MAKING A MEAL OUT OF A SALAD GOES WITH THE WAY WE LOVE TO LIVE TODAY. HEALTHY AND QUICK TO COMPOSE, SALAD MEALS OFFER COLOR, TEXTURE, VARIETY. I NEVER TIRE OF THE CLASSICS: COBB, CURLY ENDIVE AND BACON, THE EVER-LOVED CAESAR, AND THE LIST GOES ON. SOME NEWFOUND, TOTALLY MODERN SALADS COULD BE ON THEIR WAY TO BECOMING CLASSICS, SUCH AS BLANCHED GREEN BEANS; OR PEARS TEAMED UP WITH BLUE CHEESE AND SALTED ALMONDS. NUTS, AVOCADOS, BITS OF CHEESE, AND NUT OILS SUCH AS PISTACHIO OIL ARE PREFERRED TRICKS FOR “DOCTORING” ANY SALAD.
MY CAESAR SALAD WITH POLENTA CROUTONS
MY COBB SALAD: ICEBERG, TOMATO, AVOCADO, BACON, AND BLUE CHEESE
CHEF’S SALAD: HAM, CHEESE, AND TENDER GREENS
CURLY ENDIVE SALAD WITH BACON AND POACHED EGG: FRISÉE AUX LARDONS
A DECONSTRUCTED CLUB SANDWICH SALAD WITH PURPLE POTATO CHIPS
BACON, LETTUCE, AND TOMATO TARTINES
BACON-WRAPPED GOAT CHEESE WITH DANDELION GREENS
ASPARAGUS, HAM, AND POACHED EGG SALAD
CORN, BACON, FETA, TOMATO, AND AVOCADO SALAD
ICEBERG LETTUCE SALAD WITH BACON AND ROQUEFORT
PROVENCE ON A PLATE: EGGPLANT, TOMATOES, GOAT CHEESE, AND TAPENADE
PEAR, BLUE CHEESE, FENNEL, ENDIVE, AND SALTED ALMOND SALAD
RANCHO SALAD: CUCUMBERS, TOMATOES, COTTAGE CHEESE, AND FRILLS
FIG, SHEEP CHEESE, POMEGRANATE SEED, ARUGULA, AND KUMQUAT SALAD
CANTALOUPE, TOMATO, GOAT CHEESE, CUCUMBER, AND ONION SALAD
SPRING SALAD: ASPARAGUS, PEAS, BEANS, AND FENNEL
SUMMER SALAD: GREEN BEANS, TOASTED NUTS, AND CURED OLIVES
ITALIAN SALAD: CELERY, FENNEL, SPRING ONION, AND RADISH WITH BOCCONCINI, PROSCIUTTO, OLIVES, AND MARINATED ARTICHOKES
WATERCRESS, ENDIVE, AND BEET SALAD
BROCCOLI, AVOCADO, AND PISTACHIOS WITH PISTACHIO OIL
CELERY, GREEN OLIVE, AND ANCHOVY SALAD
CUCUMBER AND YOGURT CHEESE SALAD: TZATZIKI
ZUCCHINI CARPACCIO WITH AVOCADO, PISTACHIOS, AND PISTACHIO OIL
MY CAESAR SALAD WITH POLENTA CROUTONS
Caesar salad could well be the number-one salad as a meal. If I had a dollar for every time I ordered the salad while traveling, I would be a deliriously wealthy woman! I’ve had some pretty dismal offerings, but by and large, most of the satisfying elements are there: crunch, a touch of piquancy from the dressing, the soothing quality of cheese, and sometimes the added protein from a few slices of poached or grilled chicken. The origin of the salad is disputed, but it is widely attributed to Caesar Cardini, an Italian who came to San Diego after World War I. He is thought to have created the salad in 1924 in his Tijuana restaurant. The success of a good Caesar rests with the dressing, the croutons, and the chilled romaine lettuce. Wash the lettuce and refrigerate it for an hour before tossing it with the dressing.
6 heads sucrine lettuce (see Note), or 1 head romaine lettuce
1 plump, moist garlic clove, peeled, halved, and green germ removed
Caesar Salad Dressing (see Caesar Salad Dressing)
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¾ cup Polenta Croutons (recipe follows) or Parmesan Croutons (see Parmesan Croutons)
2 Poached Chicken Breasts (see Poached Chicken Breasts), cut lengthwise into thin slices (optional)
1. Wash the greens. Tear the greens into small pieces. Chill well.
2. At serving time, rub the inside of a large salad bowl with the garlic halves. Discard the garlic. Arrange the chilled lettuce in the bowl. Toss with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat the greens. Add the cheese, croutons, and chicken, if using. Toss with just enough dressing to coat the ingredients lightly and evenly. Arrange on the plates, and serve.
NOTE: In recent years tiny sucrine lettuce has arrived on the scene, with its buttery texture and soft, silky leaves. With its name rooted in the French word for sugar—sucre—the miniature head of greens has qualities of both romaine and butterhead. Sucrine’s welcome touch of bitterness helps cut the fat in a dressing.
WINE SUGGESTION: This is easy: choose any good daily drinking red you have on hand. We love this with our own wine, Clos Chanteduc, a racy Côtes-du-Rhône that always brings a smile to our faces.
POLENTA CROUTONS
One Saturday at my favorite spa—Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico—my friend and trainer Mike Bee and I approached the generous lunchtime buffet as one of the waiters called out to Mike, “Be sure to try these polenta croutons!” We did, we loved them, so here they are. I love to toss them into a Caesar salad, but they will go fine with just about any salad or on their own as a “can’t stop eating them” snack. You can gussy them up by adding a touch of Homemade Curry Powder (see Homemade Curry Powder) or Red Hot Salt (see Red Hot Salt) as they emerge from the oven.
1½ cups 1% milk
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup quick-cooking polenta
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1. Line the baking dish with foil to make it easier to remove the polenta.
2. Rinse a saucepan with water, leaving a bit of water clinging to the pan. (This will prevent the milk from sticking to the pan.) Add the milk and nutmeg to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. (Watch carefully, for milk will boil over quickly.) Reduce the heat to medium and add the polenta in a steady stream, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring, until the polenta has thickened and leaves the side of the pan, about 1 minute.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cheese, blending thoroughly. Pour the polenta into the lined baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
4. About 20 minutes before baking the croutons, center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
5. Remove the polenta from the refrigerator and invert it onto a cutting board and remove the foil. Cut it into ½-inch cubes. Transfer the cubes to the baking sheet and bake until the croutons are a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the croutons to cool.
