Some Thoughts on Salad Nicoise

Salad Nicoise is a truly classic French dish. It is also one of those Things I Never Think About Making. All that changed over the summer, when I somehow concluded that a nice salad nicoise was exactly what I needed to make. A quick consult of Julia Child and the Simply Recipes blog provided an almost-comically easy blueprint. The results? Delicious.

Like all regional specialities, the "right" way to do Salad Nicoise is fiercely debated in its native Nice, in France's Cote D'Azur. The original salad Nicoise, according to the Wikipedia oracle, included: "raw red peppers, shallots, and artichoke hearts, never potatoes." Salads on a platter like this one were apparently popularized in the 1880's, although some claim renowned choreographer George Balanchine played a key part in creating the salad we know and love today. Salad Nicoise really took off in the USA due to the titanic influence of one Julia Child. Here's a Salad Nicoise recipe from Nice (in French) if you're curious.

Here's a charming article on Salad Nicoise in its homeland from the Guardian.


Here's Nice. Would hate to have to go THERE.

The classic Salad Nicoise uses canned tuna - in oil, thank you, the watery stuff isn't really worth eating. I've prepared this with both some simple poached salmon and with grilled tuna. According to this amusing NY Post article, food critic Mimi Sheraton believes that fresh tuna is "a travesty". Eh, whatever, Mimi. Both versions are delicious in my book.

I ended up making Salad Nicoise quite a bit over the summer, as I became more and more enamored with the combination of savory capers, crunchy haricorts verts, and creamy potato. I suspect you'll fall in love too as soon as you make it. Salad Nicoise's other tremendous advantage? It can look incredibly pretty with almost no effort on your part. There is nothing not to love.

Nicoise Salad:

Vinaigrette: (I use Elise's over at Simply Recipes. This is definitely my new favorite salad dressing. It has some of the creaminess and savory flavor of a Caesar without the calories. Excellent).

1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

You can either whisk this or blend it. Blending produces, in my opinion, a superior creamy texture.

Salad Faine-Style:
8 or 10 baby red potatoes.
1/2 lb haricots verts/baby green beans.
Eggs (I don't use eggs. You may if you don't consider hard boiled eggs an agent of Satan, like myself).
Butter lettuce and/or romaine.
A carton of good quality grape tomatoes. Use the fancy colored ones for extra visual appeal.
One red onion.
Nicoise olives.
Capers.
Feta or goat cheese if desired.
Radishes.
Artichoke hearts.
Thyme to sprinkle on top.
Tinned anchovies (optional).

Boil the potatoes in some hot water, until creamy and delicious on the inside. Do the same for the green beans, and the eggs, if you are one of those people who actually uses them. Slice the grape tomatoes in half for maximal squidgy appeal and less chance of squirt-in-the-eye tragedy. Slice the red onion.

If using tuna, take it out of the package and brush with a little bit of olive oil. Sprinkle on a tiny bit of salt and pepper. Light a grill or heat up a grill pan. Grill according to doneness. You won't need more then a couple of minutes for a delightfully rare seared tuna steak. Slice and chill for a few minutes.

Arrange the whole shebang in an attractive manner in a big salad bowl. Approach the process as if constructing a color wheel. What ingredient looks purty next to another ingredient?

Put the tuna on top or serve on the side, according to your preference. Drizzle on the dressing and toss. Devour.

This is excellent with a dry white wine. Even better if eaten outside at the end of a really hot day. Those residents of Nice are onto something.

Thai Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup: Oh Goodness Gracious Yes

It's beginning to get hot out here in Sacramento, and there's few better meals for dry n' scorching weather then fresh Thai soup. The rendition offered in the Cooking Club cookbook looked pretty choice to me, so I picked up some nice looking tiger shrimp and some slightly more esoteric ingredients and gave it a shot.

You will need (for 4 servings):

6 oz dried rice noodles
2 stalks fresh lemongrass
Vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 shallots, sliced
An inch of ginger or galangal, sliced
4 kaffir lime leaves if you can find em', 4 tsp lime zest if you can't
1-3 Thai red chilis, depending on your preference
Salt (no duh)
1 to 1 and a half lbs shrimp, shells on
1 quart chicken stock
Button mushrooms (1 cup)
1 cup baby bok choy
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup tamarind paste/concentrate
Juice of one lime
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup cilantro (if you like it)
1/2 cup fresh Thai basil (necessity)




You'll need to acquire some Thai ingredients for the broth. Collect your shallots, ginger, kaffir lime, and lemon-grass. Bruise the cut lemongrass first.



