The first bite of this delightfully crisp and light salad will enthrall you with a burst of flavors. The lovely licorice of the fennel and the zesty cilantro make for an unusual combination that wakes up your taste buds.  This salad is a perfect side dish for that picnic in the park.

This dressing is just one step removed from a lemon aioli.  Rich, creamy, with just enough lemon and herbiness from the lemongrass, the dressing balances the strong charred flavor of the grilled romaine.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 heads romaine lettuce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 ½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons white Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 stalk lemongrass, outer leaves removed and finely chopped, about 2 tablespoons total
1 teaspoon lemongrass essence (see preparation below)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup hot water

Preparation

Prepare the lemongrass essence:
5 stalks fresh lemongrass (will yield about 1 tablespoon of essence)

Preheat oven to 200° F.  Thinly slice the white bulb and light green part of each lemongrass stalk, just to the point where the leaves begin to separate on the stalk.  Discard the tough upper leaves.  Place the cut pieces on a baking sheet, and allow to completely dry in the oven, about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the dried lemongrass to a blender or spice grinder and process at high speed for several minutes until the dried lemongrass is pulverized to a fine powder.  Let the mixture settle before removing lid.

Pour the essence into a fine sieve and gently press the essence through to a dry container with a dry pastry brush or the back of a wooden spoon.  Return any remaining coarse parts to the blender or spice grinder and process again.  Repeat the sieving process.  This time discard any coarse bits remaining.

Place in an airtight container.

Prepare the dressing:
Combine the garlic and parmesan in a blender.  Process just to combine.  Add vinegar, Worcestershire, Dijon , lemon juice, lemongrass and lemongrass essence and process for about 20 seconds.  Scrape down sides.  Process about 10 more seconds.  With the blender running, add the water and the olive oil in a slow, continuous stream.

Prepare the romaine:
Preheat a grill on high.  Set grill up for direct cooking and oil the cooking grates.  Reduce heat to medium.

Slice heads of romaine lengthwise.  With a pastry brush, lightly brush each flat side of the romaine with olive oil.  Lightly season with salt and pepper.  Place each romaine half onto the grill, oiled side down and grill for about 30 seconds, until leaves are just seared and beginning to wilt.  Remove to serving plates.  Dress with creamy lemongrass dressing.  Serve immediately.

[Chef’s Note: To build out the subtle lemongrass flavor, I recommend infusing the hot water (used to emulsify the dressing) with lemongrass.]

Lemongrass-infused water:
2 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves peeled and stalk coarsely chopped
½ cup water

Place the water in a small sauce pan and bring to boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low, add lemongrass and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Allow to cool about 5 minutes before using in recipe.

Recipe and photo by Donna Marie Zotter

Summer fruits offer a variety of levels of sweetness from ripening sugars.  In this dish, we capture two distinct but complementary flavors and textures and wrap them together in a spicy, sweet fruit syrup.

Serves 6 as a side dish or appetizer

Ingredients

For the nectarine syrup:
2 ½ cups very ripe nectarines (or white peaches), pitted and chopped
1 dried red chili pepper (or ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper (preferably pink peppercorns)

For the timbale:
4 medium-firm, ripe heirloom tomatoes, seeded and diced to about ¼” (about 1 ½ cups)
2 cups nectarines, pitted and diced to about ¼”
1 tablespoon chervil leaves, plus additional leaves for garnish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon thyme, chopped, plus additional leaves for garnish
¼ cup dessicated coconut, or unsweetened
1 teaspoon high quality extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus additional for garnish
Sea salt crystals

Preparation

Place the nectarines (or peaches, if using) in a blender and puree until smooth.  Pour the puree through a mesh sieve placed over a medium saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract as much nectarine liquid as possible.  Add the dried red chili pepper or crushed red pepper.  Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and reduce by about one half.  Remove the chili pepper and strain the liquid through a mesh sieve into a clean glass bowl.  Add the honey and lemon juice and mix to combine.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  Taste.  Adjust the seasonings by adding salt or pepper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced tomatoes and nectarines, the chervil, thyme, and coconut.  Add just enough of the nectarine syrup to flavor the tomato and nectarine mixture, and gently combine.  The mixture should be thick and hold together.  If necessary, add the olive oil to moisten the mixture and gently toss.

