Prosciutto Spanish Variations

Prosciutto Spanish Variations

Ingredients:
1. 4 to 6 ounces prosciutto
2. 4 to 6 ounces smoked Spanish chorizo or fresh Italian sausage
3. ⅓ cup chopped nuts
4. ¼ cup chopped olives, dried tomatoes, whole capers, or a few chopped anchovies
5. 1 tablespoon minced or slivered garlic
6. 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or chile
7. 2 teaspoons cumin or coriander seeds
NOTES
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
Endive and Radicchio with Creamy Bacon Vinaigrette
The blender is an incomparable tool for making thick, smooth vinaigrettes. Pour the 2 tablespoons
bacon fat, mustard, olive oil, vinegar, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper into a blender and turn it on.
Once a creamy emulsion forms, turn off the blender and stir in the shallots. (Or just blend the shallots
with the other ingredients.) Proceed with the recipe.
MORE USES FOR WARM VINAIGRETTE
It may not be as versatile as regular vinaigrette, but the warm version can be used in all sorts of
dishes. As a salad dressing, its residual heat will gently wilt greens, and takes a bit of the raw edge off
other vegetables. I love tossing it with bean or grain salads, and you can even consider it among the
simplest possible sauces for pasta, rice, cooked vegetables, meat, or fish.
SIDES
Warm Buttery Bread
Bruschetta
Garlic Bread
SPEED SERVES 4
Steakhouse Salad
The “wedge” salad is a steakhouse classic made with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, crisp
bacon, and blue cheese dressing. This Italian-style version uses romaine instead of
iceberg, cherry tomatoes, sliced radicchio, Gorgonzola dressing, and crisp salami. It’s
more flavorful than the original and can be prepared in little more time than it takes to
crisp the salami.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces salami
1 large head romaine lettuce
1 small head radicchio
1 lemon
½ cup sour cream
½ cup yogurt
Salt and pepper
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese (1 cup crumbled)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
Prep | Cook
1. Put 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Chop the salami.
2. When the oil is hot, add the salami to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until crisp, 5 to
10 minutes.
Carefully trim the lettuce, leaving the leaves attached at the stem end. Cut the head lengthwise
into quarters.
Trim and thinly slice the radicchio.
Halve the lemon; refrigerate 1 half for another use.
Put ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup yogurt, the juice of ½ lemon, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a
small bowl. Crumble 1 cup Gorgonzola, add it to the bowl, and stir to combine. Taste and
adjust the seasoning.
Halve the cherry tomatoes.
3. Put each romaine quarter cut side up on a plate and top with the radicchio, cherry tomatoes, and
Gorgonzola dressing. Sprinkle the salami over the top and serve.
VARIATIONS
Spanish Steakhouse Salad
Use 4 ounces chopped smoked Spanish chorizo instead of the salami. Use any blue cheese (use
Cabrales if you want to be particularly Spanish about it) and stir a little smoked paprika into the
dressing.
Bacon Steakhouse Salad
Substitute bacon for the salami and lower the heat to medium in Step 1. It will take 10 to 15 minutes
to cook. Use a good American blue cheese instead of the Gorgonzola.
NOTES
EVEN FASTER
Don’t bother cutting the cherry tomatoes in half.
SIDES
Bruschetta
Warm Buttery Bread
Garlic Bread
SPEED SERVES 4
Grated Beet and Carrot Salad with Toasted
Cashews
Beets take a long time to cook, but that doesn’t mean they need to be excluded from your
fast repertoire: Just grate them and serve them raw; they’re so earthy and delicious you
may never cook them again. With carrots and scallions, the colors in this dish are
stunning.
Ingredients
1 cup cashews
2 large or 3 small beets (1 pound)
5 medium carrots (1 pound)
Salt
3 scallions
2 limes
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Prep | Cook
1. Put 1 cup cashews in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, shaking the skillet occasionally
and adjusting the heat so they don’t burn, until the cashews are lightly browned and fragrant, 3 to
5 minutes.
Trim and peel the beets and carrots. If you’re using a food processor for grating, cut the beets into
chunks that will fit through the feed tube.
2. When the cashews are toasted, turn off the heat. Shred the beets and carrots in a food processor
with a grating disk or by hand with a box grater. Put them in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt.
Trim and slice the scallions.
Halve the limes.
3. Add the scallions and cashews to the bowl. Squeeze in the lime juice and add 2 tablespoons
sesame oil. Toss, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve.
VARIATIONS
Grated Beet and Carrot Salad with Olives, Mint, and Lemon
Use 1 cup chopped pitted olives instead of cashews (no need to cook them). Replace the scallions with
¼ cup chopped fresh mint, the limes with 1 lemon, and the sesame oil with olive oil.
Grated Beet and Cabbage Salad with Rye Croutons, Yogurt, and Dill
Substitute 1 cup rye bread cubes for the cashews; sauté them in 1 tablespoon butter until golden and
crisp. Substitute 1 pound red cabbage for the carrots, ¼ cup chopped fresh dill for the scallions, 1
lemon for the limes, and ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream for the sesame oil.
NOTES
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
To intensify the flavor of the beets and carrots and soften them up a bit, toss the grated vegetables
with the lime juice and sesame oil and let sit for at least 15 minutes.
RAW ROOT VEGETABLES
We usually think of root vegetables—squash, parsnips, beets, celery root, and so on—as wintry foods
meant for roasting, braising, or other long-cooking methods. They are wonderful for that, indeed, but
you can also eat almost all of them raw. Eating roots raw gives you a satisfying crunch and a sense of
the freshness of spring, even if it’s still the dead of winter outside. Since root vegetables are sturdy,
it’s best to grate them, as done here. You can also shave or julienne them, which takes longer.
If the grated vegetable still seems too crispy for comfort, let it marinate for a half an hour or
longer in a vinaigrette (or, better yet, a warm vinaigrette; see Endive and Radicchio with Bacon
Vinaigrette). It will “cook” them a bit similar to the way a ceviche “cooks” raw seafood. Note that not
all roots should be eaten raw. Stick to low-starch choices like the ones mentioned and avoid things like
potato and taro root.
SIDES
Warm Flour Tortillas
White Rice
Scallion Pancakes
RECIPE-FREE
Salads
1 Start cooking (or don’t).
If you’re making a salad in which something needs to be cooked or heated—think roasted
vegetables or cooked bacon—start there. Heat a pan or turn on the oven, broiler, or grill. Get
those ingredients cooking and turn your attention to the dressing.
2 Choose your oil.
Ninety percent of the time it will be olive oil. For dressings with soy sauce I’ll sometimes use a
combination of sesame oil and a vegetable oil. Pour about ⅓ cup into a large, wide bowl big
enough to hold the salad—and ideally with a little room to spare for tossing.
3 Choose your acid.
Add about 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon or lime juice to the bowl. For any salads inspired by
Asian cuisines, rice vinegar is a good option too.
4 Choose your seasonings.
Some ideas beyond salt and pepper: chopped fresh herbs; dried herbs or spices; minced garlic,
ginger, or chiles; chopped olives; honey; soy sauce; citrus zest; chopped nuts; or crumbled
cooked bacon.
