bean, tomato, sweet pepper and corn salad — bright colors and flavors on the plate
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Our current Cook the Books Club selection is The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd¹. The novel is set in South Carolina in 1964. Young Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped by her mother’s death and a violent father, and stand-in mother Rosaleen run away from their home and hometown and find refuge in the house of the three Boatwright sisters in Tiburon, South Carolina—a town that is somehow connected to Lily’s mother’s past. Lily learns about bees, beekeeping, making honey (miele) and about life in an environment that is nurturing — with a dose of eccentricity.

I can see how the novel became a bestseller (and a movie): individual lives play out in a small corner of the American south against the backdrop of the civil rights’ movement. Rosaleen gets assaulted at the beginning of the novel for wanting to register to vote, following the passing of the Civil Rights Act. It’s a bit slow-moving at times, like poured honey.

The view from Tiburon towards the Golden Gate Bridge

While Tiburon, SC, is fictional, Tiburon, CA², is a lovely town on the San Francisco Bay (tiburón means “shark” in Spanish). I ride my bicycle through the town fairly often. The view from the bay front is spectacular. On a day without fog you can see the Golden Gate Bridge. When there is fog you can get a portion of it, like in the photo above, or you see nothing at all. From Tiburon, you can take the ferry (traghetto) to Angel Island. The U.S. Immigration Station, in operation between 1910 and 1940, was on the island, which is now a State Park³.

Given the novel’s setting, I should have been inspired to prepare something with honey, but instead I went with the color yellow and chose sweet corn. Freshly harvested Coco Nero beans in their pod at the farmers’ market⁴ plus seasonal delights like tomatoes and sweet peppers pointed towards a nice salad and that’s what I prepared.

farm fresh vegetables — vegetable composition with Coco nero beans
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

The salad requires some planning as the beans, sweet peppers and sweet corn must be cooked beforehand. The recipe can be easily doubled.

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Bean, tomato, sweet pepper and corn salad

Ingredients:

1/2 pound / 225 grams Coco Nero beans in the pod, about 4 ounces / 113 g shelled
1 cup / 240 ml water
1/4 small onion, halved
1 small garlic clove, peeled
1/2 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 ounces / 85 grams roasted sweet peppers or bell peppers (recipe below)
3 ounces / 85 grams roasted sweet corn (recipe below)
4 ounces / 113 grams tomatoes, slicing or small heirlooms
1/2 ripe avocado
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Notes: For efficiency’s sake, I suggest shelling more beans and freeze what you don’t need for future use. Same for sweet peppers and sweet corn: you can use them right away in other dishes or freeze them for future use. Beans sold still in the pod require less water and less cooking time than dry beans.

I recommend roasting

at least 2 fresh ears of corn, still in their husks and with silks attached (otherwise wrap them in foil before roasting)
at least 1/2 pound / 8 ounces / 225 grams sweet peppers (choose a meaty variety)

Cook the beans
Place the beans in a saucepan with the water, onion, garlic, bay leaf and salt. Bring the water to a lively boil, then turn down the heat and let the beans simmer, covered, until they are tender. Taste them after 20 minutes and estimate if/how much longer they should cook. Check the beans at regular intervals and add some hot water, if needed to keep all the beans moist.

Let the beans cool in their cooking broth (pan uncovered), then remove the aromatics and discard them. Let the beans rest in their broth until ready to use.

Roast the corn
Heat the oven to 450 F / 230 C.

Place the corn on a baking sheet leaving a bit of space between the ears and roast for 20 minutes. Let the ears cool briefly, then remove the husks and silks.

Working in a shallow bowl or dish, stand the corn vertically and use a knife to cut the kernels and scrapings from the cob. (Save the empty cobs to make stock or broth.) Weigh the necessary amount, toss with a fork to separate the kernels, and set aside.

Roast the peppers
Heat the oven to 375 F / 190 C.

