Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites (10 page)

I love salads and veggies, and when done right they can be a completely satisfying meal. I grew up eating lots of salads, though they didn’t necessarily involve a big bowl of lettuce. In Italy, a salad can be so many different things, and I’ve carried that philosophy with me. For me, a good salad incorporates fresh, seasonal, and colorful ingredients; an element of crunch; and a bright dressing to round out the flavors. Sicilians are known for combining local fruits and nuts in their salads, and my Cantaloupe, Red Onion, and Walnut Salad is a good example. In Rome, the salads are more substantial, like an antipasto, and any lettuce is almost an afterthought. For people who don’t normally like green veggies, I recommend my Spicy Parmesan Green Beans and Kale, because with the red pepper and Parmesan cheese, it’s a dish to make you fall in love with vegetables again.

In Sardinia melon, watermelon, and other sweet fruits often find their way into salads. Watermelon is used most commonly, but I find it’s easier to get good cantaloupe year-round. This is very fresh tasting and refreshing, and because I always like a little crunch in my salads, I’ve added some toasted walnuts. Sometimes I add some grated Pecorino cheese to this as well. Serve this after the meal as a palate cleanser before—or instead of—dessert.

4 to 6 servings

To make the vinaigrette,
combine the orange juice, lemon juice, and raspberry vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make the salad,
combine the cantaloupe, red onion, arugula, and ½ cup of the walnuts in a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Garnish with the remaining walnuts.

Midway between an antipasto plate and a salad, this is typical of the kind of salads you’ll find in Rome, which rarely feature a lot of lettuce. Don’t be put off by the anchovies; they are chopped fine and contribute a big kick of flavor and saltiness. Serve it along with a plate of sliced deli meats for a picnic or fall lunch.

4 servings

Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to cook over low heat until it is thick, syrupy, and reduced to about ¼ cup, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Combine the olives, parsley, anchovies, capers, garlic, basil, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl and toss to combine.

To serve,
use a serrated knife to cut the tomatoes into ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange the tomatoes on a serving plate, overlapping slightly. Spoon the olive and parsley mixture over the tomatoes. Drizzle the balsamic syrup over the salad and serve.

I always prefer to use Japanese eggplants when I can because I find they are less bitter and don’t require salting the way bigger eggplants sometimes do. This is a very substantial salad and also very good looking, with pretty layers of eggplant, cheese, and nuts.

4 to 6 servings

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Place the eggplant slices on a sheet pan or in a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil; toss to coat with the oil. Grill the eggplant slices until tender and grill marks appear, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Place the eggplant slices side-by-side on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, goat cheese, basil, and mint. Drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Fennel is best served from fall to spring, when it’s in season, and there are a million different ways to take advantage of its crunchy sweetness. Here, the raw bulbs are sliced and dressed with a nutty pistachio pesto and salty bites of prosciutto. The flavors just pair so well together.

4 to 6 servings

For the pistachio pesto:
Combine the parsley, pistachios, thyme, and garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor and blend until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually drizzle in the olive oil, processing until well blended. Season the pesto with salt and pepper to taste.

For the fennel slaw:
Trim the tops and bottoms of the fennel bulbs, discarding the stalks and leafy tops. Halve the bulbs and cut out the cores, then slice the bulbs thinly crosswise. Place the sliced fennel in a large serving bowl. Add the pesto and toss to coat well. Tear the prosciutto into 1-inch pieces and add to the bowl. Gently toss to combine.