5 Make it creamy (if you like).
A tablespoon or 2 of ingredients like mayonnaise, yogurt, crème fraîche, mustard, ketchup,
hoisin, miso, peanut butter, hummus, pesto, or Parmesan to add creaminess and thicken the
dressing a bit.
6 Whisk, but don’t go crazy.
Whisk until well combined (if you want a super-emulsion, use a blender). Taste and adjust the
seasoning; you’ll have a final chance to make adjustments once you add the rest of the
ingredients.
7 Chop and drop.
Prep and pile the salad ingredients in the bowl as you go. The ones that you add first sit in the
dressing the longest, so start with harder vegetables like carrots and onions. Save things like
tomatoes and especially tender salad greens for the end.
8 Toss, taste, and serve.
Gently toss everything together using tongs, 2 spoons, or a clean pair of hands: Scoop under the
greens along the inside of the bowl, then up through the center; repeat until everything is coated
evenly. Taste again. Add more salt or pepper, or any of the individual components of the
dressing.
SPEED SERVES 4
Puffed Rice Salad with Dates and Almonds
Puffed rice makes for a quick, unusual, and wonderfully crunchy salad. Here it’s
softened ever so slightly by chopped dates marinated in orange juice, olive oil, ginger,
and herbs. I like puffed basmati rice, which you can find at some supermarkets and most
Indian markets, but you can also use regular puffed rice cereal if that’s all you can find.
Ingredients
2 cups dried dates
1 bunch fresh mint
1 bunch fresh cilantro
½ inch fresh ginger
1 orange
½ cup almonds
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
6 cups puffed basmati rice or puffed rice cereal
Prep | Cook
Pit 2 cups dried dates if necessary and chop them; put in a large bowl.
Chop ½ cup each of mint leaves and cilantro and add them to the bowl.
Peel and mince ½ inch fresh ginger; add it to the bowl.
Zest the orange right into the bowl, then cut it in half.
1. Add ½ cup almonds to the bowl. Squeeze in the orange juice, add ¼ cup olive oil, sprinkle with
salt and pepper, and toss; let sit for about 10 minutes.
2. Add 6 cups puffed rice and toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.
VARIATIONS
Puffed Rice Salad with Dried Tomatoes and Olives
Use dried tomatoes instead of the dates, basil and parsley instead of the mint and cilantro, 1 garlic
clove in place of the ginger, and ½ cup chopped pitted olives instead of the almonds.
Red Beans and Puffed Rice
Skip the almonds. Substitute 2 cups cooked or drained canned red beans for the dates, 1 cup chopped
parsley for the mint and cilantro, 1 small red onion, chopped, for the ginger, and a lime for the orange.
Puffed Wheat Salad with Dried Apricots and Pistachios
Use dried apricots instead of the dates and pistachios instead of almonds. Substitute puffed wheat
cereal for the rice.
NOTES
EVEN FASTER
Don’t wait for the dates to marinate; just add the puffed rice right away and serve.
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
To soften up the dates and almonds, marinate for another 10 to 15 minutes in the dressing before
adding the puffed rice.
SIDES
Crisp Seasoned Pita
Green Salad
Cucumber Raita
SPEED SERVES 4
White Bean and Cucumber Salad with Yogurt and
Dill
Dressing white beans in a light yogurt sauce enhances their natural creaminess and adds a
refreshing tang. Lemon and dill brighten things even further, while cucumbers and red
onion provide the necessary crunch.
Ingredients
¾ cup Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon
1 bunch fresh dill
Salt and pepper
4 cups cooked or canned white beans (two 15-ounce cans)
3 medium cucumbers
1 small red onion
Prep | Cook
1. Put ¾ cup yogurt and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Halve the lemon; squeeze the juice into the bowl.
Strip ¼ cup dill leaves from the stems and chop; add them to the bowl.
2. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to the yogurt sauce and whisk until smooth, adding a splash of
water if necessary to make it the consistency of a thick dressing.
If you’re using canned beans, rinse and drain them; add the beans to the bowl.
Trim and peel the cucumbers; cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Chop them and add them to the bowl.
Trim, peel, halve, and slice the red onion; add it to the bowl.
3. Toss the beans and vegetables with the dressing until coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning and
serve.
VARIATIONS
Black Bean and Cabbage Salad with Sour Cream and Cilantro
Use ½ cup sour cream instead of ½ cup of the yogurt, 2 limes instead of the lemon, cilantro in place of
dill, black beans instead of white, and 4 cups shredded red or green cabbage in place of the cucumbers.
Chickpea and Cucumber Salad with Tahini and Parsley
Replace ¼ cup of the yogurt with ¼ cup tahini, the dill with parsley, and the white beans with
chickpeas. If you like, add 1 teaspoon cumin to the dressing.
NOTES
MAKE YOUR OWN
Cooked Beans
VERSATILE DILL
Dill is an underrated herb; its uniquely grassy flavor lends itself to all sorts of uses, from brightening
rich stews to freshening up sauces and giving run-of-the-mill salad greens an unexpected kick. As an
added bonus, dill is less fragile than cilantro and basil, which means it keeps longer in the fridge.
SIDES
Bruschetta
Crisp Seasoned Pita
Green Salad
Fennel Salad
SPEED SERVES 4
Chickpea and Carrot Salad with Warm Cumin Oil
Slowly infusing olive oil with seasonings is a wonderful way to make a complex dressing
without paying much attention to it. Whole cumin seeds, lemon zest, and garlic flavor the
olive oil, which graces chickpeas and sliced carrots. Cumin seeds add crunch, but if you
like things smooth, just pour the oil through a strainer into the bowl.
Ingredients
½ cup olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 lemon
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
5 to 7 medium carrots (1 pound)
4 cups cooked or canned chickpeas (two 15-ounce cans)
1 bunch fresh mint
Salt and pepper
Prep | Cook
1. Put ½ cup olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat.
Smash and peel 1 garlic clove; add it to the oil.
Zest the lemon directly into the oil. Refrigerate the fruit for another use.
2. Stir 2 tablespoons cumin seeds into the oil. Let the oil warm up slowly, undisturbed, until it starts
to bubble steadily, about 10 minutes.
Trim and peel the carrots; slice them into thin coins or half-moons. Put them in a large bowl.
If you’re using canned chickpeas, rinse and drain them; add the beans to the bowl.
Chop ½ cup mint leaves and add to the bowl.
3. When the olive oil is warm and slightly bubbly, discard the garlic clove and pour the oil over the
chickpeas and carrots; stir to coat well.
4. Sprinkle the mixture with salt and pepper and toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.
VARIATIONS
Chickpea and Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Warm Paprika Dressing
Substitute 1 tablespoon smoked paprika for the cumin seeds. Instead of carrots, use 12 ounces sliced
roasted red peppers. Use parsley instead of mint.
Edamame and Cucumber Salad with Warm Ginger Dressing
Use edamame instead of chickpeas. (Defrost if frozen.) Substitute half sesame oil/half vegetable oil
for the olive oil, lime zest for lemon, 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger for the cumin seeds, 2
cucumbers for the carrots, and scallions for the mint. Garnish with sesame seeds if you like.