NOTE: The croutons should be consumed the day they are prepared, for they will soften quickly.
MY COBB SALAD: ICEBERG, TOMATO, AVOCADO, BACON, AND BLUE CHEESE
Robert H. Cobb, owner of the Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood, is said to have invented this salad in the 1930s as a late-night snack for himself. No wonder it has remained an American classic. With the crunch of the iceberg and onions, the soft richness of the avocado, the saltiness of the bacon, the sweetness of the tomato, and the bite of the blue cheese, this salad has it all! And it is beautiful to boot.
2½ ounces smoked bacon, rind removed, cut into matchsticks (¾ cup)
1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped (4 cups)
2 ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 large ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cubed
4 ounces chilled blue cheese (preferably Roquefort), crumbled (1 cup)
4 small spring onions or scallions, white part only, trimmed, peeled, and cut into thin rounds
Yogurt and Lemon Dressing
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
1. In a large, dry skillet, brown the bacon over moderate heat until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to several layers of paper towels to absorb the fat. Blot the top of the bacon with several layers of paper towels to absorb any additional fat. Set aside.
2. In a large, shallow bowl, combine the bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, and spring onions. Toss with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat the ingredients. Season generously with pepper, and serve.
WINE SUGGESTION: This is a special salad, one that seems to hit the spot with all my guests, so let’s open a nice, special bottle of smoky-style Alsatian Riesling from the house of Léon Beyer, Trimbach, or Hugel. Neither you nor your guests will be disappointed.
HARD-COOKED EGGS
Hard-cooked eggs are a basic component of many salads, adding a nice hit of protein as well as color and texture.
2 ultra-fresh large eggs, at room temperature
Place the eggs in a saucepan, and cover with water by 1 inch. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat until the first large bubbles rise steadily from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat so the water continues to simmer gently but never boils. Simmer for 10 minutes. The cooked eggs should now have a firmly set yolk and white. Pour off the hot water. Stop the cooking by running cold water over the eggs for 1 minute. When the eggs are cool, peel them.
CHEF’S SALAD: HAM, CHEESE, AND TENDER GREENS
This is one of the most classic Paris café salads, and one that does not allow for mediocrity. Use the finest ham and cheese, the freshest farm eggs, top-quality greens, and of course freshly squeezed lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil, and you will be rewarded!
5 ounces cooked ham, cubed (1½ cups)
5 ounces aged Comté cheese, cubed (1½ cups)
2 Hard-Cooked Eggs (see Hard-Cooked Eggs), quartered (optional)
¼ cup minced fresh chives
4 cups torn soft greens, such as butterhead lettuce
Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing (see Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing)
Fine sea salt
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, combine the ham, cheese, eggs, chives, and greens. Toss with just enough dressing to coat the ingredients lightly and evenly. Season lightly with salt and generously with pepper. Serve.
WINE SUGGESTION: If I am going to enjoy wine with a salad, I prefer a dressing made with lemon juice as opposed to vinegar, for too much vinegar can destroy the flavor of wine. Stay simple here—a light Chardonnay, a Chenin Blanc, or a fine rosé.
CURLY ENDIVE SALAD WITH BACON AND POACHED EGG: FRISÉE AUX LARDONS
I doubt that there is a more classic French salad than this one: curls of wintry endive, hearty chunks of salty bacon, a perfect poached egg, a faintly acidic vinaigrette with a touch of mustard, a shower of minced chives, plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and a glass of chilled Moulin à Vent to round it all out.
2½ ounces smoked bacon, rind removed, cut into ¼-inch cubes (¾ cup)
1 plump, fresh garlic clove, peeled, halved, and green germ removed
6 cups (5 ounces) firmly packed curly endive (frisée), torn into bite-sized pieces
4 ultra-fresh large eggs
1 tablespoon distilled vinegar
1 shallot, trimmed, peeled, and finely minced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons best-quality red-wine vinegar or sherry-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon imported French mustard
Fine sea salt to taste
¼ cup finely minced fresh chives
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
4 slices Thin Bread Crisps (see Thin Bread Crisps)
1. In a large, dry skillet, brown the bacon over moderate heat until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to several layers of paper towels to absorb the fat. Do not discard the fat in the skillet. Blot the top of the bacon with several layers of paper towels to absorb any additional fat.
2. Rub the inside of a large salad bowl with the garlic halves. Discard the garlic. Add the endive. Set aside.
3. Break each egg into a ramekin or small cup. In a large, shallow saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add the distilled vinegar. One by one, bring the edge of a ramekin or cup level with the surface of the water and slide the egg in gently. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. Poach the eggs until the whites are firm but the yolks are still runny and are covered with a thin, translucent layer of white, about 3 minutes.
4. With the sieve or slotted spoon, carefully lift the eggs from the water and transfer them to several thicknesses of paper towels. Set aside.
5. Heat the bacon fat in the skillet and add the shallot. Sweat—cook, covered, over low heat until soft and translucent—for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the oil, vinegar, and mustard and heat through. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed. While the dressing is still warm, pour it over the endive in the bowl, tossing to coat the greens lightly and evenly.
6. Divide the salad among 4 dinner plates. Scatter with the bacon. Carefully arrange a poached egg on top of each salad. Shower with the chives and plenty of pepper. Serve with the bread crisps.
WINE SUGGESTION: A light, white, chilled Sauvignon Blanc would pair nicely with this salad. The crisp acidity of the wine contrasts with the fat in the smoked bacon, creating a beautiful balance.
The modern salade Niçoise can be many things. I like mine with grilled fresh tuna, green beans and steamed potatoes, multicolored heirloom cherry tomatoes, a few nicely dressed greens, and a soft touch of anchovy.
