The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (19 page)
Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Ingredients for chef’s salads are often haphazard and vague, resulting in bland, muddled flavors, while the procedures are often fussy, time-consuming, and ultimately self-defeating. We wanted a hearty green salad topped with boiled eggs, tomatoes, cold meats, and cheese bound together with a brightly flavored vinaigrette. For our ideal salad, we chose sturdy but mild greens like Bibb, romaine, and red- and green-leaf lettuces, which held their shape under the weight of the other components and stood up to the strong flavors of the meat and cheese. We also included a small amount of spicy greens, such as watercress or arugula, to add bite. We found that thick slices of meat and cheese nicely complemented the greens and that an acidic vinaigrette held its own among the rich components of the salad.
SERVES 6 TO 8
At the deli counter, be sure to have the meats and cheeses sliced ¹⁄
4
inch thick.
VINAIGRETTE
6 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
3 | tablespoons red wine vinegar |
2 | teaspoons minced shallot |
1 | garlic clove, minced |
1 | teaspoon minced fresh thyme |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
SALAD
1 | cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced crosswise ¹⁄ |
2 | heads leaf lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 3 quarts) |
8 | ounces (8 cups) baby arugula |
6 | ounces radishes, trimmed, halved, and sliced thin |
12 | ounces cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large |
3 | FOOLPROOF HARD-COOKED EGGS |
8 | ounces deli ham, sliced ¹⁄ |
8 | ounces deli turkey, sliced ¹⁄ |
8 | ounces sharp cheddar cheese, sliced ¹⁄ |
1¹⁄ | cups |
1. FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl until combined. Add cucumber to vinaigrette and toss; let stand 20 minutes.
2. FOR THE SALAD:
Toss lettuce, arugula, and radishes in large, wide serving bowl. Add cucumbers and all but 1 tablespoon dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss tomatoes in remaining dressing in bowl; arrange tomatoes around perimeter of greens. Arrange egg wedges in ring inside tomatoes and drizzle with any dressing in bowl. Arrange ham, turkey, and cheese over center of greens; sprinkle with croutons and serve immediately.
SERVES 6 TO 8
If you can’t find water-packed artichoke hearts, use marinated artichoke hearts, but rinse and drain them before use. For this salad, opt for a mild, soft Asiago cheese that crumbles easily; avoid aged Asiago that has a hard, dry texture.
VINAIGRETTE
6 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
3 | tablespoons balsamic vinegar |
1 | teaspoon minced garlic |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
SALAD
2 | heads romaine lettuce (1¹⁄ |
4 | ounces (4 cups) watercress, torn into 2-inch pieces |
1 | small fennel bulb, stalks discarded, halved, cored, and sliced thin |
¹⁄ | cup chopped fresh parsley |
1 | cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry, and cut crosswise into ¹⁄ |
1 | (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and halved |
8 | ounces hard salami, sliced ¹⁄ |
8 | ounces deli turkey, sliced ¹⁄ |
8 | ounces Asiago cheese, crumbled (2 cups) |
1¹⁄ | cups |
¹⁄ | cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped |
1. FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl until combined.
2. FOR THE SALAD:
Toss romaine, watercress, fennel, and parsley in large serving bowl. Add all but 1 tablespoon dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss peppers and artichokes in remaining dressing, then arrange around perimeter of greens. Arrange salami, turkey, and cheese over center of greens; top with croutons and olives. Serve immediately.
SERVES 6 TO 8
VINAIGRETTE
6 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
3 | tablespoons sherry vinegar |
2 | teaspoons Dijon mustard |
1 | garlic clove, minced |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
SALAD
6 | slices thick-cut bacon, cut into ¹⁄ |
14 | ounces (14 cups) flat-leaf spinach |
1 | small head radicchio (6 ounces), leaves separated and cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | Belgian endive (4 ounces), halved, cored, and cut crosswise into ¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup fresh basil leaves, torn into bite-size pieces |
¹⁄ | red onion, sliced very thin |
2 | avocados, halved, pitted, and cut into ¹⁄ |
8 | ounces deli chicken breast, sliced ¹⁄ |
8 | ounces Gouda cheese (regular or smoked), sliced ¹⁄ |
1¹⁄ | cups |
1. FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl until combined.
2. FOR THE SALAD:
Cook bacon in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Combine spinach, radicchio, endive, and basil in large serving bowl. Add onion and all but 1 tablespoon dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss avocados in remaining dressing in bowl; arrange avocados around perimeter of greens. Arrange chicken and cheese over center of greens; sprinkle with bacon and croutons and serve immediately.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Chopped salads should be lively, thoughtfully chosen compositions of lettuce, vegetables, and perhaps fruit, cut into bite-size pieces, with supporting players like nuts and cheese contributing hearty flavors and textures. Too often, though, the salad is a bland mix of watery vegetables. To prevent the cut-up produce from exuding moisture, we turned to techniques like seeding cucumbers and quartering grape tomatoes before salting them to expose more surface area to the salt. An assertive combination of equal parts oil and vinegar delivered the bright acidic flavor we were looking for in our dressing. Briefly marinating the other ingredients in the dressing delivered an additional flavor boost.
SERVES 4
Pecans can be substituted for the walnuts. Good apple choices include Braeburn, Jonagold, and Red Delicious.
1 | cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ¹⁄ |
Salt and pepper | |
3 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
3 | tablespoons white wine vinegar |
1 | fennel bulb, stalks discarded, halved, cored, and cut into ¹⁄ |
2 | apples, cored and cut into ¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | small red onion, chopped fine |
¹⁄ | cup chopped fresh tarragon |
1 | romaine lettuce heart (6 ounces), cut into ¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup walnuts, toasted and chopped |
4 | ounces goat cheese, crumbled (1 cup) |
1.
Combine cucumber and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt in colander set over bowl and let stand 15 minutes.
2.
Whisk oil and vinegar together in large bowl. Add drained cucumber, fennel, apples, onion, and tarragon; toss and let stand at room temperature to blend flavors, 5 minutes.
3.
Add romaine and walnuts; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide salad among plates; top each with some goat cheese and serve.
SERVES 4
In-season cherry tomatoes can be substituted for the grape tomatoes.
1 | cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ¹⁄ |
10 | ounces grape tomatoes, quartered |
Salt and pepper | |
3 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
3 | tablespoons red wine vinegar |
1 | garlic clove, minced |
1 | (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed |
¹⁄ | cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped |
¹⁄ | small red onion, chopped fine |
¹⁄ | cup chopped fresh parsley |
1 | romaine lettuce heart (6 ounces), cut into ¹⁄ |
4 | ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup) |
1.
Combine cucumber, tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt in colander set over bowl and let stand 15 minutes.
2.
Whisk oil, vinegar, and garlic together in large bowl. Add drained cucumber and tomatoes, chickpeas, olives, onion, and parsley; toss and let stand at room temperature to blend flavors, 5 minutes.
3.
Add romaine and feta; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.