Radicchio Salad with Cara Cara & Blood Oranges
This lovely salad from Ina Garten is sure to brighten up even the gloomiest gray day.
Ingredients:
1 cup (2-4) shallots, peeled and thinly sliced into rings, and separated
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 head Lusia radicchio, halved, cored and shredded like slaw
8 ounces baby arugula
2 Cara Cara oranges, peeled and sliced into thin half-rounds
2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into thin half-rounds
â…” cup pitted Kalamata olives
½ cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ cup olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Place the shallots in a small shallow bowl and pour the vinegar over them. Set aside for 10 minutes to macerate.
2. In a large serving bowl, combine both radicchio, the arugula, both oranges and olives. Lift the shallots from the vinegar with a slotted spoon, sprinkle them on the salad, and toss lightly to combine (discard vinegar).
3. In a 1-cup glass measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. While whisking, slowly add in the olive oil. Pour enough of the vinaigrette over the salad to moisten well. Sprinkle with an additional pinch of salt, toss well and serve.
Cherry Tomato Salsa with Fresh Herbs
A pico de gallo-style salsa bright in flavor and combined with spring onions and mint.
Ingredients:
1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, washed and cut in half
2-3 spring onions, trimmed and finely diced
½-1 jalapeño pepper, depending on taste, seeds removed and finely chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Sea salt
Method:
1. Combine tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno pepper in a medium bowl. Add herbs, then drizzle lime juice over the salsa. Season generously with sea salt, to taste. Allow to sit 10-20 minutes on the countertop for flavors to fully combine.
Crème Fraîche Salad Dressing
Creamy, yet light, this dressing is fantastic tossed with greens and thinly-sliced radish.
Ingredients:
¼ cup crème fraîche
¾ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1-2 scallions, white parts only finely-minced, or 1 shallot, peeled and finely-minced
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and pepper
Method:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, olive oil, and honey.
2. Add the scallion or shallot, vinegar, salt, and pepper and whisk again. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste, or a touch more vinegar if you prefer your dressing on the acidic side.
Braised Fingerling Potatoes
Buttered and simmered in water, these rich, flavorful potatoes will wow.
Ingredients:
2 pounds fingerling potatoes
2 cups water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Method:
1. Cut a round of parchment paper to fit just inside a 12-inch heavy skillet and butter one side.
2. Slice potatoes ⅛-inch thick with the slicing blade on a grater or with a mandoline. Arrange in layers in skillet. Add water, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Dot top with the butter.
3. Cover potatoes with parchment, buttered side down, and briskly simmer until tender and most of liquid has evaporated, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.
Summer Stone Fruit & Heirloom Tomato Salad with Raspberry-Honey Vinaigrette
This bright and lively salad is perfect for a hot summer’s day.
Ingredients:
2 heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
1 cup Sungold cherry tomatoes
2 ripe but firm nectarines, cut into wedges
2 ripe but firm peaches, cut into wedges
1/4 red onion, thinly diced
â…“ cup feta, crumbled
Fresh basil and mint leaves
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
For the vinaigrette:
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup raspberry wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1-2 teaspoons honey
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Arrange the tomatoes, peaches, nectarines and red onions on a large platter.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the salad ingredients with the vinaigrette and lightly toss to coat. Top with feta, basil and mint, and then season generously with salt and pepper.
Garlic Scape Pesto
A bright, garlicky twist on classic pesto, this seasonal spread makes the most of fresh garlic scapes—perfect for tossing with pasta, spooning over grilled vegetables, or spreading on sandwiches.
Ingredients:
1 cup (about 8-10) chopped garlic scapes
1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pine nuts
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Juice of ½ lemon (more to taste)
½ cup olive oil (plus more as needed)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Method:
1. In a food processor or blender, pulse the garlic scapes and nuts until finely chopped. Add the Parmesan and lemon juice, and pulse again to combine. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and spreadable. Add more oil if needed for a thinner consistency. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if desired.
Blistered Shishito Peppers
These flavorful peppers make for a wonderful pre-dinner nibble!
8 ounces (3 heaping cups) Shishito peppers
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
Lemon wedge, optional
Flaky sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
Method:
1. Rinse and pat the peppers dry on a clean tea towel. Transfer the peppers to a medium bowl, drizzle in the oil, and toss until the peppers are evenly coated. Set aside.
2. Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat until it’s hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates quickly on contact. Add the peppers and let them cook, stirring every minute or so (not too often), until they are tender with charred spots, about 8 to 12 minutes.
3. Transfer the peppers to a serving plate. Spritz with a lemon wedge, if desired. Sprinkle with salt, to taste (don’t skimp). Serve with a little bowl on the side for the pepper stems.
Honey-Balsamic Roasted Carrots
This slam-dunk recipe from Domenica Marchetti’s The Glorious Vegetables of Italy beautiful combines both savory and sweet flavors.
Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Put carrots in a large roasting pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey and 2 teaspoons vinegar. Pour over carrots. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Toss gently to combine.
3. Roast carrots for 10 minutes; toss, roast for 15 minutes more, or until carrots are tender and browned in spots.
4. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with a few additional drops of vinegar and a dash of sea salt.
Greek Village Salad
Ingredients:
4 ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut into bite sized chunks
2 Persian cucumbers, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
½ cup red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup Kalamata olives
¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, stripped of stems and chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Place the tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion in a bowl. Mix in the olives.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, and salt and pepper, and pour over the salad to coat. Toss well then sprinkle with feta cheese.
Salami, Apple & Endive Bites
Fresh, savory, and just a touch sweet—this simple, no-cook appetizer is perfect for grazing before the Thanksgiving meal.
Ingredients:
1 Belgian endive, leaves separated
1 crisp apple, cored and sliced into wedges
8–12 thin slices Norcino salami
Honey, for drizzling
Freshly cracked black pepper
Method:
1. Arrange endive leaves on a serving platter. Add an apple wedge to each leaf. Fold or cut salami slices into bite-size pieces and place one on top of each apple slice. Drizzle lightly with honey and finish with black pepper if desired.