Fast, Fresh & Green (19 page)

Serves 6

METHOD: No cooking

EQUIPMENT: Mixing bowl or salad bowl, sharp knives, whisk

HEAT: None!

RECIPES:
Foundation Recipe for No-Cooking •
139

“Go Green” Simple, Sassy Slaw •
141

Heirloom Tomato, Summer Peach, and Fresh Herb Gazpacho Salad •
143

Cucumber Salad with Greek Yogurt, Lime, and Honey •
145

Double-Lemon Ginger Carrot Salad •
146

Simple Avocado and Herb Salad for One or More •
147

Colorful Chinese Kick-Slaw •
150

Big-Bowl Spinach and Snow Pea Salad with Cashews •
151

Sometimes I can be a little slow on the uptake. When I first outlined this book, it didn’t occur to me that one of the best techniques for “cooking” vegetables is no cooking at all. I know, you’d think that with all the excitement about raw food these days (and the fact that I practically live off tomato salads in the summer), I would have thought of this sooner. But I was so focused on how to help you all learn to cook delicious vegetables that I didn’t really think of “no cooking” as a technique.

Fortunately, I usually figure this stuff out sooner or later. So I’m happy to present you with a chapter that will provide relief—from both the stove and from the heat of summer, when most of these recipes will jump into play.

While tomatoes are certainly my favorite “no cook” vegetable (though I also like them roasted!), there are plenty of other vegetables—such as carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, and spinach—that are delicious raw. Of course, if you were just going to eat these raw, you wouldn’t need a recipe. Where uncooked vegetables really star is in salads and slaws with yummy vinaigrettes and dressings (see the recipe list on
page 137
). Many of my recipes were inspired by a desire to do better than the standard fare. For instance, I’ve never liked carrot salad, which I’ve found bland and mushy. My Double Lemon Ginger Carrot Salad is not only delicious, but it also takes advantage of my new favorite (cheap) tool, the hand-held julienne peeler, to make crisp, pretty strips of carrots. That’s just one example of how taking a fresh and flavorful approach to dressing raw vegetables can make a big difference.

So while there’s no big technique to master in this chapter, your success with these recipes will depend, in part, on choosing the freshest vegetables and herbs you can get your hands on. These recipes use a lot of herbs, so even if you’re not a gardener, consider keeping a pot or two of basil and mint on your back step in the warmer months so that you don’t have to constantly buy fresh herbs. And do get in the habit of patronizing your local farmers’ market on a weekly basis. Aside from all the obvious reasons to support your market, you’ll be pleased and amazed to find out how much longer those vegetables keep. They’re just that much fresher to begin with.

In this chapter, you’ll find tomato salad (surprise!), groovy slaws, and a few updates for classics like cucumber salad and spinach salad. You’ll also get a little help remembering how good avocados are. I also think you’ll really like the foundation recipe that starts off this chapter. It’s a cross between a salad and a salsa, and can just as easily be a topping for grilled fish as it could be a side salad for steak or chicken.

This is a fun approach for a foundation recipe: Basically, it’s a design-it-yourself salsa disguised as a salad. (It can go either way, depending on what size you cut everything.) You won’t find a list of vegetables for the ingredient options, just choose vegetables and fruits that will all mingle and marry together well because they are fairly high in moisture content. So you will see nary a carrot or a broccoli floret in this recipe; it’s all about tomatoes and cucumbers and summer fruit (and fresh herbs, of course). I think avocado is an important ingredient, because its texture and richness help balance the cooler vegetables and fruits. But you could certainly also make a nice version of one of these salads without the avocado.

I’d suggest that you cut everything into fairly small pieces once you’ve made your choices. (I like ½ -inch/1.25-cm dice, but the “dice” don’t have to be perfect.) And you could certainly cut larger pieces if you want to make a chunky salad, though I’d opt for the cucumbers over the squash in that case. (I think raw squash is best small.) Or you could cut everything smaller if you want to use this as, say, a topping for fish steaks for a party. The only thing you really need to do is to try to keep everything about the same size; the salad will not only look pretty but will also be easy to eat.

I also suggest that you take the seeds out of larger tomatoes. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it will make a neater salad when everything gets stirred together. Just cut the tomatoes in half and poke and prod the seeds out with your fingers.

Try to mix this salad as close to serving time as possible. Stir gently with a silicone spatula, and use as much of the dressing as you like; you may not need it all. After the salad is mixed, taste it not just for salt, but also for brightness and sweetness. You can always add a little squeeze of lime or a dash of orange juice if necessary. Be sure to use two or more herbs for the most interesting salad, and don’t forget the bit of radish or jicama for crunch.

You’ve probably guessed by now that this salad is pretty darn versatile. You could make a tomato, cucumber, mango, and avocado salad to go with steak; a tomato, nectarine, and jicama salad to go with grilled shrimp; or a tomato, zucchini, peach, and avocado salad to go with grilled chicken. (Obviously I have grilling on the brain, but you could use one of these with roasted salmon or chicken, too.)

