This chapter has a profusion of
salads for all occasions and seasons. Most often, a side salad is fresh greens tossed with vinaigrette for a weeknight supper. No fuss, no muss. But it can also be the hearty
potato salad at a backyard cookout, or the colorful fruit salad on a holiday buffet. Side salads can be made from a tangle of shredded vegetables or a heap of grains. With a few exceptions, where bacon or shrimp add a bit of flavor, they do not include any meat, as the protein will be provided from other courses. (However, some salads are certainly substantial enough to become a full meal with the addition of meat, poultry, or seafood.) And they have been designed to be served directly from a bowl or platter, and not individually presented like a first-course salad at a restaurant, although for a formal dinner, you could do so. I have also included a collection of my favorite salad dressings.
Potato Salad
At my family’s get-togethers, it is simply not a party without potato salad. An all-American classic, it can be made in many international variations. Baking potatoes make a crumbly salad, and waxy potatoes yield firm slices, and the dressing can be based on mayonnaise, vinaigrette, or yogurt. It really doesn’t matter. It seems that I’ve never met a potato salad I didn’t like.
• The quickest way to ruin potato salad is with undercooked potatoes. To keep them from getting waterlogged, it is best to boil the potatoes whole until they still hold their shape but are tender enough to be pierced with a small, sharp knife. The time will vary according to the size of the potatoes.
MAKES 8 TO 12 SERVINGS
Serve with sandwiches or burgers; steaks, sausages, grilled or fried chicken; or poached or grilled salmon.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours of refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 2 days ahead.
Family Favorite, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
Every cook has a unique recipe for potato salad—baking or boiling potatoes, with pickles or without, with or without hard-boiled eggs, with mayonnaise or creamy salad dressing, with onions or scallions. For me, this is the gold standard for potato salad, the version that my family has made for decades. The secret is a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream. The marinated artichoke version gets a lot of play at our parties, too.
3 pounds baking potatoes, such as russets, scrubbed
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, as needed
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared yellow or Dijon mustard
3 medium celery ribs with leaves, cut into ¼-inch dice
3 scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cold salted water to cover them by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and set the lid ajar. Cook the potatoes at a steady simmer until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and rinse them under cold running water. Let them cool slightly.
2. Slice the potatoes into ½-inch rounds, peeling them if you wish, and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle and toss them with the vinegar. Let them stand until the potatoes have cooled, about 30 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, and mustard. Stir this mixture into the potatoes. Add the eggs, celery, scallions, and parsley and mix gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until the salad is chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before serving, reseason the salad with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Serve chilled.
Artichoke and Potato Salad: Add two 7-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped, to the salad.
Starch-based salads—potato, pasta, and grain—taste different after a few hours’ refrigeration, as the ingredients soak up the dressing. Be prepared to reseason the salad with salt, pepper, and vinegar before serving. If you have transported the salad to a picnic, bring these ingredients along with you.
NEW POTATO AND PEA SALAD WITH
GREEN GARLIC AÏOLI
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet or picnic salad with beef, pork, chicken, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made (without the peas) up to 8 hours ahead.
Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Late spring is the time to make this delicate potato salad. That’s when small new potatoes, green garlic, and peas show up at the farmer’s market and you want to showcase their fresh-from-the-garden flavors. If you can’t find green garlic (although I see it at just about every farmer’s market in major cities, if not quite at the supermarket produce section yet), substitute 4 scallions. And you can also substitute thawed frozen peas for the fresh, if you wish. This salad is terrific with grilled salmon.
1½ cups shelled fresh peas (from about 1½ pounds peas in the pod)
2 pounds small thin-skinned boiling or new potatoes, scrubbed
1 tablespoon white wine or cider vinegar, as needed
⅔ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 bulbs green garlic (white and tender pale green parts), finely chopped
3 celery ribs, cut into ⅛-inch slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely sliced fresh chives, for garnish
1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the peas and cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Using a wire sieve, transfer the peas to a bowl of ice water, keeping the water in the saucepan boiling. Set the peas aside.
2. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and return it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cover it, with the lid ajar. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and rinse them under cold running water. Let them cool slightly.
3. Slice the potatoes into ½-inch rounds and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle and toss them with the vinegar. Let the potatoes stand until they have cooled, about 30 minutes. (You can speed this up by spreading the potatoes on a large, rimmed baking sheet.)
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and cayenne. Add them to the potatoes with the green garlic and celery and mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until the salad is chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
5. Just before serving, add the peas and mix gently. Reseason the salad with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle it with the chives and serve chilled.
HERBED
FRENCH POTATO SALAD
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve at picnics with beef, pork, lamb, poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Creamy potato salad is a must-have at American picnics. In France, this mayonnaise-free version is also de rigueur at outdoor meals. Dry white wine (or vermouth) is another distinctive touch that sets this salad apart from its cousins.
3 pounds thin-skinned boiling potatoes, scrubbed
3 tablespoons dry white wine or dry vermouth
3 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar, as needed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 celery ribs, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cold salted water to cover them by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and set the lid ajar. Cook the potatoes at a steady simmer until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and rinse them under cold running water. Let them cool slightly.
2. Slice the potatoes into ½-inch rounds and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle and toss them with the wine. Let them stand until the potatoes have cooled, about 30 minutes. (You can speed this up by spreading the potatoes on a large, rimmed baking sheet.)
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to dissolve the salt. Gradually whisk in the oil. Pour the mixture over the potatoes and toss gently. Add the celery, chives, tarragon, and parsley and toss again. Cover and refrigerate until the salad is chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
4. Let the salad stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Reseason the salad with vinegar, salt, and pepper, and serve.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad with baked ham, grilled meats, poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
The flavor power of pickle juice has recently been discovered by the young folks who drink it as a chaser to bourbon at modern speakeasy cocktail lounges. Seasoned cooks know it as a terrific flavoring for potato salad. (And I have to say, I prefer my pickle juice in a salad instead of on the rocks.) Of course, the better the pickles, the better the salad, so if your market carries top-quality refrigerated pickles, give them a try. I sometimes make this salad with sweet gherkins and their juice. If you are a Miracle Whip fan, this is a good recipe in which to use it.
3 pounds baking potatoes, such as russets, scrubbed
¼ cup dill pickle juice, as needed
1 cup mayonnaise or prepared salad dressing, such as Miracle Whip
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1 small yellow onion, shredded on the large holes of a box shredder
½ cup (¼-inch) diced dill pickles
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cold salted water to cover them by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and set the lid ajar. Cook the potatoes at a steady simmer until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Drain the potatoes and rinse them under cold running water. Let them cool slightly. Slice the potatoes into ½-inch rounds and transfer them to a large bowl. Sprinkle the rounds with the pickle juice and let them cool.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and shredded onion. Add them to the potatoes along with the dill pickles, celery, and dill. Mix gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until the salad is chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
4. Reseason the salad with pickle juice, salt, and pepper. Top it with the hard-boiled eggs and sprinkle it with the dill. Serve chilled.
LOADED POTATO SALAD WITH SOUR CREAM, BACON, AND CHEDDAR
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve with sandwiches or burgers, steak or ham.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Family Favorite, Buffet Dish
If you are like me, and you can’t decide what toppings to put on your baked potato, and end up with a little of each, then make this salad to heap next to grilled steak. The dressing is mainly sour cream thinned with milk. Scallions provide the bulk of the onion flavor because chives are a bit too mild on their own.
3 pounds baking potatoes, such as russets, scrubbed but unpeeled
¼ cup distilled white vinegar, as needed
5 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup whole milk
4 celery ribs, thinly sliced
6 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
1¼ cups shredded Cheddar cheese (5 ounces)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives or green scallion tops, for garnish
1. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cold salted water to cover them by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and set the lid ajar. Cook the potatoes at a steady simmer until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Drain and rinse them under cold running water. Let them cool slightly. Peel the potatoes and cut them into ½-inch rounds. Place the warm slices in a bowl. Sprinkle and toss them with the vinegar. Let them cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until it is crisp and browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain and cool. Coarsely chop the bacon.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and milk together. Pour them over the potatoes and add the celery, scallions, 1 cup of the Cheddar, and 4 chopped bacon slices. Mix well and season the salad with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until the salad is chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
5. Just before serving, reseason the salad with vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup Cheddar and the remaining bacon on top of the salad, followed by the chives. Serve chilled.
WARM GERMAN POTATO AND BACON SALAD
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve with sausages, smoked pork chops, baked ham, or breaded fried chicken.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic
Most of us think of potato salad as a warm-weather dish. So, when it is cold outside and you need a side dish for smoked meats or breaded chicken, here is a warm version with bacon and a sweet-and-sour dressing. This recipe was created from my memories of my German-speaking great-aunts’ cooking. No one wrote down the recipe, so I had to confer with my cousins to come up with this mouthwatering replica.
3 pounds medium boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, scrubbed
4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives
1. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cold salted water to cover them by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and set the lid ajar. Cook the potatoes at a steady simmer until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning it occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, leaving the fat in the skillet. Coarsely chop the bacon.
3. Add the onion to the fat in the skillet and cook, stirring it occasionally, until it is tender, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle it with the flour and stir well. Stir in ¾ cup water, the vinegar, celery seed, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring them to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the dressing is lightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove it from the heat.
4. Drain the potatoes and let them cool for 5 minutes. Using a clean kitchen towel to protect your hands, and working over a medium bowl, slice the potatoes into ½-inch rounds, letting them fall into the bowl. Add the dressing, bacon, and parsley and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the salad with the chives and serve warm.
Coleslaw comes from the Dutch word for cabbage salad, but slaw can be made with other vegetables as well. The term has come to be used for any thinly sliced or shredded vegetables marinated in a tart dressing. Many slaws improve in flavor as they marinate, so because they can be made ahead, this family of salads is very useful for entertaining.
• A food processor makes short work of
cutting cabbage into the thin shreds for coleslaw. Use the slicing blade, and not the shredder. The shredder can be used for carrots, apples, and other hard ingredients.
COLESLAW WITH
CELERY SEED DRESSING
MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad at a picnic with barbecued or grilled meats, poultry, seafood, fried chicken, or burgers.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The slaw can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Family Favorite, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
I have simple requirements for coleslaw: It should be refreshingly tart, with very little sugar, and the vegetables as the stars. This recipe may be a standard slaw, but it is the gold standard. Try the Old Bay variation when you are serving seafood, for a spicy alternative.
1⅓ cups mayonnaise
3 tablespoons distilled white or cider vinegar
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 small head green cabbage (2 pounds), cored and thinly sliced
3 carrots, shredded
4 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and celery seeds.
2. Add the cabbage, carrots, scallions, and parsley and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate the slaw until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. Serve it chilled.
Coleslaw with Old Bay Seasoning: Substitute 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning for the celery seeds.
MARINATED
SWEET AND TANGY SLAW
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve with burgers or sandwiches (especially corned beef and pastrami), baked ham, or fried chicken.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 4 hours refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Family Favorite, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
Where I live in New Jersey, the natives still talk about the coleslaw at the long-gone Claremont Diner in Verona, New Jersey. Luckily, one of my neighbors had the recipe, and it is a keeper. Many delicatessens call this “health salad,” probably because it has much less dressing than the typical slaw. A food processor is the best tool for thinly slicing the vegetables. Marinating is key to this slaw’s flavor, so be sure to make it at least 4 hours before serving.
1
head green cabbage (2¼ pounds)
1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out with a dessert spoon
1 large green bell pepper, cored and seeded
1 small yellow onion
1 large carrot
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil
1. Using a food processor fitted with the slicing blade (not the shredding blade), slice the cabbage and transfer it to a large bowl. Repeat with the cucumber, green pepper, and onion. (Or use a large, sharp knife to cut the vegetables into thin slices.)
2. Fit the food processor with the shredding blade. Shred the carrot and transfer it to the bowl with the other vegetables. (Or shred the carrots on the large holes of a box shredder.)
