Nuts in the Kitchen (10 page)
Salads
A
salad is one of the best reflections of the season’s bounty. In this collection of recipes, each season is represented, from winter through autumn. Winter salads are composed of greens with earthier flavors, like escarole and curly endive, whereas spring and summer salads are lighter and include flowers and more tender greens such as butter and oak leaf lettuce and young arugula. Nuts make these salads special and extraordinarily tasty and healthful as they add their flavors, textures, and considerable health benefits.
Serve these salads as a beginning or an end to a meal or even as a light main course.
En avant
—let’s go—for the season’s best!
Millet with Saffron and Walnuts
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Millet, an ancient, toothsome grain, was considered sacred in China as far back as 4000
B.C.
, where it was eaten and fermented into wine. In India, millet was used to make flat-bread thousands of years ago, and millet grew with pistachios and other plants in the hanging gardens of Babylon. There are many varieties of millet—supposedly even crab-grass is a relative, and teff, the grain used to make the fluffy Ethiopian bread called
injera,
is another variety.
Millet has a delicate flavor, making it a perfect backdrop for spices, herbs, and walnuts, as here. This is ideal as a vegetarian main course, or it can be served alongside steamed or grilled meat or fish. Take it along on a picnic, too, for a tasty change. This is lovely with a lightly chilled Beaujolais.
1 cup (200 g) millet
½ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed using a mortar and pestle
2 fresh bay leaves or dried imported bay leaves
1 6-inch-long rosemary branch
1 large bunch of chives
½ cup (5 g) cilantro leaves
½ cup (50 g) walnuts, toasted and nely chopped
Fine sea salt
½ cup (125 ml) yogurt
Note:
Toasting the millet brings out its flavor. A plus to this tiny grain is that it contains no gluten and can be substituted in any recipe calling for rice.
1.
In a large skillet over high heat, toast the millet until it begins to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the millet to a medium saucepan. Add 2½ cups (625 ml) water, the saffron, bay leaves, and rosemary, and bring to a boil, covered. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
2.
Mince the chives and the cilantro.
3.
Place the millet in a medium bowl and fluff it with a fork. Stir in the cilantro, chives, and walnuts. Season with salt to taste, remove the bay leaves and rosemary branch, and serve, with the yogurt alongside.
Watercress and Beet Salad with Almonds
Makes 6 servings
This salad bounces around the palate the way winter sun bounces off snow. It is bright and vivid in both color and flavor, and every time I serve it, murmurs of delight fill the room. Serve this during winter and into spring, when watercress is fleshy and green, and beets are filled with deep sugar.
Generous ½ cup (95 g) almonds, lightly toasted, or 24 green almonds
1 medium or 2 small beets
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1
/
3
cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, sliced paper-thin
6 cups watercress sprigs
Note:
If you can still get watercress in early summer, sprinkle the salad with the raw green almonds available then instead of mature almonds—green almonds are tender and white, and they have an elusive almond flavor and aroma. They are available from www.greenalmonds.com. This salad with its deep green and lusty dark red colors is also great for Christmas dinner.
Serve a lightly chilled white wine such as a Gaillac from Domaine Peyres Roses.
1.
Coarsely chop the toasted almonds. Or, if using raw, green almonds, crack the outer shell and peel off the inner golden skin to reveal the tender young almond. Reserve.
2.
Bring 3 cups water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer. Add the beets to the steamer and steam until they are tender through, 30 to 40 minutes. When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and cut them into small dice. Reserve.
3.
In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with salt and pepper to taste until the salt dissolves. Slowly whisk in the olive
oil until the mixture is emulsified. Stir in the shallots and season to taste.
4.
Place 2 tablespoons of the dressing in a small bowl. Add the diced beet and toss so all the pieces are coated thoroughly with dressing. Reserve.
5.
Add the watercress to the remaining dressing in the large bowl, toss gently but thoroughly so the watercress leaves are coated with the dressing, and then add the almonds. Toss again and divide among six plates, making sure the almonds are arranged so they can be seen. Sprinkle equal amounts of the beets atop the salad and serve immediately.
Edgy Greens with Roquefort and Hazelnuts
Makes 6 servings
Johanne Killeen and George Germon of Al Forno and Tini restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island, have a lively interest in food and life, which shows in this robust and satisfying salad. What makes this salad special is the combination of intense flavors and textures, from the creamy saltiness of the Roquefort to the nuttiness of toasted hazelnuts echoed in the hazelnut oil, and finally the cacophony of flavors from the edgy greens and endive.
I use the term
edgy greens
instead of
bitter greens
because calling greens bitter isn’t really fair. The word
bitter
is off-putting. In fact, “bitter” greens are those with taste—and a certain edge.
This salad calls for a Chardonnay without much oak, such as one from Domaine Mont d’Hortes.
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon ne sea salt
1 small egg yolk (optional)
1 shallot, sliced paper-thin
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup (40 g) hazelnuts, lightly toasted and nely ground
10 cups (270 g) edgy greens, such as radicchio, dandelion greens, and curly endive, washed and torn into small pieces
2 Belgian endives, trimmed and cut into thin lengthwise slices
6 ounces (180 g) Roquefort cheese, at room temperature
Freshly ground black pepper
Note:
The vinaigrette contains a raw egg yolk. If you prefer, you may omit this from the recipe. The vinaigrette will not be as creamy without it, but it will be tasty.
1.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegars, salt, and egg yolk if using. Whisk in the sliced shallot, then slowly add the oils, whisking constantly, until the mixture is emulsified. Whisk in the ground hazelnuts, which will further thicken the vinaigrette.
2.
