Recipe, interrupted

Recipe: Fig and Tomato Salad

Is it me or does this year’s fig season just keep going and going? I’m not complaining. As long as the figs keep coming, I’m happy to let them find their way into my meals and snacks. I’ve been eating them on their own (biting into a ripe fig is an indulgence every time), with cheese (fresh goat, mild blues, Parmigiano Reggiano), grilled and tossed with caramelized onions. But it didn’t occur to me until this week to toss them with late season tomatoes. It’s a combination that works beautifully. The sweetness of the fig highlights the sugar in the tomato and the tomato’s acidity extends the fig’s range. A splash of balsamic vinegar bridges the two together. All the ingredients in this quick salad are simply tossed together. You don’t really even need a recipe, just a general sense of the proportions. Feel free to scale this recipe up or down depending on how many people you are feeding.

Be sure to have some crusty bread to soak up the juices. When I ate this salad I wished I had some Pecorino Toscano, which would make a perfect accompaniment for a light lunch.

 

Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes
 

3 medium fresh tomatoes, seeded and cut into chunks

6 ripe figs, quartered, with stems trimmed off

3 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley

Kosher salt (I use a little more than ¼ teaspoon), freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

About 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 

1. In a mixing bowl, toss together all ingredients except olive oil. Drizzle olive oil in, tablespoon by tablespoon until the dressing tastes balanced.
   
2. Serve immediately or allow to rest for up to an hour to let the flavors to mingle.

 

 

 

Recipe: Cauliflower And Almonds with Parsley-Anchovy Dressing

This is a bagna cauda-inspired salad. It has the anchovies and garlic of the classic Italian warm dipping sauce for veggies. But the dressing is served at room temperature and is brightened up by a whole lot of parsley, borrowing a little from another Italian favorite: pesto. 

I love it on raw cauliflower, but you could also use blanched and chilled cauliflower if you prefer it cooked. 

Serves 4-6

Preparation time: 15 minutes

 

For the dressing:

1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped

¼ cup packed flat-leaf parsley

3 anchovy fillets

1 teaspoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad:

1 small to medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets or sliced thinly with a mandoline 

2 tablespoon chopped oil-cured black olives

¼ cup roughly chopped toasted almonds

 

1. With an immersion blender, food processor, or blender, combine garlic, parsley, anchovies, lemon juice, salt, pepper and vinegar until well-blended and finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in olive oil and blend until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
   
   
   
   
2. Pile cauliflower onto a serving dish. Drizzle dressing over cauliflower. Garnish with a sprinkling of olives and almonds and serve.

 

Recipes: Green Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing and Miso Soup with Roasted Sweet Potato

This week I’m posting recipes for two Japanese favorites. Really, more like two Japanese restaurant favorites. The salad with carrot-ginger dressing seems to appear at a lot of sushi places, though I don’t think I’ve ever eaten it as part of an “authentic” Japanese meal. The first time I tried it was about 15 years ago at Dojo’s, near NYU. I wanted to lick my bowl clean it was so good.

Miso soup is a cornerstone to any Japanese meal, authentic or not. This version, with sweet potatoes, also started with a memory. My mother and I went to visit a dear friend who was seriously ill. We prepared him dinner, including miso soup with roasted sweet potatoes. If I have ever seen a face transformed by a taste it was certainly then. He recalled how, as a young man in Japan during the 1950s, he was warmed up in the winters by hot sweet potatoes he bought from the satsuma-imo pushcart vendors.

 

Recipe: Green Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing

 

Serves 4 (makes about ½ cup dressing)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

 

1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon mirin

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

½ teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste if necessary

¼ cup grapeseed oil, or other neutral vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 small to medium head Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped (about 5 cups) (See How to Quickly Trim a Head of Romaine for Salad)

Optional: cherry tomatoes and thinly sliced daikon radish, or other fresh vegetables cut into bite-size pieces

 

1. Place carrot, ginger, mirin, rice vinegar, and salt in a small blender or in a cup wide enough to accommodate an immersion blender. Blend well, into a coarse puree.
   
   
   
   
2. In a slow, steady stream begin to add oils while continuing to blend. Stop blender when dressing is smooth and emulsified. Adjust seasoning to taste.
   
