, and liberal grindings of pepper. Taste and correct for seasoning, and serve at once.
Beans and Tuna Salad
THE SALAD given here is basically a bean salad, enriched by tuna and flavored by onion. The proportions of the ingredients, however, can be adjusted to suit individual tastes. The balance can be tipped in favor of tuna, if that is what you prefer, particularly if you have access to very good tuna in olive oil sold in bulk. Nor would it do much damage to use a whole onion instead of a half; remember to slice it very thin, as described in the basic method for preparing onion for salads.
For 4 servings
1 cup dried cannellini white beans, soaked and cooked as directed, and drained, OR
3 cups canned cannellini beans, drained
½ medium onion, preferably of a sweet variety, such as Bermuda red, Vidalia, or Maui, sliced and soaked as described
Salt
Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking Page 62