Salad for Dinner
Page 9
serves 4
Wash the greens in a large basin of cool water, swishing the water gently to
remove any dirt and to combine the greens. Lift the greens from the water
and transfer to a colander to drain. Spin-dry in small batches or layer
between clean, lint-free kitchen towels to dry. Refrigerate the lettuce until
just before serving.
To make the vinaigrette, combine the shallot, vinegar, lemon juice, and a
pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the oil.
Taste with a leaf of lettuce and adjust the vinaigrette with more vinegar or
salt if necessary; or, if too acidic, add a little more olive oil. Set aside.
Put the salad greens in a large work bowl, sprinkle the apples and celery
on top, and season with salt and black pepper. Gently toss the salad with
just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. Taste and add more
salt if necessary. Add the pecans and toss once more. With a delicate
hand, transfer the salad to a platter or individual serving plates, evenly
distributing the apple, celery, and pecans. Scatter the Roquefort on top
and serve immediately.
leafy salads 55
frisée with seared scallops
and blood oranges
1 medium shallot, finely diced
16 to 20 sea scallops, side muscles
1⁄2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
3
removed
or flat-leaf parsley
1⁄2 tablespoons sherry vinegar;
more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
Aleppo pepper, for sprinkling (optional)
1 teaspoon finely chopped orange zest
4 handfuls frisée (pale center leaves),
Kosher salt
about 41⁄2 ounces, washed and dried
4 small oranges, such as blood, navel,
1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
or Valencia, chilled, peeled, and cut
into segments (see p. XX)
Sea scallops, oddly enough, will forever remind me of working the pizza station at Chez Panisse, where they would come out of the wood oven beautifully caramelized.
Nested in a bed of frisée and frequently topped with Meyer lemon relish, they were absolutely delicious. Here, too, scallops are paired with frisée, but they’re served with blood orange segments, sherry vinaigrette, and Aleppo pepper, a lively combination that will lift your spirits.
This salad is best when blood oranges are in their prime—fruity and brightly acidic.
(Most farmers and produce managers are happy to give you a taste before you buy.) If you can’t find blood oranges, go with navel or Valencia.
Shy of a pizza oven, a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop works almost as well to sear the scallops. Be sure to get the pan nice and hot before you add the oil and scallops, and avoid the temptation to move the scallops around in the pan—the less you mess with them, the better.
serves 4
To make the vinaigrette, combine the shallot, vinegar, orange zest, and a
pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in 1⁄2 cup
of the oil. Taste with a leaf of lettuce and adjust the vinaigrette with more
vinegar or salt if necessary. Set aside.
Season the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet
(preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the
remaining 2 tablespoons oil and place the scallops in the pan in a single
layer slightly spaced apart (if necessary, cook the scallops in two batches).
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leafy salads 57
continued from page 57
Do not move the scallops until they have a nice, caramelized crust, 2 to
3 minutes. If the scallops aren’t browning well, turn up the heat. Use
tongs to turn them over and cook on the other side until slightly firm to
the touch, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and hold in a warm spot.
Put the frisée in a large work bowl and season with salt and pepper. Gently
toss the salad with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. Taste
and add more salt if necessary. With a delicate hand, transfer the salad to
a platter or individual serving plates. Tuck the scallops and orange slices
here and there. Drizzle any juices that have collected on the scallop plate
over the scallops, and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on and around
the salad, focusing on the scallops. Sprinkle the cilantro and a generous
amount of Aleppo pepper, if using, on top. Serve immediately.
58 leafy salads
duck confit and frisée with
crème fraîche and mustard vinaigrette
4 large handfuls frisée (pale center leaves),
1 tablespoon Champagne or white-wine
Freshly ground black pepper
about 5 ounces
vinegar, more as needed
4 legs duck confit
2 large handfuls mâche, baby mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1⁄3 cup fresh chives cut at an angle into
greens, or arugula, about 3 ounces
Kosher salt
1⁄4-inch lengths
1 clove garlic, pounded to a smooth paste
1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
Rustic Croutons (p. XX)
with a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil;
more as needed
This salad is worthy of company and fairly easy to pull off. Look for duck confit at good-quality meat markets (or purchase it online). Shred the meat ahead of time, and crisp the skin just before your guests arrive—it will fill the house with the lovely aroma of duck fat. Have the greens washed and ready and the vinaigrette and croutons made. Warm the duck; toss, toss, scatter. Done.
serves 4 to 6
Wash the greens in a large basin of cool water, swishing the water gently to
remove any dirt and to combine the greens. Lift the greens from the water
and transfer to a colander to drain. Spin-dry in small batches or layer
between clean, lint-free kitchen towels to dry. Refrigerate the lettuce until
just before serving.
