EVERY SALAD LOVES A SIDEKICK, A QUICK ADDITION THAT OFFERS TEXTURAL CONTRAST AND EXTRA FLAVOR. MY FAVORITES INCLUDE FLAVORED NUTS, MARINATED OLIVES, AND BAY-LEAF-SCENTED BABY ARTICHOKES MARINATED IN OIL. THIN SLICES OF BREAD OR TOAST SLATHERED WITH BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE, WITH A LIGHT AND MILDLY SPICED GUAMACOLE, OR WITH EITHER CHICKPEA OR EGGPLANT DIP PAIR BEAUTIFULLY WITH ANY SALAD AS A MEAL.
CHICKPEA AND SESAME DIP: HUMMUS
SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP: BABA GHANOUSH
PARMESAN BABY CAKES: SAVORY CANNELÉS
BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE WITH LEMON CONFIT
I have a snack drawer in my kitchen, always stocked with healthy treats to snack on: nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and candied ginger. I created this recipe to add to my growing collection! Buy the best quality organic nuts you can find: I buy mine at the Sunday morning organic farmer’s market in Paris. The nuts are perfect for showering on any salad for added crunch and punch.
1 teaspoon ground piment d’Espelette or other ground mild chile pepper
¼ teaspoon hot-smoked pimentón de la Vera or other hot-smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon mild paprika
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly cracked walnut halves
1 cup (4 ounces) shelled almonds
1 cup (4 ounces) whole hazelnuts
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the piment d’Espelette, pimentón de la Vera, paprika, salt, and oil. Stir to blend. Add the nuts and toss to coat them evenly with the spices and oil. Spread the nuts in a single layer on the baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast, shaking the pan from time to time, until the nuts are fragrant, are beginning to pop, and are crisp and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.)
NOTE: Piment d’Espelette, a mildly spicy pepper from France’s Basque region, and smoked pimentón from Spain can be found on my Amazon Store on the home page of PatriciaWells.com.
These mildly spicy, properly salty seeds can double as a snack and as a garnish for all manner of salads. I like to keep them on hand for the moment when hunger strikes during the day and for embellishing a salad.
2 cups (8 ounces) hulled pumpkin or squash seeds
1 tablespoon Homemade Curry Powder (see Homemade Curry Powder)
2 tablespoons tamari or other Japanese soy sauce
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the seeds, curry powder, and tamari, tossing to evenly coat the seeds. Spread the seeds in a single layer on the baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast, shaking the pan from time to time, until the seeds change color from steel-gray to toasty brown, begin to pop and puff up, and are crisp, 8 to 12 minutes. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.)
Spicy Basque Mixed Nuts (left) and Curried Pumpkin Seeds
VARIATION: I also make these with the Japanese sesame-seasoned salt known as gomasio in place of the curry powder. While one can find the salt in health food stores, I find it easier to make my own (see Japanese Sesame Salt: Gomasio). You can make it in small batches so it remains fresher and livelier.
CHICKPEA AND SESAME DIP: HUMMUS
A farmer near us in Provence grows wonderfully rich-tasting chickpeas, which I turn into tangy, lemon-flecked dips, accompaniments to poultry dishes, or I prepare our favorite falafel (see Crispy, Spicy Chickpea Balls). For the most delicious hummus, cook your own dried chickpeas; the canned ones can taste tinny and are not nearly as flavorful.
2½ cups Home-Cooked Chickpeas (see home-cooked chickpeas), drained (reserve liquid)
2 plump, moist garlic cloves, peeled, halved, and green germ removed
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (or to taste)
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons best-quality sesame oil (such as Leblanc), see Note
¼ cup cilantro leaves
1/8 teaspoon paprika
Set aside ½ cup of the chickpeas for garnish. In the bowl of a food processor or a blender, mince the garlic. Add the remaining 2 cups of chickpeas, the lemon juice, tahini, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Blend until smooth, adding the reserved cooking liquid if necessary to make a smooth puree. Taste for seasoning. Spoon the dip into a large, shallow bowl, and garnish with the reserved ½ cup of chickpeas, a drizzle of oil, cilantro, and paprika. Serve. (The dip can be stored, without the garnish, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.)
