We’ve been blessed in recent years with the abundance and variety of greens found in most supermarkets. Avoid premixed mesclun salads, which often contain greens that are too bitter or too tough to chew. It’s better to design your own salad green mixture based on what looks good. Generally, I base my salads on two mixtures, one for summer and one for winter. In winter, all sorts of bitter greens are in season—endive, radicchio, treviso, escarole, red endive, frisée—and I often make a mixture of these combined with neutral-tasting greens, such as bibb lettuce, mâche, Boston lettuce, iceberg (also great in sandwiches), oak leaf lettuce, spinach, and romaine lettuce. In summer, my two favorite greens are arugula (sometimes called rucola, preferably baby) and basil. It may not have occurred to you to use basil as a green, but when coupled with arugula, it does beautifully. I use these in equal parts.
Once you have the basic greens in place, it’s possible to add virtually any savory food, such as pieces or slices of seafood, meats (either fresh or dried or cured, such as prosciutto or bresaola), and vegetables. Greens have a way of lightening very rich foods, such as steak or duck. All of these salads are simple to prepare and can be made ahead of time, except for the final dressing.
To wash greens, fill a large bowl or sink with cold water and gently lower in the greens. Let the greens sit for 10 minutes, then lift them out of the water with your hands splayed so any water and grit drips back down into the bowl. Transfer the greens to a clean bowl. Check the bottom of the bowl that you used to soak the greens to feel if there is any grit or sand. If not, you’re done washing the greens. If there is grit, fill the bowl containing the greens with cold water (don’t let the water come down on the greens, but aim it so it lands on the side of the bowl) and lift them out a second time. Repeat as often as necessary until there is no grit. If this whole washing business turns out to be more arduous than you had been counting on, remember that you can wash more greens than you need and store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week. This way you’ll have salad at the ready for the rest of the week.
To dry the greens, spin them in a salad spinner, but don’t spin too hard or you’ll bruise the greens. Spin slowly, stop, gently redistribute the greens, and spin again. Continue spinning until no more water comes out.
A green salad never fails to refresh. Most of us grew up eating green salads as first courses or as an accompaniment to the main course, but in recent years more of us have gotten into the French habit of eating a green salad after the main course. When to have the salad is purely a matter of taste, but having it after the main course has the effect of lightening dinner and making one feel as though one has eaten less.
There are two ways to go about dressing a green salad, by either pouring on oil and vinegar, salt and pepper, and tossing or by making a vinaigrette separately. It’s best to make a vinaigrette separately when you want to include mustard. Mustard acts as an emulsifier and makes a smooth sauce that will take a little time to separate. One drawback, however, is that mustard does not go well with extra virgin olive oil, the most commonly used oil for salads. For this reason, salads dressed with extra virgin olive oil should just be dressed—no vinaigrette need be made in advance.
While most people toss greens with a couple of spoons, the easiest and most gentle method is to use your just-washed fingers.
Makes 4 first-course servings
4 large handfuls lettuce leaves
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Just before serving, wash and dry the greens (see box). Put the greens in a large bowl with plenty of room left for tossing. Drizzle with the oil and vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently. Serve immediately.
Most vinaigrettes contain mustard, which helps to emulsify the oil with the vinegar. By using different oils, or sometimes cream, and combining them with different vinegars, you can come up with an infinite number of combinations. You can also use different kinds of mustards. Here are a couple possibilities.
This vinaigrette is especially delicious on green salads with delicate greens. If you have a mortar and pestle, grind the mint leaves with salt and stir this mixture into the cream. Otherwise just chop the mint as finely as you can. The use of lime juice in this recipe thickens the heavy cream and gives the sauce a lovely consistency.
In a bowl, stir together ½ cup heavy cream or crème fraîche and 2 to 3 tablespoons lime juice. (You’ll need less juice if you’re using crème fraîche, which is already tangy.) Finely chop or grind 5 fresh mint leaves and add to the cream. Whisk in 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard and season to taste with salt and pepper. If you used heavy cream, allow the vinaigrette to sit for 15 minutes in the refrigerator in order to thicken. Makes ½ cup.
Nut oil vinaigrettes are particularly good on bitter greens such as frisée or endive. Be sure to use nut oils made from roasted nuts.