NOTES
MAKE YOUR OWN
Cooked Beans
EVEN FASTER
Don’t warm the oil. Instead, just whisk together the oil, lemon zest, garlic (mince it), and cumin seeds,
and toss the cold dressing with the chickpeas and carrots.
SIDES
Crisp Seasoned Pita
Cucumber Salad
Seared Broccoli or Cauliflower
Couscous
SPEED SERVES 4
Crab and Celery Root Rémoulade
Easier and better than classic celery root rémoulade. In fact, I like this better than classic
crab cakes too. And the variations open the door to all sorts of ingredient combinations.
Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons capers
2 anchovy fillets
1 bunch fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper
1 pound cooked lump crabmeat
1 large or 2 medium celery roots (1½ pounds)
Prep | Cook
1. Put 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard in a large bowl.
Peel and mince 1 garlic clove; add to the bowl.
Chop 2 tablespoons capers and 2 anchovy fillets; add them to the bowl.
Chop ¼ cup parsley and add it to the bowl.
2. Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to the bowl and stir.
Pick through the crabmeat, discarding pieces of shell or cartilage. Add the meat to the bowl.
Trim and peel the celery root. If you’re using a food processor for grating, cut them into chunks
that will fit through the feed tube.
Shred the celery root in a food processor with a grating disk or by hand with a box grater.
3. Add the celery root to the bowl and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.
VARIATIONS
Celery Root Rémoulade with Hard-Boiled Eggs
Trade 8 hard-boiled eggs, chopped, for the crabmeat.
Shrimp and Celery Root Rémoulade
Use 1 pound chopped cooked shrimp in place of the crabmeat.
Tuna and Celery Root Rémoulade
Substitute 12 ounces canned tuna, drained, for the crabmeat.
Chicken and Celery Root Rémoulade
Instead of crabmeat, use 1 pound shredded or chopped cooked chicken.
NOTES
MAKE YOUR OWN
Mayonnaise
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
If you really want to practice your knife skills, after trimming and peeling the celery root, cut it into
matchsticks ¼ inch thick by 1½ inches long.
SIDES
Warm Buttery Bread
Green Salad
Chopped Salad
SPEED SERVES 4
Poached Shrimp Salad with Herby Tartar Sauce
Poaching shrimp is effortless and frees you up to do so many things. Here the shrimp
steep in just-boiled water off the heat, which gives time to put together a tartar sauce.
This technique also works for scallops and small chunks of fish.
Ingredients
Salt
1 medium head Boston lettuce
½ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1½ pounds medium peeled shrimp
1 bunch fresh dill
3 sprigs fresh tarragon
2 sweet pickles or ¼ cup capers
1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Prep | Cook
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and salt it.
Trim the lettuce and tear off the leaves whole.
2. Put the lettuce leaves overlapping on a platter.
3. Put ½ cup mayonnaise and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in a medium bowl.
4. When the water comes to a boil, add the shrimp, cover, and turn off the heat. Let it sit for 10
minutes.
Strip ¼ cup dill leaves from the stems and chop; add them to the bowl.
Strip the leaves from 3 sprigs tarragon, chop, and add them to the bowl.
Chop 2 sweet pickles or ¼ cup capers; add to the bowl.
Halve the lemon; squeeze the juice of 1 half into the bowl. Refrigerate the remaining half for
another use.
5. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to the bowl, stir to combine, taste, and adjust the seasoning.
6. When the shrimp are cooked through, drain them and run them under cold water to cool.
7. Add the shrimp to the bowl with the tartar sauce and toss to coat. Spoon the shrimp over the
lettuce leaves and serve.
VARIATIONS
Poached Shrimp Salad with Curried Tartar Sauce
Skip the tarragon. Substitute 2 teaspoons curry powder for the mustard, cilantro for the dill, ¼ cup
chopped cucumber for the pickles, and lime for the lemon.
Poached Scallop Salad with Herby Tartar Sauce
Use large sea scallops, cut into quarters, or smaller bay scallops instead of the shrimp.
Poached Salmon Salad with Herby Tartar Sauce
Use salmon fillet instead of the shrimp; cut it into 1-inch chunks.
NOTES
MAKE YOUR OWN
Mayonnaise
THE CITRUS CYCLE
If you were to open my refrigerator at any given time you’d be likely to find halves of lemons and
limes scattered all over the place and the occasional fruit with some or all of its zest scraped off.
That’s because you don’t always use entire lemons or limes at once.
Sometimes you’ll just want the zest, in which case you can refrigerate the rest of the fruit easily
for another week without having to wrap it up. To store citrus halves, put the whole piece in a sealed
plastic bag, wrap the cut side in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or lay a paper towel in the fridge and
put the fruit cut side down on the towel.
To get the most out of citrus I make it a point to use the zest first, since once you cut the fruit and
squeeze out the juice it’s a lot harder to get the zest.
SIDES
Warm Buttery Bread
Bruschetta
Celery Salad
Avocado with Lemon and Salt
MASTER RECIPE
Vinaigrette and Croutons
Since vinaigrette is the most useful sauce in existence, there are versions
all over this book. Most are whisked together in a salad bowl before the
main ingredients are added, others involve pouring oil and vinegar over
vegetables before serving, and a few are even concocted right in a hot
skillet to make a warm dressing that gently wilts greens.
But if I’m making a bigger batch of vinaigrette that I want to use over
a few days, I use the blender. It obviously adds a big piece of equipment to
clean, but it makes the creamiest vinaigrette. The recipe here makes a bit
more than a cup, and there are plenty of variations to follow.
Then there are croutons, the crisp hunks of bread that make salads—
and other things—so much better. And bread crumbs, which are
shockingly good on salads and also used throughout the book.
Vinaigrette
1 Combine and Blend
Put 1 cup olive oil, 6 tablespoons wine vinegar (sherry, red wine, white wine, or balsamic), 2
teaspoons Dijon mustard, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a blender. Turn the machine on and
wait until a creamy emulsion forms, about 30 seconds.
2 Adjust the Flavor Balance
Taste the vinaigrette and see what it needs. You may want to add more vinegar, a teaspoon at a
time, until the balance tastes right or a bit of honey or sugar to balance out the sharpness of the
mustard.
3 Add the Shallot
Add 1 large shallot, cut into chunks, and turn the blender on and off a few times to mince it. Taste
and adjust the seasoning. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for a few days; bring it back
to room temperature and whisk it before using.
VARIATIONS
15 Additions to Vinaigrette
1. Any dried herb or spice: The specific quantities will vary, but start with as little as a pinch—⅛
teaspoon or so.
2. Minced fresh garlic: Start with a very small clove or a piece of a big one. For a milder flavor, let
a crushed clove sit in the vinaigrette for a few minutes, then fish it out. Or wipe your salad bowl
with a crushed clove and discard.
3. Minced red onion, scallion, shallot, mild white onion, leek, etc.: Start with a tablespoon or so.
4. Honey, maple syrup, or other sweeteners, within reason: no more than a tablespoon or so.
5. Freshly grated Parmesan or crumbled blue cheese, feta, or goat cheese: from a tablespoon to ¼
cup.