Place a 2” (or larger) diameter round mold on a chilled plate.  Fill the mold with the nectarine tomato mixture.  Carefully remove the mold.  Plate each serving before garnishing.

Service

Once each serving is plated, garnish with additional chervil leaves, thyme, and a drizzle of olive oil.  Crush sea salt crystals between your fingers and lightly sprinkle each timbale with a small bit of the crushed crystals.

Recipe by Donna Marie Desfor
Photo by Kelly Cline

In my quest for deliciousness via gluten-free goodness, I’ve been experimenting with a lot of international flavors. A friend suggested I begin with the regions of the world where wheat isn’t grown, such as Thailand, and as a huge fan of Thai food, I thought this was a capital idea. One of my favorite dishes is laab, a spicy beef dish (a salad, really) which is normally made with ground pork, beef or chicken. I’m a beef girl, and prefer a sliced steak for texture, so this is my riff on the idea.

Warning: Be careful with fish sauce. The one I buy is from an Asian market, and its ingredients are simply anchovies, salt and sugar. Check the label to ensure there are no wheat derivatives.

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons toasted Jasmine rice (instructions below)
6 oz. skirt steak
1 teaspoon olive oil
juice of 2 limes, divided
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1-2 teaspoons dried chile peppers, ground, to taste [See Chef's Note]
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 medium head of cabbage
Mint sprigs (optional)
Additional cilantro sprigs (optional)

Special Equipment

Mortar & pestle

Preparation

For the toasted rice:
Heat a small skillet and add in rice, swirling occasionally as it begins to toast. Let the rice toast to a golden brown, then transfer to a mortar and pestle. With a twisting motion, grind the rice into very small pieces. If you pound the rice you will end up with one hell of a mess in your kitchen, so be gentle. The toasted rice adds texture to the dish, but is very crunchy, so you don’t want large pieces. Transfer to small dish and set aside.

[Chef's Note: You can grind the chile peppers in the same manner.]

For the beef:
Slice the skirt steak into very thin slices. Add to a bowl along with the juice from one lime. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Heat medium-sized skillet over a medium-high flame and add olive oil, heating until the oil shimmers. Add in the beef and stir until just cooked. Remove the beef and its juices to a large bowl.

Assemble the salad:
Add the onions, remaining lime juice, ground chile peppers, fish sauce, cilantro and mint leaves, and half the toasted rice. Stir until well mixed. Serve on a large plate with additional fresh herbs, if desired, and sprinkle some of the remaining toasted rice on top.

Service

Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage and cut in half. Pull away largest outer leaves and serve on a platter with additional mint and cilantro sprigs. To eat, take a large cabbage leaf and spoon some of the beef salad into the center. Add fresh mint or cilantro sprigs if desired. Wrap up into a small bundle and crunch away!

A colorfully seductive dish, this light, yet alluring dessert of soft, juicy fruits is perfect for a spring or summer refresher. In this simple salad, we capture distinctly different flavors – sweet, tart and savory – and wrap them together in a subtle tarragon and honey cream. We also provide a variation for presentation – a sexy timbale of fruits – so have fun and experiment with whatever variation suits your style and comfort level.

6 servings

Ingredients

For the tarragon cream:
4 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup water
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
½ vanilla bean, seeds only (optional)
A pinch salt
½ cup heavy cream, whipped to medium peaks

For the tarragon syrup:
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
½ teaspoon pink peppercorns

For the fruit salad:
½ a pineapple, cored and cut into 1-inch triangles
1 pint strawberries, stems removed and quartered
4 kiwi fruits, peeled and cut into ¼ inch thick slices and then halved
2 mangoes, peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch cubes

A few fresh tarragon leaves for garnish

Equipment

Fine mesh sieve, handheld or electric mixer, sharp knives (chef and pairing), whisk

Preparation

Prepare the tarragon cream:
Combine the egg yolks, sugar, honey, water, tarragon, vanilla seeds and salt in a double boiler or a medium shallow bowl set over a simmering pot of water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Cook, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and appears foamy, glossy, and has tripled in volume, for about 4-5 minutes.

