Week 4: Depth of Winter Salads

This week’s salads brighten the dark days of late January with color (beets! oranges!), texture (farro! cashews!), spice (marinated daikon!), comfort (Caesar!), and a touch of entertaining oddness (reuben!). Similar themes of variety in color and flavor while leaning on hearty greens, chicories, root vegetables and grains will continue for a few more weeks. But then spring! Get a sense of what that used to mean: read Honey from a Weed by Patience Grey.

JANUARY 21: REUBEN SALAD

I had a vision: all the flavors of a reuben sandwich in a salad, but the hierarchy of flavors inverted with way less pastrami and way more cabbage. Nit-pickers like me will notice that cabbage is not sauerkraut, it is pre-sauerkraut. If you miss that unique tang, go ahead and toss in a handful of sauerkraut you’ve squeezed dry along with the cabbage.

A note to my vegetarian friends: while the pastrami plays a pivotal role in the concept of this salad, it is enough of a supporting player that the salad is fabulous without it, too.

Preheat an oven to 400°. Put 4 slices pastrami on a lined baking sheet and cook until browned and starting to crisp, about 10 minutes on each side. Let cool to crisp; crumble or chop. Meanwhile, cut 4 thick slices rye bread into croutons, put on a baking sheet (I line it with parchment paper), drizzle with 1 tbsp melted butter, toss to coat, and bake until browned and crunchy, about 10 minutes. Grate 1 to 2 ounces gruyère cheese over the croutons, return to the oven but turn the oven off.

Meanwhile, make the thousand island dressing (this version packs more of a punch than the bottled variety, but a person could certainly save time by using storebought) in the salad bowl: mix together 6 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp minced shallot, 1 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp sweet relish, 1 tsp cider vinegar, 1/4 tsp paprika (for a more traditional flavor, use sweet paprika; I used hot paprika and was delighted with that bit of kick), and a pinch or two of salt.

Trim, halve, and thinly slice 1 small Savoy cabbage (about 6 cups). Massage the cabbage ribbons vigorously, squishing and squeezing them in your hands to break it down a bit. Add to the bowl and toss to coat with the dressing. (At this point, the salad can sit very happily in the fridge for a few hours and even overnight.) Crumble in 2 of the crisped pastrami slices and add half the croutons; toss to combine. Divide between plates and top with the remaining croutons and any of the bits of cheese that melted onto the pan. Grate more gruyère over each salad. Crumble on the remaining pastrami. Gild the lily by toasting 2 tsp caraway seeds in a small frying pan and sprinkling them on top.

JANUARY 22: ESCAROLE SALAD WITH TOMATO DRESSING

Oh my goodness, but I love an escarole salad in winter. So crunchy. So bitter. So fun to mix with contrasting flavors. And what is neither crunchy nor bitter? Tomato! But it’s winter! There are no good tomatoes! Except, that is, in a can. The sweetness from the lightly cooked tomato softens the escarole. This is a fabulous reason never to toss out an odd canned tomato or two.

In a large salad bowl, mash 1 canned tomato with the back of a spoon. Add 1 shallot, peeled and minced, along with 1 tbsp sherry vinegar. Stir in 3 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly ground white pepper. Tear 1 head escarole into large pieces and toss to combine. Scatter some flat-leaf parsley leaves on top to make it prettier. Or, don’t toss, cover with a damp paper towel, and pop in the fridge until ready to serve. Another item in the plus column for escarole: it holds up nicely. Even after being dressed. Don’t be too quick to toss out any leftovers.

Variation: Add 1/2 tsp toasted and lightly crushed cumin seeds.

JANUARY 23: DAIKON CELERY ROOT SALAD

Trim, peel and cut 1 celery root into 2-inch matchsticks (or use a kitchen mandolin to cut). Do the same with 1 small daikon radish. In a medium bowl, finely grate 1 clove garlic and a 1-inch piece of ginger. Add 2 tsp seasoned rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and 2 tbsp sesame oil (or other neutral oil). Stir to combine. Add the vegetables and toss to coat with the dressing. Let sit for at least an hour and up to several hours covered and chilled. Garnish with chopped mint or cilantro for some color to serve.

JANUARY 24: BEET ORANGE SALAD

SO. MUCH. COLOR. Preheat an oven to 375°. Wrap 2 medium beets, trimmed of leaves and poky roots and rinsed clean, with a drizzle of olive oil in aluminum foil, put in a roasting dish, and roast until the beets are tender, about 45 minutes.  Open the foil and let sit until cool enough to handle. When beets are cool, slip off their skins and slice. Use a knife to trim 2 oranges (see this tutorial) and cut into slices. Arrange beet and oranges slices on plates, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Tada! Add a dollop of yogurt or a crumble of feta if that sounds good.

