Salad for Dinner
Page 15
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 until just before serving.
Put the potatoes in a small (2- to 3-quart) pot and add cold water to cover.
Add a generous amount of salt to the water—it should taste almost like
seawater. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, then reduce the heat to maintain
a gentle simmer and cook, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes
are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Check for doneness from time to time by
114 vegetable & fruit salads
piercing with a small, sharp knife. When the potatoes are close to done, scoop out a potato with a slotted spoon and place it on the cutting board.
Let cool briefly, and then taste it. It should be perfectly tender; if not,
cook for a few minutes longer. Drain well and transfer to a baking sheet to
cool at room temperature.
To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, lemon juice, mustards, and a
pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the egg
yolk, and then slowly whisk in the oil. Stir in the capers. Taste and adjust
with more salt or lemon juice if necessary. Set aside.
Put the potatoes in a large work bowl. Break the trout into 1- to 11⁄2-inch
chunks and add it to the potatoes. Season with freshly ground black
pepper, and gently toss with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the fish
and potatoes. Add the lettuces and herbs. Season with salt and pepper,
and toss once more with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the salad.
Taste and add more salt if necessary. With a delicate hand, transfer the
salad to a platter or individual serving plates. Drizzle any remaining
vinaigrette on and around the salad. Garnish with cornichons or caper-
berries, if desired, and serve immediately.
vegetable & fruit salads 115
warm cauliflower salad
with brown butter vinaigrette,
sieved egg & toasted breadcrumbs
kosher salt
1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice;
freshly ground black pepper
1 large head cauliflower (about
more as needed
11⁄2 cups toasted breadcrumbs (recipe on
2 pounds), cored
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
the facing page)
1⁄2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf
4 not-so-hard-cooked eggs, cooked for
2 shallots, finely diced
parsley
9 minutes (see p. XX)
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, soaked,
1 handful arugula, washed and dried
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
drained, and patted dry
add substance
This salad comes off best if you have everything in place (mise en place) before you this salad is more satisfying than you
start cooking. This makes a fair amount of vinaigrette, but you’ll find it doesn’t go to may think, but you can also serve it with
waste. Be sure to have good bread on hand—you’ll want to mop up every last drop of a few thin slices of prosciutto. Scatter
vinaigrette.
some bacon lardons on the plate (see p.
serves 4
XX), or serve a simple piece of fish on
the side. (If serving with fish, increase
the vinaigrette by half so that you have
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with a generous amount of
plenty to drizzle on the fish.)
salt—it should taste almost like seawater.
Separate the cauliflower flowerets. Then, starting at the top of the stem
(just beneath the flowers), cut through the stem lengthwise and divide
the floweret in half—preferably without using the knife to cut through the
flowery mass. Repeat the process, until the top of each floret is about the
size of a quarter. Set aside.
To make the vinaigrette, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-
high heat and swirl until it smells nutty and brown flecks start to appear.
Add the shallot and swirl over the heat for 10 seconds. Remove the
pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the olive oil, lemon juice,
mustard, and a generous pinch of salt. Taste and add more salt or lemon
juice if necessary. Set aside in the pan.
Cook the cauliflower in the boiling water until it is just tender, about
4 minutes. Drain and transfer the cauliflower to large bowl. Add the
parsley, capers, and several twists of black pepper. Briefly swirl the
vinaigrette over medium heat to rewarm if necessary and drizzle about
half of the vinaigrette on top. Gently toss to combine. Taste and add more
salt if needed. Spoon the cauliflower onto a platter or individual plates
and scatter the breadcrumbs on top. Push the eggs through a medium-
mesh sieve or an old-fashioned potato masher (with a square grid) and
116 vegetable & fruit salads
let the eggs fall gracefully onto the platter or plates. (If you don’t have a sieve or a potato masher, chop the eggs and scatter them evenly on the
salads.) Season the egg lightly with salt and a few twists of pepper. Scatter
the arugula around the platter or plates, and drizzle a thin stream of
vinaigrette on and around the salad. Serve immediately and pass any
remaining vinaigrette at the table.
breadcrumbs
chunk of country-style bread or levain, preferably day-old
extra-virgin olive oil or melted butter, 11⁄2 tablespoons for every cup of breadcrumbs kosher salt
Makes about tk
Heat the oven to 350°F.
Using a sharp, serrated knife, trim the crusts from the bread and cut it
into cubes. Working in small batches to get consistent-size crumbs, pulse
the bread in a food processor until the crumbs are the size you want. Put
the bread on a baking sheet and toss lightly with about 1 1⁄2 tablespoons
of oil per cup of breadcrumbs. The crumbs should be evenly coated and
fairly oily. Spread the crumbs in a thin, even layer and season lightly with
salt. Bake, stirring every few minutes until crisp and light golden brown.