3. Place lettuce on a salad platter, drizzle dressing over it and garnish with fresh vegetables. (If you prefer, you can toss the lettuce with the dressing. The benefit is that the dressing will be more evenly distributed, but I think this bright orange dressing looks better drizzled on top.)

 

Recipe: Miso Soup with Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes

 

Makes about 4 servings.

30 minutes

 

1 small  Japanese sweet potato, or ‘satsuma-imo’ or ‘yaki-imo,’ cut into small cubes (I keep the skin on). You can also substitute Jewel sweet potatoes which are more readily available in the U.S.

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, or other neutral cooking oil

Pinch Kosher salt

One batch hot dashi stock (See How to Make Dashi)

About ¼ cup white miso paste (the amount you needs varies by the brand you buy; some have a more concentrated flavor than others)

6 ounces silken tofu, cut into small cubes

About 6 scallions, cut into small slices

 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss sweet potatoes in oil, season lightly with salt, and spread on a baking sheet. Roast until cooked through and lightly browned in spots, about 15 minutes.
   
   
2. In the meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, blend miso paste into dashi: put the miso paste in a soup ladle. Tip the ladle into the dashi to allow some of it to flow in with the miso. With chopsticks or a miniature whisk, blend the dashi and miso together. When the miso has been fully incorporated into the dashi and the mixture is smooth, stir it in with the rest of the dashi. 
   
   
3. Set up four miso soup bowls or into 6- to 8-ounce teacups. Distribute tofu, scallions, and cooked sweet potato among the bowls. Ladle hot miso over them. If you have small lids that will fit on top, place them on top and serve.   

Recipe: Salad of Mizuna, Fennel, Farro, and Smoked Oysters

Smoked Oysters… I buy them intending to use them right away, but what tends to happen is they sit in the purgatory of my pantry until I remember them. Fortunately I did remember them and they turned out to be just the right thing the other day for a fresh and bright salad that I wanted to top with a flavorful, smoky protein – ideally one that didn’t need any preparation.

Slices of apple are beautiful in this salad. They weren’t part of my original creation, but I’d recommend putting them in. To turn the salad into a more substantial main course, you can also add roasted potato and boiled egg.

 

Serves 4

Preparation time: 35 minutes

 

1 cup uncooked farro

Kosher salt, to taste

¼ cup parsley

Juice of 1 lemon

About 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

4-5 cups mizuna leaves, coarsely chopped

1 small fennel bulb, shaved or cut very finely lengthwise

1 three-ounce tin smoked oysters, drained

1 apple cut into thin slices

optional: roasted or boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, sliced

 

1. Farro cooking instructions vary depending on the variety; cook according to the packaging directions of your farro. I cooked mine by bringing them to a simmer in a saucepan with 2 cups of water and a generous pinch of salt, reducing heat to low, covering and cooking for 25 minutes, until al dente. Then I allowed the farro to steam for about 5 minutes, covered and off the heat.
   
   
2. Drain any excess liquid from the farro and toss with parsley, juice of about ½ lemon, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt to taste.
3. Toss the mizuna and fennel together with the additional lemon juice, olive oil, and salt, all to taste.
   
4. Arrange the greens on a salad plate. Top with farro. Garnish with oysters and apple slices.
   
5. Serve immediately.

 

Recipe: Orzo Pasta Salad with Tomato and Dill

If you’ve got a potluck or other occasion that calls for a dish that can be prepared in advance, consider making this orzo salad. In the recipe below, I say it serves 6 as a main dish, but it goes much farther when you are serving it alongside other dishes.

Speaking of potlucks, you know how sometimes luck has it that you end up with a bunch of foods that don't necessarily go so great together?  This salad works nicely with a range of dishes. With a mellow tomato base and bright accents of dill, capers, and feta, it stands out your palate without competing against what else is on your plate.

The cooking method is a little unconventional, but very easy. The pasta gets cooked only about halfway, less than al dente. Then the hot dressing is poured over it and the pasta soaks up the flavor while it softens to just the right texture.

 

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Serves 6 as a main dish

 

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

¼ cup tomato paste

1 cup chicken broth (you can also use vegetarian broth)

Kosher salt, to taste

1 pound dried orzo pasta

3 tablespoons drained and rinsed capers

1 cup toasted slivered almonds

¼ cup minced fresh dill

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled or cut into small dice

lemon juice, to taste (I usually use about 2 teaspoons)

 

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
   
   
2. In a saucier or medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook an additional 3 minutes. Whisk in broth, bring to a simmer, and add salt to taste. Allow the tomato broth to simmer gently for about 5 minutes.
   