You'll want to get yourself some shrimp - I used about a pound for two people and had plenty left over. Remember to get shell on shrimps.



Here's the important part: keep the shells when you peel the shrimp. You're going to use the shells to make the shrimp stock which, when cooked for a while, will infuse the broth with an addictive and tangy flavor. I am rather mortified that I did not realize the delicious utility of the humble shrimp shell sooner.



Heat some oil (I used olive, I don't think that ends the universe or anything) and toss in your magical shrimp shells, your garlic, shallot, lemongrass, galangal or ginger, kaffir lime, chili peppers, and salt. Saute for four minutes and stir frequently because burned shrimp shells are a tragedy against mankind and also sorta icky.



Toss in your chicken broth, turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer this beeyotch for 20 minutes, skimming off the foam on occasion. While you're at, boil your rice noodles in a separate pot.



Once 20 minutes are up and the broth is attaining some margin of deliciousness, you'll need to strain it, unless you find consuming shrimp shells delicious and stimulating - we won't judge you. Strain the broth and return it to the pot. Now, add the mushrooms and the bok choy (and whatever other veggies you may be using) and cook for two minutes.

Next, add the tamarind, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and shrimp. Stir well and cook for two more minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and delectable. Turn the heat off, dole out rice noodles for each bowl, and pour the soup over them.



Serve the soup with fresh basil and mint, to be ripped up and dumped into the broth as suits personal taste. Fresh bean sprouts are another crunchy and refreshing touch. I like to add hoisin sauce and additional fish sauce to my soup, as well as some hot sauce: put out some condiments and let the people decide for themselves, you patriot, you.

Collards with Red Onion and Bacon

Collard Greens with Red Onions and Bacon (Recipe from the always-helpful Gourmet Cookbook)




The traditional Southern method of preparing collard greens involves, as we like to say in our family, "cooking all the nutrients out of them." This produces the delectable broth known as pot likker, but I can understand the complaint: it'd be nice to have Southern style greens with a little texture and life left in them. To fill the gap, I submit this excellent recipe via the Gourmet Magazine Cookbook: Collard Greens with Red Onions and Bacon. The combination of pork, caramelized onion, and cider vinegar produces truly tasty and not entirely killed greens that will stand up nicely to any Southern dish. The fact that they are entirely easy to make is icing on the cake.



* 1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into fourths
* 3 medium red onions, chopped coarse (about 3 cups)
* 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
* 1/4 cup cider vinegar
* 2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar, or to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
* 4 pounds collard greens (preferably small leaves), coarse stems and ribs discarded and leaves and thin stems washed well, drained, and chopped coarse

Begin by browning the bacon. I didn't have any bacon on hand, but I did have some fatback, which made a perfectly fine substitute. Once the bacon is browned, pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings. In the remaining luscious pork fat, throw in your sliced red onions and cook until nicely browned. Transfer to a bowl and keep them aside. You will be meeting them again.



To the aforementioned pan, add the chicken broth, the cider vinegar, the brown sugar, the red pepper flakes, and about half of your preserved pork product (be it bacon or fatback or whatever.)



Now, begin to add the collards in handfuls, stirring to ensure proper wiltage. Once wilted, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once 30 minutes are up, stir in the red onions and simmer for 30 minutes more. Serve topped with the remaining bacon or fatback. You are free to drink the pot likker, like civilized people do.

How To Make Marcella Hazan's Osso Bucco

Oh, osso bucco. These delectable veal shanks have got it all: fatty and delightfully rich meat, delicious pan juices, juicy and mouth-coating bone marrow. We use Marcella Hazan's recipe in our household and it's a good one - I like the heartier Milanese take on the dish, complete with plenty of tomatoes. We picked up the meat from Corti Brothers which I hadn't been to before, believe it or no. (I know, I'm a lousy Sacramento resident.) The meat was attractive, if partially frozen. Apparently Corti Brothers doesn't sell enough osso bucco to justify keeping out thawed. What's wrong with people?

