The zest of citrus fruit consists of the colorful, flavorful peel without any of the bitter white pith still attached. To remove the zest, use a vegetable peeler, then scrape off any remaining pith with a small knife.
2 (3-inch) strips orange zest, very thinly sliced
¹/³ cup orange juice
4 teaspoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch salt
Pinch black pepper
2 cups lightly packed torn escarole or romaine lettuce
2 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 carrot, grated
½ red onion, very thinly sliced
To make dressing, combine orange zest and juice, lemon juice, lime juice, oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in small jar with tight-fitting lid; cover and shake well.
Toss together all remaining ingredients in salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat evenly.
Ingredients:
2 (3-inch) strips orange zest, very thinly sliced
¹/³ cup orange juice
4 teaspoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch salt
Pinch black pepper
2 cups lightly packed torn escarole or romaine lettuce
2 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 carrot, grated
½ red onion, very thinly sliced
Directions:
To make dressing, combine orange zest and juice, lemon juice, lime juice, oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in small jar with tight-fitting lid; cover and shake well.
Toss together all remaining ingredients in salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat evenly.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white
wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 sweet onion, cut into thin wedges
½ cup lightly packed fresh fl at-leaf parsley leaves
2 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
Directions:
To make dressing, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, oil, mustard, salt, and pepper in small bowl until blended.
Toss together tomatoes, onion, and parsley in large bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat evenly. Divide salad evenly among 6 plates. Sprinkle evenly with goat cheese.
Ingredients:
1 (2-pound) piece seedless watermelon, rind removed and cut into ¾-inch dice
2 large peaches, pitted and cut into ¾-inch pieces
2 mini (Persian) cucumbers, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white
wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup coarsely crumbled ricotta salata or feta cheese
1 scallion (white and light green parts only), cut into very thin strips
Directions:
Toss together all ingredients except ricotta salata and scallion in serving bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and scallion.
Use 4 cups of lightly packed torn romaine lettuce instead of 3 cups.
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 cups lightly packed torn romaine lettuce
1 large tomato, cut into thin wedges
1 mini (Persian) cucumber, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
½ red onion, thinly sliced
6 large pitted black olives, halved
¼ cup lightly packed fresh fl at-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
To make dressing, whisk together lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano, and black pepper in small bowl until blended.
Toss together all remaining ingredients except feta in salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with cheese.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 cups lightly packed torn romaine lettuce
1 large tomato, cut into thin wedges
1 mini (Persian) cucumber, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
½ red onion, thinly sliced
6 large pitted black olives, halved
¼ cup lightly packed fresh fl at-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
Directions:
To make dressing, whisk together lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano, and black pepper in small bowl until blended.
Toss together all remaining ingredients except feta in salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with cheese.
If you are especially fond of clementines, use 4 instead of 2.
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
6 cups lightly packed baby romaine lettuce
2 clementines, peeled and sectioned
¼ cup snipped fresh chives
2 tablespoons pecans, chopped and toasted
To make dressing, whisk together orange juice, oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl until well blended.
Toss together romaine, clementines, chives, and pecans in salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat evenly.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
6 cups lightly packed baby romaine lettuce
2 clementines, peeled and sectioned
¼ cup snipped fresh chives
2 tablespoons pecans, chopped and toasted
Directions:
To make dressing, whisk together orange juice, oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl until well blended.
Toss together romaine, clementines, chives, and pecans in salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat evenly.
If you prefer that the apple doesn’t turn pink from the beets, put the apple in a small bowl and toss it with a small amount of the dressing. Pile the apple on top of the salad.
1 bunch beets (about 1 pound), trimmed
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, cored, and diced
1 bunch watercress, trimmed
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¹/8 teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender, about 1 hour. Unwrap beets.
When beets are cool enough to handle, slip off their skins and dice. Toss together beets, apple, and watercress in salad bowl.
To make dressing, whisk together all remaining ingredients in small bowl until well blended. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well to coat evenly.
Ingredients:
1 bunch beets (about 1 pound), trimmed
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, cored, and diced
1 bunch watercress, trimmed
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¹/8 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender, about 1 hour. Unwrap beets.
When beets are cool enough to handle, slip off their skins and dice. Toss together beets, apple, and watercress in salad bowl.
To make dressing, whisk together all remaining ingredients in small bowl until well blended. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well to coat evenly.
Using only the small inner romaine lettuce leaves makes this Caesar salad especially striking when mounded on plates.
1 cup cubes (¾-inch) whole grain bread
1 small garlic clove, peeled
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
Pinch black pepper
8 cups lightly packed small romaine lettuce leaves
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Put bread cubes in bowl; spray with nonstick spray. Spread in baking pan. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
With side of knife, mash garlic with salt.
To make dressing, whisk together broth, 1 tablespoon of Parmesan, the oil, mayonnaise, parsley, vinegar, mustard, anchovy paste, garlic paste, and pepper in small bowl until blended.
Put romaine and croutons in large bowl; drizzle dressing over and toss to coat evenly. Divide salad evenly among 6 plates; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cheese.
Ingredients:
1 cup cubes (¾-inch) whole grain bread
1 small garlic clove, peeled
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
Pinch black pepper
8 cups lightly packed small romaine lettuce leaves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Put bread cubes in bowl; spray with nonstick spray. Spread in baking pan. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
With side of knife, mash garlic with salt.
