Salad for Dinner

by Tasha DeSerio

  vinaigrette and toss lightly to combine. Taste and add more salt or vinegar

  the base of the floweret, cut down the

  if necessary. Spoon the salad onto a shallow platter or individual serving

  stem lengthwise, and then separate the

  plates. Finish with several shavings of ricotta salata and a thin drizzle of

  floweret. This will preserve the natural

  olive oil. Serve immediately.

  shape of the floweret, so it looks like a

  little treetop.

  First, tear off any broccoli or

  cauliflower leaves. Cut the florets where

  they join the large broccoli stem, or core

  the cauliflower and separate the florets.

  Then, starting at the top of the floret

  stem (just beneath the tiny buds), cut

  through the stem lengthwise and divide

  the floret in half, preferably without

  using the knife to cut through the flowery

  buds. Repeat the process, dividing

  each floret into 2 to 4 pieces, until the

  top of each floret is about the size of a

  quarter or nickel, depending upon your

  preference.

  For broccoli, use a vegetable peeler

  or paring knife to peel off the tough

  outer skin from the large stem, removing

  as little flesh as possible. Then cut the

  stem into oval slices or baton-shaped

  pieces, 1⁄4-inch wide and 2-inches long.

  160 grain, bread & pasta salads

  fregola salad with roasted cauliflower,

  saffron onions, pine nuts & currants

  1 medium cauliflower, about 1 3⁄4 pounds,

  1⁄4 cup currants

  3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar;

  cored

  1 onion, thinly sliced

  more as needed

  3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  1⁄

  1⁄

  4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted (see p. XX)

  4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  Kosher salt

  1

  1

  ⁄

  1⁄

  2 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf

  2 teaspoons saffron, lightly toasted

  parsley

  3⁄4 pound fregola pasta

  and crumbled

  add SubStance

  Fregola is a tiny pasta from Sardinia, similar to Israeli couscous. Like couscous, I like this salad with petite lamb chops,

  fregola is made from semolina wheat, but it’s rolled into larger pellets and lightly but you can also serve it with chicken or

  toasted, which gives it a light nutty flavor. I particularly like Rustichella d’Abruzzo pan-fried meaty fish, such as swordfish

  brand fregola. Look for it at specialty markets or on-line.

  or tuna.

  ServeS 4

  More about Saffron

  Heat the oven to 450°F.

  Use whole saffron threads whenever

  Separate the cauliflower florets, then starting at the top of the stem (just

  possible; powdered saffron can be cut

  beneath the flowers), cut through the stem lengthwise and divide the floret

  with additives. Like many spices, saffron

  in half (don’t cut through the flowery mass). Repeat, until the top of each

  benefits from being lightly toasted. To

  floret is about the size of a nickel. Put the cauliflower on a baking sheet.

  toast, swirl the saffron in a smal , heavy

  Drizzle with 1⁄4 cup oil, season with salt, and toss lightly to coat. Spread in sauté pan over medium heat and for a

  an even layer and roast in the oven, shaking the pan once or twice, until

  minute or two—just until fragrant and

  the cauliflower is tender and nicely browned, about 15 minutes. Set aside

  lightly crisp. Be careful not to burn the

  at room temperature.

  delicate threads. Before using, crush the

  threads between your fingers or in a

  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with a generous amount of

  mortar and pestle. Keep in mind that a

  salt—it should taste almost like seawater. Add the fregola and cook until al

  little goes a long way--a pinch of saffron

  dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, transfer it to a baking sheet, and

  threads is often enough.

  spread it in an even layer. Set aside at room temperature.

  Put the currants in a small bowl or ramekin and cover with hot water to

  plump, about 5 minutes.

  Warm a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1⁄4 cup oil, the onion,

  pepper flakes, and saffron, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender

  and lightly caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

  To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar and a pinch of salt in a small

  bowl. Add the remaining 1⁄4 cup oil to the vinegar mixture, and whisk to

  combine. Taste and season with more salt or vinegar if necessary.

  Drain the currants. Put the cauliflower, fregola, currants, onion, pine

  nuts, and parsley in a large work bowl. Drizzle the vinaigrette on top and

  fold gently to combine. Taste and add more salt or vinegar if necessary.

  Spoon the salad onto a platter or individual serving plates and serve.

  cut one line

  grain, bread & pasta salads 161

  c h a p t e r f i v e

  legume

  SaladS

  legumeS are a good Source of protein and

  provide rich, satisfying alternatives to meat-focused meals.

  Look for dried beans at the farmer’s market, busy specialty

  food stores, and well-stocked grocery stores with lots of product

  turnover. You want beans that are recently dried; older beans

  cook unevenly and tend to split and fall apart when cooked.

  Experiment with both heirloom and common varieties to find

  ones you like. I use butter beans and cranberry beans most

  often—they cook up perfectly plump and creamy and also make

  a pretty salad.

