Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
Page 21
A Panzanella for Every Season
Panzanella is the ultimate proof that Tuscan cooks excel at making something out of nothing. Traditionally made with little more than stale bread, tomatoes, onions, and basil, panzanella is as much about texture as it is about flavor. If the croutons aren’t soaked in vinaigrette long enough, they’ll scrape the roof of your mouth. Let the bread get too soggy, though, and the salad will bore you. Aim for a broad spectrum of crunchiness by staggering the addition of croutons. Your mouth will thank you.
A memorable summer panzanella requires good bread and great tomatoes, so vary the ingredient combinations as the seasons shift to delight in bread salad year round.
Summer: Tomato, Basil, and Cucumber
Serves 4 generously
* * *
1/2 medium red onion, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 cups Torn Croutons
Double batch of Tomato Vinaigrette
1 pint cherry tomatoes, stemmed and halved
1 1/2 pounds Early Girl or other flavorful small tomatoes (about 8 tomatoes), cored and wedged into bite-size pieces
4 Persian cucumbers, stripey peeled (page 220) and cut into 1/2-inch slices
16 basil leaves
Flaky sea salt
In a small bowl, toss the sliced onion with the vinegar and let it sit for 20 minutes to macerate (see page 118). Set aside.
Place half the croutons in a large salad bowl and toss with 1/2 cup of vinaigrette. Place the cherry and wedged tomatoes on top of the croutons and season with salt to encourage them to release some of their juices. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
Continue assembling the salad: add the remaining croutons, cucumbers, and macerated onions (but not their vinegar, yet). Tear in the basil leaves in large pieces. Dress with another 1/2 cup of vinaigrette and taste. Adjust seasoning as needed, adding salt, vinaigrette, and/or the macerating vinegar to taste. Toss, taste again, and serve.
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to one night.
Variations
• To make Fattoush, the Middle Eastern tomato and bread salad, substitute 5 torn and toasted pita breads for the croutons, 1/4 cup parsley leaves for the basil, and Red Wine Vinaigrette for the Tomato Vinaigrette.
• To make a Grain or Bean Salad, substitute 3 cups cooked, drained farro, wheatberries, barley, or beans for the croutons in any of the seasonal variations.
Autumn: Roasted Squash, Sage, and Hazelnut
Serves 4 generously
* * *
1 bunch kale, preferably Lacinato, Cavolo Nero, or Tuscan variety
1 large butternut squash (2 pounds), peeled
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Double batch of Brown Butter Vinaigrette (page 241)
4 cups Torn Croutons
About 2 cups neutral-tasting oil
16 sage leaves
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
Strip the kale. Gripping at the base of each stem with one hand, pinch the stem with the other hand and pull upward to strip the leaf. Discard the stems or save for another use, such as Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup. Cut the leaves into 1/2-inch slices. Set aside.
Halve, seed, slice, and roast the butternut squash as directed on page 263. Set aside.
Toss the sliced onion in a small bowl with the vinegar and let it sit for 20 minutes to macerate. Set aside.
Place half the croutons and the kale in a large salad bowl and toss with 1/3 cup of vinaigrette. Let sit for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, fry the sage. Pour an inch of neutral oil into a small, heavy-bottomed pot and heat it over a medium-high flame to 360°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, just test the oil after a few minutes by dropping in a sage leaf. When it sizzles immediately, it’s ready.
Add the sage leaves in batches. Be aware that the oil will bubble up a lot at first, so let it die down, then stir in the sage. After about 30 seconds, as soon as the bubbles die down, pull them out of the oil with a slotted spoon, and spread the sage onto the prepared baking sheet. Let the sage dry on the prepared baking sheet in a single-ish layer, and sprinkle with salt. It’ll get crisp as it cools.
Add the remaining croutons, squash, hazelnuts, and macerated onions (but not their vinegar, yet) into the salad bowl. Crumble in the fried sage. Dress with the remaining vinaigrette, toss to combine, and taste. Adjust seasoning with salt, the sage-frying oil, and the macerating vinegar as needed. Toss, taste again, and serve.
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to one night.
Winter: Roasted Radicchio and Roquefort
Serves 4 generously
* * *
2 heads radicchio
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
2 medium yellow onions, peeled
4 cups Torn Croutons
Double batch of Brown Butter Vinaigrette (page 241)
1/4 cup parsley leaves, loosely packed
1 cup toasted walnuts
Coarsely ground black pepper
4 ounces Roquefort cheese
Red wine vinegar, as needed to adjust acid
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Halve each head of radicchio through the root end. Cut each half into quarters. Drizzle generously with olive oil to coat. Handling the radicchio pieces carefully, spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet, leaving space between each piece. Drizzle with more olive oil and season with salt.