JANUARY 25: FARRO SALAD WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

This cold-weather riff on Melissa Clark’s masterpiece (if you don’t own Dinner, go buy a copy right now) comes with a warning: farro, while a truly excellent grain to use in grain salads, as its sturdiness stands up to dressings with admirable verve, can be unpredictable to cook. By which I mean, you sort of never know how long it might take. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add 1 cup farro, reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer, and cook until the farro is tender. Sometimes “cook until tender” takes 20 minutes, and sometimes it takes an hour. Plan accordingly. Drain, rinse with cold water, and shake dry.

While the farro cooks, peel and mince 1 shallot and put it in a large bowl, Add 2 tbsp aged sherry vinegar and 1/2 tsp salt. Let sit while you cut 8 ounces smoked mozzarella into 1/4-inch cubes and 6 ounces oil-packed sundried tomatoes into ribbons. Remove the leaves from 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley and chop the leaves. Add 4 tbsp oil from the tomatoes (if you don’t have enough, make up the difference with olive oil) to the dressing and stir to combine. Add the farro after draining and toss to combine. Let cool off a bit before adding the tomatoes and parsley, toss to combine then add the mozzarella. Add as much freshly ground black pepper as you like. Toss in about 4 cups arugula or serve the salad on beds of arugula.

JANUARY 26: KALE SALAD WITH CASHEW GINGER DRESSING

Kale can stand up to a lot of flavor. This dressing rises to that challenge. In a salad bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup cashew butter (sure, use almond butter or even peanut butter if you prefer!), 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp freshly finely grated ginger, 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce, 1 tbsp maple syrup or agave syrup, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional; or use 1 tsp sriracha or other chili sauce). Cut 1 bunch Tuscan kale into ribbons; massage them vigorously to break them down a bit. Add to the dressing and toss to coat. Scatter 1/3 cup roasted salted chopped cashews (or almonds or peanuts) on top.

(If you’re feeling like hanging out in the kitchen a bit, peel and thinly slice 1-2 shallots and fry them in some oil until they’re browned and crispy, drain, and scatter them on the salad, too.)

JANUARY 27: CAESAR SALAD

The Caesar is everywhere and varieties of it are endless. This is no variation. This is the real deal. Make it as-is or add a bunch of grilled chicken on top. You be you!

I should remind people that raw eggs can be a problem for people with immunity issues, the very young, and the very old. Food pathogens are real and can cause serious problems. The chances that the amount of egg used here, especially exposed as it is to acid, would cause any issue for a healthy adult is minuscule enough for me to have decided not to worry about it for me. But as with adding grilled chicken to a Caesar salad, you do what’s right for you.

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Cut or tear about 1/4 of a baguette into large crouton-like pieces. Put them on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, if you like), drizzle them with about 1 tbsp olive oil, toss to coat, and bake until crunchy and golden, about 10 minutes.

In a large salad bowl, mash 2 anchovy filets with a fork. Peel 1 clove garlic and mince or finely grate it. Combine it with the anchovy. Add 1 egg yolk and 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard; whisk to combine and until the egg yolk loosens up a bit. Slowly drizzle in 3 tbsp olive oil, whisking constantly, to incorporate the oil with the egg yolk to form a thick, mayonnaise mixture. Stir in 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and 2 tbsp grated parmesan. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste (I use a lot!). Cut or tear 1 head romaine into bite-size pieces (or leave them whole, à la Zuni Café), add the bowl, and toss to coat. Scatter the croutons and some parmesan shavings on top. Lay additional anchovy filets on top to serve if you like things that taste good.

THE ROMANTIC PAST OF SALADS

From New Calendar of Salads: 365 Answers to the Daily Question “What Shall We Have for Salad?” (1915); retyped as accurately as possible, weird hyphens and inconsistencies and all [sic on the whole shebang!].

Anyone out there planning a wedding should scroll down to January 26. Oh, the romance!

JANUARY TWENTY-FIRST: SHRIMP AND FRENCH PEA SALAD

Remove shrimps from can, rinse with cold water, drain, remove intestinal veins; break each shrimp in 4 pieces. There should be 2 cs. Reserve 6 whole shrimps for garnishing. Marinate with French Dressing, let stand 1 hr. Chill, drain French Peas from teh liquor in can. Marinate with a little French Dressing, let stand 1 hr. Chill. Then drain both, toss together and mix generously with cooked salad dressing or mayonnaise. Serve in nests of crisp chicory leaves and garnish with whole shrimps. Sprinkle with paprika or finely chopped chives.