In a bowl, slowly whisk 2 tablespoons hazelnut oil into 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Add 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar and whisk in 2 more tablespoons hazelnut oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes ½ cup.
While you can’t really dress a salad in advance since the vinaigrette will wilt the greens, you can set up the salad in the bowl and only toss at the last minute. One good trick: pour the vinaigrette or other salad dressing into the salad bowl and cover with the salad tossing implements (usually a long fork and a spoon or two long spoons) arranged in an X. Put the salad greens and other ingredients on top of the tossing implements so the implements keep the greens suspended over the vinaigrette until it comes time to toss.
To my mind, anchovies are what define a Caesar salad. If you don’t like them, leave them out; if you really like them, add more. Nowadays Caesar salads may be turned into a main dish with just about anything, the addition of chicken being the most popular. Instead of using a raw egg here, I soft-boil the eggs. When the eggs are tossed with the greens, they combine with the vinaigrette to form a delectable sauce. Buying packaged romaine lettuce hearts will save you from having to wash the greens and will ensure that your greens are delicate and bright green.
Makes 4 first-course servings
One 10-ounce bag romaine hearts or 2 heads romaine lettuce
2 eggs
3 tablespoons good-quality wine vinegar
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
24 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained, or more or less as desired
Salt
Pepper
If you’re using heads of romaine, pull off and discard the outermost leaves (a compost heap, a pig, or a rabbit comes in handy here) so you’re left with just the hearts Gently separate the leaves from the hearts and plunge them in a bowl of cold water. Wash the lettuce and spin dry (see box on Washing Greens).
Put the eggs in a saucepan with enough water to cover by 1 inch and put the saucepan over high heat. When the water comes to a simmer, turn down the heat to maintain at a bare simmer. Three minutes from the time the water came to a simmer transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water.
Put the romaine in a large salad bowl with plenty of room left for tossing. Peel the eggs—they will be soft boiled—and add them to the salad. Add the vinegar, oil, cheese, croutons, and anchovies. Toss until the leaves are well coated and the ingredients are well distributed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Iceberg Wedges with Roquefort Dressing
To distinguish this dish from the ordinary, or even the banal, use authentic Roquefort cheese and not any of the cheap substitutes there are out there. If you want to use something different to change the character of this dish, try Gorgonzola or Stilton.
Makes 4 first-course servings
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1 bunch chives or 1 bunch scallions, very thinly sliced
¼ pound Roquefort cheese, coarsely chopped
1 head iceberg lettuce
Pepper
Combine the sour cream, vinegar, chives, and cheese in a small mixing bowl. Crush the Roquefort with the back of a fork until a creamy dressing forms. Lumps are okay—in fact, good.
Remove the outermost leaves of lettuce and discard. Cut the lettuce into quarters through the stem end (this is important because it’s the stem end that holds the lettuce together). Gently soak the quarters in cold water and drain to get rid of any sand or grit. Gently spin dry. Arrange the quarters on plates and spoon the dressing over. Season with pepper and serve.
The only tedious part of making this salad is slicing the cabbage, which is made much easier by using a vegetable slicer. But the rewards of coleslaw with homemade mayonnaise and curry are well worth the effort.
Makes 16 side-dish servings
1 red or green cabbage, about 2 pounds
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup Basic Mayonnaise, or more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and discard. Cut the cabbage into quarters through the core. Cut away and discard the core from each wedge. Slice each of the quarters as thinly as you can with a vegetable slicer or a sharp chef’s knife.
Combine the curry powder and oil in a small saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring, until you smell the aroma of the curry, about 1 minute. Stir this mixture into the mayonnaise along with the lemon juice.
Toss the mayonnaise with the cabbage and season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill coleslaw before serving.
Winter Greens with Goat Cheese Toasts
Goat cheese spread on miniature toasts provides flavor and texture that contrast with the greens. Feel free to experiment with other soft cheeses, such as blue cheeses.
Makes 4 first-course servings
8 cups assorted winter greens, such as frisée, endive, and radicchio
½ pound medium-ripe goat cheese, such as Bûcheron (which looks like a big log)
8 baguette slices, thinly cut at an angle
¼ cup sherry vinegar or other good wine vinegar
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Wash and spin dry the greens (see box on Washing Greens).
In a small bowl, work the cheese into a thick paste with a heavy wooden spoon.
Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler on one side only. Spread each slice with a thick layer of the cheese.