   
   
3. In the meanwhile, cook the pasta halfway, until it is softened on the outside, but still hard in the center.Drain the pasta and transfer to a large mixing bowl. 
    
4. Pour hot tomato dressing over the pasta and stir to combine. Add capers, almonds and most of the cheese and dill. (If not serving immediately, reserve almonds and stir in just before serving.) Stir in remaining olive oil. Add lemon juice and additional salt to taste. Garnish with remaining cheese and dill. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
   
   
   
   
   

Recipe: Avocado, Grapefruit, and Watercress Salad

I like to eat this salad as a bridge between winter and spring produce. The avocado and grapefruit thrive throughout the winter in the warmer parts of the U.S. And the watercress is just beginning to come up in cooler parts (though it is also grown hydroponically throughout the year and throughout the country).

There are a lot of balancing flavors here: smoky paprika, creamy avocado, sweet and acidic red grapefruit, and bitter watercress. As the days and nights begin to equalize, isn’t it refreshing to find some balance in our food, as well?

 

Serves four as a first-course or side dish

Preparation time: 25 minutes

 

1 medium avocado (Hass variety is good for a creamy dressing), sliced thinly

1 medium red grapefruit, segmented, plus 1-2 tablespoons of the juice reserved

1 tablespoon strained or Greek-style plain yogurt

½ teaspoon whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon, or to taste, Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

About 3 cups tender watercress leaves, washed and dried

Pinch smoked paprika

 

1. Toss the avocado slices and grapefruit segments in a bowl together, setting aside ¼ of the avocado for the dressing. The acid from the grapefruit will help prevent the avocado from browning.
   
   
   
2. In a small bowl or jar (I like using a jar – it works well with my immersion blender and also makes for easy storage of leftover dressing), combine the reserved ¼ avocado, 1 tablespoon reserved grapefruit juice, yogurt, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. If you are using a whisk, mash the avocado well before proceeding. If you are using a blender, this is not necessary. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil, whisking or blending vigorously to emulsify it well. Adjust seasoning to taste.
   
   
3. Arrange the watercress around the perimeter of your serving plate. Fan the avocado and grapefruit in an alternating pattern on the plate. If some of the grapefruit segments are a little thick, slice them in half lengthwise.
   
   
4. Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad. (Note: if the dressing is very thick, you can thin it out with a little additional grapefruit juice.)
   
   
5. Dust the salad with smoked paprika. 

 

Recipe: Warm Quinoa Salad with Pecans and Cranberries

When I sent a post update to the Recipe, interrupted group on Facebook recently, I half-seriously resolved to take a break from writing about sweets and focus on something healthy and virtuous, like a quinoa & celery salad, instead. Once the idea was planted in my head, it started to sound really appetizing. I did end up making it, and loved it. Fresh, crisp, light, with the added heartiness and warmth of toasted pecans, this salad turned out to be a welcome antidote to all those truffles I made for my Valentine’s post on Serious Eats.

Quinoa has some of that nuttiness and wholesomeness that you’d expect from a whole grain. But quinoa is not technically a grain. It’s a seed. When it’s cooked, the germ pulls away slightly from the seed as little curly rings. As long as you don’t overcook them, the seeds separate and fluff up nicely and when you bite into them, they have a pleasant al dente snap to them, almost a ‘pop.’

I like eating this salad slightly warm, as soon as it is made. It is also delicious prepared in advance and served at room temperature.

 

Serves 4 as a side dish

Preparation time: 25 minutes

 

1 cup quinoa, rinsed (I used golden quinoa but you can use other types too)

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon minced shallots

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup toasted pecans (halves if small, roughly chopped if large)

½ cup finely chopped celery

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup minced fresh parsley

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 

 

1. Put quinoa in a saucepan with 2 cups of water and a generous pinch of salt, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, until quinoa is cooked through but still al dente.
   
   
2. Combine vinegar, shallots, honey, lemon juice, and salt to taste (I use about 1 teaspoon) and allow the shallots to macerate while the quinoa cooks.
   