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to dissolve the sugar and salt. Gradually whisk in the oil. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well. Cover and refrigerate until the slaw is wilted and chilled, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
4. Serve chilled, using a slotted spoon to remove the slaw from the brine. (The slaw will keep, covered, refrigerated, and stored in its brine, for up to 3 days.)
COLESLAW
WITH APPLES AND POPPY SEEDS
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad at a picnic with barbecued or grilled meats, poultry, seafood, fried chicken, or burgers.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The slaw can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
This truly delectable slaw has become part of my family heritage, and I have served it at weddings, wakes, and backyard birthdays. The apples and apple juice concentrate give it a natural sweetness that everyone loves. I usually make it with a bag of shredded coleslaw mix so I can mix up a big bowl of salad in just a few minutes.
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon thawed apple juice concentrate
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
One 16-ounce bag coleslaw mix (green cabbage and carrots)
2 scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, shredded on the large holes of a box shredder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple juice concentrate, vinegar, and poppy seeds. Add the
coleslaw mix, scallions, and apple and mix them together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Serve chilled.
BARBECUE SHACK CHOPPED SLAW
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve with barbecued or grilled meats or poultry.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The slaw can be made up to 2 days ahead.
Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
Whenever I go to North Carolina, I will drive out of my way to sample the fare at a recommended barbecue joint. This is the way that many such places serve their slaw—finely chopped, with a ketchup-based sweet and sour dressing.
1 head green cabbage (2¼ pounds), cored and coarsely chopped
4 medium carrots (8 ounces), cut into 1-inch lengths
1 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Maui, cut into sixths
¼ cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons poppy seeds (optional)
1. In batches, pulse the cabbage, carrots, and onion together in a food processor until coarsely chopped into pieces about ¼ inch square.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, ketchup, sugar, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper to dissolve the sugar. Gradually whisk in the oil. Whisk in the poppy seeds, if using.
3. Add the dressing to the cabbage mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Serve chilled, using a slotted spoon to serve the slaw.
SLAW WITH RADISHES AND CILANTRO
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Serve with Mexican-style grilled meats, chicken, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 4 hours refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The slaw can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
This is a salad for cilantro lovers, with a full cup of the herb. When I first enjoyed this slaw with tacos in northern Mexico, I immediately saw its potential as a side dish at a barbecue and as a buffet salad to be served with enchiladas and other tortilla-based main courses. The spicy crispness of the radishes is wonderful with the mellow cabbage.
½ large head green cabbage (1½ pounds), cored and thinly sliced
10 to 12 large radishes, shredded on the large holes of a box shredder or with a food processor
6 scallions (white and green parts), chopped
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons sherry or cider vinegar
1 jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
½ cup olive oil
½ cup sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. In a large bowl, mix together the cabbage, radishes, scallions, and cilantro.
2. Process the vinegar, jalapeño, and garlic in a blender to purée the jalapeño. With the machine running, add the oil through the hole in the lid to make a smooth dressing. Stir it into the slaw. Add the sour cream and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Cover and refrigerate the slaw until chilled, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day. Serve chilled.
NAPA CABBAGE
SLAW WITH
HOISIN-GINGER DRESSING
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Serve with steaks or beef kebabs; grilled pork tenderloin or chops; spareribs; or grilled chicken or duck breast.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The slaw can be made up to 4 hours ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Spicy ginger juice and sweet-salty hoisin sauce give this napa cabbage slaw an Asian flavor profile. (To my palate, minced fresh ginger is often tough, but I have a trick to solve the problem.) I serve this slaw most often as part of a summer picnic menu—try it with glazed Chinese-style spareribs. The slaw wilts fairly quickly, so don’t let it stand for more than a few hours.
½ cup shredded fresh ginger (about 3 ounces; )
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 pounds napa cabbage, cored and cut crosswise into ¼-inch strips
6 carrots, shredded
6 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds,
toasted and cooled
1. A handful at a time, squeeze the shredded ginger in your fist over a large bowl to extract the juice. (Or press the shredded ginger in a potato ricer to juice it.) You should have about 3 tablespoons ginger juice.
2. Add the vinegar,
hoisin sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes and whisk them together. Gradually whisk in the sesame oil, then the vegetable oil.
3. Add the napa cabbage, carrots, and scallions and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
4. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro, if using, sprinkle the slaw with the sesame seeds, and serve it chilled.
Hoisin and Ginger Slaw with Peanuts: Omit the sesame seeds. Just before serving, stir ½ cup coarsely chopped roasted unsalted peanuts into the slaw.
MEDITERRANEAN
MACARONI SALAD
MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet or picnic salad with grilled beef, pork, lamb, chicken, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Family Favorite, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
One of my first culinary jobs was at a delicatessen, where I prepared mountains of macaroni salad every day. Now, who doesn’t like a good macaroni salad? The original recipe used ripe sliced olives and parsley, but over the years, I’ve upped the flavor with kalamata olives and basil. The last time I made this, for a big family party, I had to serve it in a turkey roaster because we didn’t have a bowl large enough, and there still wasn’t a spoonful left over.
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, as needed
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 red bell pepper,
roasted, peeled, cored, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch dice
3 celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch dice
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions until tender. Drain, rinse it under cold running water, and drain well.
2. Transfer the macaroni to a large bowl. Sprinkle it with the vinegar and toss well. Stir in the mayonnaise, olives, roasted red pepper, celery, and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate the salad until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
3. Just before serving, reseason the salad with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Serve it chilled.
Delicatessen Macaroni Salad: When you want the old-fashioned flavor of a great homemade macaroni salad, make this version: Substitute cider vinegar for the red wine vinegar, fresh flat-leaf parsley for the basil, and two 2.25-ounce cans drained sliced ripe olives for the kalamata olives.
SPICY PASTA SALAD WITH PEPPERONCINI
MAKES 8 TO 12 SERVINGS
Serve with Italian-style beef, pork, sausages, chicken, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Family Favorite, Company Fare, Buffet Dish
The many pleasures of an antipasti platter are combined in this colorful pasta salad. The spiciness is provided by pepperoncini (Mediterranean pickled green peppers)—both the peppers and the zippy brine from the jar. I use my personal choices, but you can feel free to swap or add your favorite morsels—marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, black olives, or bite-sized mozzarella balls are all excellent. I served this with Italian stuffed beef rolls (braciole), and it was a very complementary pairing.
3 tablespoons brine from pepperoncini
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, as needed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound fusilli
3 medium celery ribs, thinly sliced
½ cup coarsely chopped drained pepperoncini
6 ounces sliced provolone cheese, cut into ½-inch strips
6 ounces sliced
sopressata or
hard salami, cut into ½-inch strips
½ cup coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. To make the
dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the brine, vinegar, oregano, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Gradually whisk in the oil.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the fusilli and cook according to the package directions until tender. Drain, rinse it under cold running water, and drain well.
3. Transfer the fusilli to a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. Add the celery, pepperoncini, provolone, sopressata, olives, and parsley and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate the salad until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
4. Just before serving, reseason the salad with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Serve it chilled or at room temperature.
ORZO AND VEGETABLE SALAD WITH
PESTO DRESSING
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad with beef, pork, lamb, chicken, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad (without the vegetables and cheese) and dressing can be made up to 8 hours ahead.
Family Favorite, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
This pasta salad is an appetizing fresh green, thanks to the profusion of basil in the dressing. Parsley is added because its high chlorophyll content keeps the basil from discoloring. Briefly cooking the zucchini helps tone down its raw flavor and sets its color, too. I find that this salad is best if made not too far ahead of time because the small orzo can get soggy.
l cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
l large garlic clove, crushed under the flat side of a knife and peeled
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces orzo
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
l zucchini, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 cup thawed frozen peas
1 pint
cherry tomatoes, halved
4 scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
1. To make the dressing: Process the basil, parsley, vinegar, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes in a blender to purée the basil. With the machine running, gradually add the oil through the hole in the lid.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook according to the package directions, stirring often, until tender. Drain, rinse it under cold running water, and drain well.
Transfer it to a large bowl and toss the orzo with half of the dressing. Cover the salad and remaining dressing separately and refrigerate them until the salad is chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
3. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the zucchini and cook just until it is crisp-tender and the skin turns a brighter shade of green, about 2 minutes. Drain, rinse it under cold running water, and drain again.
4. Just before serving, add the remaining dressing to the orzo with the zucchini, peas, cherry tomatoes, scallions, and Parmesan and mix well. Sprinkle it with the pine nuts and serve it chilled or at room temperature.
FARFALLE AND BROCCOLI SALAD WITH
GORGONZOLA DRESSING
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad with Italian-seasoned grilled meats, especially beef and veal.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 8 hours ahead.
Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
This pasta salad is always popular at cookouts with beef entrées, which are complemented by the blue cheese. When I was catering, I’d serve this with everything from beef kebabs to sliced beef tenderloin.
1 pound broccoli
1 pound farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
¾ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, as needed
2 cups crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (8 ounces)
3 celery ribs, cut into ⅛-inch slices
3 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Trim the broccoli and cut the tops into bite-sized florets. Pare the stalks, then cut them crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Cook the broccoli stems in the salted water for 2 minutes. Add the florets and cook until the broccoli florets are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, rinse them under cold water, and let cool.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, until tender. Drain, rinse it under cold running water, and drain well.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, and vinegar together. Add half of the Gorgonzola and mash it into the mayonnaise mixture with a rubber spatula. Stir in the remaining cheese. Add the pasta, broccoli, scallions, celery, and parsley and mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Cover and refrigerate the salad until cold, at least 2 and up to 8 hours. Just before serving, reseason the salad with vinegar, salt, and pepper and serve it chilled.
COUSCOUS
SALAD WITH
SAFFRON
VINAIGRETTE
MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS
Serve with a buffet salad at a picnic with grilled meats (especially lamb), poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Two little steps make a big difference with this good-looking salad, rendered golden yellow with the saffron vinaigrette. First, take a minute to rub the clumps of couscous through your fingers before adding the vegetables and dressing. And, because the salad changes flavor as it absorbs the dressing, reserve some of the vinaigrette to add just before serving.
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
2 cups plain couscous
One 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch dice
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
4 scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
½ teaspoon crumbled saffron
Freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish
1. Bring 2¼ cups water, 1 tablespoon oil, and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Stir in the couscous and remove the pan from the heat. Cover tightly and let it stand until the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the couscous to a large bowl. Fluff the couscous with a fork and let it cool completely, about 15 minutes. Using your fingertips, rub the couscous to break up any clumps.
2. Add the garbanzo beans, bell pepper, carrots, and scallions to the couscous and mix well.
3. Process the remaining ¾ cup oil, lemon juice, garlic, saffron, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne together in a blender. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the couscous, add the mint, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate the salad and remaining dressing until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
4. Just before serving, toss the salad with the remaining dressing and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and garnish it with additional mint. Serve it chilled or at room temperature.
NOODLE AND VEGETABLE SALAD WITH
PEANUT-
TEA DRESSING
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Serve with Asian-style grilled meats, poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 8 hours ahead.
Holiday Feasts, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Serve this substantial salad when the main course has Asian flavors—soy-marinated flank steak, lemongrass chicken, or miso-glazed seafood would all go well with these tangles of noodles in a tea-scented peanut sauce. Be sure to use a black tea without any additional flavorings—Earl Grey would not do here.
½ cup smooth peanut butter (not all-natural)
¼ cup brewed black tea, such as English Breakfast, as needed
2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon peeled and very finely minced ginger
1 teaspoon Sriracha or other hot sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ seedless (English) cucumber, cut into ½-inch sticks about 2 inches long
4 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 red Fresno or jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup finely chopped dry roasted peanuts
Lime wedges, for serving
1. To make the dressing: Purée the peanut butter, ¼ cup black tea, fish sauce, lime juice, honey, hoisin sauce, ginger, Sriracha, and garlic in a blender until smooth, adding more tea, if needed, to make a smooth dressing. Set the dressing aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until they are crisp-tender and have turned a brighter shade of green, about 2 minutes. Using a wire spider or sieve, transfer the green beans to a bowl of cold water. Keep the water boiling.