To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, vinegar, mustard, and a
pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the
crème fraîche and oil, and season with a few twists of black pepper. If the
vinaigrette is too thick, add a trickle of water to correct the consistency.
Taste with a leaf of lettuce and adjust the vinaigrette with more vinegar or
salt if necessary. Set aside.
Scrape off any rendered duck fat clinging to the duck legs and set aside.
Remove the skin from the legs in pieces as large as possible. Shred the
meat into bite-size pieces and set aside. To crisp the duck skin, warm
a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the
reserved duck fat (if you don’t have 2 tablespoons, make up the difference
with olive oil) and add the duck skin in a single layer. Reduce the heat as
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leafy salads 59
continued from page 59
necessary to slowly crisp the skin, turning from time to time, until crisp
and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the skin from the pan and
drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Break into rustic shards and hold in a
warm spot.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan, return the pan to the
stovetop over medium-low heat, an
d warm the meat, about 2 minutes.
Hold in a warm spot.
Put the salad greens in a large work bowl, sprinkle the chives on top,
and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss the salad with just enough
vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Add the croutons and toss once more. With a delicate hand, transfer
about half the salad to a platter or individual serving plates. Scatter about
half the duck over the top (portion evenly among serving plates). Top with
the remaining greens, duck, and duck skin. Serve immediately.
60 leafy salads
arugula with nectarines,
marcona almonds & serrano ham
4 handfuls arugula, about 5 ounces
1 shallot, finely diced
2⁄3 cup Marcona almonds
2 large handfuls frisée, about 3 ounces
Kosher salt
4 to 8 thin slices Serrano ham
3 medium-size ripe nectarines
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
or prosciutto
11⁄2 tablespoons sherry vinegar;
Freshly ground black pepper
more as needed
This salad has a nice contrast of tastes and textures—bitter greens, sweet nectarines, salty almonds, and delicate ham. Be sure to use perfectly ripe, fragrant nectarines or the thrill is gone. With a gentle squeeze, they should give a little. I prefer yellow-fleshed nectarines; they have more acid and delicious sweet-tart flavor than white-fleshed nectarines, which are sometimes too sweet for my palate. The farmers’ market is the best place to taste several varieties of stone fruit before you buy. Go with the variety that you like.
If you can’t find Marcona almonds, sauté sliced blanched almonds in olive oil until golden and then season with salt.
serves 4
Wash the arugula and frisée in a large basin of cool water, swishing the
water gently to remove any dirt and to combine the greens. Lift the lettuce
from the water and transfer to a colander to drain. Spin-dry in small
batches or layer between clean, lint-free kitchen towels to dry. Refrigerate
until just before serving.
To make the vinaigrette, finely dice half of 1 nectarine and set the
remaining nectarine aside. (See p. XX to learn how to easily cut around
the pit of the nectarine.) Combine the diced nectarine, vinegar, shallot,
and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the oil. Taste with a leaf of lettuce and adjust the vinaigrette with more vinegar or salt if necessary. Set aside.
Just before serving, thinly slice the remaining nectarines. Put the salad
greens in a large work bowl and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss
the salad with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. Taste and
add more salt if necessary. With a delicate hand, transfer the salad to a
platter or individual serving plates. Scatter the almonds on top and tuck
the nectarine slices here and there. Drape the ham on the individual
plates, or arrange on a platter and pass at the table. Serve immediately.
62 leafy salads
garden lettuces with skirt steak,
avocado & toasted pumpkin seeds
1 clove garlic, pounded to a smooth
Kosher salt
4 large handfuls assorted mild garden
paste with a pinch of salt
lettuces, about 8 ounces total, washed
1⁄2 cup plus 1 tablespoons extra-virgin
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime
olive oil
and dried
juice; more as needed
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 medium-size carrots, very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar; more
3 radishes, such as French Breakfast,
1⁄2 cup pumpkin seeds
as needed
very thinly sliced
One 11⁄4-pound skirt steak, cold
1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and
Aleppo pepper, for sprinkling (optional)
lightly ground (so still a little coarse)
Freshly ground black pepper
1⁄
2 ripe avocados
2 teaspoon sweet paprika
More about skirt steak
This recipe is inspired by a salad that I enjoy at Tacubaya, a Mexican restaurant in If you haven’t bonded with skirt steak,
Berkeley. It’s just a simple garden lettuce salad with avocado, but the toasted pumpkin you should. It’s an inexpensive and
seeds make it especially good. To add protein, I order the salad with beef, which delicious cut of beef, especial y when
makes it much more satisfying.
