Hot Days, Cold Salads
It's been so long since my last post--which was about braising--and the weather has changed dramatically since then.
I regret not posting some of the wonderful dishes I've made lately, but I wanted to share a couple of salads that I felt were exceptionally awesome in these late summer months.
San Francisco has finally been heating up; our late Indian Summer has arrived, and all I've really wanted is a cold raw salad -- something that doesn't involve turning on the stove. The two salads are significantly different, but I was even surprised by how much I really enjoyed them. We made big batches of both of them, and to my surprise, they were easily consumed in one sitting.
The shaved Brussels sprout salad was again the result of unwanted vegetables. My occasional trip across the bridge to Berkeley Bowl yielded wonderful results, including a giant bag of yellowing Brussels. Once I peeled off some of the outer layers, they were perfectly fine and no different from a fresh sprout. The rest of the ingredients were things that I had laying around, like the wilting fennel bulb and spring onion in the veggie drawer of the fridge. I also had just made fresh ricotta days before as a result of a bunch of spoiling milk at work. The ricotta adds a wonderful richness to the dish that's very heavy on the veg, but still keeps it light.
The chickpea salad is a wonderful panty salad/kitchen sink recipe. My partner makes a variation of the dish, which I absolutely love and is what inspired my lunch today. The combination of pantry staples -- chickpeas, tuna, eggs and condiments -- work together so well, and I could easily enjoy this salad every day, or another variation of it. Definitely feel free to sub out different vegetables, or whatever you have. This particular variation has many ingredients, some more important than others. I have totally subbed out the arugula with shaved brussels; the tuna with smoked trout; added avocado, etc.
Brussels Spouts | Fennel | Spring Onion
Serves 2
If not interested in using fresh ricotta, take this salad in a different cheese direction and use grated manchego.
1 lb Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced or shaved
1 small head fennel, thinly sliced or shaved
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup kombucha vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh ricotta
1 cup Dosa Chips, or any other fried lentil chips or even pita chips
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp fish sauce
In a large bowl, toss in the shaved brussels and fennel. Add the next 4 ingredients and mix well. Let sit for 4-8 hours in the fridge. To fast forward the process, use your hands to massage and squeeze the slaw. Thoroughly macerate the veggies until they've wilted -- the equivalent to sitting and marinating for the entire day.
Combine the fish sauce, mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Add to the slaw along with the spring onion. Toss until well mixed. Add the cheese and gently mix again. When ready to serve add the chips and combine -- make sure to reserve some of the chips to garnish the top for additional crunch! Serve!
Chickpea | Tuna | Egg | Arugula
Serves 2
I have no intention of oversimplifying this salad, but to be perfectly honest it tastes wonderful with just the combination of chickpeas, tuna, egg & arugula.
1 12 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 4oz can albacore tuna, drained
3 French Breakfast radishes, thinly sliced
1 handful arugula
1 spring onion, minced
1 Early Girl Tomato, sliced
2-3 anchovies, roughly chopped
1/4 cup pistachios, crushed
1 small red potato, diced and steamed until tender
2 eggs
1 tbsp capers
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 heaping tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt, plus more
2 tsp marash chili pepper
In a large serving bowl add the tuna. Break up the tuna with your fingers -- the best way to do this is to use your thumb, index and middle fingers to separate the chunks, almost like your doing a 'snapping' motion. Results can also easily be achieved with a fork. When the large chunks are gone and the tuna is almost fluffed add the chickpeas.
At this point, dress the two with the vinegar, mayo, olive oil, salt and sugar. Adding the dressing at this early stage lets the two dry ingredients marinate for additional time.
While the chickpeas and tuna are bathing in dressing, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the eggs and reduce to a simmer. Let the eggs cook for 8 minutes. After that time has elapsed, remove from water and rinse the eggs with cold water until their temperature has dramatically dropped and they are cool to the touch. Peel and set aside.
Add the onion, radishes, tomato, anchovies and potatoes to the bowl with the tuna and chickpeas. Give a quick stir. Next add the capers and arugula. Roughly chop the cooked egg and place in the bowl as well. Give another very gentle, but thorough stir so everything is coated with dressing. Add the marash pepper and taste for seasoning. It probably will not need salt because of the addition of tuna and anchovies. Serve!
