Salad for Dinner

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Salad for Dinner Page 23

by Tasha DeSerio


  olive oil; more for drizzling

  popped out of their skins (see p. XX)

  1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh mint

  Kosher salt

  3⁄4 cup thinly sliced spring onion (white

  Freshly ground black pepper

  1 clove garlic, pounded to a smooth

  and pale green parts only) or scallions

  paste with a pinch of salt

  add SubStance

  Fava beans are delicious but working with them can be time-consuming. Combining This salad is delicious with thinly sliced

  favas with cannellini beans—or other plump white beans—is a great way to get the pork loin, shrimp, salmon, or swordfish.

  flavor of favas with a little less labor.

  You can also make this salad later in the season with a combination of fresh

  more about farro

  shelling beans and favas. Like favas, shelling beans require shucking, but the end Farro has a delicate, slightly nutty

  result is worth the added time.

  flavor and chewy texture. It’s delicious

  To add a little heat, serve it with preserved peppers (see p. XX) on the side.

  simply dressed with good olive oil, a

  few drops of vinegar (too much acid wil

  ServeS 4

  quickly overwhelm its flavor), and salt.

  When shopping, you may find several

  Drain the beans, put them in a medium pot, and add enough water to

  different types that vary in cooking—

  cover by 11⁄2 inches. Add the bay leaf and 1 tablespoon of oil, and bring to

  and soaking—time. Whole-grain farro

  a boil. Season with a generous pinch of salt, reduce the heat, and simmer

  from Italy labeled perlato or semiperlato

  gently until the beans are tender, about 1 1⁄2 hours. If the beans start to

  is ideal for salads. This farro has been

  peak through the cooking liquid, add a splash more water. Remove from

  abraded—some of the outer brown hul

  the heat, set aside at room temperature, and let the beans cool slowly in

  has been removed—and cooks in about

  their liquid.

  20 minutes. Farro integrale is an option

  as wel , but it has not been abraded, so

  To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, and

  it requires several hours of soaking and

  zest in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the remaining

  1

  takes longer to cook. Its texture is also

  ⁄2 cup oil. Taste and adjust with more salt if necessary. Set aside.

  more toothsome.

  Drain the beans well. (You should have about 41⁄2 cups.) Put the cannellini

  and fava beans in a large work bowl. Sprinkle the spring onion, celery, and

  herbs on top, and season with salt and a few twists of black pepper. Drizzle

  the vinaigrette on top and gently but thoroughly toss the salad to combine.

  Taste and add more salt or vinegar if necessary. Spoon the salad onto a

  platter or individual serving plates. Finish with a drizzle

  of olive oil and serve at room temperature.

  legume salads 187

  succotash salad

  1 pound fresh black-eyed peas

  1⁄2 pound thin green beans (haricot vert),

  2⁄3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin

  1 bay leaf

  cut at an angle into 1-inch lengths

  olive oil

  Kosher salt

  1 large clove garlic, pounded to a smooth

  1 pint ripe cherry tomatoes, such as

  paste with a pinch of salt

  Sweet 100s or Sun Golds, halved

  1 large shallot, thinly sliced

  3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar; more as

  1 small, fresh red chile, such as Thai chile,

  4 large ears fresh corn, shucked and kernels

  needed

  thinly sliced at an angle

  cut off the cob, to yield about 2 cups

  1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil

  add SubStance

  Fresh black-eyed peas are fairly easy to find during the summer months. Like all This salad is delicious with a few

  fresh shelling beans, they are worth pursuing. If you have trouble finding them, you gril ed or quickly sautéed shrimp tucked

  can always substitute with another variety of fresh shelling beans, such as cranberry here and there or with any gril ed meat.

  beans, or use 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (about 3⁄4 cup soaked and cooked

  dried peas, or 3⁄4 cup canned.)

  ServeS 4

  Shuck the peas (you should have about 2 cups), then put in a heavy

  medium pot. Add water to cover by 1 inch, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and

  the bay leaf, and season with a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil,

  reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook until the beans are tender

  and creamy, about 15 minutes. If the peas start to peak through the

  cooking liquid, add a splash more water. Taste for salt and set aside to cool

  at room temperature. You can refrigerate the peas for up to 2 days at this

  point; return them to room temperature before finishing the salad.

  Put the shallot in a small bowl and cover with ice water to crisp and remove

  some of its hot, gassy flavor.

  Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and have 2 baking sheets lined with

  parchment ready. Put the corn kernels in a fine wire-mesh strainer basket

  and submerge the corn and the basket in the water to cook for 20 to 30

  seconds (the fresher the corn, the less it needs to cook). Lift the basket

  out of the water, drain well, and spread the corn out on one of the baking

  sheets to cool at room temperature. Season the water with a generous

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  188 legume salads

  KS_TP_Suctash76.tif

  legume salads 189

  continued from page xx

  amount of salt—it should taste almost like seawater. Add the green beans

  and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well, and spread the

  green beans out on the other baking sheet to cool. (If you’re concerned

  that the beans are slightly overcooked, put them in the refrigerator to cool.) To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic and vinegar in a small bowl.

  Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the 2⁄3 cup olive oil. Taste and season

  with more salt if necessary.

  Just before serving, drain the peas well and discard the bay leaf. Drain

  the shallot well. Put the peas, shallot, corn, green beans, tomatoes,

  red chile, and basil in a large work bowl, and season with salt. Add the

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

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

  and serve immediately.

  190 legume salads

  warm lentils with sausage,

  kale & mustard vinaigrette

  11⁄2 cups green lentils

  2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

  3⁄4 pound good-quality precooked

  1 bay leaf

  sausage, such as bratwurst or bockwurst,

  3⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons tablespoons

  cut at a slight angle crosswise into 1⁄4-inch-

  Kosher salt

  extra virgin olive oil

  thick slices

  3

  2 cloves garlic, pounded to a smooth

  ⁄4 pound kale, preferably lacinato (also

  1⁄2 recipe Rustic Croutons (p. XX; optional)

  paste with a pinch of salt

  called Dinosaur kale), stems removed
and

  cut into about 1-inch pieces (see p. XX)

  Large handful arugula, preferably wild

  3 1⁄2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar,

  arugula, or baby mustard greens, about

  more as needed

  1 medium onion, cut into 1⁄4-inch dice

  11⁄4 ounces, for garnish (optional)

  Crushed red pepper flakes

  I enjoy this salad on the warm side of room temperature—shortly after the lentils are cooked. It’s especially good with rustic garlic croutons (see p. XX) scattered around the plate. You can use any type of precooked sausages. I’m a big fan of bockwurst, but a spicy kielbasa is delicious, too.

  ServeS 4

  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 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. When done, 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. You can refrigerate the lentils for up to 2 days at this point;

  return them to room temperature before serving.

  To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, vinegar, and mustard in a

  small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in 1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons

  oil. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Set aside.

  Remove the bay leaf from the lentils. Drain the lentils well and put them

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

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

  for the moment.

  continued on page xx

  legume salads 191

  continued from page xx

  Wash and drain the kale, but leave a good amount of water clinging to the

  leaves. Warm a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil,

  swirl to coat the pan, and then add the onion and a pinch of red pepper

  flakes and season with salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally,

  until the onion is tender and lightly caramelized, about 7 minutes. Add

  the kale in large handfuls and increase the heat to high. Using tongs,

  gently lift and fold the kale into the onion. When the kale has wilted,

  season it with salt, reduce the heat to medium, and cover the pan. Cook,

  stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender. The residual water from

  washing should be enough to cook the kale, but if the pan gets dry and

  begins to scorch, add a splash more water. The cooking time will vary

  depending on the maturity of the kale; tender kale will cook in about

  3 minutes, while mature leaves can take up to 15 minutes. When the kale is

  done (be sure to cook off any excess water), add it to the lentils and gently

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

  Rinse the sauté pan and wipe dry. Return the pan to the stovetop over

  medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons

  oil and put the sausage in the pan in an even layer. Quickly brown the

  sausage on both sides. Spoon the lentils onto a platter or individual plates

  and evenly distribute the sausage. Dot the croutons and scatter the arugula

  around the plate, if using. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top and

  serve immediately.

  192 legume salads

  KS_TP_LntlSsg_99.tif

  cannellini beans with grilled tuna,

  radicchio & scallions

  2 cups dry cannellini beans, washed,

  1 shallot, finely diced

  16 scallions, root ends and tops trimmed

  picked over, and soaked overnight in cool

  4 anchovy fillets, rinsed well, patted

  1 pound tuna, cut into even slices about

  water (or 5 cups drained cooked cannellini

  dry, and pounded to a paste (or coarsely

  1 inch thick

  beans, at room temperature)

  chopped)

  Freshly ground black pepper

  One 3-inch sprig fresh rosemary

  1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon

  Aioli, for serving (p. XX)

  3⁄4 cup plus 11⁄2 tablespoons extra-virgin

  juice; more as needed

  olive oil; more for brushing

  2 small heads radicchio, or 11⁄2 medium

  Kosher salt

  heads, about 12 ounces

  This salad is a modern take on the classic tuna and bean salad. Make it early in the fall when you’re ready to move beyond fresh tomatoes and the weather is still warm enough to grill outside. If you’re an anchovy fan, double the anchovy and chop the fillets coarsely, or drape thin slivers over the finished salad.

