Wednesday, May 3, 2006
Get out the whisk. Plan on spending some quality time this spring, in the kitchen. It's worth it.
By CECE SULLIVAN
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
There are lots of ways to make a salad.
You can make a quick stop at the neighborhood supermarket, fill a plastic container with all sorts of chopped veggies and greens, grab a fork and be on your way.
Or you can tear open one of those prepared salad mixes, dump it in a bowl and toss in the contents of the enclosed package of dressing. There you are. Feed your face.
Today's salads are for those who -- guess what? -- like to cook. You know, actually take the time to shell peas and snap asparagus spears. And to wash a few vegetables. And dry them, too! Yes, I'm asking you to stand in a kitchen longer than five minutes. To whisk a vinaigrette instead of opening a bottle of Newman's Own. To make something special.
Can't take it?
That's OK. Because what I'm offering here is a kind of mix-and-match approach to salads. Yes, you'll find those packaged salad mixes that you can toss with a simple homemade dressing. And maybe toss in a few extras such as quickly cooked asparagus or strips of jarred roasted bell peppers. And that's fine.
When you find the time, though -- say, on a weekend -- you may want to choose to roast some baby artichokes or beets. To shell those peas that smell of spring grass. To whip a bit of walnut oil into soft goat cheese. You'll find the results are worth the time. It's time spent making something just a bit finer, and pretty special.
ARTICHOKES, 2 WAYS
1/2 lemon
Pan-Fried Artichokes:
3 globe artichokes
11/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Roasted Artichokes:
16 baby artichokes
2 medium cloves garlic, lightly crushed but not peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper
To prepare artichokes for both preparations: Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze the lemon half into it. Working with one artichoke at a time, cut stems of artichokes flush with base. Snap off the tough, outer artichoke leaves until the light yellow inner core is reached. Cut off the pointed tips and use a paring knife to remove dark green leaf bases around the heart. Cut in half and remove the fuzzy choke with a paring knife. Rinse with cold water, then drop into the bowl of lemon-water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.
To make Pan-Fried Artichokes: Cut artichokes lengthwise into thin slices and drop back into the lemon-water. When all of the artichokes have been prepared, drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Heat a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat. Add artichokes and reduce heat to medium. Cook about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until chokes are browned, crispy and tender. Remove from heat and set aside. Once cooled, the artichokes can be refrigerated 24 hours.
To make Roasted Artichokes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain the artichokes well, then place cut-side down on paper towels for a few minutes. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet, add garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper; toss with a wide spatula. Roast artichokes 10 minutes, toss and continue roasting 8 to 10 minutes or until very tender. Remove from heat and set aside. (The artichokes can be refrigerated 24 hours. Set the garlic aside for the Lemon Vinaigrette.)
Makes 4 side-dish salads.
LEMON VINAIGRETTE
2 roasted cloves garlic (reserved from Roasted Artichokes) or 1 medium clove garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Squeeze the garlic from its skins into a bowl. Add lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and a few grindings black pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil to make an emulsified vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 week. Let come to room temperature before serving.
Serves 4.
From "Artisanal Cooking: A Chef Shares His Passion for Handcrafting Great Meals at Home" by Terrance Brennan and Andrew Friedman
ARTICHOKE SALAD WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE
Roasted Artichokes
2 jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed
3 cups stemmed arugula leaves
3 cups stemmed mixed baby or spring greens
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon Vinaigrette
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
Make Roasted Artichokes and set aside.
Cut red peppers into thin strips and refrigerate until ready to use. Prepare arugula and other greens. Put into a bowl, cover with a paper towel and refrigerate. Mix ricotta cheese with a little salt and pepper; refrigerate.
When ready to serve, dress the greens with some of the Lemon Vinaigrette and divide between 4 dinner plates. Top with the roasted artichokes, then surround with peppers and tomato. Sprinkle with pine nuts and shaved Parmesan. Spoon ricotta on top, drizzle with a little more dressing and serve.
Simplified salad: Toss roasted peppers and 4 cups greens with a little vinaigrette. Shave some Parmesan over the top. Serves 2.
Serves 4.