Remove from heat and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator until cooled. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the cream to remove any bits of tarragon.

Once cooled, gently fold the whipped cream into the base. Set aside until service.

[Chef’s Note: This cream is actually a variation of a sabayon or a cousin of the light, egg-based Italian dessert zabaglione. The sabayon must not get too hot or boil during cooking or it will become grainy. It should never get so hot that you cannot stick a clean finger in it; but if it begins to feel too hot, remove the bowl briefly from the heat, beating continuously, until the mixture cools slightly, and then return the bowl to the heat and continue cooking. Allow the cream to cool before straining so the tarragon will impart a deeper flavor in the final product. It will keep covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.]

Prepare the syrup:
Combine the water, sugar and tarragon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, cover and remove from the heat. Allow the syrup to steep for 10 minutes, and then strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the tarragon leaves. Chill until ready for use.

[Chef’s Note: This makes slightly more syrup than needed, but you can save the remainder for another use, as this is great in iced teas, other fruit salads or alcoholic beverages.]

Prepare the fruit salad:
In a large mixing bowl, toss the cut fruits with ¼ cup of the syrup. Spoon the fruits into individual bowls, drizzle with the tarragon cream and garnish with fresh tarragon leaves if desired. Enjoy!

Variations

For the timbale version:
Dice all fruits into 1/16 inch cubes and mix with ¼ cup of the syrup. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes and then strain the mixture to remove some of the extra juices. Tightly pack the fruits into six 2-inch circular ring molds set on individual plates. Place a large spoonful of the tarragon cream on the plate, and using the back of a spoon, drag the cream upwards along the curve of the plate to create an attractive design. Carefully remove the molds from the fruit and serve immediately.

Minted version:
You may substitute mint for the tarragon in this recipe, as well as use white wine instead of water for the syrup or in the cream, or even vary the fruits. Fruits which go well with minted syrup are red and green seedless grapes, pears and Granny Smith apples.

This colorful salad offers a series of contrasts, from smooth and crunchy textures to tart and sweet flavors. To serve it as hors d’oeuvres, serve the fillings in individual endive or radicchio leaves. Note: This recipe is featured in our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home Cookbook as part of the Harvest Celebration menu.

4 servings

Ingredients

3 endive heads, sliced crossways
1 radicchio head, torn into bite-sized pieces
4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
4 fresh figs, cut into wedges

For the candied pecans:
¾ cup pecan halves
5 tablespoons honey, divided

½ cup port wine
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Prepare the candied pecans:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the pecan halves with 3 tablespoons of the honey until well coated, and spread them out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes until they are glossy and somewhat toasted. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Make the port reduction:
Place the port wine and remaining 2 tablespoons of honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce by half until the mixture reaches a thick and syrupy consistency.

Toss the sliced endive and the torn radicchio in a bowl with a little of the olive oil and just a little salt and pepper, to taste.

Service

Place a small mound of the endive and radicchio in the center of each serving plate. Place the quartered figs around them and sprinkle with small bits of the softened goat cheese. Drizzle a little of the port reduction around each salad and top with a few candied pecans.

Variation

Serve small mounds of the salad in individual endive leaves (see photo below).

Salads have been a staple of menus for countless years, and we’ve created a vinaigrette that offers an entirely new elegance to the classic meal starter. Slightly sweet and tangy, this sexy vanilla vinaigrette gives life and flavor to a boring salad. You can use this light, refreshing dressing to spruce up any old salad, but we think it perfectly complements our late-summer favorite of fig, feta and pecans.