Halve the onions through the root end. Wedge each half into quarters for a total of 8 pieces. Drizzle generously with olive oil to coat. Handling the onion pieces carefully, spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet, leaving space between each piece. Drizzle with more olive oil and season with salt.
Place the prepared vegetables into the preheated oven and cook until tender and caramelized, about 22 minutes for the radicchio, and 28 minutes for the onions. Check on the vegetables after about 12 minutes. Rotate the pans and switch their positions to make sure the vegetables are browning evenly.
Place half of the croutons in a large salad bowl and toss with 1/3 cup of vinaigrette. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Add the remaining croutons, radicchio, onions, parsley, walnuts, and black pepper. Crumble in the cheese in big pieces. Dress with remaining vinaigrette and taste. Adjust seasoning with salt and, if needed, a small amount of red wine vinegar. Toss, taste again, and serve at room temperature.
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to one night.
Spring: Asparagus and Feta with Mint
Serves 4 generously
* * *
Salt
1/2 medium red onion, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 pounds asparagus (about 2 bunches), woody ends removed
4 cups Torn Croutons
24 large mint leaves
3 ounces feta cheese
Double batch of Red Wine Vinaigrette
Set a large pot of water on to boil over high heat. Season it with salt until it tastes like the summer sea. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Toss the sliced onion in a small bowl with the vinegar and let it sit for 20 minutes to macerate (see page 118). Set aside.
If the asparagus is thicker than a pencil, stripey peel it, pressing lightly with a vegetable peeler to remove only the outermost skin from about 1 inch below the blossom to the base. Slice the asparagus into 1 1/2-inch-long pieces on a bias. Blanch the asparagus in boiling water until it’s just tender, about 3 1/2 minutes (less for thinner stalks). Taste a piece to determine doneness—it should still have the faintest crunch in the center. Drain and allow to cool in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.
Place half of the croutons in a large salad bowl and toss with 1/3 cup of vinaigrette. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Add the rema
ining croutons, asparagus, and macerated onions (but not their vinegar, yet). Tear in the mint leaves in small pieces. Crumble in the feta in large pieces. Dress with another 1/3 cup vinaigrette and season with salt, then taste. Adjust seasoning with salt, vinaigrette, and the macerating vinegar as needed. Toss, taste again, and serve at room temperature.
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to 1 night.
Torn Croutons
Makes 8 cups
* * *
Store-bought croutons simply can’t compete with homemade ones. To begin with, your raw ingredients are almost certainly of a higher quality, and hence more delicious, than the stuff anyone else will use. What’s more, the rustic, uneven shape of torn croutons lends a variety of textures to your salads. Dressing clings to them better, and they’re also just more lovely to look at. That, and they are less likely to scratch the roof of your mouth. If these reasons don’t convince you, come over to my house for some Caesar salad. I’ll get you that way.
1-pound loaf day-old country or sourdough bread
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400°F. For more tooth-friendly croutons, remove the crusts from the bread, then cut the loaf into inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into inch-wide strips. Working over a large bowl, tear each strip into inch-size pieces. Alternatively, you can just tear croutons directly off the loaf, as long as you get somewhat evenly sized pieces—I find that preslicing speeds up the whole process and yields even, yet rustic-looking croutons, so it’s my preferred method.
Toss the croutons with the olive oil to coat them evenly, then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Use a second sheet as needed to prevent crowding, which will entrap steam and keep the croutons from browning.
Toast the croutons for about 18 to 22 minutes, checking them after 8 minutes. Rotate the pans, switch their oven positions, and use a metal spatula to turn and rotate the croutons so that they brown evenly. Once they begin to brown, check them every few minutes, continuing to turn and rotate. Some croutons might be done when others still need a few more minutes of baking, so remove them from the tray and let the rest finish cooking. Bake the croutons until they’re golden brown and crunchy on the outside, with just a tiny bit of chew on the inside.
Taste a crouton and adjust the seasoning with a light sprinkling of salt if needed.
When done, let the croutons cool in a single layer on the baking sheet. Use immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To refresh stale croutons, bake for 3 to 4 minutes at 400°F.
Freeze leftover croutons for up to 2 months and use in Ribollita (page 275).
Variations
• To make Classic Torn Croutons, stir 2 cloves finely grated or pounded garlic into the olive oil before dressing the croutons. Toss with 1 tablespoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes before toasting.
• To make Cheesy Torn Croutons, toss the torn bread with the olive oil, then add 3 ounces (about 1 cup) very finely grated Parmesan and lots of coarsely ground black pepper to the bowl, and toss until combined. Toast as directed above.