9 quarts water
¼ cup coarse sea salt
1 pound slim haricot verts (green beans), trimmed at both ends
1 pound yellow-fleshed potatoes (such as Yukon Gold)
Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing (see Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing)
Four 6-ounce, ¾-inch-thick tuna steaks
Fine sea salt
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
4 cups firmly packed buttercrunch lettuce
8 ripe heirloom cherry tomatoes, preferably green, yellow, and red, halved
4 Hard-Cooked Eggs (see Hard-Cooked Eggs), quartered lengthwise
8 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained
¼ cup chives
1. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
2. Fill the pasta pot with 8 quarts of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the salt and beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. (Cooking time will vary according to the size and tenderness of the beans.) Immediately remove the colander from the water, allowing the water to drain from the beans. Plunge the beans into the ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible. (The beans will cool in 1 to 2 minutes. If you leave them longer, they will become soggy and begin to lose flavor.) Drain the beans and wrap them in a thick towel to dry. (Store the beans in the towel in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours.)
3. Prepare a wood or charcoal fire. Set the grill rack about 5 inches from the heat. The fire is ready when the coals glow red and are covered with ash.
4. Scrub the potatoes but do not peel them. Bring 1 quart of water to a simmer in the bottom of a steamer. Place the potatoes on the steaming rack. Place the rack over the simmering water, cover, and steam just until the potatoes are fully cooked, about 25 minutes. While still warm, place the potatoes in a small bowl and toss with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat them.
5. Season the tuna lightly with salt and pepper. Place the tuna at the 10 o’clock position on the hot grill rack. After 1 minute, rotate the tuna a quarter-turn to the right, to 2 o’clock. One minute later, flip the tuna over to the uncooked side, grill marks up, pointing to 10 o’clock. Grill for 1 minute and rotate to 2 o’clock again, cooking until the tuna is done to your liking. Transfer the tuna to a platter, season again with salt and pepper, and cover loosely with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.
6. Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Toss with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat the lettuce. Place the tomatoes in another bowl and toss with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat them. Place the green beans in another bowl and toss with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat them.
7. Set a tuna steak at the edge of a large dinner plate. Arrange the lettuce, green beans, potatoes, eggs, and tomatoes alongside. Arrange the anchovies in a crisscross pattern on top and sprinkle with the chives. Serve.
WINE SUGGESTION: I never tire of one of our longtime favorite rosés, the legendary Bandol Rosé from the Domaine Tempier, a mineral-scented wine that is as versatile, and pleasing, as they come.
In my salad memory, this classic stands out as perhaps the first salad as a meal I ever sampled. It’s an ideal lunch any time of year, but especially when the garden or markets offer us their finest fresh oregano, ripe tomatoes, and crisp cucumbers. Serve this with toasted Homemade Pita Bread (see Homemade Pita Bread) or Tortilla Chips (see Tortilla Chips).
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, minced
10 small heirloom tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 European or hothouse cucumber (1 pound), halved lengthwise and cut into half-moons
20 best-quality French Brine-Cured Black Olives (see Brine-Cured Black Olives)
8 ounces Greek feta cheese, cubed (2 cups)
In a large, shallow bowl, combine the lemon juice and sea salt and whisk to blend. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the oregano, and whisk to blend. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, and olives, and toss to blend. Scatter with the feta and the remaining 2 tablespoons oregano. Serve on large dinner plates.
WINE SUGGESTION: Try this with a dry and appetizing Loire Valley white, a 100% Sauvignon Blanc Menetou-Salon from the vineyards of Philippe Gilbert.
A DECONSTRUCTED CLUB SANDWICH SALAD WITH PURPLE POTATO CHIPS
While lunching one day at our favorite wine bar in Avignon, Vinoe & Co., we sampled a truly delicious club sandwich accompanied by fabulously crispy paper-thin purple potato chips. For days I could not get the fine memory of the dish out of my head, and I decided to deconstruct the sandwich and turn the ingredients into a salad. Little did I know that fashion designer Sonia Rykiel had beaten me to it! On the menu at the Café Flore on Boulevard Saint Germain in Paris, there is a Club Sonia Rykiel, made without a gram of bread. And of course no potato chips! The one I sampled there was dreadful—not that I blame Sonia Rykiel. Make this salad at home and you’ll be rewarded; it’s so much easier to handle than a real club sandwich, which is always too thick and awkward to eat, and who needs food held together with toothpicks sprouting rainbow-colored plastic frills? I served this at a dinner party once and a guest described it as a Busted Up Club. Make this your own, using chicken, turkey, or beef, and be sure all the ingredients are first-rate. At home I serve this salad with homemade sourdough bread, thinly sliced and toasted.
8 thin slices smoked bacon
4 firm ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored and quartered
½ head romaine lettuce, chopped (3 cups)
Creamy Lemon-Mustard Dressing (see Creamy Lemon-Mustard Dressing)
4 thin slices sourdough bread, toasted (see Multigrain Sourdough Bread: Pain au Levain)
2 Poached Chicken Breasts (see Poached Chicken Breasts), cut lengthwise into thin slices
1 recipe Purple Potato Chips (recipe follows)
1. In a large, dry skillet, brown the bacon over moderate heat until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to several layers of paper towels to absorb the fat.
2. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes and chopped lettuce. Toss with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat the ingredients.
3. Place a slice of toast in the center of each dinner plate and drizzle with the dressing. Layer several slices of chicken on top of the toast. Arrange 2 slices of bacon on top of the chicken. Shower with the tomato salad. Serve with the potato chips.
A sandwich with a historic past: There are many theories about the history of the internationally loved club sandwich. Most link it to the Saratoga (N.Y.) Club in 1894, others to a late-night concoction born of necessity from leftovers found in the kitchen, and one story even suggests it was named after the 1930s double-decker “club cars” on trains that traveled between New York and Chicago.
WINE SUGGESTION: That day in Avignon we sampled a Fleurie, a cru Beaujolais that is often highly underrated. A favorite is the Fleurie les Garants from the Domaine du Vissoux, made with the fruity Gamay grape—a wine that is filled with smoke and spice.
PURPLE POTATO CHIPS
Even though purple potatoes have been around for a while, they’re still always a surprise. These chips can be made with russet or Yukon Gold potatoes as well.
4 ounces purple potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/16-inch thick (4 cups)
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Fine sea salt
1. Wash the potato slices in warm water, and then drain thoroughly. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a large kitchen towel. Cover with another towel and pat the potatoes to dry them.