6. Minced pickles, preferably cornichons: from a tablespoon to ¼ cup.
7. An egg or a couple of tablespoons fresh or sour cream or yogurt or puréed soft tofu, any of which
will add incredible creaminess to your vinaigrette.
8. Prepared or freshly grated horseradish: at least 1 teaspoon.
9. Minced tomato, seeded and, preferably, peeled, or bits of reconstituted dried tomato.
10. A tablespoon or two of any stock, juice, wine, beer, or booze.
11. A small handful of seeds, like sesame, poppy, sunflower, or minced pumpkin seeds.
12. Canned chipotle: 1 pepper is plenty, with just a tiny bit of its adobo.
13. 1 small slice of day-old bread (crust removed).
14. 1 small peach, pear, or apple, peeled, pitted or cored, and cut into chunks.
15. ¼ cup salsa or chutney.
Croutons
1 Heat the Oil and Cut the Bread
Put about ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. You want the skillet to be big
enough to accommodate the bread in one layer. Cut 4 large or 12 small slices of bread into ½- to
1-inch cubes.
2 Brown the Bread
Add the bread to the skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the bread to coat with the oil
and cook, tossing occasionally and adding more oil if the pan dries out (it likely will), until the
bread is lightly browned all over. Use immediately or cool and store in a tin or wax paper for a
few days.
VARIATIONS
Garlic Croutons
Add a smashed garlic clove to the skillet along with the oil.
Herbed Croutons
As the bread cubes brown, stir in about ¼ cup minced fresh parsley, dill, or basil or 1 or 2 tablespoons
minced fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, or oregano.
Spiced Croutons
Add about 1 teaspoon chili powder or curry powder (see Spice Blends) or other spice blends that you
like.
Bread Crumbs
Skip the oil and toasting. Cut or tear the bread into 2-inch pieces and put them in a food processor.
Pulse a few times to break up the bread, then continue pulsing until they reach the consistency you
want: coarse (pea-sized), fine (like coarse grain), or somewhere in between. Use right away or store in
an airtight container in the pantry for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
SPEED SERVES 4
Cucumber and Salmon Salad with Caper and
Mustard Dressing
Poached salmon with mustard sauce is a classic. Add chopped cucumbers, capers, and
fresh dill—all good friends of salmon—and it becomes a fantastic salad.
Ingredients
1 pound salmon fillet
Salt
1 lemon
1 bunch fresh dill
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup capers
Pepper
4 medium cucumbers
1 small red onion
Prep | Cook
1. Put the salmon in a skillet big enough to hold it (cut it into pieces if you need to) and cover with
cold water. Add a pinch of salt, put over high heat, and cover.
Halve the lemon; squeeze the juice into a large bowl.
Strip ¼ cup dill leaves from the stems and chop; add to the bowl.
Add ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, ¼ cup capers, and a sprinkle of salt and
pepper to the bowl. Stir to combine, taste, and adjust the seasoning.
2. When the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat and let the salmon sit, covered, for 3 or 4
minutes for rare, 6 or 7 minutes for medium.
Trim and peel the cucumbers; cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Thinly slice the cucumbers; add them to the bowl.
Trim, peel, halve, and thinly slice the onion; add it to the bowl.
3. When the salmon is cooked to your liking, remove it from the water, pull off and discard the skin,
and cut the fish into chunks or break it into large flakes.
4. Add the salmon to the bowl and toss gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.
VARIATIONS
Cucumber and Salmon Salad with Ginger-Peanut Dressing
Substitute a lime for the lemon; mint for the dill; ¼ cup sesame oil, ¼ cup vegetable oil, and 2
tablespoons soy sauce for the mayonnaise; peanut butter for the mustard; and 1 teaspoon minced fresh
ginger for the capers.
Fish and White Bean Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette
An even heartier dish. Use a thick white fish fillet instead of the salmon and cook through; unlike
salmon, you don’t want to leave it rare in the middle. Swap 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary for
the dill, ⅓ cup olive oil for the mayonnaise, 1 ripe tomato, finely chopped, for the mustard, and ¼ cup
chopped pitted olives for the capers. Use 4 cups cooked or canned white beans instead of the
cucumbers.
NOTES
MAKE YOUR OWN
Mayonnaise
EVEN FASTER
If you can find super-fresh wild salmon and like to eat it raw, skip the poaching, remove the skin, cut
the salmon into cubes, and toss it with the cucumbers, capers, and dressing.
If you have a mandoline, use it to the slice the cucumbers and onion.
SIDES
Warm Buttery Bread
Green Salad
Tomatoes with Fried Bread Crumbs
SPEED SERVES 4
Fresh Tuna, Avocado, and Green Bean Salad
Searing tuna delivers a browned crust and a rare interior. The soft flesh of the tuna and
the creaminess of avocado play nicely against crisp-tender green beans and crunchy red
onions. If you prefer your tuna more well done, cook it for a few extra minutes on each
side, lowering the heat if necessary to prevent burning.
Ingredients
Salt
1 pound green beans
1 lime
⅓ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 small red onion
Ice cubes
1 pound fresh tuna
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 avocados
Prep | Cook
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it.
Trim the green beans; cut them into 2-inch pieces.
Halve the lime; squeeze the juice into a large bowl.
2. Add ⅓ cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon soy sauce to the bowl and whisk.
Trim, peel, halve, and thinly slice the onion; add it to the bowl.
3. When the water comes to a boil, add the green beans and cook until they’re just tender, 2 or 3
minutes. Put a large skillet over high heat.
Prepare a bowl of ice water for the green beans.
4. When the green beans are just tender, drain and transfer them to the ice bath.
5. When the skillet is very hot, rub the tuna all over with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, sprinkle with
salt, and put it in the skillet. Cook, turning once, until it’s browned on both sides but still raw in
the center, 3 or 4 minutes per side.
6. Pit the avocados, scoop out the flesh, and cut into small chunks; add them to the bowl with the
dressing.
7. Drain the green beans well, and add them to the bowl.
8. Cut the tuna into 1-inch chunks and add it to the bowl. Toss gently, adding more olive oil if the
salad looks too dry. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.
VARIATIONS
Fresh Tuna Salad, Niçoise Style
Substitute 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar for the lime juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard for the soy
sauce, and 2 cups cherry tomatoes for the avocados. Add ½ cup pitted olives (preferably Niçoise) to
the bowl before tossing.
Tofu, Avocado, and Green Bean Salad
Replace the olive oil with half sesame oil and half vegetable oil. Use 1 brick firm tofu (12 to 14
ounces) instead of the tuna. Cut the tofu into cubes and gently toss it with the rest of the salad (no
need to cook it).
Fresh Tuna, Mango, and Green Bean Salad with Thai Vinaigrette
Use fish sauce instead of soy sauce and 2 cups chopped fresh mango in place of the avocados.
NOTES
EVEN FASTER
If you can find perfectly fresh tuna and like to eat it completely raw, cut the uncooked tuna into cubes
and toss it into the salad.