Put the greens in a large salad bowl with plenty of room left for tossing. Add the vinegar and oil and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, divide the greens evenly among individual plates and arrange the toasts on each plate, making sure everyone gets two toasts.
Don’t try making this salad with the dandelion greens found year-round in the supermarket—they’re tough and bitter. Wild dandelions come into season in the spring and are sometimes available at better supermarkets and farmers’ markets. They are perfect in this salad. If you can, get bacon sliced about ¼ inch thick.
Makes 4 first-course servings
2 bunches wild dandelion greens
½ pound thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
¼ cup sherry vinegar
Wash and spin dry the greens (see box on Washing Greens). Put the greens in a large bowl with plenty of room left for tossing.
Cut the bacon crosswise into ¼ by 1-inch strips. Cook them in a large skillet over medium heat until they render their fat and just begin to turn crispy, about 8 minutes. Assess how much fat there is in the pan. Some bacon renders hardly any fat while others render a lot. If necessary, pour out some of the fat so there’s about ¼ cup remaining in the skillet. If the bacon has released little or no fat, add 1 to 4 tablespoons of oil. Add the vinegar and the 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the bacon and pour the mixture over the greens. Toss and serve.
Wilted Radicchio Salad with Bacon and Oranges
This surprising combination of ingredients yields an exciting array of flavors—bitter, smoky, sweet, and fruity—and refreshes at the same time as it satisfies. You may want to serve it as a first course instead of a side dish with more substantial dishes.
Makes 4 first-course servings
4 thick slices bacon
1 large head radicchio, leaves separated, soaked, drained, and spun dry
¼ cup sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 oranges, peeled and cut into wedges (see box on Cutting Citrus à vif)
Cut the bacon crosswise into ¼ by 1-inch strips. Cook in a sauté pan over medium heat until the bacon renders its fat and just begins to turn crispy, about 10 minutes. While the bacon is cooking, slice the radicchio as thinly as you can. Add the radicchio to the bacon and stir around over medium heat until the radicchio begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Pour in the vinegar and oil and bring to a boil.
To serve, arrange the radicchio and bacon mixture in mounds on large plates. Arrange the orange wedges in a circle on top.
I learned how to make this salad from an elderly Frenchman for whom I worked in Montmartre and then Greenwich Village. The simplicity of it, offered as a first course, impressed me even then.
When shopping for endive, look for tightly closed heads with no sign of browning. If you can find one or both, purple endive or the darker treviso are particularly attractive in this salad, but do keep in mind that they are bitter.
Makes 4 first-course servings
4 endives
1 orange
3 tablespoons wine vinegar, preferably sherry
¼ cup nut oil, such as hazelnut oil (made from roasted nuts), or extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Slice the endive crosswise about ½ inch thick and put in a large bowl with plenty of room left for tossing. Grate the zest fine from half the orange and combine the zest with the endive. Add the vinegar and oil and toss the salad. Season with salt and peppers and serve.
It’s imperative to have fresh tarragon for this salad—dried doesn’t have the same flavor. Most people don’t think of making a salad entirely out of mushrooms, but this salad is amazingly tasty and satisfying. Use cremini mushrooms, if you can find them. The recipe calls for a rather large amount of olive oil—the mushrooms soak it up like a sponge. Serve the salad on its own or as part of a crudité assortment.
Makes 4 first-course servings
1¼ pounds cultivated mushrooms, preferably cremini
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup wine vinegar, preferably sherry vinegar
Leaves from 10 sprigs fresh tarragon
Salt
Pepper
Rinse the mushrooms in a colander. Inspect the bottoms of the stems; if they are dried out or dark, trim them off. Slice the mushrooms (include the stems) and toss them with the oil, vinegar, and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve right away or cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
This simple and inexpensive salad has become all the rage in Italian or Italianesque restaurants where it is sold at a huge markup. To make this salad, it helps to be equipped with a Benriner vegetable slicer. If you don’t have a vegetable slicer, you can make this salad with a very sharp knife. Be sure to use your best olive oil.
Makes 4 first-course servings
1 large or 2 small bulbs fennel
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Small chunk Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)
Cut the green fronds off the fennel. (These can be saved in the freezer; they’re great in broths. Or you can dry them and use them as a seasoning for grilled fish.) Cut the fennel bulb in half from top to bottom and use a small knife to cut out the core from each half. Slice the fennel as thinly as you can with a vegetable slicer or sharp knife.