JANUARY TWENTY-SECOND: FRENCH ENDIVE AND ORANGE SALAD

Separate the heads of French endive, wash in cold water, let stand in ice water until crisp. Drain, dry in the folds of towels. Arrange the leaves in faggots, allowing 7 or 8 for each portion according to their size; fold around each faggot strip or pimiento, cut 1/2 in. wide, using a pastry jagger for this purpose. Arrange each faggot in an individual nest of lettuce heart-leaves. Surround with orange cubes. Pipe Chantilly Mayonnaise around orange cubes, using a pastry bag and rose tube for this purpose. Serve very cold.

JANUARY TWENTY-THIRD: CAULIFLOWER SALAD No. 1

Marinate a cold-boiled cauliflower with French Dressing, to which has been added 1 tbsp. finely chopped chives or onion. Let stand 1 hr. in a cold place. When ready to serve, separate the flowerets and arrange them in a wreath of chicory mixing the bleach and green leaves artistically. Sprinkle cauliflower with paprika and grated Edam cheese.

JANUARY TWENTY-FOURTH: FRIZZLED CABBAGE

Cut a small firm head of white cabbage in quarters; remove the tough stalk and cut the cabbage in very thin slices, crosswise. Cover with ice water until crisp and well frizzled. Drain and shake dry in a cloth. Pile in a mound on a shallow platter, surround with small crisp lettuce leaves. Pour over Imperial French Dressing (See Salad Dressings).*

* Note from Molly: There is no such dressing in the Salad Dressings chapter.

JANUARY TWENTY-FIFTH: MINT FRUIT SALAD

Drain the small sliced pineapple from the syrup in can. Arrange slices in individual nests of bleached crisp chicory. Cut 6 large navel oranges in halves, crosswise and remove the pulp (as when preparing grapefruit). Remove all white skin, and membrane. To the pulp add 1/4 c. finely chopped fresh mint, 1/3 c. powdered sugar and 2 tbsps. each of orange and lemon juice. Arrange in pyramids above pineapple. Set a rose of Chantilly Mayonnaise (See Salad Dressings)** above each and finish with a maraschino cherry cut to simulate a tiny tulip. 💐

JANUARY TWENTY-SIXTH: CHICKEN SALAD No. 2

Use only the white meat of cold cooked chicken or turkey. Cut meat into 1/2 in. cubes; there should be 4 cups. Cut crisp tender hearts of celery in 1/2 in. pieces, There should be 2 cups. Break hickory or fresh English walnut meats in pieces; there should be 1 1/2 cups. Toss these lightly together with well mixed, using two forks for this purpose. Moisten generously with Mayonnaise Dressing. Dispose the salad in a mound on a chop platter and cover completely with more of the dressing. Decorate top with small red hearts cut from pimientos. Marinate artichoke bottoms with a little French Dressing, let stand 1 hour. Drain and fill each with a mixture of equal parts of nut meats broken into bits, celery cut in small pieces and 2 tbsps. of bit of pimiento or green pepper. Moisten with some of dressing. Set these around mound of salad and garnish top of each with a small red heart. Arrange sprays of parsley between each artichoke. This salad serves the base of the luncheon for an engagement announcement or a wedding.

JANUARY TWENTY-SEVENTH: SARDINE SALAD

Remove skin and bones from 12 sardines, cut in 1/2 in. pieces, marinate with French dressing; let stand 1 hr.; drain. Arrange cress or heart leaves in a shallow serving dish heap fish in center, cover with 6 devilled olives cut in thin slices crosswise, 3 sweet pickled gherkins cut the same, cut whites of 2 “hard boiled” eggs in narrow strips, arrange them over other ingredients like the petals of a Marguerite; force yolks through sieve in center. Pipe mayonnaise around base of salad.

** CHANTILLY MAYONNAISE—To mayonnaise dressing*** add 1 c. of heavy cream whipped until stiff. Serve dressing soon after cream and mayonnaise have been combined.

*** MAYONNAISE DRESSING—Put 1/2 tsp. salt, few grains cayenne in mixing bowl; add yolks 2 eggs and 1 tsp. lemon juice; mix thoroughly and add 1/4 c. olive oil drop by drop, after which larger quantities may be added, stir constantly. As mixture thickens add alternatively lemon juice and vinegar until 1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice have been used or 1 1/2 each of lemon juice and vineagr. Continue adding oil, lemon juice or vinegar alternatively until 1 1/2 c. olive oil have been used, continue stirring until mixture is a trembling jelly. All ingredients should be very cold and bowl in which is mixed should be set in crushed ice.