Here's how we did it last week, with much credit going to Marcella.


INGREDIENTS:
1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup finely chopped carrot
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon garlic
2 strips lemon peel
4/5 veal hind shanks (for 3 people who LIKE or REALLY LIKE meat)
flour
1 cup dry white wine that doesn't suck
1 cup beef stock
1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes - I like San Marzano's
Package of Baby Bella mushrooms if so inclined
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 or 3 sprigs parsley



Preheat your oven to 350. You'll want a large pot where you can lay out the osso bucco, with plenty of space. Once you've found a suitable pot, toss in the onion, celery, carrot, and butter, then turn your burners heat to medium. Cook the vegetables for 6 or 7 minutes, then add the chopped garlic and finely grated lemon peel. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Pull them off the heat.



Dredge the shanks in the flourgiving them a heathy coating, then toss them in a suitable skillet (not in the pot.) Brown them all over. Once browned, lay them over the vegetables in the pot. Perhaps even nestle them.

Tip the oil out of the skillet then add the wine and reduce , by simmering over medium heat. Make sure to scrape out the delicious brown bits!



Pour these juices over the veal and vegetables in the pot. Put the beef broth in a separate skillet, bring to a simmer, then pour into the pot as well. Add the chopped tomatoes (with juice), thyme, bay leaves, parsley, pepper, and salt. I also like to add some baby bella mushrooms. This can be omitted if you're a purist or mushrooms make you die. If the broth isn't two thirds of the way up the shanks, you have DONE IT WRONG. Okay, just add some more broth.



Bring all the various tasty liquids in the pot to a simmer on the range, cover the pot tightly, and place the whole shebang in the oven. Cook for two hours or until the meat is fall apart tender. It is rather difficult to OVERcook osso bucco. Turn and baste the shanks every 20 minutes or so, although this can become a bit difficult as the meat gets falling-apart tender and generally awesome.



Once the meat is done, remove the pot from the oven and serve. Be forewarned: the meat often slips right off the bone, so be sure to keep things together when removing from the juices.



I like serving osso bucco with greens sauteed with balsamic vinegar and shallot - try a combo of kale and collards. Osso bucco calls for polenta with parmesan cheese, or perhaps some home-made mashed potatoes. The delicious fatty marrow inside the bones is the absolute best part of this dish, and should be fought over by everyone at the table if they have any sense of value or decency. (I need some marrow forks very badly.)

I'll even tell you how to make the greens. Why? Because it is very easy and I am feeling profligate and friendly.



INGREDIENTS:
Serves 4 or 5
2 big bags of pre cut collards, kale, or combination therein OR
2 pounds of greens
2 or 3 shallots
Garlic
Kosher salt
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

Get some collard greens and some kale. If you can't find those magically convenient pre-cut bags, wash the greens and rip into pieces This is easily done in a sink. Next, boil the greens in a big pot. Collards take a little longer then the kale, so start them first. The entire process should take no more then 12 minutes.

Locate a big skillet, and chop up the shallot, as well as a couple cloves of garlic. Saute in olive oil until the shallot is soft. Put in the greens. You'll need to do this in bunches and wilt them as you go. Depending on how you like your greens, you can cook them just enough to wilt them - they are boiled, after all! You can also braise the greens for around 30 minutes with a bit of chicken stock. I like my greens just barely wilted and that is what you are looking at here. I also like to add a few glugs of balsamic vinegar to the mix. Use at your own discretion.

Plated. This tasted delicious, meaty, and ever so perfectly fatty and rich, and I highly recommend it to everyone who really enjoys hearty Italian peasant food - and really, who doesn't? I thought so.

balsamic roasted brussels sprouts with shallot and rosemary

ROASTED BALSAMIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH SHALLOT AND RED ONION



Brussel sprouts are often maligned. Many an innocent American child has suffered through dismal dinners of boiled and unseasoned brussel sprouts: no wonder they're so often hated. But if treated with respect and love, the brussel sprouts becomes one of the planet's tastiest vegetables. Here's my recipe for roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar, red onion, and shallot. Guaranteed tastiness. Shed thy childhood trauma.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound brussels sprouts
1 red onion
1 shallot
Rosemary
Tsp of kosher salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Artichoke hearts (if desired)

You will need about a pound of sprouts for four people. Round up or down depending on the sprout lovin' proclivities of your audience.



