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Vegetable salads can contain hundreds of combinations. The trick is to find flavors that work especially well together. A truly delicious salad becomes more than the sum of its parts, a level above a jumble of miscellaneous things thrown together. Tomatoes and Red Wine Vinegar Either cherry tomatoes or plum (Roma) tomatoes, combined with red wine vinegar, form a flavor base for a truly excellent series of salads. The series below begins with tomatoes alone, then branches into tomato salads with green beans, followed by tomato salads with other vegetables. Simple Cherry Tomato Salad A cherry tomato salad can be made with olive oil and white wine vinegar. But red wine vinegar makes the salad more interesting. Simple as it is, this looks and tastes fine, even without basil. It can serve as an ubiquitous accompaniment, much like a relish, for almost any meat or fish. This improves if made ahead of time and allowed to steep in the refrigerator an hour or longer. Serves 4 as side dish or relish Cherry tomatoes, halved, 4 ounces,
or plum (Roma) tomatoes, cut into thin wedges Vinaigrette: Same as for Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad below In the serving bowl, mix the vinaigrette of red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and optional minced sweet onions. Stem the cherry tomatoes and halve them. Stir them into the vinaigrette. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed. Just before serving, taste and adjust flavors. Variation Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad MASTER RECIPE Green beans are added to cherry tomatoes and red wine vinegar for an excellent salad, to which a number of additions may be made. Serves 4 Cherry tomatoes, halved, 4 ounces
or plum (Roma) tomatoes, cut into thin wedges Vinaigrette: Cut the stems out of the cherry tomatoes. Cut them in half
and place them in the serving bowl. Add the ham. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed. To preserve color, stir the beans into the tomatoes just before serving. Taste and adjust flavors at this time.
Variations With Potatoes or White Beans Potatoes make a particularly fine addition. White beans are also very good. To the master recipe above add: Cooked, diced potatoes, 4 ounces Or cooked white beans For cleaner slicing of potatoes, boil or steam them ahead and refrigerate an hour or more before dicing. Just before serving, stir in potatoes with the beans. With Shrimp or Scallops WITH DRESSING In place of potatoes shrimp, scallops, or indeed any firm-fleshed fish may be added. A mayonnaise or thickened yogurt dressing may be served on the side. To the master recipe above add: Cooked shrimp, 4 ounces Or cooked scallops, or cod or other firm-fleshed fish Just before serving, stir in shrimp with the beans. Dressing Serve mayonnaise or thick yogurt cream on the side. If using thick yogurt cream, stir in some of the shrimp cooking broth. Variation Add a few anchovies, or Calamata olives, or capers with the cherry tomatoes. Cherry Tomato Salad with EggplantThis is similar to the Green Bean and Cherry tomato Salad above, with eggplant and roasted red peppers replacing the green beans. Here the ham and peppers are important to complement the eggplant. This may be served immediately, but is improved if allowed to stand in the refrigerator an hour or more. Serves 4 as main salad Cherry tomatoes, or plum (Roma) tomatoes Vinaigrette: Mix vegetables and vinaigrette in the serving bowl. Adjust flavors before serving. Variation Cooked zucchini may be substituted for the eggplant, but it is not quite as good. To make the vinaigrette, place oil, red wine vinegar, and shallot in a small bowl. Whisk well. Season with salt and pepper. Taste, and correct proportions. Place cherry tomatoes, but not beans, in the serving dish. Stir in vinaigrette. Just before serving, so as not to diminish color, stir in green beans. Garnish with optional basil and serve. |
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