3. Add the spaghetti to the water and cook according to the package directions, until it is tender. Drain the spaghetti and rinse it under cold running water. Drain well. Transfer the spaghetti to a large bowl.
4. Drain the green beans and pat them dry with paper towels. Add them to the spaghetti, along with the dressing, cucumber, scallions, cilantro, and chile. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. (The salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Bring it to room temperature and reseason before serving.)
5. Spread the salad on a platter. Sprinkle it with additional cilantro and the peanuts. Garnish with the lime wedges and serve.
BLACK-EYED PEAS
AND KALE SALAD WITH
WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE
Makes 6 servings
Serve with ham or sausages as part of a New Year’s buffet.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The various components (black-eyed pea salad, vinaigrette, the cooked bacon, and the kale) can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours; finish the vinaigrette and assemble the salad just before serving.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish
Many cultures, not just our Southerners, traditionally eat legumes and greens at New Year’s because the food supposedly looks like currency and encourages prosperity. When I don’t have a request for Hoppin’ John, this is what I serve at my New Year’s party, accompanied with lots of smoked sausages or a ham from my neighborhood Polish butcher. Frozen black-eyed peas make preparing this salad a breeze, but use 2½ cups freshly cooked dried peas if you prefer. I bet that this salad will become a tradition at your house, too.
4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
½ teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil
1 pound curly kale, thick stems discarded
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
One 16-ounce bag thawed frozen black-eyed peas
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
2 celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch dice
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1 Fresno or red jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. To make the vinaigrette: Cook the bacon in the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat, turning the bacon as needed, until it is crisp and brown, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Remove the skillet with the fat from the heat.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, dry mustard, sugar, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼
teaspoon pepper to dissolve the mustard. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Return the skillet with the fat to medium heat. Gradually whisk the vinaigrette into the skillet and bring it to a simmer. Remove it from the heat. (The vinaigrette and bacon can be stored separately at room temperature for up to 2 hours; reheat the vinaigrette before using.)
3. To prepare the kale: Cut the kale crosswise into thin slices. Wash the kale well and spin it dry in a salad spinner. Put the kale in a large bowl and sprinkle it with the vinegar and salt. Using your fingers and palms, briskly rub the kale until it is wilted and tenderized, about 2 minutes. (The kale can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours.)
4. To prepare the black-eyed peas: In a medium bowl, mix together the black-eyed peas, tomatoes, celery, onion, and chile. Toss them with half of the vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Toss the remaining dressing with the kale. Spread the kale on a large platter and top it with the black-eyed pea mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper. Coarsely chop the bacon and sprinkle it all over the salad. Serve at room temperature.
BEAN SALAD
WITH AVOCADO, GRILLED CORN, AND RED PEPPER
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Serve with grilled meats, poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 8 hours ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Holiday Feasts, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
The black, pink, green, yellow, and red ingredients in this salad make an explosion of colors and flavors. It works both as a salad and as a salsa, served in smaller amounts as a condiment to grilled foods. I have even topped it with grilled shrimp and chicken to create a main course salad.
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, as needed
1 teaspoon pure ground ancho chile
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into ½-inch dice
1 red bell pepper,
roasted, cored, seeded, and peeled, cut into ½-inch dice
½ cup finely chopped red onion
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1. To make the dressing: Pulse the lime zest and juice, ground chile, cumin, sugar, and garlic in a blender to combine. With the blender running, gradually add the oil through the hole in the lid.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the black and pinto beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, and onion with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate the salad until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Just before serving, reseason the salad with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Serve it chilled or at room temperature.
MARINATED
LENTIL, TOMATO, AND CHÈVRE SALAD
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Serve with grilled meats (especially lamb), sausages, or poultry.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 12 hours refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 2 days ahead.
Company Fare, Holiday Feasts, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
The earthiness of lentils is best appreciated when they are paired with sharp-flavored ingredients like ripe tomatoes and goat cheese. I can’t get enough of this salad. Let it marinate overnight to soak up the dressing.
1⅓ cups dried lentils, picked over for stones, rinsed, and drained
Two 3-inch sprigs fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, crushed under the flat side of a knife and peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, as needed
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large beefsteak tomatoes, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
½ cup crumbled goat cheese (2 ounces)
1. To cook the lentils: Bring the lentils, 3 cups water, the thyme sprigs, and peeled garlic to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes. Add the salt and continue cooking until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes more. Drain them in a wire sieve and let cool. Discard the thyme sprigs and garlic clove.
2. To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, minced thyme, crushed garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil.
3. Add the drained lentils and tomatoes to the dressing and mix well. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 12 hours or up to 2 days.
4. Drain the marinated lentils, discarding the liquid, and return the lentil mixture to the bowl. Let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. Reseason with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir in the goat cheese and serve.
Each one of these salads features a different grain as its main ingredient. They are best when served at room temperature because the grains can be too firm when chilled. This is especially important with the rice salad.
ITALIAN
RICE,
CHERRY TOMATO, AND BASIL SALAD
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad at outdoor meals with seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 8 hours ahead.
Holiday Feasts, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Italians know that rice makes a wonderful summer salad. It deserves the same popularity here. Try it as a side dish with grilled seafood. Be sure to serve the salad at room temperature, because chilled rice grains are not tasty.
1½ cups long-grain rice
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
Lemon wedges, for serving
1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and cook it, uncovered, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain it in a large wire sieve and rinse it under cold water; drain again. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and add the cherry tomatoes.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes to dissolve the salt. Gradually whisk in the oil. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the rice, add the basil, and mix. Season to taste with salt. Cover and refrigerate the salad until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
3. Let the salad stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. Toss it with the remaining salad dressing, sprinkle with chopped basil, and serve, with the lemon wedges.
BULGUR
SALAD WITH
BLOOD ORANGES AND MINT
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Serve on a buffet with grilled meats (especially lamb), poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes, for soaking the bulgur
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 8 hours ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
The nutty flavor of bulgur is a natural contrast to sweet citrus and fresh mint. Blood oranges are available in the winter months, and their deep magenta color gives the salad a dramatic look. You can use navel oranges, if you wish.
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, as needed
Finely grated zest of 1 blood orange (reserve the orange for the salad)
Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup bulgur
2 cups boiling water
4 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 blood oranges (including the zested orange), peeled, cut between the membranes into segments
1. To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, orange zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes to dissolve the salt. Gradually whisk in the oil.
2. Put the bulgur in a medium heatproof bowl. Stir in the boiling water. Let it stand until the bulgur is tender and has absorbed the water, about 20 minutes. Drain it well in a wire sieve to remove any excess water. Transfer the bulgur to a bowl. Add the dressing, scallions, mint, and parsley and mix well. (The salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Bring it to room temperature before serving.)
3. Add the orange segments to the salad and mix gently. Reseason the salad with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Transfer it to a serving bowl and serve.
FARRO,
CHERRY, AND FETA SALAD
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad with grilled meats, especially lamb or poultry.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 15 minutes cooling time
Cooking Time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes standing time
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 6 hours ahead.
Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
I was at a loss for what to serve with an herb and wine–marinated grilled leg of lamb until I saw a bag of Italian farro sitting next to a bowl of cherries on my kitchen counter. Before long, I had a substantial salad with sweet cherries and tart feta playing off the firm grains...and a new favorite side salad for serving with lamb.
1½ cups semi-pearled farro
1 small onion, halved crosswise
1 small carrot, halved lengthwise
1 small celery rib, halved lengthwise
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons cherry or other fruit-flavored balsamic vinegar, or plain balsamic vinegar, as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces sweet cherries, such as Bing, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
½ cup crumbled feta cheese (2 ounces)
1. To cook the farro: Bring the farro, 4 cups water, the onion, carrot, celery, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the saucepan. Simmer until the farro is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, about 20 minutes. Drain it in a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Let the farro cool for about 15 minutes. Discard the onion, carrot, and celery.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with salt and pepper to taste to dissolve the salt. Gradually whisk in the oil. Add the cooled farro, cherries, scallions, and mint and mix well. Cover and let the salad stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to 2 hours. (The salad can be refrigerated for up to 6 hours. Remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.)
3. Reseason the salad with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir in the feta cheese and serve the salad at room temperature.
QUINOA,
RED PEPPER, AND ROMAINE SALAD WITH MOROCCAN SPICES
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Serve with grilled chicken, lamb chops, or salmon.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The salad components can be made up to 6 hours ahead and tossed together just before serving.
Weeknight Suppers, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish
The mix of seasonings in the vinaigrette and the sweet currants gives this substantial side salad a North African flavor. All you’ll need is a grilled or broiled main course, such as harissa-rubbed chicken. Refrigerate the quinoa after cooking to speed the cooling, and you can feasibly serve this for a weeknight supper dish.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup quinoa, preferably rainbow or tri-color quinoa, rinsed well under cold water in a fine wire sieve and drained
1 romaine heart, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 scallions (white and green parts), chopped
½ cup dried currants
1. To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, ginger, paprika, coriander, if using, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne. Gradually whisk in the oil. Set the dressing aside.
2. Bring the quinoa, 2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the saucepan. Simmer until the quinoa is tender and has absorbed the liquid, about 20 minutes. Remove it from the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes. Using a fork, fluff the quinoa and transfer it to a large bowl. Refrigerate it until it is completely cooled, at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
3. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, romaine, bell pepper, scallions, and currants. Add the dressing and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Cabbage Family Salads
Every cook knows the value of coleslaw as a side dish, but other cruciferous vegetables are also invaluable. Here are delicious salads made with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and kohlrabi.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
SLAW WITH
RICOTTA SALATA, DRIED CRANBERRIES, AND PISTACHIOS
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Serve with baked ham, roast chicken, or poached salmon.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 minutes
Make Ahead: The slaw and dressing can be prepared separately up to 1 day ahead and tossed together just before serving.
Weeknight Suppers, Holiday Feasts, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Raw Brussels sprouts make a delectable slaw, and I prepare this during the Christmas season for its green and red colors, and to take advantage of the sprouts’ ubiquity in the winter months. And it can be made in minutes, which is very helpful during the busy holiday entertaining blitz. To keep the slaw crisp, prepare the components ahead and toss them together just before serving.
⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup coarsely chopped shallots
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup dried cranberries
20 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed
½ cup
toasted and coarsely chopped pistachios
½ cup coarsely crumbled ricotta salata (2 ounces)
1. To make the dressing: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Transfer the shallots to a blender. Add the remaining ⅔ cup oil with the lemon zest and juice and honey and blend until the dressing is thick and smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (The dressing can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
3. Put the dried cranberries in a bowl and cover them with hot tap water. Set them aside to plump for 10 minutes. Drain them and pat them dry with paper towels.
4. In a food processor fitted with the slicing blade, drop the Brussels sprouts through the feed tube while the machine is running to thinly slice the sprouts. (Or thinly slice them with a large knife.) Transfer the sliced brussel sprouts to a medium bowl. Add the dressing, drained cranberries, pistachios, and ricotta salata and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
GRILLED
BROCCOLI, RED PEPPER, AND PINE NUT SALAD
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Serve with grilled meats, poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooling time
Cooking Time: 8 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 4 hours ahead.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish
If you haven’t tried grilled broccoli, you are in for a treat. The high heat transforms the spears into something familiar but different. This salad has Mediterranean flavors that are especially good with grilled foods. If you are roasting the bell pepper on the grill, cook, cool, and peel it before cooking the broccoli.
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds broccoli crowns
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
Freshly ground black pepper
1. To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, anchovy paste, oregano, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes to dissolve the anchovy paste. Gradually whisk in the oil. Set the dressing aside.