Cut the sprouts and remove the outer leaves and split in half if you are using big guys. Leave them whole if using baby brussels sprouts. As you do this, turn up your oven to 425 degrees.

Finely chop one red onion and one shallot.



Get a bowl or pan and toss in the sprouts and the onion and shallot, as well as some chopped rosemary. Mix with a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil, a teaspoon of salt (more to taste), and a tablespoon or so of nice balsamic vinegar. Make sure the sprouts and the onions are nicely coated.



Get a big flat baking sheet and coat with olive oil or Pam. Spread out the onion and brussel sprout mixture, making sure to even out clumps. If you're like me and deeply enjoy crispy roasted onion bits, you'll want things to lie nice and flat.

Stick those suckers in the oven! My oven takes around 20 minutes to roast these to tenderness: it may take a little less time if you are using baby brussel sprouts.

If you would like to go all fancy with this, about 10 minutes into cooking time, get out a small sauce pan, turn it to high, and add two or three tablespoons of vinegar and a finely chopped shallot, as well as some rosemary and diced garlic. Reduce the sauce to a nice thick level, and toss on the sprouts when they are just about done cooking.



They should look something like this once they're done. Serve the sprouts immediately after they are removed from the oven, making sure to scrape up aforementioned crispy onion bits to sprinkle on top. These brussels sprouts go especially nicely with braised meat or chicken dishes: I like these with lamb shanks, beef short ribs, and other earthy and wonderful winter specialities.

Variant: toss in some cleaned artichoke hearts or mushrooms along with the brussels sprouts. Extra deliciousness!


Next up: smothered okra with tomato sauce and shrimp from Cookin' Up A Storm. Yeah baby.

soto ayam: indonesian chicken noodle soup like mama did not make (unless you're indonesian)

Newspaper Noshes: Soto Ayam (Indonesian Noodle Soup.)



Wednesday's omnipresent NY Times food section featured curried noodle soups: those omnipresent and oh-so-good Southeast Asian specialities. Similar to pho but generally less delicate and more in your face, I've enjoyed slurping big bowls of this stuff for a while. I decided to give the NY Times recipe for Soto Ayam a try - perhaps because I really enjoy stripping all the meat off chickens.

First things first: Boil An Old Dead Hen. I did not have an old hen but I did have a dead one, which I hacked up into bits, tossed in a pot with a bit of lemongrass, salt, and water, and cooked for 45 minutes. The chicken cooked through nicely with a faint (and i mean faint) aromatic scent of lemongrass. I shredded it, threw away the nasty/delicious bits, and set it aside.

Item two: make spice paste, comprised of shallots, cumin seeds, coriander, garlic, ginger, and turmeric. I did this in my dinky little blender and it came out sharp and tasty: I sauteed it for a bit. I have no idea what exactly the recipe means by "saute until the oil begins to separate from paste" because this did not actually occur and things just got rather lumpy. Be forewarned.

Item two: dump the spice paste and the cooked chicken into the stock pot and cook for about 10 minutes to really blend those favors. Final touch involves stirring in two tablespoons of lime juice and pouring over rice noodles - bam, you're done.

The soup came out rich and chickeny but extremely delicate in flavor. Might be great for the less Asian-flavors inclined among us but I'm down with the funky stuff, and this didn't have enough flavor for my liking. We ended up dumping in a bag of arugula and spinach to the mix, which added a nice green peppery flavor to matters. I also added a gigantic quantity of Tiger sauce, but let's be honest, I do that to everything.

Final verdict? Tasty recipe that needs more oomph. I'll make it again, but I think I'll add the spice paste earlier -that's what they do in this recipe and it seems like a wise and flavor-enhancing idea.

Overall, if you're looking for a nice olfactory cleansing Asian riff on Ye Olde Chicken Noodle Soup, you can't go wrong here. Thanks again, Indonesia.