Just before serving, toss the fennel with the oil and season with salt and pepper. (Don’t do this in advance, or the salt will make the salad limp.) Arrange on individual plates. Use a cheese slicer or vegetable peeler to shave off several thin slices of Parmesan for each plate and arrange them on top.
You can make this delightful salad with walnut halves instead of the pecans. Whatever nut you use, the nuts should be toasted until fragrant, about 15 minutes in a 350°F oven.
Makes 4 first-course servings
20 baby artichokes, trimmed (see box)
½ cup pecans or walnut halves, toasted
3 tablespoons walnut or hazelnut oil (made from roasted nuts), or extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Place the artichokes in a nonaluminum pot. Cover with plenty of cold water and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the artichokes are easily pierced with a kitchen knife (with some resistance), about 15 minutes. Drape a kitchen towel over the pot, hanging into the water, to keep the artichokes, which bob up, from making contact with air. (The kitchen towel protects them from oxygen and prevents discoloring.) Drain them in a colander and let cool.
Transfer the artichokes to a bowl and add the nuts, oil, and vinegar. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
The French have the rather decadent habit of trimming artichokes down to their hearts and using the hearts alone, sometimes as holders for vegetables, such as peas, or for elaborate stuffings. Trimming baby artichokes is more straightforward since their chokes aren’t fully developed and don’t need to be removed.
To trim baby artichokes, cut off the stems and rotate the base of the artichoke against the blade of a sharp paring knife until you see the pale green of the artichoke heart. Cut off the top half of the leaves and trim off any green patches adhering to the base of the artichoke.
This salad is best made with salt-cured anchovies; but if you can’t find them or don’t want to spring for them (they’re not cheap), use jarred oil-packed anchovies.
Makes 4 first-course servings
Cut the peppers lengthwise into strips and put in a bowl. Add the anchovies and toss, drizzling with just enough oil to coat the ingredients. Mound onto serving plates and serve each with a slice of toasted bread.
Asparagus and Morel Mushroom Salad
This luxurious salad is best served in the spring when both asparagus and morels are in season. Use the thickest asparagus you can find.
Makes 4 first-course servings
1 pound fresh morels, or 1 ounce dried
1 pound asparagus, as thick as possible
Salt
3 tablespoons pure olive oil
Pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
If you’re using dried morels, combine them with just enough hot water to come halfway up their sides. Soak for 15 minutes, then stir them around to redistribute them. Soak for 15 minutes more, or until softened and plump.
Bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Toss in a large pinch of salt.
Cut off the woody ends—the last inch or two— from the asparagus and discard. Peel the remaining stalks by resting them, one by one, on a cutting board and sliding along the stalk with a vegetable peeler (peeling makes the stalks easier to eat, but you can get by skipping this step). Cut off the tips and set them aside. Cut the spears into 1 ½-inch pieces, drop them into the boiling water, and boil, uncovered, for 2 to 5 minutes depending on the thickness. (If you’re in doubt, cut off a tiny piece and bite into it to judge doneness.) Add the tips and boil for 1 minute more, or until they turn bright green. Drain in a colander. Immediately rinse with cold water to cool. Let drain and spin in a salad spinner to dry.
If you’re using dried morels, squeeze out the water they’ve absorbed. (It’s worth saving the soaking liquid for adding to soups and broths.) Over high heat, heat the pure olive oil in a wide sauté pan until it ripples. Add the morels—fresh or dried—and sauté, stirring or tossing for about 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms release their fragrance. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
Add the asparagus to the morels, drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and the vinegar, and toss to combine. Served mounded on wide plates.
Thai Cucumber Salad with Peanuts
Most supermarkets sell two varieties of cucumber, the short relatively stubby variety we’re all familiar with and a longer variety, often tightly wrapped in plastic, sometimes called a “hothouse” or “English” cucumber. These longer cucumbers are equivalent to about two of the smaller, stubby types. Generally, the longer cucumbers contain less water and, while more expensive, can represent a better value.
Regardless of whether we’re cooking cucumbers or serving them cold in salads, they are best when first dégorgé, a fancy word for a salting and draining process that pulls the excess water out of the cucumbers.