  Soaking and cooking dried beans

  Beans cook best when soaked for several hours or overnight; quick-soaking

  methods don’t work nearly as well. Cover the beans with three times as much

  cool water, so all of the beans are submerged. The beans need to be completely plumped before they go into the pot, so if they’re puckering in places, let them soak a little longer.

  Cook beans in a wide, heavy pot, so that they cook slowly and evenly and are

  easy to stir, covered with 11⁄2 to 2 inches of water. You can add aromatics, such as onion, carrot, celery, crushed red pepper flakes, or a bay leaf. When cooking beans for salads, I just add a tablespoon of olive oil and a bay leaf. Bring the beans to a low boil over medium-high heat, skim off any foam, and reduce to

  a simmer. You want the beans to cook gently, so they don’t split and fall apart.

  Taste frequently after about 30 minutes —they’re done cooking when they are

  tender outside (the skin will peel back if you blow on a bean gently) and creamy inside (not at all al dente.) Then let the beans cool slowly in their liquid at room temperature. Be sure to drain them well before adding to salads.

  Lentils are unique in that they don’t require soaking. Give them a quick

  rinse, bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and cook until tender. Like dried beans, the cooking time will vary based on the age of the lentil.

  When to add salt to beans is a highly debated topic. Many feel that salt

  prevents beans from becoming tender and creamy if it’s added before they’re

  fully cooked. I side
with the rebels who salt beans at the start of cooking, after skimming and reducing to a simmer. I find that good-quality beans are tender

  and nicely seasoned when you add the salt early on.

  Handling fresh shelling beans

  Fresh shelling beans (favas, cranberry beans, black-eyed peas, and more) have a delicate flavor and tender texture. You’ll likely find at least a couple of varieties in your area in summer and fall (your local farmer’s market is the best bet).

  Fresh shelling beans don’t require soaking, but they do require shelling.

  Gather extra pairs of hands—kids love to help—to make the job go faster. Cook

  fresh shelling beans in the same manner that you cook dried beans, at a gentle simmer with salt, but only cover with 11⁄2 inches of water. They don’t absorb as much water as dried beans.

  green lentils with beets

  and preserved lemon

  3 cups green lentils, picked over

  21⁄2 teaspoons cumin seed, toasted and

  1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro,

  1 bay leaf

  lightly pounded (so still a little coarse)

  plus a small handful of picked cilantro

  sprigs, for garnish (optional)

  Kosher salt

  11⁄4 cups extra-virgin olive oil; more as

  needed

  1⁄4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint

  Rind of 11⁄2 small preserved lemons

  (see p. XX), rinsed if necessary and

  1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt

  6 medium beets, roasted (see p. XX),

  finely diced (to yield about

  cut into 1⁄

  1⁄

  2-inch dice or jewels, and

  4 cup)

  1 small clove garlic, pounded to a smooth

  lightly pickled (see p. XX)

  4 tablespoons freshly squeezed

  paste with a pinch of salt

  lemon juice; more as needed

  1 cup thinly sliced scallions (white and

  pale green part only), cut on a sharp angle

  add SubStance

  Green lentils are perfectly suited for salads because they hold their shape much better This salad is satisfying on its

  than red or brown lentils when cooked. Look for the tiny, dark green lentils from Le own, but also delicious with gril ed

  Puy in France—they’re the best. A drizzle of tangy yogurt is a nice contrast to earthy swordfish, chicken, or lamb.

  lentils. Be sure to use a very small clove of garlic in the yogurt sauce—you want just whisper of garlic. Replace the yogurt with crumbled feta if you like.

  ServeS 6

  Put the lentils and bay leaf in a medium pot and cover with water by

  2 inches. Bring to a boil and season with a generous pinch of salt.

  Reduce the heat, and simmer gently until the lentils are tender but not

  at all mushy (you want them to retain their shape), 20 to 30 minutes,

  depending on the age of the lentils. If the lentils start to peak through

  the cooking liquid, add a splash more water. Pour the lentils and their

  cooking liquid into a large, shallow container. Taste and add more salt

  if necessary. Set aside at room temperature, and let the lentils cool slowly

  in their liquid.

  To make the vinaigrette, combine the preserved lemon rind, lemon juice,

  and cumin in a small bowl. Whisk in 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil. Taste

  and add a pinch of salt if necessary (the salt in the preserved lemon is often enough.)

  Remove the bay leaf from the lentils. Drain the lentils well and transfer to

  a large work bowl. Add about two-thirds of the vinaigrette and gently fold

  to combine. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if necessary. (The

  yogurt adds a little tang to the finished salad, so keep the acid on the low

  side.) Set aside at room temperature.

  164 legume salads

  Combine the yogurt, garlic, and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small bowl. Taste and add salt if necessary; or if the yogurt sauce is thick

  (you want it to drizzle nicely), add a trickle of water.