Adapted from "Artisanal Cooking: A Chef Shares His Passion for Handcrafting Great Meals at Home" by Terrance Brennan and Andrew Friedman
SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD WITH HERB VINAIGRETTE AND PARMESAN LACE
Parmesan Lace:
Baker's parchment paper
1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 pound English peas (in pod)
1 pound asparagus
Pan-Fried Artichokes
1/4 cup Herbed Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon finely minced chives
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh dill weed
2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh basil leaves
4 cups stemmed spring lettuce mix
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare Parmesan Lace by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread Parmesan into a rough 7-by-4-inch rectangle and bake on center rack until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer parchment to a cooling rack.
Prepare a bowl of ice water. Shell the peas and measure a generous 1 cup. Snap ends from asparagus spears and cut into 2-inch pieces. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add peas and time 1 minute. Transfer with a strainer to the ice water. When cooled transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Add asparagus to the boiling water and time 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer with a strainer to the ice water. When chilled, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. When vegetables have dried a bit, combine in a bowl, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
Prepare Pan-Fried Artichokes and set aside. Cover and refrigerate if not using right away. Prepare Herbed Vinaigrette and set aside; refrigerate if not using within an hour. Combine chives, dill, basil and spring lettuce mix in a bowl. Cover with a paper towel and refrigerate up to 2 hours.
Toss greens with a little vinaigrette and divide among plates. Toss asparagus and peas with some vinaigrette and spoon on top of the greens. Top with artichokes and some of the Parmesan Lace. Drizzle with a little vinaigrette and serve.
Simplified Salad: Combine herbs with salad mix and toss with a little vinaigrette and a few defrosted frozen peas. Use a vegetable peeler to remove a few paper-thin slices from a wedge of Parmesan, sprinkle over the salad and serve. Four cups of dressed greens will serve two.
Serves 4.
Adapted from "Artisanal Cooking: A Chef Shares His Passion for Handcrafting Great Meals at Home" by Terrance Brennan and Andrew Friedman
HERBED VINAIGRETTE
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
2 teaspoons minced fresh chives
1 to 2 tablespoons water
Whisk together mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil to create a smooth emulsion. Stir in basil, dill and chives. If the vinaigrette seems too thick, whisk in a tablespoon or so of water.
Kitchen Notes: This vinaigrette is a good, basic dressing that can be paired with any tossed salad. It will hold in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
Makes about 11/2 cups.
From "Artisanal Cooking: A Chef Shares His Passion for Handcrafting Great Meals at Home" by Terrance Brennan and Andrew Friedman
BEET SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE MOUSSE AND WALNUT VINAIGRETTE
11/2 pounds beets, rinsed and scrubbed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened at room temperature
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 medium Belgian endive
31/2 cups lightly packed stemmed arugula leaves
Walnut Vinaigrette
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil and drizzle olive oil over each. Wrap up the sides of the aluminum foil to create a bundle. Place on a cookie sheet and roast until a thin-bladed knife pierces easily into the center of each beet, 11/2 to 2 hours.
Spread walnuts in a small baking dish; put into oven with beets and bake 6 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Combine goat cheese, walnut oil, salt and a little black pepper. Use a wooden spoon to stir vigorously until the cheese is whipped to a mousselike consistency. Cover and refrigerate. (The mousse should be served at room temperature. It can be refrigerated 24 hours, but remove 1 hour before serving.)
When the beets are tender, remove from the oven and cool. Remove the skins with a paring knife and cut into 3/4-inch dice. The beets can be prepared 24 hours ahead. Put into a plastic container, cover and refrigerate.
When ready to serve, spoon about half of the Walnut Vinaigrette over the beets and toss well. Put the endive and arugula in a bowl and toss with enough dressing to lightly coat. Divide among four plates and top with beets. Sprinkle with walnuts and put a tablespoon of the whipped goat cheese on top.
Simplified salad: Roast the beets, slice thinly and marinate about 10 minutes in some of the Walnut Vinaigrette. Sprinkle with a few chopped walnuts.
Serves 4.
From "Artisanal Cooking: A Chef Shares His Passion for Handcrafting Great Meals at Home" by Terrance Brennan and Andrew Friedman
WALNUT VINAIGRETTE
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely minced shallots
1/4 cup walnut oil
11/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Put vinegar and shallots in a mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in oils, then whisk in salt and about 6 grinds of pepper. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Note: The vinaigrette can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving.
Makes about 3/4 cup
From "Artisanal Cooking: A Chef Shares His Passion for Handcrafting Great Meals at Home" by Terrance Brennan and Andrew Friedman.