This refreshing salad contains heat from chiles, sweetness from sugar, acidity from vinegar, and texture from peanuts.
Makes 4 first-course servings
3 regular cucumbers or 2 long hothouse cucumbers, peeled
1 tablespoon coarse or fine salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
5 fresh Thai chiles (red, if you can find them—they look prettier) or 5 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
½ cup unsalted peanuts, preferably dry-roasted, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with a spoon, and discard the seeds. Slice the halves into crescent shapes between ⅛ and ¼ inch thick. Put the slices in a colander and sprinkle with the salt. Toss with your fingers until you no longer feel the texture of the salt, 1 to 2 minutes. Let drain for 30 minutes. Rinse the cucumbers under cold running water and squeeze the cucumber slices tightly in small handfuls.
In a bowl, stir together the sugar and vinegar until the sugar dissolves. Reserve this mixture in the refrigerator.
Just before serving, add the cucumbers, chiles, peanuts, and cilantro to the dressing and stir to combine.
This almost universal combination has an enormous number of variations. In France, they make it with crème fraîche; in Iran with walnuts and raisins; in other places, with cilantro and chiles. In any case, this version, known as raita (pronounced RI-tah), is always a refreshing accompaniment to stews and other meat dishes.
Makes 4 first-course servings
3 regular cucumbers or 2 long hothouse cucumbers
1 tablespoon coarse or fine salt
2 cups whole-milk plain yogurt
20 fresh mint leaves
Pepper
Peel the cucumbers—you can peel off strips and leave bands of cucumber peel still attached—and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard the seeds. Slice the halves into crescent shapes between ⅛- and ¼- inch thick. Put the cucumber in a colander and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Toss with your fingers until you no longer feel the texture of the salt, 1 to 2 minutes. Let drain for 30 minutes.
Rinse the cucumbers under cold running water and squeeze them in handfuls to extract as much liquid as you can. Put the cucumber slices in a bowl and spoon the yogurt over. Stir completely to combine.
Just before serving, tear the mint leaves and scatter them over the salad. Season with pepper and serve.
In the United States, “crudités” refer to sticks of carrot, celery, and other raw vegetables put out with a little dip. In France, it has a whole different meaning: it refers to serving individual assorted salads on the same plate. In a typical country French restaurant, for example, crudités are sometimes served in large bowls, and the bowls are placed on the diners’ table for the guests to help themselves. When serving crudités French style, serve anywhere from three to eight salads. You can pass them in bowls or arrange them on plates as shown in the photograph below.
One of the tricks to this salad is to grate the carrots with the right kind of grater. The best grater is a box grater; but be warned, these come in two kinds and one kind isn’t suitable at all. Look at the finest side of the grater; it should have little scoops that come out, not holes that have been pierced through, which would turn your salad into a puree. Fortunately most box graters are the kind I describe. You can also grate the salad in a food processor, but it won’t have the finished appearance that it will have if you do it by hand. I like to serve this with other salads, such as the Lentil Salad, the Mushroom and Tarragon Salad, and the Celeriac Rémoulade.
Makes 4 first-course servings
2 large carrots, peeled
¼ cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 small pinch saffron threads, soaked in 1 tablespoon hot water for 30 minutes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt
Cut the carrots crosswise into 3-inch pieces and shred each piece along its length on the small holes of a box grater, rotating the piece as you shred until you’re left with just the woody core; discard the core.
Place the carrot shreds in a bowl, add the raisins, and toss to combine.
In a small sauté pan, cook the coriander and cumin over medium heat for about 1 minute in the olive oil until fragrant. Add this to the carrots in a mixing bowl. Add the ginger and the saffron with its soaking liquid. Add the extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, and parsley. Stir and add salt to taste. Serve cool.
For those who find the flavor of beets to be strong, this offers the perfect solution. Cold beets are much more subtle than hot beets and the vinegar provides just the right accent.
Makes 6 first-course servings
6 beets, cooked (see below)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons wine vinegar, such as sherry vinegar or Banyuls vinegar
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt
Pepper
Slice the beets or cut them into thick matchsticks. Put the beets in a bowl and add the mustard, vinegar, oil, and parsley. Toss or stir gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or chilled.