2. Pour the oil into the deep-fat fryer; the oil should be at least 2 inches deep. Heat the oil to 375°F. Slice by slice (so the potatoes do not stick together in the oil), carefully drop a small handful of potato slices into the frying basket in the fryer. Fry the potatoes until crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to several thicknesses of paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat until all the potatoes have been fried, being sure that the oil temperature returns to 375°F before continuing and that each batch is seasoned with salt. Transfer to a large serving platter and serve immediately.
BACON, LETTUCE, AND TOMATO TARTINES
The BLT salad is one of my preferred salads as a meal and one that can also be served in a smaller appetizer version. Is it that memorable taste from childhood—the crunch and saltiness of the bacon, the drip of the ripe tomato—that is so appealing? Probably a combination of all of these. Rather than mayonnaise, I dress this with a very light yogurt and lemon dressing. Tartine, by the way, is just another word for an open-faced sandwich.
2½ ounces smoked bacon, rind removed, cut into ¼-inch cubes (¾ cup)
3 heads sucrine lettuce (or ½ head iceberg lettuce), chopped
4 ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Yogurt and Lemon Dressing (see Yogurt and Lemon Dressing)
4 thin slices sourdough bread, toasted (see Multigrain Sourdough Bread: Pain au Levain)
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
1. In a large, dry skillet, brown the bacon over moderate heat until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to several layers of paper towels to absorb the fat. Blot the top of the bacon with several layers of paper towels to absorb any additional fat.
2. In a large, shallow bowl, combine the bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes. Toss with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat the ingredients. Arrange on the slices of toasted bread. Season generously with pepper, and serve.
VARIATION: To make it a Cobb tartine, add 1 small avocado, cubed, and 4 ounces best-quality blue cheese, crumbled.
WINE SUGGESTION: A fresh, mouth-filling red comes to mind here. Why not a young Burgundian Pinot Noir, such as Aubert de Villaine’s Mercurey Les Montots?
BACON-WRAPPED GOAT CHEESE WITH DANDELION GREENS
This has been a family favorite ever since we moved to France in 1980. I like to wrap the slightly firm goat cheese in thin slices of smoked meat, such as coppa, bacon, pancetta, or smoked ham. The meat must be sliced as thin as possible so it cooks up quickly, before the goat cheese has time to melt and turn runny. So opt for a firm goat cheese. I like to serve this with an assertive salad, such as dandelion greens, or a sturdy spinach-like green from my garden, dressed with a simple, classic vinaigrette.
1 tablespoon minced mixed fresh herbs, such as chives, chervil, mint, and tarragon
4 small, firm rounds of goat’s milk cheese (2 ounces each)
8 ultra-thin slices smoked bacon, pancetta, or smoked ham
6 cups firmly packed dandelion greens, torn into bite-sized pieces (or use baby spinach)
Classic Vinaigrette (see Classic Vinaigrette)
1. Sprinkle the herbs over both sides of each goat cheese round, pressing down lightly so they adhere. Wrap 2 slices of bacon, crisscross fashion, around each cheese.
2. Heat the skillet over moderate heat. Add the wrapped cheese and cook until the meat is browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a layer of paper towels to drain.
3. In a large salad bowl, toss the greens with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat them. Arrange the greens on large salad plates. Place a wrapped goat cheese on top of each salad and serve.
WINE SUGGESTION: A crisp white wine is essential here, preferably one from the Loire Valley. A good-value white from that region is a Quincy, a “satellite” wine region near the better-known Sancerre. Try offerings from Domaine Mardon, with chalky, citrus-like notes that echo this salad.
ASPARAGUS, HAM, AND POACHED EGG SALAD
On an afternoon in May, a favorite Provençal bistro served us this utterly delicious and totally beautiful spring salad of blanched asparagus, a perfect poached egg draped with a shiny, fragrant slice of ham from the French Basque region, and a tangle of soft greens. I like to serve this with toasted slices of my homemade Ham and Cheese Bread.
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
16 green asparagus spears (1 pound), trimmed
4 ultra-fresh large eggs
1 tablespoon distilled vinegar
4 cups torn soft greens, such as buttercrunch lettuce
¼ cup minced fresh chives
Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing (see Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing)
4 thin slices top-quality ham
Fine sea salt
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
Sliced Ham and Cheese Bread (see Ham and Cheese Bread), toasted, for serving
1. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
2. Fill the pasta pot with 3 quarts of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the coarse salt and the asparagus. Blanch, uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. (Cooking time will vary according to the size and tenderness of the asparagus.) Immediately remove the colander from the water, letting the water drain from the asparagus. Plunge the asparagus into the ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and bright green color. (The asparagus will cool in 1 to 2 minutes. After that, they will soften and begin to lose crispness and flavor.) Drain the asparagus and wrap it in a thick kitchen towel to dry. (Do not cook the asparagus in advance or it will lose its crispness.)
3. Break each egg into a ramekin or small cup. Set aside. In a large, shallow saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add the vinegar. One by one, bring the edge of a ramekin or cup level with the surface of the water and slide the egg in gently. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. Poach the eggs until the whites are firm but the yolks are still runny and are covered with a thin, translucent layer of white, about 3 minutes.
4. With the sieve or slotted spoon, carefully lift the eggs from the water and transfer them to several thicknesses of paper towels.
5. Place the salad greens and chives in a large salad bowl. Toss with just enough dressing to coat the greens lightly and evenly.
6. Place the asparagus on a large plate and add just enough dressing to lightly coat the spears. Roll the asparagus in the dressing.
7. Arrange the dressed greens at one side of each of 4 large dinner plates. (Rectangular plates are particularly beautiful here.) Carefully place a poached egg alongside. Arrange 4 asparagus spears next to the eggs. Carefully drape a slice of ham over each of the poached eggs. Season the greens lightly with fine sea salt and generously with pepper. Sprinkle with chives. Serve with the toast.
WINE SUGGESTION: This salad calls out for a crisp white, a northern wine that will pair nicely with the egg, ham, and asparagus. One wine that can generally be found in our cellar in Paris is the Coteaux du Giennois, Domaine de Villargeau. It’s a 100% Sauvignon Blanc and comes from very flinty soils near the Pouilly Fumé vineyards. It’s a touch salty, chalky, and smoky and pairs nicely with the star ingredients in this salad.
CORN, BACON, FETA, TOMATO, AND AVOCADO SALAD
In France, really fresh corn appears intermittently in the market, so when I spy it, I score! I race to create a totally fresh salad with the day’s harvest. This is one of my current favorites.