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon hot water
1 ½ tablespoons honey (or to taste)
½ teaspoon dried tarragon
¼ teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper

Preparation

Place the oil, vanilla bean pods and seeds into a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring the oil up to a low simmer, and then remove from heat and let stand at least 1 hour to infuse the vanilla flavor. Strain the oil through a fine sieve to remove the vanilla pod (the seeds will remain in the oil). Cool completely.

Combine all ingredients except the oil in a small immersion blender or food processor, pulsing until the mixture is completely blended and smooth. Slowly add the oil while blending until the mixture is completely emulsified. Transfer to a small bowl or squeeze bottle and chill before dressing salad.

[Chef’s Notes: If you can’t find a vanilla bean, feel free to substitute 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. The dressing will keep well refrigerated in a sealed container for 3-4 weeks.]

Equipment

Immersion blender or small food processor
Fine mesh sieve

Service

Build salad as desired, then toss or drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of vinaigrette.

Recipe and photo by Monica Glass

Dill is the perfect herb for any picnic, we believe. The fresh brightness it adds to cold dishes refreshes in the summer months and helps cool the body. For this crab salad, we prefer not to use mayonnaise, and instead allow the dill and crab to stand on their own. The hint of sweet vinegar makes for a puckery taste, and serving it in artichoke bottoms makes it an easy yet somewhat elegant picnic hors d’oeuvre.

NOTE: This recipe is included in our cookbook: The Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home, A Year of Dinner Parties.

Serves 16 as an hors d’oeuvre; serves 4 as a salad

Ingredients

6 ounces jumbo lump crab meat, picked over to remove any shell bits
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced to 1/8” thickness
1 red bell pepper, 1/8” dice
2 celery stalks, strings removed and finely diced
3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fine quality extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sweet cider or raspberry vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 15-ounce cans artichoke bottoms

Preparation

Prepare the vegetables:
Peel the cucumber and halve it lengthwise. Using a small spoon, gently remove the seeds and slice thinly into 1/8” slices. Dice the red bell pepper to 1/8” dice, then remove the strings from the celery, cut into lengthwise strips, and dice to 1/8” dice. Finely mince the dill.

Make the salad:
Pick over the crab meat to remove any stray pieces of shell or cartilage. Leave the large lumps intact. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard, olive oil and lemon juice to form an emulsion. Add the diced vegetables and dill and stir to combine. Gently stir in the crab meat, being careful not to further break up the lumps.

At this point you may add a splash or two of the vinegar and mix until the salad reaches the desired consistency. It should be neither too dry nor too wet. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place the crab salad in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Just prior to serving, open the can of artichoke bottoms and carefully shave off the bottom end of each so the artichoke bottoms sit flat and level.

Service

If serving as an hors d’oeuvre, place one or two heaping tablespoons of the crab salad on each artichoke bottom and garnish with a small sprig of dill. If serving as a plated salad, line the serving plates with lettuce leaves, place the salad on top, and serve immediately with a crusty baguette.

Recipe by Mark Tafoya
Photo by Toni Scott

Arepas are eaten in many South American countries at almost every meal. Made of a flat corn cake and eaten plain or filled with cheese and/or a variety of meats, this handheld pita-like treat is perfect for any occasion. In this case, we decided to put a modern summery twist on the Latin American classic by filling it with a lobster salad. Beware, though — eating this can be a messy endeavor! (That just makes it more fun, in our opinion.)

Crispy fennel makes for a great salad.  The licorice taste is a great pairing with the sweetness of the oranges and the tangy sourness of zereshk, which are dried berries much like red currants.  This dish is about texture and the interplay of sweet and tangy flavors.