2. Prepare an outdoor grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F). For a charcoal grill, let the coals burn until they are covered with white ash and you can hold your hand about 1 inch above the cooking grate for about 3 seconds. For a gas grill, preheat on high and adjust the thermostat to medium (400°F).
3. Using a large knife, cut the broccoli lengthwise into individual spears, with each stalk ½ to ¾ inch wide. Toss the broccoli spears in a large bowl with the oil to coat the broccoli. Place the spears on the grilling grate, running perpendicular to the grate, and cover the grill. Grill with the lid closed until the undersides are lightly charred, about 2½ minutes. Flip the broccoli over and continue grilling with the lid closed until the other sides are lightly charred and the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 2½ minutes more. Transfer the broccoli to a large bowl and let it cool, about 30 minutes.
4. Add the bell pepper, olives, and pine nuts to the broccoli and mix. Add the dressing and mix again. (The salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours. Let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.)
5. To serve, lift the broccoli spears from the bowl and arrange them on a platter. Spoon the bell pepper mixture with any dressing over the broccoli. Season to taste with pepper and serve.
RAW
BROCCOLI SALAD WITH BACON,
SUNFLOWER SEEDS, AND RAISINS
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve at picnics and buffets with beef, pork, chicken, or seafood.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Make Ahead: Components of the salad can be made up to 4 hours ahead, stored separately, and mixed together just before serving.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Retro Recipe
I have to include this crowd-pleaser from my cousin Suzanne Kindle, who is virtually required to bring it to every family gathering. She says that she doesn’t mind because it is so easy to make. My family loves the combination of crisp broccoli, sunflower seeds, and bacon, topped off with a thick sweet-and-sour dressing. With this much bacon to cook, I think that it is easier to bake it instead of crowding the slices into a skillet, but the choice is yours.
8 slices bacon
⅔ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1½ pounds broccoli crowns, cut into florets
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup seedless raisins
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Arrange the bacon side-by-side on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the bacon is crisp and browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain and cool. Coarsely chop the bacon.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar together. In a large bowl, mix the broccoli, half of the bacon, the sunflower seeds, raisins, and onion together. Add the mayonnaise mixture and toss. Sprinkle the remaining bacon over it and serve. (To make the salad ahead, whisk the mayonnaise and sugar together without the vinegar. Combine the broccoli, sunflower seeds, raisins, and onion without the bacon. Top with the mayonnaise mixture, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle the salad with the vinegar and mix well. Mix in half of the bacon, sprinkle with the remaining bacon, and serve.)
KOHLRABI,
APPLE, AND ALMOND SLAW
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad with grilled or barbecued meat or poultry.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The slaw can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Kohlrabi is the unexpected star of this crisp slaw, which gets its mild sweetness from apple and honey. If you haven’t cooked with kohlrabi before, this is a fine way to make its acquaintance. A mandoline or V-slicer does the best job of slicing the kohlrabi.
3 kohlrabi (about 1½ pounds), peeled
Kosher salt
⅓ cup sour cream
⅓ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey
2 Granny Smith apples
Freshly ground black pepper
Finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
1. Using a mandoline, plastic V-slicer, or large, sharp knife, cut the kohlrabi into thin strips about ⅛ inch wide. Toss the kohlrabi with 1 teaspoon salt in a colander. Let it stand in the sink for 1 hour. Do not rinse the kohlrabi.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, and honey together. Add the kohlrabi and mix.
3. Using a mandoline, slicer, or knife, cut the unpeeled apples down to the core into thin strips the same size as the kohlrabi. Add them to the kohlrabi mixture and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate the salad until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
4. Just before serving, mix in the almonds. Sprinkle the salad with the parsley, if using, and serve chilled.
CUCUMBER
SALAD WITH YOGURT AND DILL
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Serve with lamb roasts and chops, chicken, seafood, or Mediterranean sandwiches.
Prep Time: 5 minutes, plus 15 minutes marinating time
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
This super-simple, endlessly versatile salad should be in every cook’s repertoire. Serve it at picnics, on a buffet with leg of lamb, or as a side with your favorite sandwich. For years, I made this with drained regular yogurt, but the thick Greek variety makes an improvement because the dressing doesn’t thin upon standing. I also like to mix in sliced tomatoes as a variation.
2 large standard cucumbers
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
⅓ cup low-fat plain
Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Peel the cucumbers. Cut each in half lengthwise. Using the tip of a dessert spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut the cucumber halves crosswise into ¼-inch slices.
2. Transfer the cucumber slices to a medium bowl. Toss them with the vinegar. Add the yogurt, dill, and garlic and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to marinate. (The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead.) Serve chilled.
CHOPPED GREEK SALAD WITH FETA AND OLIVES
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Serve with grilled meat kebabs, lamb roasts, lamb chops, pork sausages, or grilled seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad is best served right after making.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Instead of a leafy Greek salad, I often make a chunky, chopped version, which is actually more authentic. Serve it immediately after making, as the cucumbers will give off their juices as the salad stands.
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
2 Kirby cucumbers, scrubbed, seeds discarded, and cut into ½-inch dice or ½ English cucumber (no need to scrub or remove seeds), cut into ½-inch dice
2 large ripe tomatoes, seeds discarded, cut into ½-inch dice
2 scallions (white and green parts), chopped
½ cup crumbled feta cheese (2 ounces)
⅓ cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the vinegar, oregano, and garlic together. Gradually whisk in the oil.
2. Add the bell pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, feta, and olives and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Serve with roast lamb, roast chicken, or salmon.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes, for soaking the bulgur
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 4 hours ahead.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
At its best, taboulleh is a refreshing mix of herbs and vegetables with a bit of bulgur added for its nutty flavor. Usually, American cooks get it wrong by adding too much bulgur. The bulk of the ingredients should be vegetables and herbs. While a food processor may be the quickest way to chop the herbs, this is a job for a sharp knife, as the processor will crush the herbs and make a heavy salad. I think you’ll also enjoy the hints of spice in the dressing. One last note: You can serve the taboulleh spooned onto romaine lettuce leaves, and while this makes a nice presentation, it is easier to serve the salad on a buffet without the leaves.
¼ cup bulgur
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup packed fresh dill leaves
¼ cup packed fresh mint leaves
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
3 Persian cucumbers or ½ seedless (English) cucumber, cut into ¼-inch dice
2 scallions (white and green parts), minced
1. To prepare the bulgur: Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove it from the heat. Stir in the bulgur and let it stand until the bulgur is tender and has absorbed the water, about 20 minutes. Drain it well in a wire sieve to remove any excess water. Fluff the bulgur with a fork, transfer it to a small bowl, and let it cool completely.
2. To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, allspice, cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil.
3. Combine the parsley, dill, and mint leaves on a chopping board. Using a large, sharp knife, finely chop the herbs, taking care to actually chop them without crushing them. Transfer the herbs to a large bowl.
4. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, and bulgur. Add the dressing and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (The salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.) Serve it chilled or at room temperature.
THREE-BEAN SALAD WITH
HONEY
VINAIGRETTE
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve with sandwiches or burgers, steaks, grilled chicken, fried chicken, or seafood.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 3 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 4 hours ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Retro Recipe, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
Three-bean salad is on the short list for side salads that are perfect for cookouts. This is my favorite recipe, with just enough honey to keep it from getting too sweet. The salad shines when made with freshly cooked green beans (as it is here), but don’t dress the salad too far ahead or they could discolor.
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup vegetable oil
One 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
One 15-ounce can kidney or red beans
½ cup finely chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Maui
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until they are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, rinse them under cold running water, and drain again. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, honey, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together to dissolve the honey and salt. Gradually whisk in the oil. Add the vinaigrette to the green beans along with the garbanzo beans and kidney beans, onion, and parsley. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate to blend the flavors for at least 1 hour, and up to 4 hours. Serve it chilled or at room temperature.
YELLOW AND GREEN BEANS WITH
OLIVE VINAIGRETTE
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Serve with leg of lamb, lamb chops, grilled chicken, or shrimp.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 4 hours ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Buffet Dish, Retro Recipe
This multicolored salad sings with Mediterranean flavors. Try to make it with flat Romano beans to play up its Italian roots, and yellow wax beans for added color. (Purple green beans lose their color when cooked, but I still use the raw beans, finely chopped, as a garnish.) If you only have regular green beans, don’t let that stop you.
¼ cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon anchovy paste
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
Finely grated zest of ½
lemon
Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces green beans, preferably flat Romano, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
6 ounces yellow wax or additional green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
1 pint
grape tomatoes, halved
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup crumbled goat cheese (2 ounces)
4 purple green beans, uncooked, finely chopped (optional)
1. To make the vinaigrette: Purée the olives, vinegar, anchovy paste, garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes together in a blender. With the machine running, gradually add the oil through the center vent.
2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green and yellow beans and cook just until they are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse them under cold running water. Pat the beans dry with paper towels (or spin them dry in a salad spinner).
3. In a large bowl, toss the beans, tomatoes, onion, and olive vinaigrette together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (The salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.) Sprinkle with the goat cheese and purple beans, if using, and serve.
SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND GRAPE TOMATOES IN LEMON-
TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet or picnic salad with roasts, chops, chicken, or seafood.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 minutes
Make Ahead: The sugar snap peas and vinaigrette can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Sweet and crisp sugar snap peas are an elegant side dish that can be served with a wide assortment of main courses. They are just as at home with roast lamb as they are with poached salmon. Dress them with the vinaigrette just before serving—if they are allowed to stand, their bright green will turn drab. If there isn’t any other cheese on the menu, I’ll often add ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese to the salad.
1½ pounds sugar snap peas, trimmed
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 scallions (white and green parts), chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the sugar snap peas and cook just until they are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes (the water may not come back to a boil). Drain and transfer the peas to a large bowl of iced water. Drain again and pat the peas dry with paper towels. (The sugar snap peas can be prepared up to 1 day ahead, wrapped in paper towels, and refrigerated in plastic bags.)
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon zest and juice, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together to dissolve the salt. Gradually whisk in the oil. (The vinaigrette can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 1 day. Whisk it well before using.)
3. Just before serving, mix the sugar snap peas, tomatoes, scallions, tarragon, and vinaigrette, in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
These salads can be relied on to refresh the palate on a warm day, or to provide a light element on a buffet table with rich food. Some of these are bolstered with bread to give them a bit more heft on buffet menus.
LAYERED WEDGE SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE AND BACON
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve as a side salad on a buffet.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration time
Cooking Time: 8 minutes, for the bacon
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 4 hours ahead.
Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish
A chunk of iceberg lettuce slathered with thick dressing is a terrific side salad, but it is only easy to eat when you have a fork and a knife. This version allows you to serve this favorite on a buffet. You can make it ahead, too, because careful layering protects the produce from the dressing.
¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 slices bacon
1 small red onion, chopped
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ seedless (English) cucumber, cut into ¼-inch slices
1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (4 ounces)
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, Worcestershire, and pepper together. Set the dressing aside.
2. In batches, if necessary, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until it is crisp and browned, about 8 minutes. (Or bake the bacon according to
the directions.) Transfer it to paper towels to drain and cool. Coarsely chop the bacon.
3. Layer the ingredients in a very large bowl in the order given: onion, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, and bacon. Sprinkle the blue cheese over the salad, then spread the top with the dressing. Cover the salad tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the salad is well chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
4. When ready to serve, toss well to combine all of the ingredients and serve immediately.
Layered Wedge Salad with Caesar Dressing: Substitute 1½ cups
Creamy Caesar Dressing for the mayonnaise mixture, and 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the blue cheese. After tossing, sprinkle 1 recipe
Garlic Croutons over the salad.