2½ ounces smoked bacon, rind removed, cut into ¼-inch cubes (¾ cup)
2 ears fresh corn, shucked
4 ripe multicolored heirloom tomatoes, cored, quartered, and chopped
2 ounces imported Greek feta cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
1 large ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cubed
2 small spring onions or scallions, white part only, trimmed, peeled, and cut into thin rings
Yogurt and Lemon Dressing (see Yogurt and Lemon Dressing)
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
1. In a large, dry skillet, brown the bacon over moderate heat until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to absorb the fat. Blot the top of the bacon with paper towels as well.
2. Cut off the fat ends of the ears of corn, stand the ears on the flat end, and use the chef’s knife to cut off the corn kernels. Place the kernels in a large bowl.
3. Add the tomatoes, bacon, feta, avocado, and spring onions to the corn. Toss with just enough dressing to coat the ingredients lightly and evenly. Season generously with pepper, and serve.
WINE SUGGESTION: This salad calls out for a young, balanced white: why not one from our winemaker Yves Gras, who makes a fabulously complex yet not showy white, a Sablet Blanc.
ICEBERG LETTUCE SALAD WITH BACON AND ROQUEFORT
We consider this the perfect Saturday lunch salad, one that is hearty enough to assuage one’s hunger and that can be prepared in a flash, so there’s no need to wait. I like to dress this with a light Buttermilk–Lemon Zest Dressing, but feel free to use your dressing of choice. And don’t forget the freshly ground black pepper—it’s essential here!
2½ ounces smoked bacon, rind removed, cut into ½-inch julienne (¾ cup)
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
6 ounces chilled blue cheese (preferably Roquefort), crumbled (1½ cups)
Buttermilk–Lemon Zest Dressing (see Buttermilk–Lemon Zest Dressing)
Fleur de sel
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
1. In a large, dry skillet, brown the bacon over moderate heat until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to several layers of paper towels to absorb the fat. Blot the top of the bacon with several layers of paper towels to absorb any additional fat.
2. In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, chives, bacon, and cheese. Pour just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat the ingredients. Season with fleur de sel. Divide the salad evenly among 4 plates. Season generously with pepper, and serve.
WINE SUGGESTION: It’s time for a simple daily drinking white, such as a light, dry Alpine wine from the Savoie: try a Roussette from Pierre Boniface.
PROVENCE ON A PLATE: EGGPLANT, TOMATOES, GOAT CHEESE, AND TAPENADE
During my summer cooking classes this is a favorite Friday lunch dish, one that students dubbed Provence on a Plate, and the name has stuck. Who could not love the combination of perfectly cooked eggplant teamed up with garden-fresh tomatoes, homemade tapenade, soothing goat cheese. This is a dish that takes up quite a bit of room when preparing and plating this for fourteen people, so we move out into the courtyard, set up stations for peeling and slicing tomatoes, while indoors one or two students tend to cooking the tender, freshly harvested eggplant. I grow several varieties of eggplant each summer, including the white, egg-shaped eggplant that I often use in miniature versions of this stacked dish. This recipe is only a suggestion; all sorts of leftover cheese and vegetables could be added according to taste and whim.
2 firm, fresh eggplants, washed but not peeled (about 8 ounces)
About 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Fine sea salt
3 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes
12 slices soft goat’s milk cheese or Greek feta cheese
Black Olive Tapenade with Lemon Confit (see Black Olive Tapenade with Lemon Confit)
About 24 large, fresh basil leaves
1. Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 475°F.
2. Trim and discard the ends of the eggplants. Cut each eggplant crosswise into slices about ½ inch thick. The eggplants should yield 16 slices. Place the eggplant slices side by side on the baking sheet. Brush them with the oil and season lightly with salt. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn and brush the other side with oil and season with salt and return to the oven. Small eggplants should cook in 10 to 15 minutes; larger eggplants will take a little longer.
3. While the eggplant cooks, prepare the tomatoes. Core and peel the tomatoes. Cut each horizontally into 4 thick slices. The tomatoes should yield 12 slices.
4. Remove the eggplant from the oven. Arrange a slice of eggplant on each of 4 salad plates. Place a slice of tomato on top of the eggplant. Top with the cheese. Brush the cheese with the tapenade. Place a basil leaf on top of the tapenade. Repeat the stacking until each plate has 4 layers of eggplant and 3 layers of tomato, ending with the eggplant. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Garnish with basil.
WINE SUGGESTION: There are actually wines that taste of black olives. We’ve found this in various tastings in Provence as well as Paris. The chef at Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape marries black olive dishes with their Vinsobres wine, finding that aromas and flavors of the wine echo the bounty of the groves of black olives that flank the vineyards near the village of Nyons.
PEAR, BLUE CHEESE, FENNEL, ENDIVE, AND SALTED ALMOND SALAD
This wintry salad combines some of my favorite foods: pears, blue cheese, fennel, Belgian endive, and salted almonds, preferably the incomparable Marcona almonds from Spain or the even rarer salted almonds from Provence. I toss these ingredients with a very light and creamy blue cheese dressing and pair it all with a crisp white Sauvignon Blanc.
Blue Cheese and Yogurt Dressing
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 ounces chilled blue cheese (preferably Roquefort), crumbled (½ cup)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Salad
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 small bulbs fennel (8 ounces total), trimmed
2 medium-ripe pears
½ cup best-quality salted almonds, plus extra for garnish
6 ounces chilled blue cheese (preferably Roquefort), crumbled (1½ cups)
2 Belgian endive heads, trimmed and cut lengthwise into a thin chiffonade
¼ cup minced fresh chives
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
1. Prepare the dressing: In the jar, combine the yogurt, blue cheese, lemon juice, and salt. Cover with the lid and shake to blend. Taste for seasoning. (Store in the jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
2. Fill one of the 1-quart airtight containers with cold water, and add 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. With the mandoline or chef’s knife, cut the fennel lengthwise into very thin slices, dropping the slices into the acidulated water. Cover the container and refrigerate. (Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours. The fennel will crisp up and the lemon juice will prevent it from darkening.)
3. Fill the second container with cold water and add the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Peel the pears, core them, and cut them lengthwise into 16 slices, dropping them into the acidulated water as you go. Cover the container. (Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours. The pears will crisp up and the lemon juice will prevent them from darkening.)