• To make 6 cups of Sprinkling Crumbs, don’t bother tearing the bread. Instead, grind 2-inch pieces of bread into pea-size crumbs in a food processor. Increase the olive oil to 1/2 cup and toast in a single layer until golden, 16 to 18 minutes.
DRESSINGS
The most important thing about any dressing is to strike a proper balance of Salt, Fat, and Acid. Get that right, and any salad will taste good.
To rid shallots (and onions) of their harsh bite, give them ample time to macerate in acid. That’s just a fancy way of saying, toss shallots with vinegar or citrus juice and let them steep for a bit before adding the oil and other ingredients.
Pairing salads with the right dressings is as important as pairing a meal with the right wine. Some foods require richness, while others ask for brightness. Use this chart to inspire and guide you.
For tossed salads, place the greens in a large bowl and season lightly with salt. Add a conservative amount of dressing and toss with your hands to coat the leaves. Taste a leaf, then add salt and more dressing as needed.
For composed salads, always make sure that every element is seasoned and dressed. Marinate beets before setting them down on the plate and drizzling them with Green Goddess. Season every slice of tomato and fresh mozzarella before spooning Balsamic Vinaigrette over them. Dress both Slow-Roasted Salmon and the shaved fennel salad you serve alongside it with Any-Other-Citrus Vinaigrette made with blood oranges. Make every bite of every salad delicious. You’ll start to look forward to salad with a fervor you never expected.
Red Wine Vinaigrette
Makes about 1/2 cup
* * *
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl or jar, let the shallot sit in the vinegar for 15 minutes to macerate (see page 118), then add the olive oil, a generous pinch of salt, and a small pinch of pepper. Stir or shake to combine, then taste with a leaf of lettuce and adjust salt and acid as needed. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Ideal for garden lettuces, arugula, chicories, Belgian endive, Little Gem and romaine lettuce, beets, tomatoes, blanched, grilled, or roasted vegetables of any kind, and for Bright Cabbage Slaw, Fattoush, Grain or Bean Salad, Greek Salad, Spring Panzanella.
Variation
• To make Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette, add 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 1 1/2 teaspoons honey and continue as above.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Makes about 1/3 cup
* * *
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl or jar, let the shallot sit in the vinegar for 15 minutes to macerate (see page 118), then add the olive oil, a generous pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Stir or shake to combine, then taste with a leaf of lettuce and adjust salt and acid as needed. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Ideal for arugula, garden lettuces, Belgian endive, chicories, romaine and Little Gem lettuce, blanched, grilled, or roasted vegetables of any kind, and for Grain or Bean Salad, Winter Panzanella.
Variations
• To make Parmesan Vinaigrette, which is perfect for hearty chicories and grain salads, add 1 1/2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) finely grated Parmesan and continue as above.
• To make Brown Butter Vinaigrette for dressing bread salads or roasted vegetables, substitute 4 tablespoons brown butter for the olive oil and continue as above. Bring refrigerated leftovers back to room temperature before using.
Lemon Vinaigrette
Makes about 1/2 cup
* * *
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon’s worth)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pour the lemon zest, juice, vinegar, and olive oil into a small bowl or jar. Smash the garlic clove against the counter with the palm of your hand and add to the vinaigrette. Season with a generous pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Stir or shake to combine, then taste with a leaf of lettuce and adjust salt and acid as needed. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, and remove garlic clove before using.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days.
Ideal for herb salad, arugula, garden lettuces, romaine and Little Gem lettuce, cucumbers, boiled vegetables, and for Avocado Salad, Shaved Fennel and Radish Salad, Slow-Roasted Salmon.
Variation
• To make Lemon-Anchovy Vinaigrette, c
oarsely chop 2 soaked, fileted salt-packed anchovies (or 4 filets), then pound them into a fine paste in a mortar and pestle. The more you break them down, the better the dressing will be. Stir the anchovies and an additional 1/2 clove of finely grated or pounded garlic into the dressing and continue as above. Serve with arugula, Belgian endive, boiled vegetables of any kind, chicories, or shaved winter vegetables such as carrots, turnips, and celery root.
Lime Vinaigrette
Makes a scant 1/2 cup
* * *
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 small limes)
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
Salt
Pour the lime juice and olive oil into a small bowl or jar. Smash the garlic clove and add to the vinaigrette, along with a generous pinch of salt. Stir or shake to combine, then taste with a leaf of lettuce and adjust salt and acid as needed. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, and remove the garlic before using.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Ideal for garden lettuces, Little Gem and romaine lettuce, sliced cucumbers, and for Avocado Salad, Shaved Carrot Salad, Shirazi Salad, Slow-Roasted Salmon.