MRS. CAVIGLIA’S
ITALIAN BREAD SALAD
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Serve with beef, pork, sausages, leg of lamb, lamb chops, chicken, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad is best served immediately. If you wish, the vinaigrette, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and olives can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Buffet Dish, Retro Recipe, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
When the Italian bread salad, panzanella, first made a splash in the American food world, I had already been eating it since I was a kid, thanks to the cooking of Mrs. Caviglia, my godmother’s Sicilian mother. The bread must be very stale, almost hard, as it gets a dunk in cold water to soften it. You can vary the vegetables (roasted bell peppers are a nice addition), but this is the way I was taught to make this classic.
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces (about half a large round loaf), stale coarse-grained, crusty bread, torn into 2- to 3-inch chunks
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeds scooped out with a dessert spoon, cut into ½-inch dice
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup finely chopped red onion
⅓ cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
¼ cup packed torn fresh basil leaves or 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to dissolve the salt. Gradually whisk in the oil.
2. Just before serving, immerse the bread chunks in a large bowl of cold water. Let them stand until softened but not soggy, about 30 seconds (depending, of course, on the hardness of the bread). Drain. A handful at a time, squeeze out the water from the bread and crumble it well into a large bowl.
3. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, olives, and basil and toss well. Gradually mix in the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
FATTOUSH WITH PERSIAN CUCUMBERS AND POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve with grilled meats, especially lamb, poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad components can be prepared a few hours ahead, but the salad is best served immediately after making.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Retro Recipe, Vegetarian
A Middle Eastern salad with toasted pita, fattoush is in my summer salad rotation. The pomegranate vinaigrette, made from tart pomegranate molasses, has a fascinating flavor. Small seedless Persian cucumbers, now available in supermarkets, are perfect here, but you could substitute half of an English seedless cucumber. The pita must be toasted so it remains crisp in the dressed salad, but if you don’t want to turn on the oven, you can do this on the grill (or even in batches in a toaster oven).
2 pocket-style pitas, split in half crosswise, each half cut into 8 wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate
molasses (see
Note)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2
garlic cloves, crushed through a
garlic press
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 romaine heart, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise, and cut into ⅛-inch slices
2 scallions (white and green parts), chopped
½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
1. To make the croutons: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, toss the pita wedges with the oil. Spread them on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the wedges are lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Let them cool completely.
3. To make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper together. Gradually whisk in the oil.
4. In a large bowl, toss the romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, parsley, and mint together with the vinaigrette. Add the pita wedges and toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Note: Thick and tart, pomegranate molasses is available at Middle Eastern grocers. You can also make your own from bottled pomegranate juice. Bring 1 cup pomegranate juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to a boil in a small nonreactive saucepan over high heat. Cook until the mixture has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Remove it from the heat—it will continue to thicken as it cools. Transfer it to a covered container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
GARLIC
LOVER’S ANTIPASTI SALAD
MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS
Serve with Italian-seasoned steaks, chops, roasts, sausages, chicken, pasta, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes, for the croutons
Make Ahead: The vinaigrette can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish
This has become my side dish of choice when the main course is lasagna, baked ziti, or another iconic Italian pasta dish for a big group. It is chock-full of goodies like marinated artichoke hearts, roasted bell pepper, salami, and provolone. If you wish, substitute 2 cups of store-bought croutons for these Garlic Croutons.
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed through a garlic press
3 slices firm white sandwich bread, slightly stale, cut into ½-inch dice
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 large garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large heads Romaine lettuce, rinsed, dried, and cut into bite-sized pieces
Two 6½-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
8 ounces sliced salami, cut into ½-inch strips
1½ cups shredded provolone cheese (6 ounces)
1. To make the croutons: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the oil and garlic together. Put the bread pieces in a large bowl, drizzle them with the garlic oil, and toss well. Spread the bread on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until the bread is lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Let it cool completely.
3. To make the vinaigrette: Pulse the red wine and balsamic vinegars, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender to combine the ingredients. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil through the hole in the lid to make a smooth vinaigrette. (The vinaigrette can be transferred to a covered container and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Whisk it well before using.)
4. In a large serving bowl, toss the lettuce, artichoke hearts, bell pepper, and salami together. Add the vinaigrette and toss again. Top the salad with the provolone and croutons and toss a final time. Serve immediately.
GRILLED HEARTS OF ROMAINE WITH GARLIC CRUMBS AND
CAESAR-RANCH DRESSING
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad at a picnic with barbecued or grilled meats, poultry, seafood, fried chicken, or burgers.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The dressing and garlic crumbs can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Family Favorite, Buffet Dish, Company Fare
Surprise your guests with a grilled Caesar salad. The light grilling brings out the sweetness in the lettuce. This is a salad about contrasts—warm lettuce with cold dressing and crunchy crumbs will make a party in your mouth.
½ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup buttermilk
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
1 small yellow onion, grated on the large holes of a box shredder
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon anchovy paste or Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 cup coarse bread crumbs, made in a food processor or blender from slightly stale crusty bread
3 romaine hearts, each cut in half lengthwise
Olive oil, for brushing
2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, cut into quarters lengthwise
1 small red onion, cut into thin rings
1. To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Parmesan, onion, lemon juice, and anchovy paste together until combined. Season to taste with pepper. Cover and refrigerate the dressing until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
2. To make the garlic crumbs: Heat the oil and garlic together in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until the garlic softens, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not burn the garlic. Add the crumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer them to a plate and let cool. (The garlic crumbs can be stored in a plastic zip-tight bag at room temperature for up to 1 day.)
3. Prepare an outdoor grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F). For a charcoal grill, let the coals burn until they are covered with white ash and you can hold your hand about 1 inch above the cooking grate for about 3 seconds. For a gas grill, preheat on high and adjust the thermostat to medium (400°F).
4. Lightly brush the lettuce halves all over with the oil. Place them on the grill and cover. Cook, turning once or twice, just until the lettuce is lightly charred around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the lettuce halves to a platter.
5. Spoon the dressing over the lettuce. Top it with the garlic crumbs, tomatoes, and onion. Serve immediately.
BABY SPINACH, FRESH FIG, AND PANCETTA SALAD
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Serve as part of a buffet with grilled pork, veal, or lamb chops; grilled sausages; or grilled salmon.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 6 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad components can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead and tossed just before serving.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish
Figs don’t have the longest season, so when they are around, I use them as much as possible. Here they show up in an Italian variation on spinach and pancetta salad that I serve in the late summer when figs are at their plumpest and sweetest. The pancetta provides a crisp, salty accent.
3 ounces sliced pancetta
Two 4- to 5-ounce bags baby spinach
6 ripe figs, cut into quarters
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. In batches, if necessary, cook the pancetta in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until it is crisp and browned, about 6 minutes. Do not overcook the pancetta, or it will turn bitter. Transfer the pancetta to paper towels to drain and cool. Discard the fat in the skillet. Break up the pancetta into bite-sized pieces.
2. In a large bowl, toss the spinach, pancetta, figs, shallot, and vinaigrette together. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
BACON,
LETTUCE, AND TOMATO SALAD
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad with seafood, chicken, steaks, or chops.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Make Ahead: The dressing, croutons, and bacon can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead.
Family Favorite, Buffet Dish, Retro Recipe
Here is one of the most popular of all sandwiches—turned around into a wonderful salad. Because it is so hearty, I like it best with light entrées. In fact, the first time I served it was with a seafood mixed grill of salmon, shrimp, and oysters, which matched up beautifully with the bacon. When cooking a large amount of bacon, baking is much more efficient than frying, so if you haven’t tried that method, prepare for a pleasant surprise.
8 slices thick-sliced bacon
5 slices firm white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch squares
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sherry or cider vinegar
2 tablespoons whole milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 romaine hearts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1. Position racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Arrange the bacon slices side-by-side on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Spread the bread squares on
another large, rimmed baking sheet, drizzle them with the oil, and toss the bread and oil together on the sheet.
3. Place the baking sheets in the oven, with the bread squares on the top rack. Bake, occasionally stirring the bread squares, until the bread is toasted, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the bread squares from the oven and let them cool. Continue baking the bacon until it is crisp and browned, about 5 minutes more. Let the bacon cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the slices to paper towels to drain and cool completely. (The bread and bacon can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours.)
4. In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, and milk together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the romaine hearts and tomatoes and toss together. Spread the lettuce mixture on a serving platter. Coarsely chop the bacon. Sprinkle the bacon and bread squares over the salad and serve.
KALE
AND ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD WITH SPICY PEPITAS
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad with roast pork, baked ham, sausages, or roast chicken.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus about 30 minutes cooling time
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Make Ahead: The kale, squash, and dressing can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead; assemble just before serving.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
This handsome salad features autumn’s bounty in a way that would have been unthinkable a few years ago. Now it is one of my most-requested dishes, and while it has a few steps, they are all easy, and the various components can be made ahead for a quick last-minute assembly. Buy the pepitas for the crunchy topping, as experience has shown me that it is foolhardy to use the fresh ones from the butternut squash, because they are too thin to bake.
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeds discarded
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup shelled pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound lacinato or curly kale, thick stems discarded, well washed and dried
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup finely chopped red onion
1. To roast the squash: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Toss the squash and oil together on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, flipping the squash with a metal spatula halfway through roasting, until the squash is tender and browned, 40 to 45 minutes. Season it lightly to taste with salt and pepper. Let it cool to room temperature.
3. To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper together to dissolve the honey and salt. Gradually whisk in the oil.
4. To make the spiced pepitas: Cook the pepitas in a medium nonstick skillet (have the lid handy) over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown and pop, covering the pan with the lid if the pepitas jump out of the pan, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle them with the chili powder, sugar, and salt and stir well. Transfer them to a plate and let cool.
5. To prepare the kale: Put the kale in a large bowl and sprinkle it with the lemon juice and salt. Using your fingers and palms, briskly rub the kale until it is wilted and tenderized, about 2 minutes. (The squash, dressing, pepitas, and prepared kale can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours.)
6. Toss the kale with the red onion and half of the dressing. Spread the kale mixture on a serving platter. Top it with the squash and drizzle the squash with the remaining dressing. Sprinkle the top with the pepitas. Serve at room temperature.
TOMATO,
GRILLED CORN, AND BASIL SALAD
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Serve at summer meals with beef, lamb, pork, chicken, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes for draining the tomatoes
Make Ahead: The salad is best served within 2 hours of making.
Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
For a few weeks every summer, corn, tomatoes, and basil are collectively in season in my area. I am lucky enough to have a farm nearby that grows all three, so I stock up on the goodies for this luscious salad. When the corn is that fresh, I do not bother to cook it, but you can boil or grill the ears if you wish. I try to use heirloom tomatoes because their color and old-fashioned flavor are so beautiful, but beefsteaks are great, too. Salting the tomato cubes helps extract some of the juice that would otherwise dilute the salad.
3 large ripe tomatoes, preferably heirloom
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups fresh corn kernels, cut from 3 to 4 ears
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1. Using a serrated knife, cut each tomato in half lengthwise. Using your finger, poke out the gel and seeds. Cut the tomatoes into ¾-inch cubes. Toss the tomatoes with ½ teaspoon salt in a large colander. Let them drain in a sink for 30 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl to dissolve the salt. Gradually whisk in the oil. Add the tomatoes, corn, and basil and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, with a slotted spoon.
GEMELLI SALAD WITH
TOY BOX TOMATOES, BABY MOZZARELLA, AND GREEN OLIVADA
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve at picnics and summer cookouts with grilled meats, chicken, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
I enjoy insalata Caprese (tomatoes and mozzarella with basil) as much as the next person, but I also like to take it another step with this pasta salad. Toy box tomatoes are small and multicolored—any cherry-sized tomatoes will do. Gemelli (“twins” in Italian) is a short, twisted pasta, but you can also use short fusilli or rotini.
1 pound gemelli pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed under a knife and peeled
1 cup pitted and coarsely chopped imported green olives (see
Note)
2 tablespoons large or nonpareil capers, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint toy box or grape tomatoes, halved
8 ounces fresh cherry-sized mozzarella balls (ciligiene de mozzarella), halved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the gemelli and cook, stirring occasionally, according to the package directions, until tender. Drain and rinse the gemelli under cold running water. Transfer it to a large bowl and toss it with the oil.