  ServeS 4

  Drain the cannellini beans, put them in a medium pot, and add enough

  water to cover by 1 1⁄2 inches. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam.

  Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the rosemary and 1 tablespoon of oil,

  and season with a generous pinch of salt. Simmer gently until the beans

  are tender, about 1 1⁄2 hours. If the beans start to peak through the cooking

  liquid, add a splash more water. Remove from the heat, set aside at room

  temperature, and let the beans cool slowly in their liquid.

  Prepare a medium hot charcoal fire or heat a gas grill.

  To make the vinaigrette, combine the shallot, anchovy, and lemon juice in

  a small bowl, and season with a pinch of salt. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

  Whisk in 1⁄2 cup oil. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if necessary.

  Set aside.

  Pluck off any damaged or wilted outer leaves of radicchio. Leaving the

  root end intact, cut the radicchio into quarters. Place the radicchio on a

  baking sheet, drizzle with about 3 tablespoons oil, and gently toss to coat

  evenly. Spread the radicchio in an even layer and season with salt. Put the

  scallions on a baking sheet and repeat the process with the remaining 11⁄2

  tablespoons oil. Brush the tuna lightly with oil and season with salt and

  continued on page xx

  194 legume salads

  continued from page xx

  pepper. Place the radicchio, flat side down, and scallions on the grill.

  Grill the radicchio until tender and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per

  side. Grill the onions until tender and lightly charred in spots, 2 to 3

  minutes per side. (Both vegetables should be nicely marked from the grill

  but not burnt.) Place the tuna on the hottest part of the grill, and cook for

  21⁄2 to 3 minutes per side. (You want the fish medium rare—slightly pink

  in the middle.) Set the tuna and vegetables aside at room temperature.

  Drain the beans well and discard the rosemary. Season the beans with

  pepper, drizzle with about a third of the vinaigrette, and toss lightly to

  combine. Taste and season with more salt and lemon juice if necessary.

  Spoon the beans onto a platter or individual serving plates. Slice the

  tuna or break it into rustic pieces, and arrange it on the platter or plates.

  Cut the root ends off the radicchio wedges and separate the leaves. Taste

  and season with more salt if necessary. Place the radicchio and drape the

  onions here and there. Drizzle the remaining
vinaigrette on and around

  the plate, focusing on the vegetables and tuna. Finish with a generous

  dollop of aioli. Serve immediately.

  legume salads 195

  chickpea salad with roasted

  carrots and harissa vinaigrette

  2 cups chickpeas, washed, picked over,

  Kosher salt

  2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon

  and soaked overnight in cool water

  1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 4-inch

  juice; more as needed

  (or 6 cups drained canned chickpeas, at

  lengths, and then cut into 1⁄2-inch-wide

  1 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf

  room temperature)

  wedges

  parsley or cilantro

  1 bay leaf

  1 onion, thinly sliced

  3⁄4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin

  2 tablespoons harissa (p. XX)

  olive oil

  You can use any shape, size, or color of carrot in this salad, but taste them first—you add SubStance

  want sweet, crisp carrots. If using carrots with leafy green tops, leave about 3⁄4 inch I like this salad with almost any grilled

  meat or fish. Or serve with not-so-hard-

  of the stem attached for a natural look. Slender baby carrots can be roasted whole cooked eggs (see p. XX) and sliced

  (unpeeled.)

  prosciutto or Serrano ham.

  For a richer salad sprinkle with crumbled feta and a few black olives.

  ServeS 4

  Heat the oven to 450°F.

  Drain the chickpeas, put them in a medium pot, and add enough water

  to cover by 1 1⁄2 inches. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam. Reduce the

  heat to a simmer and add the bay leaf and 1 tablespoon of oil, and season

  with a generous pinch of salt. Simmer gently until the chickpeas are

  tender, about 1 1⁄2 hours. If the chickpeas start to peak through the cooking

  liquid, add a splash more water. Remove from the heat, set aside at room

  temperature, and let the chickpeas cool slowly in their liquid.

  Put the carrots on a heavy baking sheet, toss with 2 tablespoons oil, and

  spread out in a single layer. Season with salt and roast until tender, about

  15 minutes.

  Warm a medium-size sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1⁄4 cup oil and the

  onion, and season with salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion

  is caramelized and dark brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper-

  towel-lined plate to drain.

  To make the vinaigrette, whisk the harissa, lemon juice, and the remaining

 

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