4. When you are ready to serve, drain the fennel and pears. In a large salad bowl, combine the fennel, pears, almonds, cheese, and endive. Toss with just enough dressing to coat the ingredients lightly and evenly. Arrange the salad on large dinner plates. Garnish with more almonds and the chives, and season with pepper.
WINE SUGGESTION: Pears always lead me to the Loire valley, a land of great white wines. I am a huge fan of the Sauvignon Blanc grape, and Sancerre from the Loire Valley is truly one of the world’s great wines. I have several favorites to recommend with this dish, including offerings from the houses of Alphonse Mellot, Didier Dagueneau, and François Cotat.
RANCHO SALAD: CUCUMBERS, TOMATOES, COTTAGE CHEESE, AND FRILLS
I am not sure what an ingredient must do to get into the Comfort Food Hall of Fame, but cottage cheese is in mine. The creamy, lactic delicacy has carried me through since childhood, and even today the sight of a chilled, fresh, fragrant container of the light cheese makes me smile. On my regular visits to my “boot camp”—Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico—this is one of my favorite lunches. There is always a lunch buffet and it often includes giant bowls of their own garden-fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. I add cottage cheese and often a few spoonfuls of their spicy salsa. At home I add even more frills, such as thinly sliced spring onions, sliced celery, minced chives, and some of my Red Hot Salt to add spice to what might otherwise be a very quiet day. Since I don’t drink wine with this salad at the Ranch, I don’t at home, either.
1 European or hothouse cucumber (about 1 pound), thinly sliced
4 ripe heirloom tomatoes, each cored and cut lengthwise into 8 slices
2 small spring onions or scallions, white part only, trimmed, peeled, and cut into thin rounds
2 celery ribs, cut crosswise into very thin slices
¼ cup minced fresh chives
Red Hot Salt (see Red Hot Salt)
2 cups cottage cheese of choice
Avocado-Chile Salsa (see Avocado-Chile Salsa), optional
In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, onions, celery, and chives. Toss to combine, and season generously with the seasoned salt. Mound the mixture on large salad plates. Top each with a dollop of cottage cheese and the Avocado-Chile Salsa (if using) and serve.
FIG, SHEEP CHEESE, POMEGRANATE SEED, ARUGULA, AND KUMQUAT SALAD
In late September in our garden in Provence, there is a welcoming convergence of multitoned fruits as pomegranates burst open to reveal their shiny, colorful seeds, the purplish-black Ronde de Bordeaux figs begin dripping with honey-like juice, the kumquat tree in the courtyard remains laden with tangy orange fruit, and the lemons on the trees in front of the guest room call out to be harvested. Wild arugula grows between the grapevines in the vineyard, offering sturdy green leaves and clean white flowers that actually smell like honey! That’s when this salad—which wins hands down on color alone—appears on our table.
½ cup pomegranate seeds
8 fresh figs, stemmed and quartered
4 kumquats, stemmed, cut crosswise into very thin slices, and seeded
Best-quality aged balsamic vinegar to taste
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
4 cups firmly packed arugula leaves and flowers
Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing (see Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing)
Fine sea salt
4 ounces firm sheep’s milk cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler into very thin strips
1. In a large, shallow bowl, combine the pomegranate seeds, figs, and kumquats. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and season generously with pepper.
2. Place the arugula in a large salad bowl. Toss with just enough dressing to coat the greens lightly and evenly. Season with salt.
3. Divide the arugula among 4 large dinner plates. Arrange the dressed fig mixture on top of the greens. Scatter with the cheese, and serve.
VARIATIONS: Add, as desired, toasted walnuts, halved purple grapes, or strips of ham.
WINE SUGGESTION: A favorite local white wine comes from the nearby village of Cairanne, where Denis Alary makes a lovely Cairanne Blanc, a blend of 90% Clairette and 10% Roussanne. It’s a perfect wine for this totally local salad.
Kumquat tree
CANTALOUPE, TOMATO, GOAT CHEESE, CUCUMBER, AND ONION SALAD
It took me a long time to come around to the idea of fruit in what is basically a vegetable salad, but the color, crunch, and gentle sweetness of cantaloupe melon is not to be resisted! This is a combination I come back to again and again.
1 small, ripe cantaloupe melon, halved, seeded, cut into small wedges, and rind removed
2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
4 ounces firm goat’s milk cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
1 small cucumber, peeled and very thinly sliced
2 small spring onions or scallions, white part only, trimmed, peeled, and cut into thin rings
Yogurt and Lemon Dressing (see Yogurt and Lemon Dressing)
½ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade
½ cup fresh mint leaves, cut into a chiffonade
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
In a large shallow bowl, combine the melon, tomatoes, goat cheese, cucumber, and onions. Toss with just enough dressing to coat the ingredients lightly and evenly. Shower with the herbs and season generously with pepper. Serve.
WINE SUGGESTION: This purely summer salad calls out for a chilled rosé, a favorite coming from Domaine de la Janasse. Their rosé actually has melon-like tones! A blend of Grenache and Cinsault grapes, it’s a fresh and lively wine made to match an equally alert salad.
SPRING SALAD: ASPARAGUS, PEAS, BEANS, AND FENNEL
Come spring, we find asparagus on our table on a daily basis. I never run out of ideas for what to do with these vibrant green spears, often with a mineral flavor from the soil that gave them life. I love to combine them with their bright green cousins, peas and green beans, and their paler white relative, the crispy fennel bulb. My Creamy Lemon-Chive Dressing brings them all together in a delightful salad.
16 spears (about 1 pound) fresh green asparagus, trimmed
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 pound slim haricots verts (green beans), trimmed at both ends and cut into 3-inch pieces
8 ounces peas, fresh or frozen (no need to thaw)
1 small bulb fennel (about 4 ounces)
Creamy Lemon-Chive Dressing (see Creamy Lemon-Chive Dressing)
Fine sea salt
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
1. Prepare 4 large bowls of ice water.
2. Trim the asparagus, discarding the woody ends. Trim the tender tips on the diagonal to about 4 inches. Cut the remaining stalks on the diagonal into 3-inch pieces.