Set aside to cool on the pan.
variations
• To make garlic breadcrumbs: For every 11⁄2 cups of breadcrumbs, pound a small clove of garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Combine the garlic with the oil or melted butter and toss it with the breadcrumbs before baking.
• To make rosemary or sage breadcrumbs: Fill a small pot with about an inch of olive oil. Warm the oil over medium heat and fry a couple tablespoons of fresh rosemary or sage until just crisp. (The herbs are generally done when the oil bubbles less frequently.) Drain the herbs on a paper-towel-lined plate and season lightly with salt.
When cool, toss the herbs with the breadcrumbs.
vegetable & fruit salads 117
warm cabbage salad with
mustard vinaigrette and bacon lardons
three 1⁄2-inch-thick slices bacon cut from
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 head green cabbage, preferably savoy,
streaky slab bacon, about 9 ounces, cut
1 teaspoon whole-grain dijon mustard
about 11⁄2 pounds
crosswise into lardons (see p. XX)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; more
1 cup freshly toasted breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, pounded to a smooth paste
as needed
(see p. XX)
with a pinch of salt
kosher salt
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar; more
as needed
More about
For a simple dinner on a cold winter evening, serve this salad with poached or not-savoy cabbage
so-hard-cooked eggs (see p. XX) seasoned with salt and pepper. You can also chop the tender texture and sweet flavor
hard-cooked egg and sprinkle it on top, or push it through a medium-mesh sieve and of Savoy cabbage make it perfect for
let it fall softly on the salad. Hearty eaters (like my husband) welcome sausage—like coleslaw or just-wilted warm salads.
bratwurst or bockwurst—on this plate as well.
Look for it at the market between fal
For delicious lardons, ask your butcher to cut 1⁄2-inch-thick slices from slab bacon.
and early spring. Choose heads that
You can use presliced bacon and cut it crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips, but thick-cut are heavy for their size with dark
lardons are what you really want. (To learn how to make lardons, see p. XX.) If you green outer leaves (with no yel ow or
rust discoloration). Remove the loose,
don’t have whole-grain mustard, increase the total amount of Dijon mustard to
crinkly outer leaves and quickly rinse
3 teaspoons.
the cabbage under cool running water
Like most warm salads, this salad comes together quickly at the end. Be sure to before using.
have everything ready to go, before you sauté the cabbage, which is the final step.
serves 2 to 4
Put 1⁄4 cup water in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the
bacon in a single layer. When the bacon starts to sizzle, reduce the heat
to medium low (you want the bacon to render slowly) and cook, stirring
occasionally, until the bacon is golden and lightly crisp (not hard), about
20 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a
paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Set the bacon and the pan (with the
bacon fat) aside.
To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, vinegar, and mustards in a
small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste and
add salt if necessary. Set aside.
Pluck off the tough outer leaves from the cabbage and rinse the cabbage
under cool running water. Cut the cabbage into quarters, and cut off the
core. Slice each quarter crosswise into thin slices, about 1⁄8 inch thick. Put the cabbage in a large bowl and toss to separate. Set aside.
118 vegetable & fruit salads
You should have about 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the pan, and the water should have evaporated. If your bacon fat is shy of 2 tablespoons, add more
olive oil as necessary. Return the pan to the stovetop over high heat. When
the fat is hot (but not smoking), add the cabbage and sauté, tossing or
stirring occasionally, until it just begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. (Keep
in mind the cabbage will continue to wilt after it’s removed from the
heat, and you want it to have a nice bite, so don’t overcook.) Transfer to a
large bowl and season with salt and several twists of black pepper. Add the
vinaigrette and toss well to combine. Taste and add more salt or vinegar
if necessary. Add the lardons and toss once more. Transfer the salad to a
platter or individual plates, evenly distributing the lardons. Sprinkle the
breadcrumbs on top and serve immediately.
vegetable & fruit salads 119
tuna carpaccio with beets
and watercress
1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil; more as
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
needed
1⁄2 clove garlic, pounded to a smooth
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, soaked,
8 ounces sushi-grade tuna, such as ahi
paste with a pinch of salt
drained, and patted dry
or yellowfin, cut into 4 even, thin slices
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons freshly
4 medium beets, roasted, pickled, and
1 bunch small, tender watercress,
squeezed lemon juice; more as needed
cut into 1⁄4-inch dice or jewels (see p. XX)
about 4 ounces
kosher salt
2 not-so-hard-cooked-eggs, boiled for
1 large egg yolk
freshly ground black pepper
9 minutes (see p. XX)
tip To get ahead, pickle the beets up
When making carpaccio, you want the freshest tuna you can find. It’s a good idea to several days in advance. Cook the
to let your fishmonger know that you plan to use it raw. Any garden cress, such as eggs, pound the tuna, and make the
peppercress or curly cress, or arugula will work in place of the watercress. If you vinaigrette up to 8 hours in advance.
don’t have a fine-mesh sieve, finely chop the egg and sprinkle it on the salad. You can also use an old-fashion potato masher (with a square grid), which will produce a less refined but equally delicious sieved egg.
serves 4
Chill four large plates. Cut eight 8-inch squares of parchment paper.