NOTE: I prefer the fresh, high-quality flavor of the nut seed oils from the small French family producer Leblanc. Many of their oils can be found on my Amazon store via patriciawells.com. I do not use toasted Asian sesame oils for I find them too harsh and often not fresh.
HOME-COOKED CHICKPEAS
A scant 3 cups (1 pound) dried chickpeas
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
8 plump, moist garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 quart cold water, Homemade Chicken Stock (see Homemade Chicken Stock), or Homemade Vegetable Stock (see Homemade Vegetable Stock)
1 bouquet garni: several fresh parsley sprigs and several bay leaves encased in a wire mesh tea infuser or bound in a piece of cheesecloth
1. Rinse and drain the chickpeas, picking through them to remove any pebbles. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and add cold water to cover. Set aside at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. This will help speed up the cooking time.
2. In a large saucepan combine the oil, onion, garlic, and salt and stir to coat with the oil. Sweat—cook, covered, over low heat without coloring until soft and translucent—for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas and add them to the saucepan. Stir to coat them with the oil, and cook for 1 minute more. Add the water or stock and the bouquet garni. Simmer, covered, until the chickpeas are tender. The cooking time will vary—from 30 minutes to 2 hours—depending upon the freshness of the beans. Younger beans will cook more quickly; beans more than 1 year old will take longer. Taste for seasoning. (Store in the cooking liquid in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.)
SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP: BABA GHANOUSH
There are few aromas that can compete with the smoky richness of eggplant being cooked over a hot fire. I set these on a grate directly over a gas flame, but hot coals or an outdoor grill is an excellent alternative. Cooking the eggplant over an open flame imparts a depth of flavor and aroma that cannot be achieved with simple oven roasting. I enjoy a smoky eggplant dip that has a good lemony tang and a healthy hit of fresh garlic. Serve this with Falafel (see Crispy, Spicy Chickpea Balls: Falafel), Crispy Flatbread (see Crispy Flatbread), or Homemade Pita Bread (see Homemade Pita Bread) or as one of several appetizers. Sometimes I think that the purpose of a salad is to shake up the palate, and this combination sure does that!
2 small, fresh eggplants (each about 8 ounces), rinsed (do not peel)
2 plump, moist garlic cloves, peeled, halved, and green germ removed
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (or to taste)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Mild paprika, for garnish
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons best-quality sesame oil (such as Leblanc) or extra-virgin olive oil
1. With a two-pronged meat fork, prick the eggplants all over. Place them directly over an open gas flame, hot coals, or an outdoor grill. Cook for 10 minutes, turning the eggplants constantly with tongs, until the entire skin is blackened, blistered, and has collapsed in on itself. Remove the eggplants from the heat and place in a plastic bag. Let the eggplants cool for 10 minutes.
2. Gently peel the eggplant skin away from the flesh with a small, sharp knife or a serrated grapefruit spoon. Be careful not to let any pieces of the skin remain. (Use paper towels to wipe away any recalcitrant bits of skin.) Place the eggplant pulp in a colander and let it drain for 5 minutes.
3. In a food processor or blender, chop the garlic. Add the tahini, lemon juice, and salt and process to blend. Add the eggplant pulp and process just for a few seconds, to blend the ingredients. Taste for seasoning. The mixture should remain rather chunky. Spoon the dip into a shallow bowl and garnish with paprika, the parsley, and the oil. Serve at room temperature. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
PARMESAN BABY CAKES: SAVORY CANNELÉS
Classic cannelés are popular rum-and-vanilla-flavored cakes from the Bordeaux region of France. Traditional cannelés are baked in beautiful individual tin-lined copper molds. The problem was never the recipe—just the ability to unmold, one by one, the sweet and fragrant cakes. Now that single sheets of silicone molds—holding anywhere from 18 to 28 to 54 miniature cakes—can be readily found on the market, the sweet treats are child’s play. And once you have invested in the molds, there is no reason not to move cannelés into the savory side of cuisine. Here is my version, filled with cheese and bits of cured meat, making them perfect accompaniments to any salad.
