“SALADING”
While reading some vintage food literature recently, I came upon the term “salading” and fell instantly in love with it. It somehow elevated a principal feature of warm weather eating, the salad, into something almost festive: “Oh, jolly! We’re salading this evening!” Or perhaps, “I do love salading season! Don’t you?”
‘Tis salading season indeed, and it seems that cooks are ever looking for ways to freshen their weekly line-up. It’s hard not to chuckle at the notion of freshening up salads, I know, but different is good. jump to recipe
I had a great time at my farmer’s market demo last week, playing with the produce that was appearing. School is out and I had several young people interested in cooking vegetables – be still my heart! One little fellow told me that he’d never liked zucchini before, until mine. This is a favorite compliment, and one I’ve actually heard a lot.
I’ll share the secret: Just sauté a little garlic, add thick slices of zucchini and/or squash, a bit of salt, and a splash of wine or squeeze of lemon juice, then toss a few times. All this happens in 45 seconds, and that’s part of the secret – just a kiss of heat. They’re still crunchy, but slightly softened, and perfect for grain salads, of which I am quite fond.
Although there are plenty of “raw” enthusiasts, a kiss of heat can be quite transformative and helpful to those who aren’t so keen on raw. Broccoli, for example, can be chalky and even a bit bitter when raw, so I give florets headed for a salad a hearty splash of boiling water. Other veggies you may want to treat this way are carrots, snow peas, and green beans, although some were raised boiling green beans for an hour – yowza!
One of the reasons I’m so fond of grain salads is their helpful residual heat. The warmth of freshly cooked quinoa, rice, or kamut, will wilt assertive greens such as kale and arugula, easing their edginess. It should be noted that kale is sweeter when freshly picked, so don’t let it languish in the crisper drawer if planning to use it for salad. The aforementioned broccoli can also be dropped into a pot of cooking grains for the last minute, as can carrots.
Another way to keep salading fresh, as it were, is to play with your peeler. I made a ribbon salad this week that looked rather fantastical on the plate. It had yellow squash, zucchini, and carrot, that I finished with shredded purple cabbage, because purple cabbage is the quickest way to make any salad gorgeous. You could do a simple version with “peelered” carrots and purple cabbage, dressed like mine with an Asian vinaigrette, or simply OJ and olive oil. If you add chopped scallion, you will have no choice but to pause and appreciate the beauty before consuming.
Seasoning is another way to mix it up a bit, and dressing is the easiest way to incorporate spices. A little cumin and coriander give just a hint of “exotic” that OJ juice will moderate, if needed. Smoked paprika (pimenton) goes with almost any flavor profile – just don’t over-do! Dill and a little dijon mustard in something creamy is a slightly toothier dressing for potatoes and cucumbers.
The other great thing about salading is that there are plenty of easy options for protein. Cans of chickpeas are always in my pantry – yes, I know they’re better when home cooked, but it’s summer and the dog days are coming! I don’t usually rinse canned beans, with the exception of black beans in salad. With all canned beans I prefer organic, because I find they have better texture and seem to have less liquid. Frozen peas are not only a great source of protein, they are green, and a dip into warm grains is all they need, or a splash of that boiling water. My freezer is never without peas.
I will leave you with these morsels, and wish you many adventures in salading this summer!
I was salading this week in a cooking class and the hands-down favorite recipe we prepared was this one. What makes it “Indonesian” is the ketjap manis, a traditional ketchup-like sauce found in most Asian markets, but hoisin worked fine. I don’t care which grain or veggies you use, and the salad pictured has more than are listed below, fyi. You may add peas, tofu, or chickpeas for protein, if desired.
Ingredients
- 1-2 tsp. cumin
- 1-2 tsp. coriander
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 inch piece ginger, grated
- 1 Tbsp. ketjap manis or hoisin
- ½ cup orange juice
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 carrot, julienned
- ¼ head purple cabbage, shredded
- ¼ bunch cilantro, chopped
- 3 scallions, finely sliced
- ½ cup cashews or any nut
Instructions
- Combine cumin, coriander, shallot, ginger, hoisin, and orange juice in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt, stir well, and taste, adjusting as needed.
- “Scatter” rice on dishes. Top with veggies, then drizzle with dressing. Garnish with cilantro, scallions, and cashews.