Brush one sheet lightly with olive oil and place one slice of the tuna in
the middle. Brush the tuna lightly with oil and top with another piece of
parchment. Using a meat mallet (or the bottom of a heavy pan), gently
pound the tuna to an even, paper-thin thickness (about 1⁄16 inch). Repeat
the process with the remaining 3 slices of tuna. Refrigerate the tuna as
is, sandwiched between the paper, for at least 1 hour or until just before
serving.
Trim the watercress and remove any tough stems and wilted or yellow
leaves. (The sprigs should be fairly short, about 3 inches long.) Wash the
greens in a large basin of cool water. 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 watercress until just
before serving.
To make the mayonnaise vinaigrette, whisk the egg yolk and mustard
together in a small bowl. Put 6 tablespoons olive oil in a liquid measuring
cup with a spout. Begin whisking the egg yolk and slowly start adding the oil, literally a drop at a time. As the mixture begins to thicken and emulsify,
120 vegetable & fruit salads
gradually add more oil in a thin, steady stream until the mixture is perfectly emulsified. Whisk in the garlic and lemon juice. Add cool water
to thin so the dressing drizzles nicely. Taste with a leaf of lettuce and adjust the vinaigrette with more lemon juice or salt if necessary.
Carefully peel the top layer of parchment off of one sheet of tuna and
invert onto a chilled plate. (The tuna should cover the plate in a single
layer.) Gently run your hand over the paper so that the entire surface of
the tuna touches the plate. Then carefully peel away the remaining layer
of parchment. Repeat with the other slices of tuna. Lightly season the
tuna with salt and pepper, then drizzle a thin stream of vinaigrette on top.
Sprinkle with the chives and capers.
Put the watercress in a medium work bowl, season with salt, and drizzle
with the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice and the remaining 2 table-
spoons oil. Gently toss to lightly coat the greens. Taste and add more salt,
lemon juice, or oil if necessary. With a delicate hand, put a small handful
of the watercress in the center of each plate. Dot the beets in the watercress and on the carpaccio. Cut the hard-cooked eggs in half. Working over one
plate at a time and using half of an egg per plate, push the eggs through a
fine-mesh sieve and let the egg fall gracefully on the salad in an even layer.
Season the egg lightly with salt (as best you can) and serve immediately.
vegetable & fruit salads 121
c h a p t e r f o u r
Grain,
bread &
paSta SaladS
GrainS, breadS, and paSta are deliciouS when
combined with vegetables and fruit. While bread, rice, and pasta
are familiar, many whole grains are more complex and provide
wonderful texture and flavor as well as a healthy dose of protein.
Whole grains
Farro, barley, bulgur, cracked wheat, and quinoa are all widely
available and gaining ground in home kitchens. Like pasta, they
make a substantial meal in relatively little time, they satisfy a wide
variety of eaters, and they make great leftovers. When buying farro,
look for the whole-grain kind from Italy labeled perlato or semiperlato.
This farro has been abraded, meaning someof the outer brown hull
has been removed, and cooks in about 20 minutes.
Similar to farro, barley is a lightly nutty, chewy grain. You’ll find both hulled barley and pearled barley at the market. Hulled barley is considered a whole grain (like farro, some of the outer hull has been removed) whereas pearled barley is not. Pearled barley has been polished to varying degrees to remove the outer hull and sometimes its inner bran layer. (The more pearled the barley, like baby pearl barley, the less nutrients it contains.) Check the label before you buy and cook barley; hulled barley requires soaking and more cooking. To soak hulled barley, simply put it in a bowl, add two to three times the amount of water, and let it sit overnight. Then drain well, rinse once more, and cook. I often use pearled barley from Umbria, which cooks in about 20 minutes.
Bulgur and cracked wheat are easily confused. Both are made from cracked
wheat berries. but, bulgur is cracked wheat that has been precooked and only
needs soaking; cracked wheat must be cooked. When buying bulgur for salads,
look for fine bulgur.
Quinoa is a tiny protein-rich grain (or pseudo grain—it’s not a member
of the grass family) with a mild, slightly nutty flavor. Most quinoa has been