I miss eating out at restaurants. I’m sure I’m not alone. The interaction with staff, familiar faces, new dishes to try and being served are just a few of the things that I will appreciate much more once restrictions are lifted.
One of my first stops will be Left Bank in Larkspur. Left Bank sits in the middle of downtown Larkspur at Ward Street and Magnolia Avenue. With a lovely outside patio, it’s a space that is perfect on a sunny day, sipping a glass of rose or a lavender lemonade. Sigh.
A favorite dish of mine there is the salad Niçoise paired with an order of French fries. As much as I’d like to re-create this salad at home, many of the ingredients are not in season and it wouldn’t fulfill what I’m missing: the flavor of that salad and the dining experience.
In the meantime, I will make salads at home. Winter salads don’t seem to garner the same attention and enthusiasm that summer salads do. Sure, they may not be filled with juicy tomatoes, crunchy peppers and crisp cucumbers, but they can be equally delicious.
To make a great winter salad, start with greens. Greens that are in season now are spinach, arugula, kale, Swiss chard and radicchio, among others. Mix in something crunchy like julienned carrots, radish, sliced fennel or shaved Brussels sprouts. Roasted winter squash is also an excellent ingredient.
Next, add toasted nuts; pine nuts and almonds are my go-tos. Croutons are always welcome, as is cheese.
I love bitter greens, especially when combined with sweet and earthy vegetables, which this beet, orange and radicchio salad does. Let the season guide you when making a salad, add what you like, what looks good at the market and play around with different textures. Sometimes just changing up the way you cut a vegetable makes it more appealing.
Carolyn Jensen is a culinary explorer who is devoted to shopping farmers’ markets for locally sourced, extraordinary and seasonal foods. She shares her weekly bounty through photos, tips and recipes on Instagram at gatherweekly. Contact her at jensencarolyn@comcast.net
RECIPE
Beet, orange and radicchio salad
Serves 4
For the salad:
4 to 5 medium beets, scrubbed of dirt and both ends trimmed. I used golden beets
1 teaspoon neutral oil (grapeseed, canola, avocado, etc.)
Photo by Carolyn Jensen
Although dining out is not allowed right now, it’s easy to make this seasonal salad at home.4 to 5 oranges (I like to use a variety — Valencia, blood and cara cara, for example), sliced in rounds or segments
1 to 2 watermelon radish (or another variety of your choice), matchstick slices
Greens (I used radicchio but arugula and spinach work nicely here, or use an assortment), washed and dried
For the dressing:
5 tablespoons good olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon orange juice, squeezed from the orange after you cut out segments
1 small-medium shallot, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional:
Shredded parmesan cheese or goat cheese crumbles
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap prepared beets on a piece of foil and drizzle with the teaspoon of oil. Wrap foil over the beets and seal so that no heat escapes. Place on a sheet pan and put in the oven. Cook 40 to 50 minutes until you can pierce a knife through without resistance.
Remove from the oven, open up the foil packet and let cool for about 10 minutes or until you can handle. When cool, place a beet between two paper towels and rub off the outer skin. Peel all beets and set aside.
For the dressing: In a medium bowl, add the shallots and orange juice. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and Dijon mustard, stir to combine. Whisk in the olive oil in a steady stream until incorporated. Taste and adjust, adding more vinegar or oil according to your taste. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix again, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. You will likely not need all of the dressing for this salad. Refrigerate leftover dressing, keeps for one week.
Cut the beets, any shape you like. In a large bowl, add the greens, a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss with some of the dressing until the greens are lightly coated. Place on four plates. Top with beets, orange segments and julienned radish. Drizzle a bit of the dressing on those ingredients. If using, add cheese and serve.
January 20, 2021 at 03:04AM
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Winter salad offers the best of the season - Marin Independent Journal
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