Summering in France Recipes
Cool, classic and colorful, Salade Niçoise is the hallmark of summer in France, layered with fresh, crisp produce like yellow Romano beans, cherry tomatoes and baby potatoes, and accents like briny salted capers and protein-rich tuna. Thus, your box this week honors this beloved summer staple with local ingredients to create your own version of the famous salad, plus summery herbs and produce, a crisp Rosé, freshly-baked baguette and sweet summer apricots. Enjoy!
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Salade Niçoise
A classic from the esteemed Julia Child, this colorful salad can be customized to your liking.
Niçoise Vinaigrette
Julia Child’s famous vinaigrette, crafted from lemon juice and Dijon mustard!
Crispy Fried Shallots
These crisp little nibbles are delicious scattered over salad greens or tucked into burgers and sandwiches.
Grill-Roasted Garlic
Forget turning on the oven, you can roast garlic on the grill! These tender, smoky cloves are delicious incorporated into salad dressings, or simply spread atop slices of grilled bread for a summery starter.
Charred Green Bean Salad
This simple, satisfying salad courtesy of chef Michael Symon always gets rave reviews!
Crispy Fried Shallots
These crisp little nibbles are delicious scattered over salad greens or tucked into burgers and sandwiches.
Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable or olive oil
3 large shallots, peeled and sliced lengthwise about ⅛-inch thick
Salt
Method:
1. Put oil in a small saucepan. Add shallots and place pot over medium heat. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes (turn down heat if they seem to be coloring too quickly), until they gradually become brown.
2. Place a fine-meshed sieve over a bowl. Transfer shallots to sieve and let drain well. Blot shallots on paper towels. They will become crisp as they cool. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
Pan-Braised Radishes & Greens
Pan-braising radishes mellows their spice, lending tender texture to this side dish.
Ingredients:
1 large bunch radishes with greens*
1 shallot, minced
4 teaspoons butter
Water
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
¼ cup fresh parsley or tarragon, chopped
Method:
1. Trim greens from radishes, leaving a bit of the green stem intact. Place greens and radishes in a large bowl of cold water and let soak for at least five minutes. Remove greens and set in a colander to drain. Dry off radishes and slice in half.
2. In a large sauté pan, melt three teaspoons of the butter and sweat the minced shallots over medium heat for a minute or so. Add radishes to the pan, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in water to almost cover the radishes. Bring to a simmer, partially cover the pan, and cook until the radishes are knife tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove lid and add the greens to the pan. Cover and cook for a minute or two more, until the greens have somewhat wilted. Transfer greens and radishes to a large serving bowl, leaving juices remaining in pan.
3. Bring juices to a simmer, and reduce until no more than a quarter cup remains. Add a teaspoon more of butter and stir to incorporate it with the juices.
4. Finely chop the herbs and add it to the bowl. Pour reduced juices over top and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper as necessary.
*Feel free to use a mixture of this week’s trio of radishes for a beautiful array of color!
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Utilizing both apple cider and apple cider vinegar, as well as shallots and Dijon, this punchy vinaigrette is packed with flavor.
Ingredients:
1 small shallot, peeled, cored and quartered
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Method:
1. Purée all the ingredients in a blender, food processor or with an immersion blender in a bowl until smooth, about 30 seconds. Use immediately or store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving if it becomes solid.