2. To make the olivada: In a running food processor, drop the garlic through the feed tube to mince the garlic. Stop the food processor and add the olives, capers, vinegar, anchovy paste, mustard, and red pepper flakes. Pulse a few times to coarsely chop the olives. With the machine running, gradually pour the oil through the feed tube to make a coarse purée. (Or combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process them into a coarse purée.)
3. Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, and olivada to the pasta and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let it stand for 30 minutes to blend the flavors. (The salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.) Stir in the basil and serve.
Note: For the best flavor, buy large, meaty imported green olives with pits. To pit the olives, smash each one on a chopping board under the flat side of a knife, then pick out the pit. Once you get a rhythm going, this job goes quickly.
ALMOST COBB SALAD WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND CORN
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Serve with grilled meats or poultry.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad components can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead and combined just before serving.
Weeknight Suppers, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish
I call this “almost Cobb salad” because of its avocado, blue cheese, and bacon—all ingredients of the classic salad from Hollywood’s legendary Brown Derby. (And also because I serve it most often as a partner to grilled chicken, another essential ingredient of the original Cobb.) When the corn is very fresh and sweet, I don’t bother to cook it, and just cut it off the cob. Otherwise, grilling the corn is a good option. Rather than make the salad ahead, I prefer to prepare the components separately and toss them together just before serving.
5 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch lengths
12 ounces sugar snap peas, cut on the diagonal into ½-inch lengths
2 tablespoons cider or red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1½ cups fresh corn kernels, cut from about 2 ears
2 ripe Hass avocados, halved, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces), preferably Gorgonzola
1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is crisp and browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain and cool. Coarsely chop the bacon.
2. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the sugar snap peas and cook just until they turn a brighter shade of green, about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse them under cold running water until cooled. Pat the sugar snap peas dry with paper towels.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together. Gradually whisk in the oil. Set the dressing aside. (The bacon, sugar snap peas, and dressing can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.)
4. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar snap peas, corn, and avocados. Add the dressing and mix gently. Top the vegetables with the blue cheese and bacon and mix again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.
PERUVIAN SALAD WITH CORN AND FRESH SHELL BEANS
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Serve with grilled meats, poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 20 minutes, including 1 hour refrigeration time
Cooking Time: about 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 8 hours ahead.
Company Fare, Vegetarian
In Peru, this substantial salad is called solterito, which means “little bachelor” in Spanish, and could refer to a quick supper that a single man might toss together. The essentials are shell beans (frozen beans work well if you don’t have fresh) and corn, two summer ingredients that I like to use as much as possible when they are in season. When the corn is really fresh, don’t bother to cook it. This is not true of the fava beans, however, which must be cooked to destroy toxins. You’ll find this salad on Peruvian menus as an appetizer, but I find it is perfect with grilled main courses.
1½ cups fresh corn kernels, cut from about 2 ears
1½ cups fresh or thawed frozen lima or fava beans
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 red Fresno or jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large tomato, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
½ cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup crumbled ricotta salata or queso fresco cheese (about 2 ounces)
1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the corn and cook just until it is barely tender, about 2 minutes. Using a wire sieve, transfer the corn to a bowl of iced water.
2. Add the fresh lima beans to the boiling water and cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes. (No need to cook the thawed beans.) Drain and rinse them under cold running water. If using fresh fava beans, peel them. Drain the beans and pat them dry with paper towels.
3. In a medium bowl, use a fork to beat the lime juice and chile with ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper, crushing the chile slightly with the fork. Gradually beat in the oil. Drain the corn and pat it dry with paper towels. Add the corn, beans, tomato, olives, onion, and parsley and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. (The solterito can be made up to 8 hours ahead.)
4. Just before serving, sprinkle it with the ricotta salata and serve chilled.
GRILLED
SUMMER VEGETABLES WITH
HARISSA VINAIGRETTE
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Serve at picnics and summer cookouts with grilled meats, poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
A big salad of grilled vegetables is a spectacular side dish at a summer gathering. This one has zesty North African flavors provided by harissa, a hot spice paste. If you aren’t familiar with it, adjust the amount to taste. Be sure to grill the vegetables over medium heat, so they cook to tenderness without burning. Check out my method for grilling the bell pepper flat, which allows it to cook in less time and with less attention than a whole pepper.
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoons harissa (see
Note)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red bell pepper
1 globe eggplant (1½ pounds), cut into ½-inch rounds
2 zucchini (1 pound total), halved lengthwise, then in half crosswise to make 8 pieces total
4 ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Olive oil, for brushing
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or basil
Lemon wedges, for serving
1. To make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon juice, harissa, and salt together. Gradually whisk in the oil. Set the vinaigrette aside.
2. Prepare an outdoor grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F). For a charcoal grill,
let the coals burn until they are covered with white ash and you can hold your hand about 1 inch above the cooking grate for about 3 seconds. For a gas grill, preheat on high and adjust the thermostat to medium (400°F).
3. Cut ½ inch off the top and bottom of the bell pepper to resemble “lids.” Discard the stem. Cut down the length of the pepper, and open the pepper up so it lies flat. Remove the ribs and seeds.
4. Brush the bell pepper strip and lids, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes all over with oil. Place the bell pepper pieces on the cooking grate, skin-side down. Add the eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes, cut-sides down. Cover the grill and cook for the following times, removing the vegetables from the grill as they are done:
Tomatoes: Grill for 2 minutes, then flip and grill until the skins begin to split, about 3 minutes more.
Zucchini: Grill until it is crisp-tender and seared on both sides with grill marks, about 6 minutes.
Bell pepper: Grill until the skin is blackened, about 10 minutes.
Eggplant: Grill until it is tender and golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes.
5. Let the vegetables cool until they are tepid. Remove the skin from the bell pepper. Coarsely chop all of the vegetables and arrange them on a serving platter. Drizzle the vegetables with the dressing. Season to taste with salt. Sprinkle the vegetables with the cilantro and serve, with the lemon wedges.
Note: Harissa is available in jars, cans, or tubes at specialty food stores, spice purveyors, and many natural food supermarkets. (The tube-packed harissa is very convenient to use and store in the refrigerator.) If you can’t find it, substitute an equal amount of Chinese chili-garlic paste mixed with ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.
CARROT
SLAW WITH
MISO
VINAIGRETTE
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Serve with Asian-style grilled meats, poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Make Ahead: The slaw can be made up to 8 hours ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Tablespoon for tablespoon, miso is one of the most flavor-packed ingredients in my kitchen. Because a little goes a long way, I always have a container in the refrigerator (where it keeps indefinitely) to bring its deep umami notes to dishes like this one. With a food processor to shred the carrots, this bright orange slaw is ready in minutes. The only caveat here is not to shred the carrots too fine.
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon white miso
½ teaspoon soy sauce
1 garlic clove
½ cup vegetable oil
1 pound carrots, trimmed
1 scallion (white and green parts), finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sesame seeds, for garnish
1. To make the vinaigrette: Process the vinegar, miso, soy sauce, and garlic in a blender. With the machine running, gradually add the oil through the hole in the lid. (Or crush the garlic through a garlic press into a medium bowl. Add the vinegar, miso, and soy sauce and whisk until combined. Gradually whisk in the oil.)
2. In a food processor fitted with the coarse shredding blade, shred the carrots. (It is important not to shred the carrots too fine. If your food processor only has a fine shredding disk, use a V-slicer to julienne the carrots into strips less than ⅛ inch wide.)
3. In a medium bowl, toss together the carrots, scallion, and vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (The slaw can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.) Serve it chilled or at room temperature, topping each serving with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
CARROT RIBBONS WITH POMEGRANATE DRESSING
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Serve with sliced roast beef tenderloin, leg of lamb, lamb chops, roast chicken, roast duck, fish fillets, or sautéed shrimp.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
This salad of orange curlicues of carrot topped with garnet pomegranate seeds is one of my favorite cold-weather dishes. Inspired by Turkish cuisine, the dressing uses tart pomegranate molasses and paprika-like Aleppo pepper, which can be found at Mediterranean grocers and online. But if you don’t feel like going that route, the suggested substitutes also make a lovely salad without any drop in quality.
1½ pounds large carrots (sometimes called chef’s carrots), peeled
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (see
Note)
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or sweet paprika
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup pomegranate arils (seeds)
4 large scallions (white and green parts), chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or cilantro
1. Place a carrot on a work surface. Using a sturdy vegetable peeler, and pressing hard on the carrot, shave off wide, thick slices and transfer them to a large bowl of iced water. The carrots can stand in the water for up to 1 hour. Drain them well and pat dry with kitchen towels.
2. Process the vinegar, pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper, dry mustard, and oil together in a blender until thickened and emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, toss the carrots, ½ cup of the pomegranate arils, the scallions, and mint together. Add the dressing and toss again. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Transfer the slaw to a serving platter. (The salad can be covered loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.) Just before serving, top it with the remaining pomegranate arils. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Note: Substitute 2 tablespoons pomegranate-flavored balsamic vinegar for the sherry vinegar and pomegranate molasses, if desired.
CELERY ROOT AND CHIVE RÉMOULADE
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad with roast beef, ham, sausages, chicken, fish fillets, or sautéed shrimp.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour standing time
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 2 days ahead.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
Celeri
rémoulade,
strips of celery root tossed with a mustardy dressing, can be found on the menus of classic French bistros. I am surprised at how long it took to become known here, as it is so crisp and refreshing. The celery root is not cooked, but marinated in lemon and salt to tenderize it. When I am putting together a picnic, nine times out of ten, this is on the menu. This is another recipe that makes good use of a V-slicer or mandoline.
1½ pounds celery root
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon stone-ground prepared mustard
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
1. To peel the celery root, use a sturdy vegetable peeler and a small, sharp knife to remove the thick skin. Do not rinse the celery root until after peeling, as the water could turn any dirt in the gnarly nooks into mud.
2. Using a mandoline, plastic V-slicer, or a large, sharp knife, cut the celery root into thin strips about ⅛ inch wide. In a large colander, toss the celery root, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon salt together. Let
them stand on a plate for 1 to 2 hours to drain away excess juices and tenderize the celery root. Do not rinse the celery root.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise and mustard together. Add the celery root and chives and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate the salad until chilled, at least 2 hours. (The salad can be made up to 2 days ahead.) Sprinkle it with additional chives and serve chilled.
Apple, Pear, and Citrus Salads
MEXICAN
CHRISTMAS EVE SALAD
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve with Mexican-style main courses, especially at Christmas Eve; baked ham; or barbecued meats and poultry.
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The salad components can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
The traditional Mexican Christmas Eve feast always includes this salad, known as ensalada de noche buena,
a sweet and spicy winter fruit salad. The recipe changes from family to family, and there are versions that include beets (although they bleed), bananas, and jicama, and use vinaigrette instead of this creamy dressing. Don’t wait for Christmas to serve it—try it with barbecued spareribs or baked ham.
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup plain low-fat yogurt (see
Note)
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 sweet apples, such as Ginger Gold or Golden Delicious, cored and cut into ½-inch cubes
½ ripe pineapple, pared, cored, and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 navel oranges, cut into suprêmes
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 romaine lettuce hearts, cut into bite-sized pieces
⅓ cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
1. To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, yogurt, lime zest and juice, and honey together. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the lemon juice and apple cubes together. Add the pineapple and orange suprêmes. Add 3 tablespoons of the dressing and mix well. Separately cover and refrigerate the salad and dressing until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
3. Just before serving, mix the jalapeño into the fruit mixture. Spread the lettuce on a deep serving platter and top it with the fruit salad. Sprinkle it with the pomegranate seeds and peanuts. Serve the salad chilled, with the remaining dressing on the side.
Note: If using Greek yogurt, thin the dressing as needed with a few tablespoons of milk.