Dressing

3 TBSP EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1 TBSP FRESH ORANGE JUICE

2 TSP FRESH LIME JUICE

1 TSP HONEY

KOSHER SALT

Salad

2 OR 3 SMALL HEIRLOOM TOMATOES OR PLUM TOMATOES
(8 to 10 oz/225 to 285 g total), seeded and cut into small dice; or 8 oz/225 g small cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 SMALL CUCUMBER
(7 to 8 oz/200 to 225 g), ends trimmed, peeled, cored, and cut into small dice; or 1 small zucchini or summer squash (7 to 8 oz/200 to 225 g), unpeeled, cut into small dice

2 PEACHES OR NECTARINES, 3 PLUMS, OR 1 MANGO
(about 10 oz/285 g total), pitted and cut into small dice;
OR CANTALOUPE OR HONEYDEW MELON
(about 6 oz/170 g), cut into small dice

1 AVOCADO
(about 10 oz/285 g), peeled, pitted, and cut into small dice

2 SMALL RADISHES
(about 1 oz/30 g total), quartered and thinly sliced;
OR JICAMA
(about 2 oz/60 g), peeled, cut into small thin slices

3 TBSP OF A COMBINATION OF AT LEAST 2 CHOPPED FRESH HERBS
(mint, basil, cilantro, or parsley)

½ TSP KOSHER SALT

1
To make the dressing:
in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, honey, and a good pinch of salt.

2
To make the salad:
in a medium mixing bowl, combine your choice of tomatoes, cucumber or squash, fruit, the avocado, your choice of radish or jicama, and the herbs. Add the salt and drizzle most of the dressing over all. Toss well and taste. Add the remaining dressing and/or more salt, if needed. Taste again and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Serves 4 to 6

This slaw is just a beautiful thing—at its very simplest, it’s just lime juice, salt, sugar, and savoy cabbage (the pretty, crinkly one). So incredibly easy, and just the thing to tuck into a fish taco (or even a chicken or beef taco). But since I like to complicate matters, I’ve added cilantro and scallions in this recipe to make the slaw more of a side dish. You can also add a bit of minced serrano pepper if you like, and a tablespoon of sour cream for a creamier feel. If you’re feeling fancy, top it with toasted pepitas (Mexican pumpkin seeds).

Once the lime juice hits the cabbage, it will take a few minutes for the cabbage to soften and lose its raw texture. I find 15 to 20 minutes is about right (especially for a weeknight), but how “wilted” you want your slaw is really a matter of personal preference. The good news is that this slaw stays fresh tasting and somewhat crisp feeling even after it has sat for a bit. I’ve even eaten this the next day and loved it.

½ SMALL HEAD SAVOY CABBAGE
(about 8 oz/225 g), cored and thinly sliced

3 TBSP FRESH LIME JUICE

2 TSP SUGAR

½ TSP KOSHER SALT

2 TBSP CHOPPED FRESH CILANTRO

2 TBSP FINELY CHOPPED SCALLIONS
(white and green parts)

¼ To ½ TSP MINCED SERRANO PEPPER
(optional)

2 TO 3 TBSP TOASTED PEPITAS
(Mexican pumpkin seeds, optional; see tip on
page 36
)

1
In a medium mixing bowl
, combine the cabbage, lime juice, sugar, and salt. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cilantro, scallions, and serrano (if using). Stir well again, and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with the toasted pepitas, if desired.

Serves 3 to 4

If you’re hitting the farmers’ markets in late summer, sooner or later you’re going to wind up with a bowl of peaches and a bowl of tomatoes next to each other on your kitchen counter. They’re in season together, and they taste great together, with the sweetness of the peach balancing the acidity of the tomato—so go ahead and turn them into a salad. (But please don’t make this salad in the off-season.) I call this easy summer dish a gazpacho salad not because it looks like one, but because you can roughly purée any leftovers in a blender, chill it, and you’ve got a delicious gazpacho.

The dressing for this salad has orange juice in it, but when I have it on hand, I like to substitute a store-bought mango smoothie drink (like Odwalla). When you toss the salad with the dressing, taste the juices, and if they aren’t bright-tasting, add more balsamic vinegar or soy sauce. You can also add more mango drink if you need sweetness. If you can, try not to toss the salad until a few minutes before serving—while the flavor improves with sitting, the looks and texture do not. So if you’re putting this out on a buffet, mix it very gently (right in its serving bowl) as close to serving time as possible. And remember to save some of the herbs for garnish. If you have edible flowers or purple basil leaves in your garden, this salad is the perfect destination for them.

2 LB/910 G HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
(a mix of sizes—including cherries—and colors is nice)

1 LB/455 G RIPE PEACHES

½ SMALL RED ONION
(about 2 oz/60 g)

2 TBSP EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

2 TBSP FRESH ORANGE JUICE OR MANGO SMOOTHIE DRINK,
and more if needed

1 TBSP BALSAMIC VINEGAR,
and more if needed

1 TSP SOY SAUCE,
and more if needed

½ TSP FINELY GRATED LEMON ZEST

¼ TSP KOSHER SALT,
and more if needed

½ CUP/15 G LIGHTLY PACKED SMALL WHOLE FRESH MINT AND BASIL LEAVES
(or large ones torn into smaller pieces)

EDIBLE FLOWERS,
petals separated if large, for garnish (optional)

1
Core the large tomatoes
and stem any cherry or tiny tomatoes. Cut the larger tomatoes into large, evenly sized pieces. To do this easily, first cut the tomatoes crosswise into thick slabs, and then cut the slabs into large dice (¾ to 1 in/2 to 2.5 cm wide). If the tomatoes are very irregularly shaped, just cut them into wedges and then cut the wedges in half. Cut the cherry or tiny tomatoes in half or into quarters. Put all of the tomatoes into a large, shallow serving bowl.

2
Peel the peaches
with a paring knife and slice them off the pit into wedges (whatever size you like, depending on the size of your peach). Add the peaches to the bowl. Slice the onion lengthwise as thinly as you can and add it to the bowl, too.

3
Whisk together the olive oil
, 2 Tbsp orange juice, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp soy sauce, lemon zest, and ¼ tsp salt. Pour the dressing over the tomatoes and peaches. Add half of the herbs, season with salt, and toss gently but thoroughly. Taste the juices and add more vinegar, soy sauce, and orange juice if you need to. (You can let the salad sit for a few more minutes and taste and season again if you like.) Before serving, toss again and sprinkle with the remaining herbs and the flowers (if using).