1 cup whole milk
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter for the molds
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground piment d’Espelette or other ground mild chile pepper
¼ cup cooked diced bacon, pancetta, or coppa (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and butter. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour, cheese, egg, salt, and piment d’Espelette. The batter will be lumpy. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes, whisking from time to time.
3. Brush the molds with the melted butter. Place the silicone sheet on a baking sheet. Carefully spoon the batter into the buttered molds, filling them just to the top. If using the meat, drop a few pieces into each mold. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the cannelés have puffed up and are a very deep golden brown, about 45 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Then turn the cakes out of the molds onto a clean, flat surface. Let cool and firm up before serving, at least 20 minutes. The cannelés are best served the day they are baked.
If a single variety of olives can be good, can’t three or four be better? There is something special about the tang of this mixture that takes the dish beyond a recipe for simple cured olives. Combine as many different varieties as you like. The additions of fennel seeds, a touch of hot pepper flakes, and tiny cubes of lemon confit help to round out the flavors. Serve these scattered over a green salad or as part of an appetizer platter. You do not need to pit the olives.
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup best-quality red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon Red Hot Salt (see Red Hot Salt), or hot red pepper flakes to taste
3 fresh or dried bay leaves
¼ cup finely minced Quick Lemon Confit (see Quick Lemon Confit)
2 cups mixed olives, preferably a mix of best-quality French Brine-Cured Black Olives (see Brine-Cured Black Olives), green Picholine olives, green pimiento-stuffed olives, and tiny black Niçoise olives
In a large saucepan, combine the oil and vinegar. Heat over low heat just until warm. Remove from the heat and add the fennel, Red Hot Salt or pepper flakes, bay leaves, and lemon confit. Add the olives and toss to coat them with the liquid. Transfer to a large, airtight container. Refrigerate, shaking the container regularly to redistribute the liquid, for at least 2 hours and up to 2 weeks.
BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE WITH LEMON CONFIT
This is one recipe that does not withstand mediocre ingredients. Gather the finest ingredients you can and you will be rewarded with a salty, pungent, jet-black classic spread for slathering on toast, tomatoes, or eggplant or for using simply as a dip with crunchy toast shards. I love the addition of homemade lemon confit, adding a touch of crunch as well as a bit of zest.
10 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained
2 cups best-quality French Brine-Cured Black Olives (see Brine-Cured Black Olives), pitted
1 tablespoon Capers in Vinegar (see Capers in Vinegar), drained
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 plump, moist garlic clove, peeled, halved, and green germ removed
¼ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup finely minced Quick Lemon Confit (see Quick Lemon Confit)
In a food processor or a blender, combine the anchovies, olives, capers, mustard, garlic, and thyme. Process to form a thick paste. With the food processor running, add the oil in a steady stream until it is thoroughly incorporated. Season with pepper. Taste for seasoning. Fold in the lemon confit. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
NOTE: It is natural that the oil will separate. At serving time, simply whisk to redistribute the oil.
PICHOLINE OLIVES WITH TOASTED CUMIN AND PAPRIKA
Picholine olives are meaty, green, torpedo-shaped olives from Provence. They are cured in brine and often found seasoned with various herbs and spices. This is my creation, with the delicate, earthy flavor of toasted cumin seeds and the haunting smokiness of Spanish paprika.
