This is such a simple salad, considering how delicious it tastes. We eat so many foods in the winter that are roasted, braised or pureed, that it is nice to have a salad with lots of crunch. And, it is a good way to use up celery, which always seems to wilt in our fridge. You can either start a meal or end it with this salad.
Serves 6
1 lg. bunch Italian (flat leaf) parsley, leaves only, washed, dried and roughly torn
1/2 lb. radishes (preferably the long French ones), trimmed and quartered
8-9 heart of celery stalks, cut into matchstick pieces
1 heaping Tbls. capers, along with another Tbls. of caper brine
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. best-quality extra virgin olive oil
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and turn out onto individual serving plates or one big platter. Delicious with good crusty bread.
Parsley, Radish & Celery Salad with Capers
Red salad radishes are among the first crops to mature in the spring. The long French varieties are grown for their greens and are often eaten with good unsalted butter and a baguette. The idea is to spread the radishes with butter and eat them with sea salt. As a simple appetizer (especially for suppers with friends during the week), add black olives and rounds of good salami to turn this idea into a “no-cook” starter. Or, try this deliciously chic salad adapted from Simon Hopkinson’s The Vegetarian Option
– “simple, fragrant, sharp and crisp”.
Serves 6
1 lg. bunch Italian (flat leaf) parsley, leaves only, washed, dried and roughly torn
1/2 lb. radishes (preferably the long French ones), trimmed and quartered
2 lg. shallots, peeled and very finely sliced into rings
8-9 small celery stalks, cut into matchstick pieces
1 heaping Tbls. capers, along with another Tbls. of caper brine
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. best-quality extra virgin olive oil
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and turn out onto individual serving plates or one big platter. Serve with just about any meal.
Peas are definitely more interesting and fun to eat when they are fresh in the summer.
Serves about 4
1-2 c. fresh peas (you will need slightly more than ½ lb. whole pods)
1 bunch of radishes with stem and greens attached
1 sm. shallot, minced
1 tsp. whole-grain Dijon mustard
½ Tbls. good extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. champagne or white wine vinegar
A drizzle of walnut oil (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Remove peas from pods. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add peas and cook until just tender, about 1-2 minutes. Drain peas and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. While peas cool, wash radishes and their tops. Slice radishes very thinly and cut greens into a chiffonade (sliced ribbon-thin). Place in a salad bowl with peas.
In a separate bowl, add shallot, mustard, olive oil, walnut oil, champagne vinegar, a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk to combine. Pour over salad and toss.
Sometimes when it comes to cooking, we don’t need so much instruction. What we need are ideas. Raw is the coolest, lightest way to eat during the summer months. Here are three mostly-raw sides to make with what you find at market. You can serve them with just about any type of protein for a main meal or lunch.
Recipes:
Fresh Peas with Radish
Raw Beets with Dill and Mustard Seeds
Raw Asparagus Salad
Sunchokes have a crisp, sweet, nutty flavor that adds great texture and crunch to a winter salad. The farmer who grew them inspired this recipe.
Serves 6
8 radishes, sliced thinly
6 sunchokes, sliced thinly
2 Gala apples, cored and sliced thinly
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and sliced thinly
1?2 c. good olive oil
2 Tbls. rice vinegar
2 Tbls. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbls. chopped fresh chives
2 Tbls. chopped fennel fronds
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, lemon juice, chives, and fennel fronds to make vinaigrette. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add radishes, sunchokes, apples, and fennel. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Season with more salt and pepper before serving.
“I’ll bring a salad.” And this is what she brought: a crunchy treat that comes from the distinctly fresh flavors of its two main ingredients, both unrivaled by most other root vegetables.
Serves 6
3 Tbls. Dijon mustard
2 Tbls. red vinegar
1- 2 tsp Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 Tbls. olive oil
24 radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
4 fennel bulbs, trimmed and very thinly sliced crosswise (about 4 cups)
1 Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise
2 Tbls. fresh Italian parsley, minced
In a blender or food processor, combine mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. With motor running, add oil by tablespoon-fulls until it is well blended.
In a salad bowl, toss together radishes, fennel, endive, parsley, and vinaigrette. Enjoy!
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