HOW TO COOK BEETS
If you’ve got a lot of beets, the easiest way to cook them is to roast them in a 400°F oven or boil them for 45 to 60 minutes, until easily pierced with a knife. Before roasting, rub the beets with canola oil to prevent them from drying out (you can also wrap them in foil) and place them on a sheet pan so they don’t drip and make a mess of your oven.
If you have only one or two beets, it’s fastest to cook them in the microwave, about 30 seconds at a time for about 4 minutes, repositioning them between zaps, until the beets are steaming. Let them rest for 10 minutes before slicing them so the heat has time to penetrate evenly.
When your beets can be easily penetrated with a knife, hold them in a towel and pull away the peels with the tip of a paring knife. They are easiest to peel when still warm.
This incredibly refreshing salad can be made with as many citrus fruits as you can find. Oranges and grapefruit are de rigueur, but it’s worth experimenting with clementines (when they’re in season), tangerines (ditto on the season), Meyer lemons, limes, and key limes. If the salad ends up being too sour, you can sweeten it lightly with a little confectioners’ sugar as needed. If you want to serve this salad as a dessert instead of as a first course, skip the olive oil, vinegar, and the salt and pepper and pass confectioners’ sugar at the table.
Makes 4 first-course servings
1 grapefruit
2 oranges
1 clementine (optional)
1 lime
1 lemon
Confectioners’ sugar, as needed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons kirsch or Grand Marnier (optional)
Salt
Pepper
Cut the fruits à vif or simply peel and slice them. Sweeten as needed with confectioners’ sugar but don’t make the salad too sweet. Toss with the olive oil, vinegar, and kirsch, season with salt and pepper, and serve in wine glasses.
Orange and Red Onion Salad with Black Olives
This classic salad makes a refreshing first course or side dish to accompany grilled foods, such as chicken or fish.
Makes 4 first-course servings
4 oranges, peeled and sliced into ½ inch rounds
1 red onion, sliced into thin rings
½ cup black olives (any variety, but not out of a can)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Put the oranges, onion, and olives in a bowl. Add the oil and vinegar and toss gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
This is very much an in-season tomato salad; gray December tomatoes simply won’t do.
Makes 4 side-dish servings
1 bunch basil
4 large or 8 medium tomatoes (peeling is optional, see box on peeling tomatoes)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons good-quality wine vinegar, such as sherry vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Pepper
Discard the stems from the basil. Wash the leaves and spin dry (see box on Washing Greens).
Cut the stems out of the tomatoes with a small knife and discard. Cut medium tomatoes into eight wedges and cut large tomatoes into twelve or more wedges. If you’re being fussy, push out any seeds along with the slightly gelled liquid that surrounds them (getting rid of the seeds prevents them from diluting the vinaigrette), though this is not necessary. Toss the tomatoes with the salt in a colander and let them sit, over a bowl, until you’re ready to serve.
When you’re ready to serve, transfer the tomatoes to a salad bowl. Toss with the basil leaves, vinegar, oil, and pepper. Serve immediately. (If the salad sits, the tomatoes will continue to exude liquid and dilute the vinaigrette.)
Variations:
Try slicing the tomatoes instead of cutting them into wedges. Alternate the slices with thin slices of Montrachet, Bûcheron, or other goat cheese.
Known as insalata caprese, this salad is a universal first course on menus in southern Italy, where it seems the Italians have less of an aversion to cheese at the beginning of a meal than do the French. The trick to success is to use good mozzarella that’s as fresh as possible; it should have a soft, light texture and not the rubbery quality found in supermarket mozzarella. Buffalo mozzarella from southern Italy is the best and most flavorful, but it can be hard to find, expensive, and not always fresh. If you can, give the mozzarella a sniff before buying it. It should have a clean milk aroma with no hint of sourness. You can also try smoked mozzarella, but I find that it tends to be a bit too rich.
Makes 4 first-course servings
2 large tomatoes
½ pound fresh mozarella cheese, sliced
20 basil leaves
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for passing
2 tablespoons wine vinegar, plus extra for passing
Salt
Pepper
Cut the stems out of the tomatoes with a small knife and discard. Cut each tomato into six slices. Arrange the tomatoes and mozzarella in alternating slices on a platter or on four individual plates (give each plate two cheese slices and three tomato slices). Arrange the basil leaves over the salad and sprinkle with the oil and vinegar, dividing each evenly among the plates. Season with salt and pepper. Pass additional oil and vinegar at the table.