SIDES
White Rice
Warm Flour Tortillas
Tomato Salad with Sesame and Soy
Scallion Pancakes
SPEED SERVES 4
Asparagus and Kale Caesar Salad
Caesar salad is ubiquitous because everybody loves it—that garlic bite, the snap of fresh
romaine, and the unctuous dressing. But even old favorites can use makeovers; this
exciting riff uses the star ingredients of Caesar dressing with asparagus. Swap the
traditional romaine for sturdy kale and an old friend becomes a new flame.
Ingredients
1 large bunch asparagus (1 pound)
¾ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 thick slices any rustic bread (a little stale is fine)
1 bunch kale, preferably lacinato (1 pound)
1 garlic clove
1 lemon
4 anchovy fillets or 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 egg
Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces Parmesan cheese (1 cup grated)
Prep | Cook
1. Turn the broiler to high; put the rack 4 inches from the heat.
Trim the asparagus.
2. Put the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with
salt and pepper, and toss. Put them on 1 side of the sheet and broil, turning as necessary, until
tender and slightly charred, 5 to 10 minutes.
Cut 4 thick slices bread into cubes. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and
pepper.
3. When the asparagus has cooked for a few minutes, add the bread to the pan and broil, shaking the
pan once or twice so the bread browns all over, 2 to 5 minutes.
Trim and slice the kale into thin ribbons.
4. Check on the asparagus and bread. If the bread is done before the asparagus (or vice versa),
transfer it to a plate and return the pan to the broiler until everything is done.
Peel and halve 1 garlic clove. Rub the cut sides all over the inside of a large bowl, then mince it
and add it to the bowl.
Halve the lemon. Chop 4 anchovy fillets or measure 2 teaspoons anchovy paste and add to the
bowl.
5. Lightly mash together the anchovies and garlic in the bottom of the bowl with a fork. Separate
the egg; add the yolk to the bowl and discard the white or refrigerate it for another use. Squeeze
in the lemon juice; add a dash of Worcestershire and plenty of pepper.
6. Whisk, streaming in ½ cup olive oil as you go, until it forms a creamy dressing. Grate 1 cup
Parmesan cheese, add, and whisk again. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
7. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces and add to the bowl along with the kale and croutons. Toss to
coat with the dressing and serve.
VARIATIONS
Classic Caesar Salad
Use 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped and raw, instead of the asparagus and kale.
NOTES
EVEN FASTER
If you find pencil-thin asparagus—easy enough in the spring—you can eat them raw. Just cut them
into 2-inch pieces and proceed directly to toasting the croutons and making the dressing.
SNAPPING ASPARAGUS
Before cooking asparagus you’ll want to trim off the thick, tough bottoms. To do this, take 1 stalk and
snap off the bottom with your fingers; this will naturally happen in the right place. Now that you know
how much of the bottom to take off, trim the remaining stalks with a knife. If the asparagus are
especially thick, you can also peel the lower part of the stalks with a vegetable peeler.
SIDES
Fennel Salad
Tomato Salad
Broiled Cherry Tomatoes
SPEED SERVES 4
Seared Scallops with Grilled or Broiled Romaine
Seared scallops are pretty perfect on their own, but the pan sauce built from their juices
makes a wonderful dressing for grilled or broiled romaine. The sweetness of the scallops
and acidity in the sauce are a great match for the smoky lettuce. If you can’t find hearts
of romaine, you can make them yourself. Buy big heads of romaine lettuce and remove
the outer leaves until you get to the tidy, smaller leaves in the center. Reserve the outer
leaves for another salad.
Ingredients
4 hearts romaine lettuce
6 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove
1 lemon
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound sea scallops
1 small red bell pepper
½ cup white wine
Prep | Cook
1. Prepare a grill or turn the broiler to high; put the rack 4 inches from the heat.
Halve the hearts of romaine lengthwise, leaving them attached at the stem end.
2. Drizzle the romaine with 4 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill or broil
(cut side toward the heat), until the cut side is lightly charred, 2 to 5 minutes.
3. When the romaine is lightly charred, put 2 pieces cut sides up on 4 plates.
4. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Peel and mince 1 garlic clove.
Halve the lemon.
5. Add 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons oil, and the garlic to the skillet; 30 seconds later, add the
scallops and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Cook, turning once, until the scallops are nicely browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side;
transfer to a plate.
Core, seed, and chop the bell pepper.
7. Squeeze the lemon juice into the skillet; add ½ cup white wine and the bell pepper. Cook until the
liquid reduces slightly, a minute or 2.
8. Add the scallops (and any juices) back to the skillet and stir to coat with the sauce. Spoon the
scallops and the sauce over the romaine and serve immediately.
VARIATIONS
Seared Scallops with Grilled or Broiled Bok Choy and Ginger Dressing
Use 4 or more heads baby bok choy (depending on their size) instead of the romaine. Substitute 1
fresh hot green chile for the bell pepper, 2 limes for the lemon, 1 inch fresh ginger, minced, for the
garlic, and sake or a bit of mirin for the white wine.
Seared Scallops with Arugula and Orange Dressing
Replace the romaine with 1 large bunch (12 ounces) arugula; divide it (raw) among 4 plates and
drizzle with a few tablespoons olive oil. Use 1 large shallot, minced, instead of the red bell pepper and
an orange in place of the lemon.
NOTES
EVEN FASTER
Leave the lettuce raw (less flavor, but less work).
GRILLING GREENS
In recent years, cooks have discovered that a quick blast of heat adds some color and smoky flavor to
the outside of lettuce and other greens without cooking the inside. That gives us the best of both
worlds: the flavor of the fire mixed with the crisp freshness of the greens.
Just make sure to choose greens that can stand up to the heat. Romaine, iceberg, cabbage, and bok
choy all do wonderfully; very tender greens like arugula, Boston lettuce, and Bibb lettuce will wilt too
quickly. For greens that come in bunches it can be nice to keep them all together, tied with string, so
that they’re easy to turn, and the outside leaves char while the inside leaves are protected.
SIDES
Warm Buttery Bread
Bruschetta
Tomato Salad
Quinoa
SPEED SERVES 4
Warm Kale Salad with Pine Nuts and Balsamic
Currants
I love the taste and the sturdy texture of kale—it holds up to almost any treatment—and
it’s so good for you I feel virtuous every time I eat it. This salad is every bit as good raw
as it is cooked, so use the Even Faster variation at the end of the recipe some night when
you just can’t be bothered to turn on the stove.
Ingredients
1 large or 2 medium bunches kale, preferably lacinato (1½ pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup dried currants or raisins
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup pine nuts
Salt and pepper
2 ounces Parmesan cheese (½ cup shaved)
Prep | Cook
Trim and chop the kale.
1. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat.
Put ¼ cup balsamic vinegar and ¼ cup currants or raisins in a large bowl; toss to coat.
2. When the oil is hot, add the kale and cook, stirring occasionally until it begins to wilt, 2 or 3
minutes.
Peel and mince 2 garlic cloves.
3. When the kale is mostly wilted, add the garlic, ¼ cup pine nuts, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid evaporates and the kale begins to brown, another 2 or
3 minutes.
Shave ½ cup Parmesan with a vegetable peeler.
4. When the kale is done, add it to the bowl with the currants. Add the Parmesan and toss. Taste and
adjust the seasoning and serve hot or warm.