4 servings

Ingredients

2 large fennel bulbs, sliced very thin
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large oranges, supremed
4 tablespooons zereshk, or dried barberries (see Chef’s Note)
Salt and pepper
Fig Vincotto (see Chef’s Note)
Parsley sprigs, for garnish

[Chef’s Note on ingredients: Zereshk is the Persian name for barberries, a tangy, red berry that grows on thorny shrubs (and often the bane of farmers because of their tenacious root structure). They are similar to red currants, which can be substituted, but it’s worth finding the zereshk, since they have a distinctive sour flavor. They are sold in dry form in Persian and Middle Eastern stores. Vincotto is a thick syrupy vinegar made from the boiled must of grapes that have been dried on the vine and barrel aged for over four years. Again, it’s worth finding the real thing, which is now widely sold in specialty gourmet stores, but a suitable substitute would be a deeply flavored fruited vinegar that you have reduced on the stove until it becomes syrupy.]

Equipment

Mandoline

Preparation

Place the barberries in a bowl and pour in a little of the vincotto to reconstitute.

Supreme the oranges:
Using a sharp knife cut off the top and bottom of the oranges until the flesh is exposed. Next, run the knife down the sides, removing the peel and pith (the white part), exposing all of the flesh. Once the peel has been entirely removed, use the segments as a guide, cutting the segments out of the orange leaving the membrane between them.

Prepare the fennel salad:
Remove the root end and tops of the fennel bulbs. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the fennel bulbs as thinly as possible. Place the fennel slices in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss gently. Marinate at room temperature for ½ an hour to several hours.

Service

When ready to serve, use a slotted spoon to remove the barberries from the vincotto, reserving the vincotto. Mound ¼ of the fennel in a bowl or salad plate, and arrange the orange segments in a circle around the plate. Mound a tablespoon of the barberries in the center of the salad, and drizzle the remaining vincotto over the salad. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

This simple salad is the perfect start to a romantic meal.  The tanginess of the sherry vinegar and the sweetness of the pears activates the appetite, and the richness of the prosciutto satisfies without taking away from things yet to come.

2 servings

Ingredients

1 medium Anjou pear
1 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
1 cup mesclun salad mix
¼ cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices prosciutto, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

Gently toast the walnuts in a dry pan until they start to brown and become lightly fragrant.  Be careful not to burn them.  Remove from heat and cool in a separate bowl.

Peel and core the pear.  Slice as thinly as possible into half-moon-shaped slices.  Toss with sherry vinegar in a bowl to prevent discoloration, then pour off the vinegar into a small mixing bowl.

Whisk olive oil into the sherry vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.  Toss with the greens and half the chopped walnuts to lightly coat.  The salad should be just barely dressed, not dripping with sauce.

Service

Place a small mound of the greens onto each serving plate.  Place several pear slices over the greens in a fan shape.  Sprinkle with the prosciutto and the remaining walnuts.  Serve immediately.

Recipe by Mark Tafoya

This marvelous, easy vinaigrette can be used for salads or as an accompaniment to grilled beef, shrimp, pork, or foie gras.

Makes 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon coffee, very finely ground
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup sherry wine vinegar (vinagre de jerez)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Combine dry ingredients and vinegar in a non-reactive mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until well incorporated. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve (keeps for up to one week).

Recipe by Melissa De Leon Douglass

Since summer doesn’t last forever, but the desire for the rich infusion of basil’s flavor seems endless, try this vinaigrette variation for autumn’s root vegetables, or for store-bought vegetables late in winter that aren’t quite at the top of their game.  The rich, heady aromatic infusion of basil, combined with the earthiness of pancetta, will make any root or store-bought vegetables sing.

Makes scant ½ cup (enough to lightly — and perfectly — dress about 8 cups of salad greens)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup coarsely chopped pancetta (or substitute proscuitto)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped shallots (about 2 medium shallots)
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic (from 1 large or 2 medium-sized cloves)
¼ cup white balsamic vinaigrette
¼ cup basil, cut in chiffonade ribbons
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preparation

Set a medium-sized skillet over medium heat.  Add the butter and allow to melt.  Stir in the chopped pancetta and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, until the pancetta is crisped and cooked, and its fat has been rendered.  Add the shallots and the garlic and toss to combine.  Continue cooking for about 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the white balsamic vinegar.  Add the basil, toss and allow to infuse the dressing for about 5 minutes.  Taste.  Adjust seasonings by adding sea salt or fresh ground pepper to taste.  Use immediately to dress roasted root or store-bought vegetables.