2 cups best-quality Picholine olives, drained
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup best-quality red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and bruised (see Note)
1 teaspoon hot-smoked pimentón de la Vera or other hot-smoked paprika
Place the olives in the jar. In a large saucepan, combine the olive oil, vinegar, cumin, and paprika. Bring just to a boil over high heat. Pour the mixture over the olives. Cover securely and shake the jar. Serve at room temperature. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)
NOTE: To toast cumin seeds, place the seeds in a small, dry skillet over moderate heat. Shake the pan regularly until the grains of cumin are fragrant and evenly toasted, about 2 minutes. Watch carefully! They can burn quickly. Transfer the cumin to a large plate to cool. Then bruise the seeds with a mallet, or grind them to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or a coffee mill.
When baked, the simple combination of tapenade, cheese, egg whites, and herbs is transformed into firm golden rounds that resemble toast. These salty, thin “toasts” lend themselves to endless variations. They can be sampled as appetizer crisps, mounded with fresh goat cheese and garnished with herbs, spread with mashed avocado, or even topped with cubes of marinated fish. Think of these as croutons, adding crunch to any salad.
½ cup Black Olive Tapenade with Lemon Confit (see Black Olive Tapenade with Lemon Confit)
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons cold water
½ teaspoon fresh lemon thyme or summer savory leaves
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. In a small bowl, combine the tapenade, cheese, egg whites, and cold water. Whisk to blend. Drop the mixture by tablespoons, spaced well apart, onto a baking sheet. The mixture will spread out to about 3-inch rounds. Sprinkle with the thyme or summer savory leaves. Bake until the rounds are firm and brown on the bottom but still a bit moist in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cake rack to cool completely. Plan to consume these the day they are made.
I first tasted a lightened version of this popular avocado mixture at the Golden Door Spa in California. This is a snap to make, and feel free to season to taste: if you like a touch of spice, go for it! I like to spread it on thin slices of toasted whole wheat bread and serve it as a side to salads. The peas do not need to be cooked here: even raw, they remain bright and green, making for a perky spread.
1 cup fresh or frozen peas (no need to thaw)
1 small spring onion or scallion, white part only, trimmed, peeled, and cut into thin rings
1 large ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cubed
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
¼ teaspoon Red Hot Salt (see Red Hot Salt), or hot pepper sauce to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
In a food processor or a blender, combine the peas, onion, avocado, citrus juice, Red Hot Salt or pepper sauce, cilantro, and salt. Pulse for just a few seconds, crushing to a rather chunky puree. Taste for seasoning. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.)
BABY ARTICHOKES MARINATED IN OLIVE OIL
I don’t know where my addiction to marinated artichokes came from, but I consider that the refrigerator is bare if there is not a jar of these tangy marinated vegetables waiting to be showered on bread tarts or pizzas, served as is in an antipasto platter, and added to salads and pastas. This is one time I endorse frozen vegetables, for I find no loss of flavor with frozen baby artichokes, and they are a true time-saver.
1 cup water
1 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
8 fresh or dried bay leaves
10 frozen baby artichoke hearts (about 10 ounces), halved (no need to thaw)
About ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1. In a large saucepan, combine the water with the vinegar, salt, and 4 bay leaves. Add the artichokes and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the artichokes are tender but still offer a bit of resistance when pierced with a knife, about 5 minutes. (Cooking time will vary according to the size of the artichokes.) Drain the artichokes, discarding the vinegar mixture and bay leaves.
2. While the artichokes are still warm, arrange them in layers in the canning jar. Arrange the remaining 4 bay leaves around the sides of the jar. Cover the artichokes completely with oil. Set aside, uncovered, until the artichokes are completely cool. The artichokes can be consumed as soon as they are cool, but will have even greater depth of flavor if allowed to marinate for at least 24 hours. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months, making sure that the artichokes are always covered in oil.)
VARIATION: To turn these delicious marinated artichokes into a flavorful spread or dip, drain the artichokes, reserving the oil, and place them in a food processor or a blender; then blend to a smooth puree, adding as much of the reserved oil as necessary. Any leftover liquid can be used as a base for a vinaigrette or as a vinaigrette itself.