VARIATIONS
Warm Kale with Cashews, Scallions, and Soy Currants or Raisins
Replace the olive oil with vegetable, the balsamic with soy sauce, the pine nuts with ½ cup cashews,
and the Parmesan with ½ cup chopped scallions. Since you’re using soy sauce, go easy on the salt.
Warm Collards with Peaches and Ham
Use collards greens, sliced into wide ribbons, instead of the kale. They will take an additional 5
minutes to cook. Instead of currants and balsamic, soak about 1 cup chopped fresh peaches in ¼ cup
cider vinegar. Use ½ cup chopped pecans instead of pine nuts and a little chopped cooked ham in place
of the Parmesan.
NOTES
EVEN FASTER
Raw Kale Salad with Pine Nuts and Balsamic Currants
Chop the kale into smaller pieces than you might if you were cooking it. Instead of mincing the garlic,
just take 1 peeled clove, rub it around the inside of the bowl, and discard it or save for another use. Let
the currants soak in the balsamic until they plump up slightly, a few minutes, then add the raw kale
along with the rest of the ingredients. Toss and serve.
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
Toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
SIDES
Bruschetta
Creamy Polenta
Skin-On Mashed Potatoes
SPEED SERVES 4
Warm Pickled Cauliflower Salad with Roasted Red
Peppers
Boiling cauliflower in a vinegar-based brine infuses a ton of pickly flavor into the
vegetable as it cooks. It’ll be just tender, but still with plenty of crunch. This is a
wonderful excuse to serve pickled vegetables warm, which is a rare and underrated treat.
To make the salad even more substantial, serve it with a side of thinly sliced prosciutto.
Ingredients
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large or 2 small heads cauliflower (about 2 pounds)
4 celery stalks
8 roasted red peppers
⅔ cup green olives
¼ cup olive oil
Pepper
Prep | Cook
1. In a large pot, combine ½ cup red wine vinegar, 4 cups water, 1 bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1
teaspoon dried oregano; turn the heat to high.
Break or chop the cauliflower into florets.
2. When the liquid comes to a boil, add the cauliflower, cover the pot, and cook until the cauliflower
is just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Trim and chop the celery; put in a large bowl.
Slice 8 roasted red peppers; add them to the bowl.
Pit ⅔ cup green olives if necessary and chop them up a bit; add them to the bowl.
3. When the cauliflower is just tender, drain it, reserving about ½ cup of the brine.
4. Add the cauliflower to the bowl along with ¼ cup olive oil, a splash of the brine, and a sprinkle of
pepper. Toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning, adding more brine if it needs it; serve hot or warm.
VARIATIONS
Warm Pickled Cauliflower Salad with Prosciutto
If you don’t like your prosciutto on the side, add it to the dish: Use 4 ounces chopped prosciutto
instead of, or in addition to, the celery.
Warm Pickled Broccoli Salad
Balsamic vinegar makes the brine darker and sweeter. Substitute balsamic vinegar for half of the red
wine vinegar, broccoli for the cauliflower, and ¼ cup pine nuts and ¼ cup raisins for the celery. Use
black olives (oil-cured are my favorite here) instead of green and add up to a cup of grated Parmesan
before tossing. Broccoli cooks faster than cauliflower, so start checking on it after 5 minutes.
NOTES
MAKE YOUR OWN
Roasted Red (or Other Large) Peppers
EVEN FASTER
Using Jarred Roasted Peppers
While it’s hard to beat the smoky flavor of homemade roasted red peppers, jarred peppers are
undeniably convenient. Most of those available at the supermarket are packed in an acidic brine,
which detracts from the charred flavor of the peppers themselves. Rinse these off in a bowl of water to
remove the brine, then carefully pat them dry with paper towels (they’re delicate); leaving them wet
will water down whatever you add them to, especially salads. If you can find peppers packed in olive
oil, use them right out of the jar. And be sure to put that pepper-flavored oil to use in dressings and
sauces.
SIDES
Warm Buttery Bread
Bruschetta
Quinoa
Skin-On Mashed Potatoes
SPEED SERVES 4
Green Bean Salad with Caramelized Onions and
Toasted Almonds
Caramelized onions are one of those miracle preparations that seem to go with everything
and improve whatever they’re with. But they take about an hour to cook, and when I
don’t have that time I use this shortcut. For the more traditional—and time-consuming—
way to caramelize onions, see If You Have More Time. Note that this recipe calls for thin
green beans—also called haricots verts. If you only have access to thick green beans,
blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes before adding to the salad.
Ingredients
3 medium onions
1 pound thin green beans
1 bunch spinach (1 pound)
1 lemon
½ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup olive oil, or more as needed
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
Prep | Cook
Trim, peel, halve, and thinly slice the onions.
1. Put the onions in a large skillet over medium heat. Cover and cook, stirring infrequently until the
onions are dry and almost sticking to the pan, 15 to 20 minutes. If they look like they are burning
at any point, add a couple tablespoons water or oil.
Trim the green beans and cut into 2-inch pieces; put them in a large bowl.
Trim the thick stems from the spinach and chop the leaves; add to the bowl.
Cut the lemon in half.
2. Put ½ cup slivered almonds in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, shaking the skillet
occasionally and adjusting the heat so they don’t burn, until the almonds are lightly browned and
fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add them to the bowl with the green beans and spinach.
3. When the onions are dry and almost sticking to the pan, stir in ¼ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon sugar,
and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and reduce the heat to medium-low.
4. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes or so. Squeeze in the lemon juice, scrape any
browned bits off the bottom of the skillet, and turn off the heat.
5. Pour the onions and all the oil and juices over the green beans and spinach and toss. Taste and
adjust the seasoning and serve.
VARIATIONS
Snow Pea Salad with Soy-Caramelized Onions and Toasted Peanuts
Substitute snow peas for the green beans, a lime for the lemon, half sesame oil/half vegetable oil for
the olive oil, and peanuts for the almonds. Instead of adding salt to the onions in Step 3, add 1
tablespoon soy sauce.
NOTES
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
After adding the olive oil, salt, and pepper (omit the sugar), cook the onions for another 30 to 40
minutes over medium-low heat. When they are almost jamlike, stir in the lemon juice and a little extra
oil or warm water if needed to create a dressing.
SIDES
Warm Buttery Bread
Quinoa
Skin-On Mashed Potatoes
SPEED SERVES 4
Broiled Eggplant and Zucchini Salad with Tahini
Dressing
Broiled vegetables cook quickly and acquire a nice smoky char. You can dress broiled
eggplant and zucchini with just olive oil and parsley if you like, but here a rich, tangy
dressing of tahini, yogurt, and lemon juice is especially nice. Sprinkle some crumbled
feta on top if you have it.
Ingredients
1 large or 2 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds)
2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound)
½ cup olive oil, or more as needed
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove
1 lemon
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup Greek yogurt
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 small red onion
Several sprigs fresh parsley for garnish
Prep | Cook
1. Turn the broiler to high; put the rack 4 inches from the heat.
Trim and cut the eggplant on the diagonal into 1-inch-thick slices. Trim and slice the zucchini in
half lengthwise.
2. Put the eggplant slices and zucchini halves (cut side up) on a rimmed baking sheet, brush both
sides with a little olive oil, brushing a bit extra on the eggplant, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Broil, turning the eggplant slices once and leaving the zucchini cut side up, until they’re tender
and nicely browned all over, 8 to 15 minutes.
Peel and mince 1 garlic clove.
Cut a lemon in half; refrigerate 1 half for another use.
Stir ¼ cup tahini, ¼ cup Greek yogurt, ¼ teaspoon cumin, the garlic, the juice of ½ lemon, 2
tablespoons olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper together in a large bowl.
Trim, peel, and halve the onion; chop 1 half and refrigerate the other for another use.
4. When the eggplant and zucchini are tender and browned, transfer them to a platter and spread
with the dressing. Sprinkle with chopped onion.
Chop several sprigs parsley and sprinkle on top of the eggplant and zucchini.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.
VARIATIONS
Broiled Eggplant and Zucchini Salad with Mustard Dressing
Substitute 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar for the lemon juice, ¼ cup Dijon for the tahini, and 1
tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon for the cumin.
Broiled Eggplant and Tomato Salad with Peanut-Soy Dressing
Instead of zucchini, use 3 large tomatoes; you can cut them into chunks and broil them if you like, but
I prefer them raw here. Use 1 whole lime instead of lemon, ½ cup peanut butter in place of tahini, 2
tablespoons soy sauce instead of yogurt, 1 minced fresh hot chile instead of cumin, and cilantro in
place of parsley. No need for any additional salt in the dressing.
NOTES
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
Salting the eggplant before cooking helps draw out some moisture and tenderize the flesh. Sprinkle
the eggplant slices liberally with salt and let it rest in a colander in the sink for up to an hour; then
rinse and pat dry. Proceed with the recipe, omitting any additional salt.
SIDES
Rice Pilaf
Crisp Seasoned Pita
Couscous
SPEED SERVES 4
Cabbage with Crisp Tofu and Peanut-Lime
Dressing
This salad is a dream if you like a lot of crunch: There’s shredded cabbage, thinly sliced
red onion, peanuts, and crisp crumbled tofu. Broiling the tofu away from the flame
allows it to crisp quickly without burning; tossed with some salt and red chile flakes, the
crumbles make an irresistible stir-in or garnish. Try them on other salads, cooked
vegetables, grains, or noodles and see the variations for more ways to season them.
Ingredients
2 bricks firm tofu (12 to 14 ounces each)
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon red chile flakes
Salt
1 lime
3 tablespoons peanut butter
Hot sauce (optional)
1 small head Savoy or green cabbage (1 pound)
1 small red onion
½ cup peanuts
Prep | Cook
1. Turn the broiler to high; put the rack 6 inches from the heat.
2. Squeeze as much water as you can out of the tofu. Crumble the tofu onto a rimmed baking sheet
and toss with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon red chile flakes, and a sprinkle of salt. Broil,
checking and stirring occasionally until the tofu crumbles are brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.
Halve the lime.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup vegetable oil, the juice of the lime, 3 tablespoons peanut
butter, 3 tablespoons hot water, some salt, and a dash of hot sauce if you’re using it.
Trim, core, and quarter the cabbage. Cut each quarter crosswise into thin ribbons; add to the
bowl.
Trim, peel, halve, and thinly slice the red onion; add to the bowl.
Chop ½ cup peanuts; add them to the bowl.
4. When the tofu is crisp, add it to the bowl. Toss, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve.
VARIATIONS
Shredded Cabbage with Crisp Curried Tofu and Coconut-Lime Dressing
Use ¼ cup coconut milk instead of the peanut butter; no need to thin it with the hot water. Swap curry
powder for the red chile flakes.
Shredded Cabbage with Crisp Pork and Tahini-Lemon Dressing
Use 12 ounces ground pork in place of the tofu and olive oil instead of vegetable. Broil the pork,
stirring occasionally and breaking it up as you go, until it’s crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain off most of
the fat when it’s done. Omit the water from the dressing. Substitute a lemon for the lime, tahini for the
peanut butter, cumin for the red chile flakes, and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (no need to chop them, of
course) for the peanuts.
7 Ways to Season Crumbled Tofu
Toss any of the following with the tofu instead of the red chile flakes:
1. 1 teaspoon chili powder or smoked paprika
2. 1 tablespoon minced garlic or fresh ginger (stir into the tofu a few minutes before it’s done)
3. 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, or oregano
4. ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
5. ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
6. 1 tablespoon grated citrus zest
7. ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut or chopped nuts (stir into the tofu a few minutes before it’s
done)
NOTES
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
For a thicker, creamier dressing, make it in the blender.
SIDES
White Rice
Quick Brown Rice
Scallion Pancakes
Sesame Noodles
SPEED SERVES 4
Pressed Tofu and Cucumber Salad with Hoisin
Vinaigrette
Pressing a brick of tofu rids it of excess moisture and firms up the texture; salting
cucumbers also pulls out moisture but makes them softer. Both techniques are nice
hands-off ways to improve ingredients while you work on something else.
Ingredients
2 bricks firm tofu (12 to 14 ounces each)
2 medium cucumbers
Salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons hoisin
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 scallions
Prep | Cook
1. Cut each brick of tofu in half through its equator and put the pieces on 4 layers of paper towel.
Cover with 4 more paper towels and put something heavy (like a baking sheet with a few cans of
beans on it) on top so the tofu bulges slightly at the sides but doesn’t crack.
Trim the cucumbers and peel if necessary; cut them in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a
spoon, and chop.
Put the cucumbers in a colander, sprinkle lightly with salt, and toss. Let them sit for about 10
minutes.
2. Whisk together ¼ cup vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons hoisin, and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar in a large
bowl.
Chop the scallions.
3. After the cucumbers have been in the colander for about 10 minutes, add them and the scallions
to the bowl with the dressing.
4. Cut the tofu into cubes and add it to the bowl. Toss, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve.
VARIATIONS
Pressed Tofu and Tomato Salad with Soy Vinaigrette
Replace the cucumbers with 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved, and the hoisin with soy sauce. Since the
soy sauce is salty, you might want to salt the tomatoes a little less or rinse off the salt before adding
them to the bowl.
Pressed Tofu and Celery Salad with Sesame-Chile Vinaigrette
Use 12 celery stalks, sliced or cut into matchsticks, instead of the cucumbers. Substitute 2 tablespoons
sesame oil for half of the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds plus 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
for the hoisin.
NOTES
EVEN FASTER
If you skip pressing the tofu and salting the cucumbers (just cut them both into chunks at the
beginning), this salad comes together in fewer than 10 minutes.
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
Press the tofu in the refrigerator for a few hours or even overnight. It will become firmer and develop
a chewy, almost meaty texture.
SALTING VEGETABLES
Sprinkling raw vegetables with salt and letting them sit for a while intensifies their flavor and
tenderizes them a bit; you’re essentially making the simplest possible pickle. Remember, one of the
major advantages of this process is that the vegetable takes care of itself while you cook—or do—
something else.
SIDES
White Rice
Quick Brown Rice
Sesame Noodles
SPEED SERVES 4
Curried Tofu Salad with Pecans and Golden Raisins
Sometimes chicken is an irreplaceable ingredient in a dish; other times it’s not. In curried
“chicken” salad, for instance, all I want is something with a firm texture and a mild flavor
to soak up the dressing, and extra-firm tofu fits the bill perfectly, without cooking. The
best parts of the classic remain in place: crunchy chopped nuts, celery, onions, soft-sweet
raisins, and the rich curry dressing.
Ingredients
1 small head romaine or red leaf lettuce
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon curry powder
Salt and pepper
1 brick extra-firm tofu (12 to 14 ounces)
2 large apples
3 celery stalks
1 small red onion
1 bunch fresh cilantro
½ cup pecans
½ cup golden raisins
Prep | Cook
Trim the lettuce and tear the leaves off whole.
1. Put the lettuce leaves, overlapping, on a platter.
2. Put ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon curry powder, and a sprinkle of salt and
pepper in a large bowl. Stir until smooth and evenly colored.
3. Drain the tofu well and crumble it into the bowl.
Core and chop the apples; trim and chop the celery, including any leaves. Add both to the bowl.
Trim, peel, and chop the onion; add to the bowl.
Chop ½ cup cilantro and add it to the bowl.
Chop ½ cup pecans; add to the bowl.
4. Add ½ cup golden raisins to the bowl. Stir to combine, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the
salad over the lettuce leaves and serve.
VARIATIONS
Chipotle Tofu Salad with Pepitas and Raisins
Substitute 1 tablespoon chopped chipotle in adobo for the curry powder, 1 small jícama, peeled and
chopped, for the apples, and shelled pumpkin seeds (no need to chop them) for the pecans.
Curried Crab Salad with Coconut and Cherry Tomatoes
Use 1 pound cooked lump crabmeat instead of the tofu. Substitute 3 cups halved cherry tomatoes for
the apples, ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut for the pecans, and ½ cup halved red or green grapes
for the golden raisins. Keep the curry powder; it goes great with crab.
Curried Chicken Salad
Put 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a pot over high heat with water to cover. Bring to
a boil, reduce the heat so the water bubbles gently, cover, and cook until the chicken is just cooked
through, 10 to 15 minutes. To check for doneness, cut the breast in half; the chicken should be white
and opaque all the way through. Chop or shred the chicken and use it instead of the tofu.
NOTES
MAKE YOUR OWN
Mayonnaise
Curry Powder
TOFU FOR CHICKEN
As I said, there are times when it’s reasonable to use tofu in place of chicken and get similar flavor
and texture. Obviously, you’d never try to replace a roast chicken with roast tofu, but in recipes where
you end up cutting or shredding cooked chicken into small pieces and coating it in flavorful sauces,
extra-firm tofu, which has a comparable chewiness and neutral flavor, stands in quite well.
In addition to salads with rich, creamy dressings, you might consider replacing chicken with tofu
in enchiladas, tacos, or burritos; stir-fries; and any chilies, soups, or sauces that call for ground
chicken or turkey.
SIDES
Warm Buttery Bread
Crisp Seasoned Pita
Warm Flour Tortillas
SPEED SERVES 4
Bulgur, Apple, and Fennel Salad
Chewy, hearty bulgur is a great match for crisp slices of apple and fennel. If you have a
mandoline, good knife skills, or you just don’t mind eating the core, you can thinly slice
the fennel, core and all. For more details about preparing fennel, see Fried Fennel and
Arugula.
Ingredients
3 medium apples
2 medium fennel bulbs
1 lemon
½ cup shelled pistachios
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup bulgur
Prep | Cook
1. Bring 2½ cups water to a boil in a small saucepan.
Core and slice the apples; put in a large bowl.
Trim the fennel and thinly slice crosswise to get a pile of crescent-shaped pieces (pull apart any
that are stuck together). Discard any hard center pieces. Add to the bowl.
Halve the lemon; squeeze the juice into the bowl.
2. Add ½ cup pistachios to the bowl with the apples and fennel. Add ¼ cup olive oil, sprinkle with
salt and pepper, and toss.
3. Put 1 cup bulgur in another large bowl with a large pinch of salt. Pour the boiling water over all
and cover with a plate. Finely ground bulgur will take 10 to 15 minutes to become tender,
medium 15 to 20, and coarse 20 to 25.
4. When the bulgur is tender, drain off any excess water through a strainer and add the bulgur to the
bowl with the apples and fennel. Toss, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve.
VARIATIONS
Couscous, Fennel, and Orange Salad with Olives
Instead of the apples, peel 3 oranges, separate them into segments, and chop them. Make couscous
instead of bulgur, following the package directions, substitute ½ cup chopped pitted olives for the
pistachios, and leave out the lemon.
Bulgur, Apple, and Fennel Salad with Crisp Ham
Instead of, or in addition to, the pistachios, cook 4 ounces sliced ham, chopped, in olive oil in a skillet
over medium-high heat until browned and slightly crisp, 5 or 6 minutes. Toss the ham and any
rendered fat with the rest of the ingredients.
NOTES
TYPES OF APPLES
There are literally thousands of apple varieties, often divided—including by me—into three
categories: eating, cooking, and all-purpose. Any apple that tastes delicious to you will work in salads,
but for cooking, the division isn’t arbitrary. So if you want a little more to go on, here’s a quick list:
For eating raw try Macoun or Gala. Ida Red and Rome are good choices for cooking. And to keep
handy as all-purpose apples, you can’t go wrong with Cortland, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Granny
Smith, or McIntosh.
SIDES
Warm Buttery Bread
Crisp Seasoned Pita
Carrot Salad with Raisins
Hummus
SPEED SERVES 4
Veggie Fajita Salad
Here’s a salad with most of the components of a traditional fajita, minus the steak.
Mushrooms and zucchini get a run under the broiler, while peppers and onions sizzle
away in a skillet. All are tossed with a salsa of sorts—fresh corn, tomatoes, cilantro, lime
—and sour cream. Serve with flour tortillas if you like.
Ingredients
3 portobello mushrooms
2 medium zucchini
¼ cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
2 bell peppers (any color)
1 medium onion
2 ears corn
1 large ripe tomato
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 lime
Sour cream for garnish
Prep | Cook
1. Turn the broiler to high; put the rack 4 inches from the heat.
Trim the mushrooms and zucchini. Halve the zucchini lengthwise.
2. Put the mushrooms and zucchini, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet, rub with 2 tablespoons
vegetable oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Broil, turning the mushrooms once and leaving the zucchini cut side up, until they’re tender and
nicely browned all over, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Put 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Core, seed, and slice the bell peppers.
Trim, peel, halve, and slice the onion.
5. When the oil is hot, add the peppers and onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring
occasionally, until they’re tender and browned, 8 to 12 minutes.
Husk the corn, trim, and strip the kernels off the cob; put them in a large bowl.
Core and chop the tomato; add it to the bowl.
Chop ½ cup cilantro and add it to the bowl.
Halve the lime; squeeze the juice into the bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. When the mushrooms and zucchini are tender and browned, slice or chop them as you like and
add them to the bowl.
7. When the peppers and onions are tender and browned, add them to the bowl.
8. Toss, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve with sour cream.