Recipe by Donna Marie Zotter

This delightfully refreshing vinaigrette adds a bright, tart punch to summer salads.

This is a light way to dress cool summer salads or robust fresh vegetables from the garden; it is also delightful as a garnish to grilled fish or chicken.  Champagne vinegar — milder, and a bit softer on the palate — will work with the natural sugars and earthiness of your garden vegetables without masking any flavors.  You can trade out the champagne vinegar and chervil in the cooler months for a cider vinegar or white (or even red) wine vinegar, and switch from chervil to flat leaf parsley.  Since there is no Dijon mustard or eggs to aid the emulsification process, use hot water to extend the flavorful olive oil into the other ingredients.
Makes scant ½ cup (enough to lightly — and perfectly — dress about 8 cups of salad greens)

Ingredients

1 small shallot, sliced paper thin
1 teaspoon minced garlic, then rubbed into a paste with a sprinkle of sea salt
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (We use an oil sourced from Sonoma County with herbal-floral notes)
1 tablespoon hot water
2 teaspoons sugar (or to taste)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped, fresh sweet basil (or chiffonade for a more elegant presentation)
2 teaspoons chervil leaves, chopped
Fresh ground pepper

Preparation

Combine the shallot, garlic and sea salt paste, and vinegar in a small mixing bowl and whisk vigorously to combine and blend flavors.  Add the hot water and sugar (use less to start), and while whisking, add the olive oil in a slow stream.  Continue whisking until an emulsified dressing is achieved.  Stir in the basil and chervil.  Taste.  Adjust seasonings and add fresh ground pepper.  Serve immediately.

[Chef’s Note:  Dressing can be prepared in advance.  It will keep for a few hours at room temperature, or in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature and re-whisk to re-emulsify the dressing if necessary.]
Recipe by Donna Marie Zotter

For this recipe, we used red vine-ripe globes (Beefsteak), heirloom (Brandywine), tomatillos, and yellow tomatoes.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2½ lbs ripe tomatoes, assorted
Coarse sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste (recommend blend of white, green, pink peppercorns)
¼ cup minced celery root
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
High-quality olive oil
Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette (See recipe below)
¼ cup gently packed chervil
3 large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (recommended for heartier tomato varieties)
4 ounces ricotta salata cheese, coarsely grated or shredded (see Chef’s Note)

Optional:
Microgreens
Capers (packaged in brine), drained

Preparation

[Chef’s Note:  For cheeses, you can also use mozzarella, parmesan, aged goat or cheddar cheeses. When choosing an olive oil, try to find something with herbal undertones. We used one from Sonoma County.]

Examine each tomato.  Remove any blemishes with a sharp paring knife.  Clean and wipe dry.  Slice, quarter or halve the tomatoes depending on their size and shape, and the textural element your palate desires from the fruit.  Combine the tomatoes in a large bowl by gently tossing with your hands.

Service

In the center of a chilled plate, place a small nest of microgreens.  Rest one quarter of the tomatoes into each microgreen nest, and season with sea salt and a fresh ground pepper blend.  Sprinkle one quarter of the minced celery root and the minced chives on each plate.  Lightly drizzle olive oil over the salad.  Drizzle the vinaigrette around the perimeter of the salad.  Garnish each with a scattering of herbs, the cheese, and a few capers.

Optional caper presentation:
Crisp the capers by sautéing them in a small skillet with 1 tablespoon butter and ½ tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Sauté on medium high heat until the capers begin to crisp.

Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette

Makes about 1¼ cups

Ingredients

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (can substitute white wine or organic cider vinegars)
Scant 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ garlic bulb, cloves mashed, sprinkled with coarse salt, ground until paste-like
1 tablespoon hot water
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

Preparation

In a blender, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and garlic.  Add the hot water.  With the machine running, slowly add the oil until the dressing is smooth and thick, tasting after ½ cup has been added.  Add the remaining ½ cup slowly, tasting along the way until the flavors come into balance.  Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Recipe and photo by Donna Marie Zotter

Grilled pork tenderloin, or any grilled white meat, is a lovely complement to this salad.  It is a perfect salad for outdoor entertaining and al fresco dining.

