50 Best Plants on the Planet (32 page)

In a small bowl, whisk together
1
teaspoon honey or agave syrup,
2
tablespoons fresh lemon juice,
1
teaspoon salt,
2
tablespoons balsamic vinegar,
¼
cup extra-virgin olive oil, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in
3
tablespoons finely chopped red onion and
1
½
tablespoons minced fresh basil. Use the dressing to lightly coat
8
handfuls of red or green leaf lettuce that have been torn into bite-size pieces. If desired, top the salads with sliced hard-cooked eggs or avocado.

Simmer
12
ounces Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes or small red potatoes in a saucepan with water to cover, until just barely fork tender. Drain. When they are cool enough to handle, cut the potatoes in halves or quarters. Put the still-warm potatoes in a medium bowl; add tasty balsamic dressing as described above, but double the amount of red onion. Add one
15
-ounce can garbanzo beans (drained, rinsed),
3
thinly sliced green onions (use half of dark green stalks), and
1
diced red bell pepper; toss. Taste and season with salt. Arrange
4
handfuls of bite-size pieces of red or green leaf lettuce on a platter. Top with the potato mixture.

In a large bowl, whisk together
2
tablespoons fresh lemon juice,
1
tablespoon honey or agave syrup, and
¾
teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add
4
cups grated carrots and
2
tablespoons minced fresh cilantro or Italian parsley. Cut
3
peeled navel oranges into supremes, holding them over the bowl so that the juice and segments drop into the bowl
(see page
230
)
. Gently toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Arrange
3
to
4
large handfuls of red or green leaf lettuce that have been torn into bite-size pieces on a platter. Top with the carrot salad and serve.

Each of these delectable open-faced sandwiches requires a slice of toasted rustic whole-grain bread as a foundation. What is rustic bread? It's not easy to define. Some might describe it as artisanal. It is sold whole, unsliced, usually in round or oval shapes. The bread has a crusty exterior and an interior with a chewy texture. No preservatives are used.

Yields
4
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
190

fat calories
60

total fat (g)
7

sat fat (g)
2

cholesterol (mg)
235

sodium (mg)
230

total carbohydrates (g)
16

fiber (g)
3

sugars (g)
3

protein (g)
13

vitamin A IUs
15
%

vitamin C
10
%

calcium
8
%

iron
10
%

5 eggs

4 slices rustic whole-grain bread, about
⅜
inch thick

1 large garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise

2
½
tablespoons plain, fat-free yogurt, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

½
teaspoon minced lemon zest

Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

Freshly ground black pepper

Red leaf lettuce or green leaf lettuce

OPTIONAL GARNISH
chopped fresh chives

1
.
Put the eggs in a small saucepan with water to cover by
1
inch. Bring it to a boil on high heat; cover and remove from the heat. Allow the eggs to sit, covered, for
12
minutes. Drain and run cold water over the eggs. When they're cool enough to handle, crack and peel them in cold water. Place them in an airtight container and refrigerate.

2
.
Adjust an oven rack to
6
inches below the broiler element; preheat the broiler. Put the bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until the bread is toasted, about
1
½
to
2
minutes; watch the progress because bread burns easily. Place each piece of toasted bread on a salad plate, toasted side up; rub the tops of the bread with a cut side of garlic.

3
.
In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, dill, and zest and season with salt and pepper. Coarsely chop the eggs and add them to the yogurt mixture; stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding more yogurt for a creamy consistency.

4
.
Top each toast with a lettuce leaf or two (or more if you like). Top with egg salad. If desired, garnish with chopped chives.

Most of the smoked paprika (
pimentón
) in the marketplace is produced in Spain. Made from ground and smoked pimiento chiles, it adds an intoxicating smoky scent to the vinaigrette used to top grilled eggplant slices and lettuce in this flavorful salad.

Yields
6
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
160

fat calories
110

total fat (g)
12

sat fat (g)
3

cholesterol (mg)
10

sodium (mg)
180

total carbohydrates (g)
8

fiber (g)
4

sugars (g)
3

protein (g)
5

vitamin A IUs
100
%

vitamin C
20
%

calcium
15
%

iron
6
%

2 small eggplants (about 1
¼
pounds), unpeeled

Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

Nonstick olive oil cooking spray

1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Freshly ground black pepper

¼
cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium head red or green leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)

2 Roma tomatoes, cored, diced

1 tablespoon drained capers

3 ounces grated pepper Jack cheese

1
.
Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Cut the eggplants crosswise into
½
-inch slices; place them in a single layer on baking sheets lined with paper towels and sprinkle them with
1
teaspoon salt. Set aside for
10
minutes.

2
.
Pat the eggplant slices with paper towels and coat them lightly with cooking spray. Grill them on a clean grate until they are nicely browned and tender, about
4
to
5
minutes on each side. Set them aside to partially cool while preparing the dressing and salad.

3
.
In a small bowl or glass measuring cup with a handle, whisk together the parsley, both vinegars, garlic, and paprika and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the oil in a thin stream. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

4
.
In a large bowl, toss the lettuce and tomatoes with enough dressing (about half) to lightly coat the leaves. Divide the salad between six plates. Place the eggplant on top of the greens, overlapping the slices slightly. Stir the capers into the remaining dressing and drizzle it over the eggplant. Scatter the cheese on top.

Portobello mushrooms are actually just mature cremini mushrooms. Their broad, umbrella-like caps are meaty with an underside adorned with dark gills. To prevent the dark-colored gills from discoloring a dish (such as this salad), scrape them off with a spoon; discard the gills or use them in a stock.

Yields
6
side-dish servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
160

fat calories
130

total fat (g)
15

sat fat (g)
2.5

cholesterol (mg)
5

sodium (mg)
320

total carbohydrates (g)
6

fiber (g)
2

sugars (g)
3

protein (g)
3

vitamin A IUs
140
%

vitamin C
40
%

calcium
6
%

iron
6
%

½
medium red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon minced fresh mint

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

Freshly ground black pepper

½
cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 large portobello mushrooms (
see Cook's Note
)

1
½
large heads red or green leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about
12
cups)

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into matchsticks

1 to
2
ounces crumbled blue cheese

1
.
Combine the onion, rice vinegar, and mint in a small bowl; toss and set aside to marinate.

2
.
Preheat the oven to
450
degrees F.

3
.
To make the dressing: Whisk together the cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl or glass measuring cup with a handle, and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the oil in thin stream. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

4
.
To make the salad: Put the mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush the mushrooms on both sides with dressing. Turn them stem-side up and roast until tender, about
15
minutes, brushing with dressing at
5
-minute intervals, reserving the leftover dressing. Set them aside to cool slightly.

5
.
Drain the onions, reserving the vinegar. Put the onions in a large bowl. Add the lettuce, bell pepper, and reserved dressing; toss. Taste and, if needed, season with the reserved rice vinegar, salt, and/or pepper. Divide the salad between six plates. Cut the mushrooms into
½
-inch slices. Fan them on top of the salads. Top with the cheese.

COOK'S NOTE
Snap or cut off the stems and wipe the mushroom caps with a moist paper towel.

Two complementary but different tastes and textures make the green onion a culinary powerhouse. The petite white bulb offers a flavor and aroma that are milder than larger yellow or brown onions. A subtle edge of sweetness makes this portion of the green onion a suitable substitute for shallots. The hollow, bright-green stalks have a more vegetal character, with a decisive scent that makes them appropriate to stand in for chives.

Green onions are versatile and can enhance a wide variety of dishes, but they also offer many health benefits.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per
1
/
4
cup raw, chopped)

calories
10

fat calories
0

total fat (g)
0

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0