3. Fill the pasta pot with 3 quarts of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the coarse salt and the asparagus stalk pieces. Blanch, uncovered, for 1 minute. Then add the tips (which will cook more quickly) and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. (Cooking time will vary according to the size and tenderness of the asparagus.) Immediately remove the colander from the water, letting the water drain from the asparagus and reserving the cooking water. Plunge the asparagus into a bowl of ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and bright green color. (The asparagus will cool in 1 to 2 minutes. If you leave them longer, they will become soggy and lose crispness and flavor.) Drain the asparagus and wrap them in a thick kitchen towel to dry. (Do not cook them in advance or they will lose their crispness.)
4. Bring the water back to a boil, add the green beans, and blanch, uncovered, until very tender, about 4 minutes. (Cooking time will vary according to the size of the beans.) Immediately drain the beans (again reserving the cooking water) and plunge them into the second bowl of ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and bright green color. (The beans will cool in 1 to 2 minutes. After that, they will soften and begin to lose crispness and flavor.) Transfer the beans to a colander, drain, and wrap in a thick towel to dry. (The beans can be cooked up to 2 hours in advance. Keep them wrapped in the towel and hold at room temperature.)
5. Bring 1 quart of water to a simmer in the bottom of a steamer. Place the peas on the steaming rack. Place the rack over the simmering water, cover, and steam just until the peas are cooked al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately drain the peas and plunge them into another bowl of ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and bright green color. (The peas will cool in 1 to 2 minutes. If you leave them longer, they will become soggy and begin to lose crispness and flavor.) Drain the peas.
6. With the mandoline or chef’s knife, cut the fennel into very thin slices, dropping them into the last bowl of ice water to crisp them for about 10 minutes.
7. At serving time, drain the fennel, combine all the vegetables in a large bowl and toss with just enough dressing to coat them lightly and evenly. Taste for seasoning. Arrange on 4 large dinner plates. Season with pepper, and serve.
VARIATION: Add about 4 ounces of aged Comté cheese, cut into thin strips.
WINE SUGGESTION: This salad was originally created for my springtime cooking classes in Paris, and we enjoy it with a favorite Loire Valley white, the 100% Sauvignon Blanc Coteaux du Giennois, Domaine de Villargeau.
SUMMER SALAD: GREEN BEANS, TOASTED NUTS, AND CURED OLIVES
This is a regal salad, rich with the flavors of well-aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and fresh garden greens and flavored with local olive oil. Embellished with spicy mixed nuts and home-marinated mixed olives, it sings of our summer garden and the flavors and aromas of Provence.
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 pound slim haricots verts (green beans), trimmed at both ends
8 cups firmly packed soft salad greens, such as buttercrunch lettuce
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh chives
Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing (see Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing)
Fine sea salt
About 20 shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ cup Spicy Basque Mixed Nuts (see Spicy Basque Mixed Nuts)
16 olives from Marinated Olive Quartet (see Marinated Olive Quartet)
1. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
2. Fill the pasta pot with 3 quarts of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the coarse salt and beans and blanch until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. (Cooking time will vary according to the size and tenderness of the beans.) Immediately remove the colander from the water, letting the water drain from the beans, and plunge the beans into the ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible and retain their crispness and bright green color. (The beans will cool in 1 to 2 minutes. If you leave them longer, they will become soggy and begin to lose flavor.) Drain the beans and wrap them in a thick kitchen towel to dry. (Store the beans in the towel in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours.)
3. Tear the greens into bite-size pieces. In a large salad bowl, combine the greens and chives. Toss with just enough dressing to coat the greens lightly and evenly. Taste for seasoning. Place the beans in another bowl. Toss with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat the beans. Taste for seasoning.
4. Mound the greens on each of 4 salad plates. Arrange the green beans on top of the dressed greens. Top with the shavings of cheese. Sprinkle with the nuts and arrange the olives alongside. Serve.
WINE SUGGESTION: With this salad we often enjoy a Picpoul de Pinet (I just love to say the words—peekpool duh peenay), a white wine from the Languedoc, where the vineyards roll down toward the Mediterranean. A fine offering comes from the cave coopérative Cave de Pomérols.
ITALIAN SALAD: CELERY, FENNEL, SPRING ONION, AND RADISH WITH BOCCONCINI, PROSCIUTTO, OLIVES, AND MARINATED ARTICHOKES
Give me celery and radishes any day and I’m a happy camper. I love both the simplicity and the complexity of this salad, one that can be put together in a matter of minutes from the refrigerator and the pantry.
8 tender celery ribs, with leaves, cut crosswise into thin slices
20 radishes, trimmed and cut into thin rounds
6 small spring onions or scallions, white part only, trimmed, peeled, and cut into thin rounds
1 bulb fennel, trimmed and cut lengthwise into very thin slices
Classic Vinaigrette (see Classic Vinaigrette)
Fine sea salt
18 olives from the Marinated Olive Quartet (see Marinated Olive Quartet)
12 thin prosciutto slices, torn into strips, then rolled
18 bocconcini (small mozzarella balls), drained and halved
12 Baby Artichokes Marinated in Olive Oil (see Baby Artichokes Marinated in Olive Oil)
Sliced sourdough bread, toasted, for serving
1. Combine the celery, radishes, spring onions, and fennel in a large salad bowl. Toss with just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat the vegetables. Taste for seasoning.
2. Form mounds of the dressed vegetables in the center of 4 large dinner plates. Arrange the olives, prosciutto, bocconcini, and marinated artichokes around the salad. Serve with the toasted bread.
VARIATIONS: Depending upon the season, add grilled red peppers, braised asparagus, or blanched and refreshed green beans.
WINE SUGGESTION: A light red is nice here—perhaps a favorite Italian, the easy-drinking 100% Sangiovese Tenuta di Capezzana Conti Contini Sangiovese.
WATERCRESS, ENDIVE, AND BEET SALAD
Come winter I crave watercress and weave the gorgeous, pungent green into my menus as frequently as possible. This trio of watercress, Belgian endive, and beets works for me—super-healthy partners that also happen to be quite beautiful together. Be sure to toss the beets separately, for they will quickly bleed their bright red color into the alabaster endive.