cooked properly. Unlike other cuts, it’s
When I make this at home, I add carrot, radish, and Aleppo pepper (see p. XX).
best to store the beef in the refrigerator
You can also add sliced cucumber. I like it with skirt steak, but you can serve it with until just before you cook it—the thin
sliced grilled or sautéed chicken breast as well. To grill the skirt steak, see page XX.
steaks overcook easily if not. A hot
A mandolin works especially well to quickly, easily, and evenly slice the carrots cast-iron skil et or grill works best to
and radishes.
caramelize the beef quickly. Thin steaks
are typical y ready just after they brown
serves 4
on both sides. When cooking thicker
steaks, brown the meat on both sides
To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, lime juice, vinegar, cumin,
and then reduce the heat to medium
paprika, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
high (or move it to a cooler part of the
Whisk in 6 tablespoons of the olive oil. Taste with a leaf of lettuce and
gril ) to finish cooking. You’re after a
adjust the vinaigrette with more lime juice, vinegar, or salt if necessary.
true medium rare; rare skirt steak is
Set aside.
chewy, and steaks cooked over medium
Put the shallot in a small bowl and cover with ice water. (The ice water crisps have a tendency to be tough and livery
the shallot and helps remove some its hot and gassy flavor.) Set aside.
tasting. Be sure to let the meat rest for
at least 5 minutes, and slice it against
Warm a small sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil
the grain.
and the pumpkin seeds. Fry the seeds, tossing or stirring frequently, until
golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined-plate lined with
a paper towel and season with salt.
Cut the skirt steak into manageable lengths and return it to the
refrigerator until shortly before you are ready to cook it. (Because skirt
steak is so thin, you want the beef cold to prevent it from overcooking
before it browns.) Season the beef with salt and coarsely ground black
pepper. Warm a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot.
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leafy salads 63
continued from page 63
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and place the beef in the pan
without overlapping the strips. Cook until the beef is nicely browned, 2 to
3 minutes. Turn and cook on the opposite side until medium rare, 1 to
2 minutes more; time will vary depending on the thickness of the meat.
(If necessary, reduce the heat to medium high to finish cooking thicker
sections of the meat.) Transfer to a plate and let rest for about 5 minutes.<
br />
Cut the avocados in half lengthwise, remove the pits (see the technique in
the sidebar at left), and slice the flesh diagonally into about 1⁄4-inch slices.
Set aside.
basic skills
Drain the shallot. Put the salad greens in a large work bowl; sprinkle the
To pit an avocado, cut it in half
shallot, carrots, and radishes on top and season with salt and pepper.
lengthwise and gently twist each half
Gently toss the salad with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens.
in opposite directions to separate. To
Taste and add more salt if necessary. Add about half of the pumpkins seeds
remove the pit, hold the avocado in the
and toss once more. With a delicate hand, transfer the salad to a platter
palm of your hand, and careful y tap
or individual serving plates, evenly distributing the seeds, carrots, and
the pit with your knife blade. The pit wil
radishes that may have fallen to the bottom of the bowl. Then, using a
stick to the blade. Then, twist the knife
large spoon and starting at the very edge of the avocado (where skin meets
to free the pit. To remove the pit from
flesh), scoop the flesh out of the avocado in one swoop. Separate the
the knife blade, turn your knife sideways
avocado slices and tuck them here and there among the greens. (At this
and tap the pit on the cutting board a
point, I like to season the avocado, as best I can, with salt.) Thinly slice
few times.
the meat against the grain. Arrange the skirt steak on the side or in the
To slice an avocado while the flesh
salad. Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette on and around the salad, focusing
is encased in its skin, hold a half in the
on the avocado and beef. Sprinkle the Aleppo pepper (if using) and the
palm of your hand and, using a smal
remaining pumpkin seeds on top. Serve immediately.
sharp knife, slice the flesh diagonal y
into about 1⁄4-inch slices, cutting through
the avocado without penetrating the
skin (or your hand). Repeat with the
other half.
To dice an avocado, slice the
avocado as above and then slice again
in the opposite direction into a cross-
hatch pattern.
To remove sliced or diced avocado,
use a large spoon starting at the very
edge of the avocado (where skin meets