   
3. Toss the pecans, celery, cranberries, parsley into quinoa.
   
4. Whisk olive oil into the vinegar/shallot mixture. Pour over quinoa and toss well.
   
   
5. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

 

Kale, Two Ways: Caesar Salad and Kale Chips

Kale is one of my favorite vegetables. From a practical standpoint, it is sturdy, stores well, and is available throughout the winter months. But mostly, I love the taste of it. It’s got some of the earthy heartiness of cabbage, but with added green brightness. Kind of like spinach or chard, but it doesn’t break down when cooked or leave that spinach-y residue on your tongue.

Here are two of my favorite ways to prepare kale: one’s raw and one’s baked.  You don’t really need a strict recipe for baked kale chips – scroll down for the procedure in the post below. The Caesar salad recipe is right here and is so delicious you may convert non-kale eaters with it.

The nice thing about using kale in a salad is that it doesn’t totally deflate and start losing its structure as soon as it is dressed. In fact, if the salad is dressed slightly in advance, the kale softens up a bit and the flavors meld nicely.

 

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

 

For Croutons:

8 ¼-inch thick slices day-old baguette

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

For Salad:

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

¼ teaspoon finely grated raw garlic

optional: 1/8 to ¼ teaspoon anchovy paste

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, more as needed

5 cups washed and dried kale, ribs removed and leaves cut into ½-inch strips

Zest of ½ lemon

¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1. Prepare the croutons. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut side on both sides of the bread slices. Brush the bread with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 5-7 minutes on each side, or until crisp and toasted. Set aside.
   
2. Prepare the dressing. You can use an immersion blender or a whisk to prepare the salad dressing. If using an immersion blender, combine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt, garlic, and anchovy paste (if using) in a jar or cup just wide enough to accommodate the blender. If using a whisk, combine these ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
3. Whisk above ingredients together to combine well. Gradually, beginning with a few drops, blend in the olive oil. After the first tablespoon is incorporated, add the remaining olive oil in a slow steady stream with the immersion blender on high speed, or whisking vigorously. Taste and add more oil if needed.
   
4. Place the kale in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over it and toss salad with two large spoons to coat the kale evenly.
5. Toss the lemon zest and grated cheese together. Sprinkle over salad and toss gently to combine.
6. Transfer salad to a serving bowl. Garnish with croutons. Serve immediately or prepare up to 2 hours in advance and refrigerate until serving.

 

 

Eat Your Greens: Baked Kale Chips

This is one of the few greens I can get my picky five-year-old to eat. Calling them chips helps. It’s an apt name though; they really are very crispy when they come out of the oven and just as addictive as any chips out of a bag. Unlike the Caesar salad above, though, these need to be eaten right away. Leftover kale chips get soggy.

I find that lacinato kale works best here because of its flatter shape, but you can use any variety of kale.

You don't really need a recipe, these basic instructions should do it. I usually use one store-bought bunch of kale per batch (approximately 5 cups once you've torn the leaves up).

Preheat the oven to 275°F. A convection oven is ideal, but you can use a conventional oven.

Wash and dry the kale, and remove the ribs. Tear the leaves up into chip-sized pieces (they will shrink as they bake). Make sure they are very dry. This will ensure a good crunch.

Spread them out on a baking sheet. The less crowded they are, the crispier they will be.

Drizzle olive oil over the leaves and toss to coat with an even, thin coat of oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt.  If you’d like, you can also toss in some red pepper flakes.

Bake for 20-minutes or until the kale is crispy and very lightly browned in some spots. Sometimes I sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan over the chips as they come out of the oven, but they are delicious without.

Serve immediately. 

 

Recipe: Grilled Hearts of Romaine

This is a light and fun twist on the traditional Caesar salad. But somehow, maybe because of the smokiness and warmth that the grilling imparts, it tastes substantial.

Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

1 clove garlic, finely grated or pressed through a garlic press

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 Romaine lettuce hearts, split lengthwise

Juice of half a lemon

Several shavings of parmesan

 

1. Preheat a outdoor grill or grill pan over high heat.
2. Combine the garlic and oils. Brush them onto the cut side of the lettuce. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.
    
3. Place the lettuce on the grill, cut side down.
    
4. When grill marks have formed and the inner leaves have softened, remove lettuce from grill. Squeeze lemon juice over the lettuce.
     
5. Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese.