summer salads
‘Tis the season. Of it being too damn hot to cook. Or eat any hot food. It’s the season of salads, and having the broadest possible interpretation of the word salad. It’s the season of meandering into the farmers market with no plan of action. It’s the season of stone fruits and perfectly ripe tomatoes. It’s the season that makes the heat and humidity worth it.
Something about long golden hours that come after the work day ends gives ample time to feel compelled to chop up some vegetables and fruits and plate it as artfully as possible.
keep it snappy
blanched sugar snaps and green beans, cucumber, radish, sesame oil, salt, rice wine vinegar
creamy yet refreshing
green bean base; thinly sliced zucchini, crumbled silken tofu, sesame lemon miso dressing and togarashi
soba salad
Soba salads to me are like a blank canvas. Everything is measured with the heart. Ingredients are whatever is in the fridge. No two dressings are ever the same. Whatever feels right in the moment.
add ins: carrots, radish, surgar snaps, cucumber, apple, cabbage
dressing: almond butter, ponzu, toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce
herbs & toppings: kept it simple w scallions, cilantro and furikake
and sometimes it is so hot you can forego the soba entirely and just have the slaw
niciose-y inspiration
I hate tuna. But I had some salmon. And an absurd amount of string beans to eat before they go bad so made a niçoise-y situation for lunch. Mesclun, haricot vert, tomato, avocado, radish, scallion, parsley, eggs, salmon; mustardy dressing.
PASTA SALADS
Orzo is a superior choice for pasta salad bc it means you can eat it with a spoon.
orzo, breakfast radishes, sugar snap peas, mint, dill, basil, scallion, lemon, olive oil, fruity vinegar
KALE SALAD DONE RIGHT
shredded dino kale
tomatoes and cucumbers
feta
olives, capers
tahini, olive oil, vinegar, dill, parsley
pickled red onions
crispy saffron basmati rice
have you ever?
Chicken salad(s)
Poached some chicken, made a lot of chicken salad.
The key is to have the right amount of brine and some kind of crunch for texture.
Cubed chicken | yogurt, olives, dill, toasted walnuts.
Shredded chicken | snap peas, radishes, rhubarb, olives, herbs, and potato chips to round out a meal
Spicy Chinese chicken salad, the real way. Shredded chicken (poached with five spice), radish, celery, cucumber, scallions, cilantro, chili crisp, soy sauce, black vinegar.
fruit in a salad? say less.
I used to hate fruit in salads. I was an adamant believer in keeping the sweets and savories separate. But at some point in my twenties something clicked and the sweet and salty and acidic, the cacophony of textures and flavors brightened up with ample herbs and all those “swing both ways” ingredients (avocado, tomato, looking at you) opened up a whole new world of salad delights that are light on the leaves, and heavy on the colors.
white nectarine
avocado for creaminess, prociutto for salt, roasted bell pepper for savory variation, radish for some crunch , basil and mint to brighten it all up, and a sweet balsamic olive oil drizzle
strawberries, cherries
avocado for creaminess, ricotta salata for salty creaminess, mesclun and arugula for a bit of a bite, toasted hazelnuts for texture and depth, italian parsley, olive oil and fruity vinegar, and a shit ton of cracked pepper
yellow nectarine
fresh mozzarella for creaminess, prociutto for salt, cherry tomatoes for juiciness, roasted bell pepper for savory sweet, radish, flat leaf parsley, on a base of mesclun and blanched green beans for a bit more substance, with some toasted pistachios for crunch
plums, pluots, heirloom rainbow baby tomatoes
topped with microgreens, basil, sallion, garnished with seaweed, chili strands, toasted black and white sesame seeds for added depth and umami, and a light dressing of fresh chili-infused soy sauce, fruity vinegar, olive oil
and of course, sometimes it’s just a full on fruit salad
cherries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, red plum, yellow nectarine, golden kiwi, topped with roasted pistachio (toasted with sugar so slightly candied), orange and lime zest, and dried flowers bc aesthetics, and a schmear of labneh