CHOPPED SALAD
WITH PEARS, PARMESAN, AND WALNUTS
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Serve with roast chicken or pork chops.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The salad can be prepared, without the cheese, up to 2 hours ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Vegetarian
I am always looking for an excuse to serve this winter salad, and I especially like it next to roast chicken or pan-cooked pork chops, where it can play off the browned pan juices. Pears are always shipped hard, so if you want to make this salad, think ahead and purchase the pears a few days ahead so they have time to ripen. Red Bartlett pears will add an extra bit of color to the salad, but any juicy variety will work.
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 ripe pears, such as Red Bartlett or Anjou, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice
4 celery ribs, thinly sliced
½ cup
toasted and coarsely chopped walnuts
One 4-ounce chunk Parmesan cheese
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together. Gradually whisk in the oil.
2. Add the pears, celery, and walnuts and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (The salad can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 hours.)
3. Just before serving, use a vegetable peeler to shave about 2 ounces of curls from the Parmesan chunk over the salad, saving the remaining cheese for another use. Serve immediately.
BABY SPINACH SALAD WITH GRILLED ASIAN PEARS AND GOAT CHEESE
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad with roasts and chicken.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Asian pears are now available at just about every supermarket, but most of us don’t have enough recipes for this juicy and aromatic fruit. Its firm texture is perfect for a quick grilling before serving, but you can broil them or even skip this step.
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 firm-ripe Asian pears, cored with a fruit corer from top to bottom, and cut into ¼-inch rings
Vegetable oil, for brushing
8 ounces baby spinach
¾ cup crumbled goat cheese (3 ounces)
½ cup
toasted and coarsely chopped walnuts
1. Prepare an outdoor grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F). For a charcoal grill, let the coals burn until they are covered with white ash and you can hold your hand about 1 inch above the cooking grate for about 3 seconds. For a gas grill, preheat on high and adjust the thermostat to medium (400°F).
2. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: Pulse the vinegar, shallot, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a blender to combine. With the machine running, gradually pour in the oil through the hole in the lid to make a smooth vinaigrette.
3. Lightly brush the pear rings on both sides with vegetable oil. Place the pears on the grill. Cook, with the lid closed, until the undersides are seared with grill marks, about 2 minutes. Turn and grill the other side about 2 minutes more. Remove the pears from the grill.
4. In a large bowl, toss the spinach and vinaigrette together. Add the pears with the goat cheese and walnuts and toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
FRESH AMBROSIA SALAD WITH BLOOD ORANGES AND PINEAPPLE
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve as a side salad on a buffet.
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 8 hours ahead.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
This has nothing to do with the ambrosia salad with marshmallows and salad dressing. My version is fresh and makes a beautiful addition to a winter buffet, the season when magenta blood oranges are sold. The salad is also excellent made with navel oranges. And while orange liqueur gives the salad a je ne sais quoi, you can substitute orange juice if you are serving this to kids.
½ pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 blood oranges, cut into suprêmes
⅓ cup desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, or fresh orange juice
1. In a serving bowl, toss all of the ingredients together. Cover the salad tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours. Serve chilled.
WATERCRESS,
TANGERINE, AND HAZELNUT SALAD
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Serve as part of a buffet with roast meat or poultry or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Make Ahead: The components for the salad can be prepared up to 1 day ahead, but combine them just before serving.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Watercress is a deliciously spicy salad green, a notch less spicy than arugula, with a nice crisp texture. I have been using a lot more of it now that my supermarket sells it cleaned and in bags with the other salad greens in the refrigerated produce section. Here, sweet tangerines and crunchy hazelnuts play off the watercress for a fine winter salad. Because of their size, tangerines should be segmented by hand, and not with a knife like other oranges and grapefruits.
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Finely grated zest of 1 tangerine (reserve the tangerine for the salad)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil or more olive oil
3 tangerines (including the zested tangerine)
Two 4-ounce bags prewashed watercress or 10 ounces bunched watercress, washed well and tough stems removed
1 small red onion, cut into thin half-moons
½ cup
toasted, peeled, and coarsely chopped hazelnuts
1. To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, tangerine zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and hazelnut oil.
2. Peel all of the tangerines, separating them into segments, and removing any seeds (just poke the seeds through the membranes). (The tangerines and dressing can be separately covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Whisk the dressing well before using.)
3. In a large bowl, toss the watercress, tangerine segments, onion, and dressing together. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts, toss again, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
ORANGES,
DATES, AND SHALLOTS ON BABY ARUGULA
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Serve as part of a buffet with grilled meats, poultry, or seafood.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus soaking time for the shallots
Weeknight Suppers, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Vegetarian
Here is another recipe that is great to have on hand when the party is in the winter and you are searching for an interesting, colorful, and light buffet salad to add to the menu. Dates are very sweet, so the acidic oranges and spicy arugula work to cut their richness. For the best results, use fresh, moist dates that you have chopped yourself, not precut dates.
4½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon pitted and coarsely chopped dates
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, cut into thin rounds
3 navel oranges
One 4-ounce bag baby arugula
6 dates, pitted and coarsely chopped (¾ cup)
1. To make the dressing: In a blender, combine the vinegar, dates, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until the dates are puréed. With the machine running, gradually add the oil through the hole in the lid.
2. Put the shallot rounds in a small bowl and cover them with cold water. Let them stand for 15 to 30 minutes. (This removes some of the raw onion flavor from them.)
3. Working with one orange at a time, trim off the top and bottom of the fruit so it stands securely on the work counter. Using a serrated knife, cut off the thick peel where it meets the flesh to end up with a skinless sphere. Cut the oranges into ½-inch rounds.
4. Toss the arugula in a large bowl with half of the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the arugula on a serving platter. Drain the shallot. Toss the shallot, orange rounds, and dates with the remaining dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Heap the orange mixture on the arugula and serve.
Gelatin salads are divisive: I have friends who wax rhapsodically over their family’s Jell-O mold, and others who aren’t so enamored. In my family, it is not a holiday without a gelatin salad. I still make them for the retro fun of it—a kind of edible Mad Men episode. The recipes that follow have stood the test of time.
• Don’t make double batches of these recipes to make large gelatin salads in molds larger then 6 cups or so. If the salad is too tall, it could collapse, no matter how much gelatin it contains.
• The gelatin must be partially set before adding any solid ingredients to keep them suspended. Some recipes call for refrigerating the gelatin mixture at this point, but I find it much easier and quicker to chill it in a large bowl set in another large bowl of iced water. Stir the mixture occasionally until it has the consistency of egg whites. It is now ready for the add-ins.
• To help them keep their shape, gelatin salads contain less water than the amount usually called for in package directions, so don’t think that you’ve made a mistake in the measurements.
• To unmold the gelatin salad, first run a dull knife around the edge of the mold, being sure to go deep enough (about ½ inch) to break the air seal. Fill a sink or a large bowl with warm tap water. Dip the mold up to its lip in the water and hold it there for 5 to 10 seconds. Dry the outside of the mold with a kitchen towel. Put a serving platter on the pan. Holding the pan and platter together, flip them over. Give them both a good shake to dislodge the salad onto the platter. If it is stubborn, repeat the procedure.
RETRO CRANBERRY GELATIN SALAD
MAKES 12 TO 16 SERVINGS
Serve as part of a holiday meal with roast turkey, baked ham, or other all-American entrées.
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus at least 12 hours refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 2 days ahead.
Family Favorite, Holiday Meals, Company Fare, Retro Dish
Here is the gelatin salad that my in-laws served at every Yuletide meal. In fact, its recipe card is titled “Christmas Time Cranberry Salad.” You may recognize it from your family’s collection, too, perhaps in its Waldorf variation with apples. Because the Fisher clan is from West Virginia, they preferred local black walnuts, but the standard California variety (also called English) is just fine.
Two 3-ounce packages raspberry gelatin dessert
2 cups boiling water
One 14-ounce can cranberry sauce
One 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, very well drained (see
Note)
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup coarsely chopped black or standard walnuts
Vegetable oil, for the mold
1. Put the gelatin in a large bowl. Add the boiling water and stir well for at least 1 minute, until it is thoroughly dissolved. Stir in the cranberry sauce and 1 cup cold water. Place the bowl in a larger bowl of iced water. Let it stand, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is partially set and the semi-firm consistency of egg whites, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir the drained crushed pineapple, celery, and walnuts into the gelatin mixture. Oil a 6- to 8-cup fluted tube pan or ring mold and then pour the mixture in. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until set, at least 12 hours and up to 2 days.
3. To unmold the salad, fill a large bowl with hot tap water. Run a dull dinner knife around the inside of the mold, reaching down to the bottom of the mold to help break the air seal. Dip the mold, up to its lip, in the hot water for 5 seconds. Dry the outside of the pan with a kitchen towel. Put a serving platter over the mold. Holding the mold and platter together, invert them to unmold the salad onto the platter. Serve chilled.
Note: Do not substitute fresh pineapple in this recipe. Raw pineapple contains enzymes that will destroy the setting ability of gelatin. The enzymes are destroyed by heat, so canned pineapple does not have the same effect.
Cranberry Waldorf Gelatin Salad: Substitute ¾ cup peeled, cored, and diced (¼-inch) apples (any variety) for the crushed pineapple.
MAKES 12 SERVINGS
Serve with chicken or seafood on a buffet.
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus 8 hours refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Retro Recipe
I was asked by a friend to develop an appropriately festive and “girly” recipe for a bridal shower, and the result was this gelatin salad with the flavors and bubbles of a mimosa cocktail. Keep in mind that the alcoholic content makes it adults-only fare. For large parties or nondrinkers, make a second salad (or a half-batch in individual plastic glasses) for the kids, substituting lemon-lime soda or ginger ale for the Prosecco, and a different berry to identify the separate salads. Prosecco is the best sparkling wine for this because it is tasty and more reasonably priced than other options.
3 envelopes unflavored powdered gelatin (about 6¾ teaspoons)
¾ cup sugar
One 750-ml bottle Prosecco, chilled (about 3¼ cups)
1 large navel orange, zest finely grated, rind cut off with a serrated knife and flesh cut out from membrane
One 6-ounce (half-pint) container fresh raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries (about 1⅓ cups)
Vegetable oil, for the mold
1. Pour 2 cups cold water into a medium saucepan and sprinkle in the gelatin. Let it stand to soften the gelatin, about 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture constantly over medium-low heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Do not simmer. Add the sugar and stir just until it is dissolved, about 1 minute more. Pour the gelatin mixture into a large bowl set in a larger bowl of iced water. Let it stand, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is partially set and the semi-firm consistency of raw egg whites, about 10 minutes.
2. Gradually stir the Prosecco into the partially set gelatin. The mixture will bubble up, but that’s what you want. Let it stand, stirring occasionally, until the Prosecco mixture sets again to the egg-white consistency, about 10 minutes more. Stir in the orange zest and segments with the raspberries, which will be suspended in the Prosecco mixture.
3. Lightly oil a 6-cup gelatin salad mold, ring mold, or fluted cake pan. Pour in the Prosecco mixture. (Pour leftover gelatin into a ramekin as the cook’s treat.) Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the salad is chilled and set, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
4. To unmold the salad, fill a large bowl with hot tap water. Run a dull dinner knife around the inside of the mold, reaching down to the bottom of the salad to help break the air seal. Dip the mold, up to its lip, in the hot water for 5 seconds. Dry the outside of the pan with a kitchen towel. Put a serving platter over the mold. Holding the mold and platter together, invert them to unmold the salad onto the platter. Serve chilled.
STRAWBERRY AND CREAM CHEESE SALAD
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Serve as a buffet salad at a picnic or with barbecued meats or chicken, or with baked ham or fried chicken.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 4 hours refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic
Old-fashioned in the best sense of the word, this creamy strawberry mold is inspired by nostalgia for the era when a salad was not always that far away from dessert. The salad is ready for refrigeration in a few minutes, and, unlike most recipes of this type, is full of true fruit flavor. Be sure that the strawberry purée and cream cheese are at room temperature when you add the dissolved gelatin, because if they are cold, the gelatin will clump and set too quickly.