1 pound beets (without tops), peeled
Creamy Lemon-Mustard Dressing (see Creamy Lemon-Mustard Dressing)
Fine sea salt
Leaves from 2 bunches (about 1 pound) watercress
4 Belgian endive heads, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into fine julienne
¼ cup minced fresh chives
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring 1 quart of water to a simmer in the bottom of the steamer. Place the beets on the steaming rack. Place the rack over the simmering water, cover, and steam just until the beets are cooked but still firm, about 30 minutes. Remove the beets from the steamer, let them cool, and then cut them into ½-inch cubes.
2. Place the beets in a medium bowl. Toss with just enough dressing to coat them lightly and evenly. Taste for seasoning.
3. In a large salad bowl, combine the watercress and endive. Coat with just enough dressing to coat them lightly and evenly. Taste for seasoning. Divide the greens among 4 large dinner plates. Arrange the dressed beets in the center of the greens. Garnish with the chives and season generously with pepper. Serve.
VARIATIONS: Toss 1 cup cubed firm goat cheese with the beets; add 1 cup Spicy Basque Mixed Nuts (see Spicy Basque Mixed Nuts) or Curried Pumpkin Seeds (see Curried Pumpkin Seeds).
WINE SUGGESTION: Keep it simple here—perhaps a young Pinot Grigio or Chenin Blanc.
BROCCOLI, AVOCADO, AND PISTACHIOS WITH PISTACHIO OIL
There are days when I simply must have broccoli, and on one of those days I created this salad, which has become a favorite in our household and with students in my cooking classes. I love the pairing of the green on green—the broccoli with the avocado—and the texture and sweetness added by the pistachios and pistachio oil.
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons best-quality pistachio oil (such as Leblanc) or extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
8 ounces broccoli florets (about 2 cups)
1 large ripe avocado
¼ cup salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
Fleur de sel
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
1. In the jar, combine the lemon juice and fine salt. Cover with the lid and shake to dissolve the salt. Add the oil and shake to blend.
2. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
3. Fill the pasta pot with 3 quarts of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the coarse salt and the broccoli. Blanch, uncovered, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately remove the colander from the water, letting the water drain from the broccoli. Plunge the broccoli into the ice water so it cools down as quickly as possible and retains its crispness and bright green color. (The broccoli will cool in 1 to 2 minutes. If you leave it longer, it will soften and begin to lose crispness and flavor.) Drain the broccoli.
4. Halve, pit, and peel the avocado, and cut it lengthwise into very thin slices. Mound the broccoli florets in the center of each plate. Arrange the avocado slices in a circle around the broccoli. Sprinkle with the pistachios. Drizzle with the dressing. Season with fleur de sel and pepper. Let marinate for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.
WINE SUGGESTION: This is lovely with a Macon. A favorite is the stony, mildly floral Macon Viré from Andre Bonhomme.
CELERY, GREEN OLIVE, AND ANCHOVY SALAD
In my cooking classes we often have a trattoria day near the end of the week, and this pungent, colorful salad is frequently on the menu, along with Homemade Yogurt Cheese (see Homemade Yogurt Cheese), Marinated Olive Quartet (see Marinated Olive Quartet), Italian Salt and Sugar–Cured Beef (see Italian Salt and Sugar–Cured Beef: Carne Salada), and the ever-popular Crispy Flatbread (see Crispy Flatbread).
20 green pimiento-stuffed olives, drained
4 cups diced celery (with leaves)
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano leaves
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
16 white anchovy fillets cured in vinegar and oil
1. In a large bowl, combine the olives, celery, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and olive oil. Toss to blend. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
2. At serving time, mound the salad on individual serving plates. Crisscross 4 anchovy fillets on top of each salad. Serve.
CUCUMBER AND YOGURT CHEESE SALAD: TZATZIKI
This classic salad is fabulous on its own or as part of a salad buffet that might include a Greek Salad (see Greek Salad), Homemade Pita Bread (see Homemade Pita Bread), Marinated Olive Quartet (see Marinated Olive Quartet), and a small cup of Chilled Evergreen Tomato Velouté (see Chilled Evergreen Tomato Velouté).
1 European or hothouse cucumber (about 1 pound), trimmed
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 cup Homemade Yogurt Cheese (see Homemade Yogurt Cheese)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 plump, moist garlic cloves, peeled, halved, green germ removed, and minced
¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill
1. Using the largest holes on the grater, grate the cucumber into the sieve set over a bowl. Toss with the coarse salt. Refrigerate for 3 hours, letting the cucumbers drain.
2. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt cheese, lemon juice, garlic, and most of the dill. Whisk to blend. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the cucumbers and mix them into the yogurt cheese mixture. Refrigerate for several hours to let the flavors blend. Serve chilled, garnished with the remaining dill. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.)
ZUCCHINI CARPACCIO WITH AVOCADO, PISTACHIOS, AND PISTACHIO OIL
Neither my students nor I ever tire of this salad. It has all the qualities one looks for in a dish: crunch, smoothness, color, aroma. Serve it with Crispy Flatbread (see Crispy Flatbread), Tortilla Chips (see Tortilla Chips), or toasted bread for added crunch. Don’t omit the fresh thyme here, for it plays an essential role in the color and aroma.
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon Lemon Zest Salt (see Lemon Zest Salt)
3 tablespoons best-quality pistachio oil (such as Leblanc) or extra-virgin olive oil
4 small, fresh zucchini (about 4 ounces each), rinsed and trimmed at both ends
1 large ripe avocado
½ cup salted pistachios
4 fresh lemon thyme sprigs, with flowers if possible
Fleur de sel
1. In the jar, combine the lemon juice and flavored salt. Cover with the lid and shake to blend. Add the oil and shake to blend.
2. With the mandoline or chef’s knife, slice the zucchini lengthwise as thin as possible. Arrange the slices on a platter and pour the dressing over them. Tilt the platter back and forth to coat the slices evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, so the zucchini absorbs the dressing and does not dry out.
3. Halve, pit, and peel the avocado, and cut it lengthwise into very thin slices. Carefully arrange the slices of marinated zucchini on individual salad plates, alternating with the avocado slices, slightly overlapping them. Sprinkle with the pistachio nuts. Garnish with the thyme sprigs and flowers and fleur de sel. Serve.
WINE SUGGESTION: Favorite wine partners for avocado include a young Pinot Grigio, a crisp-style Chardonnay, and a fragrant, well-chilled Sauvignon Blanc.