  Just before serving, add the green onion, chopped cilantro, and mint to

  the lentils, and fold to combine. Taste again for salt and acid. Spoon the

  salad onto a shallow platter or individual serving plates. Tuck the beets

  here and there. Drizzle the yogurt on and around the salad, and follow

  with the remaining vinaigrette. Garnish with the cilantro sprigs, if using,

  and serve immediately.

  preser ved lemons

  makeS 8 preServed lemonS

  8 lemons, preferably Meyer

  Kosher salt

  2 cinnamon sticks (optional)

  2 or 3 bay leaves (optional)

  3 or 4 black peppercorns (optional)

  Freshly squeezed lemon juice

  Wash the lemons and cut them into quarters, leaving them well attached at

  the stem end. Sprinkle the insides liberally with salt and reshape the fruit.

  Put a couple tablespoons of salt in the bottom of a quart-size canning jar

  and pack in the lemons, sprinkling a thin layer of salt between each layer

  of lemons. Add the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and peppercorns if you

  like. Let the lemons sit for about 15 minutes. If the juice released doesn’t

  cover the lemons, add freshly squeezed lemon juice to cover, leaving about

  a 1⁄2-inch space from the top of the jar. Seal the jar and let the lemons sit

  in a warm place for 3 to 4 weeks; turning the jar upside down from time to

  time to distribute the salt and juices.

  To use, remove the lemons from the brine, discard the pulp (or use if

  you like), and rinse the peel under running water. (It’s normal for white

  crystals to form on the top of the lemons in the jar. It’s not necessary to

  discard the lemons, but for aesthetic reasons, be sure to rinse it off well.)

  legume salads 165

  fava bean and pea salad

  with proscuitto, pecorino & mint

  2 large handfuls arugula, about

  3 cups shelled fava beans

  1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin

  21⁄2 ounces

  1 clove garlic, pounded to a smooth paste

  olive oil

  1 small handful fresh mint leaves

  with a pinch of salt

  1 bulb fennel, trimmed

  1 small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley

  3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon

  Freshly ground black pepper

  leaves

  juice; more as needed

  Chunk of aged pecorino, for shaving

  2 cups shelled English peas

  Kosher salt

  8 thin slices prosciutto or Serrano ham

  add SubStance

  Don’t be dissuaded by the amount of shucking this salad requires. It goes quickly with Serve with not-so-hard-cooked eggs

  help, so bring out the favas and peas when there are lots of hands around. I find most or gril ed chicken.

  people actually like to shuck beans and peas—it’s on par with popping bubble wrap.

  Kids will especially love to help, although they might eat half the peas before the make it into the pot!

  KS_TP_Prcs_Fnl_60.tif

  ServeS 4

  Wash the arugula and herbs in a large basin of cool water, swishing the

  water gently to remove any dirt and 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.

  Bring a large pot of water to a boil to cook the peas and fava beans. Have a

 
; baSic SkillS

  large bowl of ice water ready. Put the peas in a fine-mesh strainer basket,

  To slice fennel, first use a sharp knife

  and submerge the peas and the basket in the water until the peas are just

  to cut off the stalks, slicing close to the

  tender, about 2 minutes (see p. XX). Lift the basket out of the water and

  bulb. Then peel any stringy fibers off the

  immediately submerge the peas (still in the strainer basket) in the ice

  bulb with a sharp paring knife. With the

  bath until chilled, about 1 minute. Lift the basket out of the ice water and

  root end up, run the trimmed side of the

  drain the peas well. Transfer the peas to a small bowl, and set aside at room

  fennel bulb along a mandolin, creating

  temperature temporarily or refrigerate and return to room temperature

  thin slices.

  before using.

  If necessary, add more ice to the ice bath. Put the fava beans in the strainer basket, and submerge in the boiling water until the beans slip easily out of

  their skins and are tender, about 2 minutes. (To test the favas, carefully

  166 legume salads

  remove a bean from the basket, and slip it out of its skin by piercing the outer layer with your thumb and gently squeezing the bean. (If the beans

  aren’t tender return them to the pot for another minute, or until tender.)

  Immediately submerge the beans in the ice water until thoroughly chilled.

  Pop the beans out of their skins and refrigerate until shortly before using.

  To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of

  salt in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil. Taste with a leaf of arugula and adjust the vinaigrette with more lemon juice or salt if necessary. Set aside.

  Just before serving, put the peas and fava beans in a large work bowl, and

  season with salt and pepper. Use a mandolin to thinly slice the fennel.

  Add the fennel, arugula, and herbs to the bowl, and season with salt

  and pepper. Very gently but thoroughly toss the salad with just enough

  vinaigrette to lightly coat. Taste and add more salt or a little more dressing if necessary (or an extra squeeze of lemon juice.) With a delicate hand,

  transfer the salad to a platter or individual serving plates, and evenly

  distribute the peas and fava beans that have fallen to the bottom of the

  work bowl. Finish with several shavings of pecorino, and drizzle any

  remaining vinaigrette on and around the plate. Drape the prosciutto on

  the plates, or arrange on a platter and pass at the table. Serve immediately.