Versions of this salad called panzanella abound in Tuscany, where it can be found in virtually any restaurant. For the most part, I find the Tuscan versions too bready, which is why this version contains a lot of tomatoes. If you don’t like anchovies, just leave them out.
Makes 4 first-course servings
Three ½-inch-thick slices crusty bread, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 medium tomatoes (peeling optional, see box on Peeling Tomatoes)
1 medium red or green bell pepper, roasted and peeled and cut into strips
20 basil leaves
12 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained
5 tablespoons pitted and coarsely chopped brine-cured imported black olives
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Toss the bread cubes in 3 tablespoons of the oil in a sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Sauté until the cubes brown slightly, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and gently squeeze out the seeds. Chop the tomatoes into ½-inch chunks and put in a large salad bowl. Add the bread cubes, the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, the bell pepper, basil, anchovies, olives, and vinegar. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Variation:
Medium tomatoes can be replaced with approximately 32 cherry tomatoes.
This bulgur is flavored with mint and cilantro, as well as walnut oil. If you don’t have walnut oil, just use olive oil.
Makes 6 first-course or side-dish servings
1 cup bulgur
2 cups boiling water
⅓ cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 shallots, peeled and minced
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch mint
1 bunch parsley
3 tablespoons hazelnut oil or walnut oil (made from toasted nuts) or extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste
Salt
Pepper
Put the bulgur in a bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Let sit for 10 minutes. Stir in the almonds and shallots.
Discard the stems from the cilantro, mint, and parsley. Wash the leaves and spin dry (see box on Washing Greens). Finely chop the herbs and stir into the bulgur along with the oil and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve cold or at room temperature.
For the most part, potato salad can be a time-consuming affair, but if you make just enough for four to six servings, you can usually get it done with about 20 minutes of applied work, most of which goes to chopping the onion and celery. You will give your salad extra snap by adding extra virgin olive oil to bottled mayonnaise to give the impression that your mayonnaise is homemade—if you care to be deceitful, that is.
Makes 4 side-dish servings
4 waxy potatoes (waxy potatoes have smooth skins), total weight about 2½ pounds
½ cup store-bought mayonnaise
1 egg yolk
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 stalks celery
1 onion, chopped
1 large dill pickle (optional), chopped to the consistency of pickle relish
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed (optional)
Salt
Pepper
Put the potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until one of the potatoes is easily pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes.
While the potatoes are simmering, combine the yolk with the mayonnaise and slowly stir in the oil with a wooden spoon.
Slice the celery crosswise into pieces about ⅛ inch thick.
When the potatoes are fully cooked, drain well. Working one at a time, hold the potatoes with a folded kitchen towel to protect your hand and pull away the peels with a sharp paring knife and your fingers. Slice the potatoes into rounds about ½ inch thick and put in a bowl. Let cool.
Add the mayonnaise, celery, onion, pickle, and capers. Toss gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill slightly, about 30 minutes, before serving.
Flavored with wine, vinegar, shallots, and herbs, many people prefer this version to the more familiar American version. If you don’t have all the herbs, don’t despair; any combination will do.
Makes 6 to 8 side-dish servings
2 pounds waxy potatoes
⅔ cup dry white wine, such as Muscadet
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons mixed chopped herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, or chervil
2 shallots, minced
Salt
Pepper
Put the potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until one of the potatoes is easily pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes.
Drain, let cool enough to handle, and pull away the peels. Slice into rounds about ¼-inch thick and put in a bowl. Pour over the wine and let macerate until all the wine is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
Add the oil, vinegar, herbs, and shallots. Toss gently to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper. If you have the time, let the salad sit for a couple of hours before serving, but this isn’t essential.
I don’t know if this salad really exists in the Near or Middle East, but it’s inspired by salads that do. Serve it as an accompaniment to grilled meats and fish. Chickpeas are also called garbanzo beans.
Makes 4 side-dish servings
1 bunch mint
One 16-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup golden raisins
3 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Discard the stems from the mint. Wash the leaves and spin dry (see box on Washing Greens). Tear each leaf into thirds and put into a bowl. Add the chickpeas, oil, raisins, scallions, and vinegar. Toss well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
If you can find them, use the little green Le Puy lentils from France. They hold their shape well, even if you overcook them, but they do take a little longer to cook than regular lentils.