Serves 6 as a side dish

Ingredients

For the shallot vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, minced
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

For the salad:
1 cup prepared aromatic rice (Jasmine, Basmati, or Texmati), cooled
1 cup prepared pearl barley, cooled
¼ cup seedless cucumber chopped to ¼” dice
1/3 cup honeydew melon, chopped to ¼” dice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Zest of 1 ripe lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pink peppercorns
1 pint fresh strawberries
Sugar or honey, to taste

Preparation

Prepare the shallot vinaigrette:
Place the butter and olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat.  Once the butter has melted, whisk to incorporate.  Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in the vinegar.  Set aside and allow to cool 10 minutes.

Prepare the salad:
In a large bowl, combine the aromatic rice, pearl barley, cucumber, and honeydew melon.  Add the shallot vinaigrette, parsley, and lemon zest.  Toss to combine.  Season with salt and fresh ground pink peppercorns.

Pick through the strawberries, removing any stems, stalks, and leaves, and discarding any moldy berries.  Slice the berries, or coarsely chop if they are particularly large.  Taste.  Add a bit of honey or sugar if they are not perfectly sweet and ripe.

Service

Place the salad in a large serving bowl.  Add half the berries and toss.  Use the remaining berries on top of the salad as a garnish.  Serve immediately.

Recipe and photo by Donna Marie Zotter

This light, refreshing dessert has just the right hint of spice to give it a little kick. It’s also ideal for fruit that hasn’t yet reached its peak of sweetness. Perfect refreshment for the summer palate!

Makes about ½ cup syrup; Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup water
½ cup sugar
1 1-inch knob (piece) of fresh peeled ginger, through a garlic press
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick, crushed
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh ground szechuan peppercorns
½ tablespoon Cointreau, optional
½ honeydew melon, scooped out with a melon baller
½ cantaloupe melon, scooped out with a melon baller
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Preparation

Combine the water and sugar in a small, heavy bottomed sauce pan.  Place over medium heat and add the ginger, cloves, cinnamon stick, cinnamon and ground pepper.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer until the mixture is reduced by about ½ (approximately 15 to 20 minutes).  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.  Strain the syrup through a sieve into a clean glass container.  Cover and refrigerate until cold.  Just before using stir in Cointreau.

Service

Arrange the melon balls in chilled bowls.  Spoon syrup over each salad.  Garnish with a sprig of mint.

This impressive and flavorful salad is perfect for any meal – from the most casual of gatherings to an elegant gourmet meal.  The tart apples with the fresh fennel and light lemony vinaigrette demonstrate that there is luxury in simplicity.
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon ice cold water
2 firm, ripe Granny Smith apples
1 medium fennel bulb, with fronds in tact
Zest of one fresh lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh Chervil sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Combine the lemon juice and ice water in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

Halve and core the apples.  Using a mandoline, slice the apples paper thin.  Alternatively, using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the apples as thin as possible.  Place the apple sliced into the lemon and water and toss.

Cut off the fronds of the fennel bulb and reserve.  Cut off the bottom root end of the bulb.  Cut the fennel in half, and thinly slice the bulb with the mandoline.  Alternatively use a sharp chef’s knife.  Set the slices aside.  Chop the fronds and reserve.

Drain the apple slices and wipe clean the bowl.  Pat the apple slices dry, and return to the bowl.  Add the fennel bulb slices, the lemon zest and the olive oil.  Toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Service

Transfer salad to a chilled salad bowl and sprinkle fennel fronds.  Garnish with fresh Chervil sprigs and serve.

For individual service, arrange on individually chilled salad plates.  Drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil over the top of each plate, sprinkle with the fennel fronds.  Garnish with fresh Chervil sprigs and serve.

Recipe by Donna Marie Zotter