2¼ pounds strawberries (3 dry pints), at room temperature
1 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin (about 1½ envelopes)
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
Nonstick oil spray for the mold
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
1. Reserve seven of the best-looking strawberries for the garnish. Hull the remaining strawberries. Process enough of the hulled strawberries (about two-thirds) in a blender or food processor to measure 2 cups purée. Chop the remaining hulled strawberries into ½-inch pieces.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over ⅓ cup water in a small heatproof bowl. Let it stand to soften the gelatin, about 5 minutes. Add enough water to come about ½ inch up the sides of a small skillet and bring it to a simmer. Place the bowl of dissolved gelatin in the skillet and stir constantly until the gelatin is completely dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not simmer. Remove the bowl from the water.
3. Return the strawberry purée to the food processor. Add the dissolved gelatin mixture, cream cheese, and sugar and process until they are smooth and combined. Transfer them to a medium bowl placed in a larger bowl of iced water. Let it stand, stirring occasionally, until the strawberry mixture is beginning to set, about 15 minutes. Fold in the chopped strawberries.
4. Lightly spray the inside of a 5- to 6-cup ring mold with the oil. Pour in the strawberry mixture and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the salad is chilled and set, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
5. To unmold the salad, fill a large bowl with hot tap water. Run a dull dinner knife around the inside of the mold and the inner tube, reaching down to the bottom of the mold to break the air seal. Dip the mold, up to its lip, in the hot water for 5 seconds. Dry the outside of the mold with a kitchen towel. Put a serving platter over the mold. Holding the mold and platter together, invert them to unmold the salad onto the plate. Fill the center hole in the salad with the reserved whole strawberries and mint sprigs. Serve chilled.
Here, I offer a curated selection of the most popular dressings for everyday salads. Because they all store well in the refrigerator, you might want to make a double batch to keep in a jar to use for a few meals.
• Match the dressing with the texture of the salad greens. In general, a thick dressing (such as green goddess or Russian) will crush and wilt tender greens and works best with sturdy lettuce varieties, such as romaine and iceberg. Delicate greens, especially the ubiquitous spring mix with baby lettuces, should be dressed with a thin-bodied
vinaigrette.
• For a thicker consistency, make vinaigrettes in the blender, as the blades emulsify the ingredients more completely than a whisk.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Serve with tender salad greens.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Make Ahead: The vinaigrette can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
The key to a great vinaigrette is a good balance of oil and vinegar. Here is my basic version, for which I offer a few variations. Always taste the salad before serving, and add additional seasonings or vinegar, if you wish.
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the vinegar, salt, and pepper together to dissolve the salt. Gradually whisk in the oil. (The dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Whisk it well before using.)
French Vinaigrette: Add 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot and 1 teaspoon sweet paprika to the bowl with the vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Mustard Vinaigrette: Substitute white wine vinegar for the red wine vinegar. Add 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard to the bowl with the vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Garlic Vinaigrette: Add 1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press, to the bowl with the vinegar, salt, and pepper.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Serve with tender salad greens.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The vinaigrette can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Vegetarian
This is an Asian-inspired dressing with a light consistency, and its spicy flavor is best with mild greens like baby spinach. The fresh ginger and Sriracha give this plenty of zing. I suggest cutting the orange used for the zest into segments to use in the salad.
½ cup peeled and coarsely chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sherry or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Finely grated zest of ½ navel orange
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Sriracha or other hot red pepper sauce
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1. Pulse the ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, orange zest, sugar, Sriracha, and salt, together in a blender to mince the ginger. With the machine running, gradually pour the vegetable and sesame oils through the hole in the lid to make an emulsified dressing. Strain the vinaigrette through a fine-mesh wire sieve into a small bowl. Press hard on the solids, and discard them. (The dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Whisk it well before using.)
MAPLE-
BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Serve with tender salad greens.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Make Ahead: The vinaigrette can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Vegetarian
The birthplaces of maple syrup and balsamic vinegar are thousands of miles apart, but their rich flavors pair well. I use this dressing on wilted bitter greens, such as kale, that would benefit from a bit of sweetness.
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup, preferably Grade A Dark
¼ teaspoon pure maple extract (optional)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
⅔ cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, and maple extract, if using, with the salt and hot pepper sauce to dissolve the salt. Gradually whisk in the oil. (The dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Whisk it well before using.)
MUSTARD-
HONEY VINAIGRETTE
MAKES 1 CUP
Serve with tender salad greens or as a dressing for cabbage or broccoli salads.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Make Ahead: The vinaigrette can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Vegetarian
This thick vinaigrette is especially delicious with cruciferous vegetables, a group that includes Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Because mustard can absorb many times its weight in liquids, the dressing will have a creamy consistency without any thickeners. Vary the recipe by using other mustards—a German-style stone-ground one would be great.
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅔ cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cider vinegar, honey, shallot, mustard, salt, and pepper to dissolve the salt. Gradually whisk in the oil. (The dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Whisk it well before using.)
RETRO
RED FRENCH DRESSING
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS
Serve with crisp and sturdy greens.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Make Ahead: The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Fare, Retro Recipe, Vegetarian
I admit nostalgia for red French dressing, but much prefer my homemade version to the commercial stuff. The not-so-secret ingredient is ketchup, an American cooking stalwart that has been shown to contain high amounts of umami. When I have youngsters at the table, I serve this with a classic iceberg lettuce, tomato, and cucumber combo, and everyone eats their salad.
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped shallot
1 teaspoon light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, crushed under a knife and peeled
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅔ cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)
1. In a blender, pulse the ketchup, vinegar, shallot, brown sugar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper together to combine and finely chop the shallot and garlic. With the machine running, gradually pour in the oil through the hole in the lid. Serve immediately. (The dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Whisk it well before serving.)
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Serve with baby spinach and other tender greens.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Make Ahead: The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
In this deliciously spicy dressing from Japanese cuisine, fresh ginger and miso pack a lot of flavor. I like it best on assertively flavored greens, such as spinach or Romaine lettuce, but then again, it will gussy up iceberg (as you have probably seen in Japanese restaurants). As you use only the white scallion bottom for the dressing, reserve the green top to slice and sprinkle on the salad as a garnish. For the smoothest texture, be sure to shred the carrot before blending.
1 large carrot, shredded on the large holes of a box shredder (about 4½ ounces)
1 scallion (white part only), coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon peeled and finely minced ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
1. In a blender, purée the carrot, scallion, white miso, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, sugar, and ¼ cup water until smooth. (The dressing can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. If it separates, process the dressing in the blender until it emulsifies.)
RASPBERRY,
CHIPOTLE, AND POPPY SEED DRESSING
MAKES ¾ CUP
Serve with crisp and sturdy salad greens.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Make Ahead: The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Vegetarian
A couple of tablespoons of raspberry preserves give this dressing a delicious fruit flavor. You can substitute standard red pepper sauce for the chipotle, but the latter gives the dressing a nice smokiness.
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons raspberry preserves
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon chipotle hot pepper sauce or adobo from canned chipotles
½ cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1. In a blender, pulse the vinegar, preserves, shallot, salt, and hot pepper sauce to combine. With the machine running, gradually pour the oil through the hole in the lid. Add the poppy seeds and pulse a few times to crush the seeds. (The dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Whisk it well before serving.)
AVOCADO
GREEN GODDESS DRESSING
MAKES 2 CUPS
Serve with crisp and sturdy salad greens.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The dressing can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Vegetarian
Luscious Green Goddess dressing was invented in San Francisco during the early twentieth century to promote a hit play that was on tour in the city. Avocado is a recent twist, and its fresh flavor makes a good thing better.
1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and cubed
½ cup sour cream
⅓ cup whole milk
2 scallions (white and green parts), coarsely chopped
¼ cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 garlic clove, crushed under a knife and peeled
½ cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. In a food processor or blender, process the avocado, sour cream, milk, scallions, parsley, tarragon, lemon juice, vinegar, anchovy paste, and garlic together until the scallions are very finely minced. With the machine running, gradually pour the oil through the feed tube (or the hole in the blender lid). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the dressing to a container, cover, and refrigerate it until chilled, at least 1 hour and for up to 1 day. Serve chilled.
STEAKHOUSE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
MAKES 2 CUPS
Serve with crisp and sturdy salad greens.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Retro Recipe, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
This is how I have made this iconic dressing for years, from a recipe from a friend who worked at a steakhouse. Mashing the blue cheese distributes its flavor beautifully throughout the mayonnaise mixture, and extra crumbled cheese provides texture. Use your favorite moderately priced blue cheese here, and save the more expensive varieties (such as Cabrales and Stilton) for enjoying on their own. Make the dressing a couple of hours before serving, to blend the flavors.
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (4 ounces)
⅔ cup mayonnaise
⅔ cup sour cream
¼ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 scallions (white and green parts), minced
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Using a flexible spatula, mash ½ cup of the blue cheese with the mayonnaise and sour cream in a medium bowl. Add the buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce, scallion, garlic, and pepper and mix well. Stir in the remaining ½ cup blue cheese. Cover and refrigerate the dressing for at least 1 hour before serving. (The dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Stir it well before serving.)
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Serve with crisp and sturdy salad greens.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic
Authentic Caesar salad is made in the salad bowl with a coddled egg, to give the vinaigrette a thicker consistency. Over the years, mayonnaise (which is also egg-based) has become the main ingredient, and it does make a very good dressing.
¾ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1½ ounces)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. In a small bowl, whisk the ingredients together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dressing for at least 1 hour to blend the flavors. (The dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Whisk it well before serving.)
MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS
Serve with mixed greens as a side salad, or as a topping for baked potatoes.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Make Ahead: The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Holiday Feasts, Company Fare, Buffet Dish, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
The most popular dressing in America, ranch dressing was first served to the public at Hidden Valley Ranch, a resort near Santa Barbara. Buttermilk is the ingredient that gives the thick dressing its tang, and the combination of onions, garlic, and herbs is truly mouthwatering. Of course it is fantastic with salad greens (especially a big chunk of iceberg), but try it as a dressing for coleslaw and macaroni salads, or as a topping for baked potatoes.
1 cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup buttermilk
½ small yellow onion, shredded on the large holes of a box shredder (1 tablespoon)
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. In a medium bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dressing for at least 1 hour to chill and blend the flavors. (The dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Whisk it well before serving.)
Chipotle Ranch Dressing: In a blender, process the ingredients with 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce until smooth.
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS
Serve with crisp salad greens as a side salad.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Family Favorite, Cooking Classic, Vegetarian
Legend has it that Thousand Island dressing originated in the chain of small island in the St. Lawrence River. Essentially a blend of mayonnaise and ketchup with a lot of finely chopped additions, this is my simplified version with chili sauce, capers, and pickle relish to give lots of flavor without lots of chopping. If you are in the mood, you can add minced hard-boiled eggs or black or green olives. Russian dressing is closely related, except the original recipe for that classic included the ultimate Russian ingredient—caviar.
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup-style chili sauce (not Asian chili sauce)
2 tablespoons sweet or dill pickle relish
2 tablespoons nonpareil capers
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1. In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dressing for at least 1 hour to chill and blend the flavors. (The dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Whisk it well before serving.)
YOGURT,
TAHINI, AND GARLIC DRESSING
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Serve with crisp salad greens as a side salad.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration time
Make Ahead: The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Weeknight Suppers, Vegetarian
This Middle Eastern dressing is an interesting alternative to vinaigrette and has fewer calories, too, as yogurt replaces much of the oil. Give it a try when you want a thick dressing (this is great with romaine, cucumber, and tomatoes) that isn’t mayonnaise based.
½ cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed through a garlic press
½ teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, oil, garlic, hot pepper sauce, and salt with ¼ cup water. Stir in the cilantro. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dressing for at least 1 hour to chill and blend the flavors. (The dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Whisk it well before serving.)