Place the greens and the endives in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss thoroughly until all the leaves are
coated. Evenly divide the salad among six salad plates. Crumble equal amounts of the Roquefort over each salad, then season generously with black pepper. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings
Just the name of this dish makes me want to sit down at table, fork in hand, ready to tuck in. I love red peppers just about any way, though grilled and dressed with extra virgin olive oil is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them. Here they’re dressed up with feta cheese and pine nuts, and they make a fine, satisfying first course, an accompaniment to grilled meat, fish, or poultry, a sandwich filling…you name it.
Serve this with a lively red wine, such as a Fronton from Château la Colombière in southwest France.
2 pounds (1 kg/4 large) red bell peppers, roasted (Chapter Salads), peeled, and seeded
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2½ ounces (75 g) feta cheese
1 cup (8 g) flat-leaf parsley leaves, gently packed
¼ cup (35 g) pine nuts, lightly toasted
Note:
Look for pine nuts from Italy, which are slender and torpedo shaped, rather than those from China, which are flat and almost triangular, as the flavor and texture of the former are far superior.
Also, when buying feta cheese, buy it in a single piece if you can. Turkish and Greek fetas, made from sheep’s milk, are the best.
There are several ways to roast a pepper; Chapter Salads.
1.
Be sure the peppers are thoroughly cleaned and there are no seeds hiding in them anywhere. Cut the flesh into ¼-inch (.6-cm) wide strips. Place the strips in a bowl, toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and reserve.
2.
Place the feta into a small bowl and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Gently mix the oil into the feta with your fingers or a fork, crumbling the feta as you mix, but not mashing it. Reserve.
3.
Just before you plan to serve the peppers, mince the parsley, add it to the peppers, and toss until the peppers
and parsley are thoroughly combined. Transfer the peppers to four salad plates. Arrange an equal amount of the feta on top of each portion, then sprinkle the pine nuts, which should be nice and golden, over all. Serve with fresh bread or crackers.
Under the Broiler:
Place the oven rack 3 inches from the broiler element. Place the peppers on a sheet of aluminum foil and broil, turning them frequently. When the skin is completely dark, after 6 to 8 minutes, remove the peppers from the oven and wrap them in the aluminum foil.
On the Stovetop:
Turn the flame to high and balance as many peppers on the burner as will fit easily. Once the skin in contact with the flame turns black, rotate the pepper. When the peppers are black all over, transfer them to a waiting paper bag, close the bag, and let the peppers cool to room temperature.
On the Grill:
Place the peppers about 11 2 inches (4 cm) from the coals and turn them frequently, until they are black all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a paper bag, close the bag, and let cool to room temperature.
When the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove as much skin as you can using your fingers. Then cut off or pull out the stem end, carefully so that it brings as many of the seeds with it as possible. Cut open the pepper
and scrape out the remaining seeds. Trim away any white ribs from the pepper. Turn over the pepper and place it on a clean work surface. Remove any remaining black skin by scraping the pepper with a knife or using a paper towel. Avoid rinsing the peppers, which will wash away their flavor.
Butternut Squash and Arugula Salad
Makes 6 servings
This recipe came to me from Nancy Dow, who visited our home from Australia as part of an international goodwill organization. What I love about it is…well…everything, from the lushness of the squash and garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas) to the toasty crunch of the pumpkin seeds. It’s colorful, it’s lively, it’s filled with good things, and most of all it tastes simply wonderful. This salad makes a substantial main-course dish for a vegetarian meal.
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
Zest of 1 lime, minced
3 tablespoons (45 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
¼ teaspoon hot paprika, or to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (90 ml) extra virgin olive oil
FOR THE CHICKPEAS:
1 cup (200 g) dried chickpeas (to give 2 cups cooked chickpeas)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 spring onion or 3 scallions with about 2 inches (5 cm) of their green tops intact, trimmed and diced
TO COOK THE SQUASH:
3 pounds (1.5 kg) butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and reserved, flesh cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR SERVING:
1 cup (10 g) cilantro leaves, gently packed
½ cup (5 g) flat-leaf parsley leaves, gently packed
8 cups arugula leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces
¼ cup (35 g) squash seeds, lightly toasted
Fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Note:
The recipe calls for butternut squash, which is luscious here, but you may substitute any winter squash except for a jack-o’-lantern-type pumpkin. Cute as they may be, they have very little flavor, and their texture is too watery to hold up.
As you toast the seeds, quickly over medium heat, they’ll pop and crackle to let you know when they’re toasted through.
Note, too, that you may use canned chickpeas here; they aren’t as tasty as those you’ll cook, but they will do in a pinch.
1.
Place the lime zest in a small bowl. Whisk in the lime juice, cumin, paprika, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste for seasoning and reserve.
2.
Place the chickpeas in a saucepan and cover them with 2 inches (5 cm) of water. Add ½ teaspoon of the cumin seeds and the baking soda and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let sit for 1 hour. Drain the chickpeas and cover them with 2 inches (5 cm) of water. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat
so the chickpeas are boiling gently and cook, partially covered, until the chickpeas are tender through but still somewhat crisp and have nearly doubled in size, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain, reserving the cooking liquid. Add half the lime vinaigrette to the chickpeas and toss. Add the onion or scallions and toss. Cool to room temperature.
3.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the squash in a bowl, toss with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Turn out the squash onto a baking sheet or a roasting pan and roast in the center of the oven until it is tender through, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and prepare the rest of the salad.
4.
Mince the cilantro and the parsley leaves and whisk them with a bit of the vinaigrette.
5.
To serve, toss the arugula with all but 2 tablespoons of the remaining vinaigrette and arrange the leaves on a large serving platter. Taste the chickpeas for seasoning and moisture and adjust. If they seem dry, add some of the cooking liquid, tablespoon by tablespoon, until they are moist, then spoon them atop the arugula. Place the warm squash atop the chickpeas and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the seeds, season with fleur de sel and pepper, if desired, and serve.