To make dressing, whisk together broth, 1 tablespoon of Parmesan, the oil, mayonnaise, parsley, vinegar, mustard, anchovy paste, garlic paste, and pepper in small bowl until blended.
Put romaine and croutons in large bowl; drizzle dressing over and toss to coat evenly. Divide salad evenly among 6 plates; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cheese.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons Asian fi sh sauce
½ teaspoon Thai red curry paste
¾ pound thinly sliced lean roast beef, cut into thin strips
1 small carrot, grated
½ small red bell pepper, diced
1 tomato, halved, seeded, and diced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
2 mini (Persian) cucumbers, thinly sliced
¹/³ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
6 large Boston lettuce leaves
¼ cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
Lime wedges
Directions:
Whisk together lime juice, sugar, fi sh sauce, and curry paste in small bowl until sugar is dissolved.
Toss together roast beef, carrot, bell pepper, tomato, onion, cucumbers, cilantro, and mint in large bowl. Add lime juice mixture, tossing until mixed well.
Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 6 plates and top each with about ¾ cup of roast beef mixture. Sprinkle evenly with peanuts and serve with lime wedges.
This caponata freezes well. Transfer the cooled caponata to a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small eggplant (¾ pound), peeled and diced
¹/³ cup water
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 tablespoon capers, drained
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
8 pitted green olives, sliced
4 large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Add eggplant and water to skillet; cook, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in tomato, raisins, capers, salt, and pepper; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until eggplant is softened, about 4 minutes longer.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in olives and basil. Let cool to room temperature. Serve at once or refrigerate in covered container up to 3 days.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small eggplant (¾ pound), peeled and diced
¹/³ cup water
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 tablespoon capers, drained
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
8 pitted green olives, sliced
4 large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Directions:
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Add eggplant and water to skillet; cook, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in tomato, raisins, capers, salt, and pepper; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until eggplant is softened, about 4 minutes longer.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in olives and basil. Let cool to room temperature. Serve at once or refrigerate in covered container up to 3 days.
Ingredients:
For the salad:1 tomato, finely chopped
4 tbsp finely chopped cucumber
1 green chilli, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
handful coriander leaves and stalks, chopped
2 tbsp salted peanuts, roughly chopped
1 heaped tbsp desiccated coconut
¼ tsp grated ginger
salt, to taste
For the spices:
1 tsp vegetable oil
¼ tsp mustard seeds
few curry leaves
1 tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
Directions:
For the salad, mix together all the salad ingredients in a bowl.
For the spices, heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they begin to splutter, add the curry leaves and remove from the heat. Add the lemon juice and stir.
To serve, pour the spice mixture over the salad and stir to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
This salad chapter would not be complete without a salad with hearts of palm—one of my favorite foods. Hearts of palm grow mostly in Brazil and Costa Rica, but can also be found in Florida, where they have the far less appealing name of swamp cabbage. Outside of the tropics, they are usually sold in jars or cans. Each pale green stalk is 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter and resembles a cheese stick. They taste like a cross between artichoke hearts and asparagus, with a slightly crunchy, delicate texture. The tropical ingredients in this salad—avocado, macadamia nuts, and lime marinade for the shrimp—complement the hearts of palm well.
The deep, fruity flavor of black fig vinegar is worth seeking out at a gourmet store or from a mail order source. The vinegar is sweetened with black fig juice. My favorite brand is Cuisine Perel fig vinegar. In a pinch, raspberry vinegar may be substituted.
Even though most salads are considered light fare, a Cobb salad is substantial enough to make a one-dish meal. Created by Bob Cobb in the 1920s at the Brown Derby restaurant in Los Angeles, it has become a classic that New Englanders enjoy, too. Its combination of salad greens, tomatoes, avocados, chicken, bacon, blue cheese, and hard-boiled eggs supplies you with plenty of vegetables and protein.
Heirloom tomatoes are so special and delicious that it is worth the wait until their arrival at the market in late August. A seller at my local Farmers’ Market has won all kinds of awards for her heirloom tomatoes. She describes each one like one of her children. I always visit her booth first because I want to get the first pick. She never lets me in early, even when I am wearing my chef ’s uniform. The minute the market opens, I rush up and fill my basket. This simple salad dresses the tomatoes up to their best advantage. It would go well with grilled steak, especially rib eye.
I gave this recipe an ambitious name because I’ve eaten too many potato salads that are far from perfect—ruined by mushy potatoes, goopy dressing, and mayonnaise that dull the flavors. I start this salad with Yukon Gold potatoes, which have a built-in buttery flavor and don’t fall apart easily when cooked. Just after they finish cooking, I pour vinaigrette over them so they can absorb the flavor as they cool. The mayonnaise is just enough to hold the salad together. Chopped bell pepper, onion, and pickles add color and crunch. Eggs keep everything fluffy. You can feel proud to bring this salad to any picnic or barbecue.
It’s filled with color and flavor from the bell peppers, tomatoes, scallions, and red onions. The freshly-squeezed lemon juice and fresh mint give it a clean finish. Serve it plain or as a stuffing for pita bread. It also goes well with Homemade Toasted Pita Chips (see Syrian Chickpea Soup recipe).