Makes 4 first-course servings
1 cup lentils, preferably from Le Puy, rinsed and drained
2 cups water
1 small bunch parsley
2 shallots, minced
¼ cup sherry vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Combine the lentils and the water in a small saucepan. Cover the pot and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and the liquid has evaporated. If the lentils are tender, but all the liquid hasn’t yet evaporated, cook them, uncovered, over high heat for 5 minutes to evaporate the excess.
Pour the warm lentils into a bowl.
Wash the parsley, spin dry (see box on Washing Greens), and chop.
Add the shallots, vinegar, oil, and parsley to the lentils and toss well. Chill for 30 minutes and then season to taste with salt and pepper.
PRESENTING MAIN-COURSE AND ELABORATE FIRST-COURSE SALADS
Most of the time we end up with our salads presented as a first course, as a side dish, or as a salad to precede dessert. But when you add substantial ingredients to a basic salad—vegetables, meats, seafood—they turn it into a main course. If you’re going to present these salads in a large bowl at the table before tossing, it’s helpful to put the dressing in the bottom of the bowl and then cross the salad serving spoons over the salad such that the spoons hold the greens suspended over the dressing until you’re ready to toss and serve. (If the greens come in contact with the dressing too soon, they’ll wilt.)
What makes this salad a summer salad is the combination of arugula and basil that serves as the basic set of greens. You can also add other greens of your choosing (or for that matter, edible flowers, such as nasturtiums). You can grill or sauté the steak. I recommend using flank steak here because of its flavor. Because it is sliced, the steak does not have to be super tender. Here we suggest marinating the meat, but this is optional.
Makes 4 main-course servings
Sautéed Flank Steak, using 2 pounds meat
1 large bunch basil
1 large bunch arugula, frisee, or other mixed greens
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons wine vinegar (preferably sherry vinegar)
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Discard the stems from the basil and arugula. Wash and spin dry the leaves (see box on Washing Greens). Transfer the greens to a large salad bowl with plenty of room left for tossing.
Season the flank steak with salt and pepper and grill or sauté the flank steak as described in the recipe. Slice the meat across the grain, tilting the knife as you slice in order to maximize the size of the slices. Slice as thinly as you can. Put the slices on the greens.
Drizzle the vinegar and oil over the salad and season with salt and pepper. Toss and serve immediately, distributing the steak slices so everyone gets a fair share.
Variation:
This salad is also delicious with the addition of cherry tomatoes, you can add 10-15, sliced in half.
If you add cooked potatoes and/or cooked green beans to this salad, you would come close to a traditional salade niçoise, though unlike the traditional version, this one is based on basil and arugula. I omit the green beans and potatoes because of the time needed to prepare them.
Makes 4 main-course servings
1 bunch basil
2 bunches arugula
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 hard-boiled eggs (see box on boiling eggs), peeled and cut into quarters
One 1-pound) tuna steak
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
¼ cup sherry vinegar or other good wine vinegar
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Remove and discard the stems from the basil and arugula. Wash and spin dry the leaves (see box on Washing Greens). Put them in a large salad bowl with plenty of room left for tossing. Arrange the tomato wedges in a circle around the greens. Arrange the eggs on top of the salad.
Brush the tuna with olive oil and sauté over high heat for about 3 minutes on each side. You can also grill the tuna for the same length of time close to the coals.
Slice the tuna into thin strips and arrange it on the salad. Pour the vinegar and oil down the sides of the bowl (see Making Salads Ahead of Time) and season with salt and pepper. Toss and serve immediately.
To make this salad, you’ll have to cook the duck breasts as described in the recipe for Sautéed Duck Breasts. Other than that, you only need ready the greens and the dressing.
Makes 4 main-course servings
1 bunch basil
2 bunches arugula
¼ cup sherry vinegar or other good wine vinegar
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Discard the stems from the basil and arugula. Wash and spin dry the leaves (see box on Washing Greens). Put the greens in a large salad bowl with plenty of room left for tossing.
Slice the duck, at an angle, into thin strips. and arrange the slices on top of the salad. Pour over the vinegar and oil (or put it in the bottom as suggested in Making Salads Ahead of Time if you’re not serving right away), season with salt and pepper, and toss. Serve immediately, distributing the duck slices so everyone gets a fair share.