Place the peppers on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or aluminum foil. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the peppers 90 or 180 degrees, depending on their width.

Roast for 15 more minutes, then turn the peppers. Repeat after 10 minutes. Continue roasting until they are ready, i.e., when the skin has turned dark and is detaching in places. (The time depends on the type and size of peppers.)

Put the peppers in a sealed container or paper bag to steam, then peel off skin, discard stem and seeds, and the liquid they release. Weigh the necessary amount, dice and set aside.

Assemble the salad
Drain the beans and place them in a small salad bowl. (Set aside the cooking liquid for use in a soup or stew.)

Add the sweet peppers and corn to the beans. Chop the tomatoes and add to the bowl.

Scoop the avocado flesh into a ramekin and mash well with the lemon or lime juice. Spoon over the salad and toss.

Add the minced shallot and fresh parsley and toss briefly. Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper on the salad and toss one last time.

Refrigerate the salad an hour or so, then take it out of the refrigerator ahead of serving it so it is not too cold. The salad is best consumed the day it is assembled.

Store any leftover salad in the refrigerator and consume within a day.

Serves 2

¹ The book page on the author’s website.
² Wikipedia: Tiburon, California
³ Angel Island State Park. To learn more about the immigration station and the people who were detained and processed there, visit the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation website, which includes virtual exhibits.
⁴ Thanks to Star Route Farms farm in Bolinas for growing special produce including the Coco Nero beans

Click on the Play button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post

Cook the Books logo This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by Debra of Eliot’s Eats. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

avocado salad / insalata di avocado

January 31, 2023 | Simona

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[versione in italiano]

flavor and color bursting from the bowl
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

The novel Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman¹ is our current Cook the Books Club selection. I enjoyed the story of the friendship between Kate and Miss Cecily and the style in which it is told. It was a reading that satisfied well the need for something light during an intense period.

When the story feels like it is sliding under a shadow of predictability, Zimmerman inserts a surprise to keep the reader's interest alive. This happens even beyond the ending, as the interview with the author, which I found at the end of the book, brought some interesting details.

The story shines a light on the importance of mentors in one's life. Miss Cecily is not an easy one, but Kate perseveres, understanding that the elderly woman's sometimes sharp words come from a place of affection and wisdom.

In the 1950's, Miss Cecily wrote a cookbook (Thought for Food), which contains menus and practical advice for different occasions (for example, Tea for a Crotchety Aunt). The recipes belong to that era and the menus mentioned are not keen on vegetables, which are what I mostly eat, so I thought I'd contribute a vegetable dish of my liking for balance.

summer flavor thanks to a winter surprise
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Kate could prepare this avocado salad for Ben whom in the story she scolds for buying store-bought guacamole instead of preparing it fresh. The salad was inspired by the avocado salsa cruda recipe in The Latin Table by Isabel Cruz. The main ingredient change I made is the use of arugula (rucola) instead of cilantro (coriandolo).

I love avocados! Mashed avocado makes a great dressing for many vegetables, including roasted Brussels sprouts and steamed purple sprouting broccoli. A local farmer² is growing tomatoes (pomodori) in hoop tunnels, so between those and locally grown arugula, I have been enjoying bowls of this brightly flavored salad.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Avocado salad

Ingredients for one serving:

4 ounces / 112 grams small tomatoes OR cherry tomatoes
1 ounce / 28 grams arugula (rocket), clean weight
1 tablespoon minced red spring onion OR shallot
1/2 medium ripe avocado
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon / 15 ml lime juice, or to taste
1/2 tablespoon / 7.5 ml extra-virgin olive oil, optional

Half and slice the tomatoes. If using cherry tomatoes, half or quarter them, depending on their size. Place the tomatoes in a bowl.

Chop the arugula and add it to the bowl. Add the onion or shallot to the bowl. Dice the avocado and add it to the bowl.

Sprinkle the salt and drizzle the lime juice on the salad then toss it gently and thoroughly.

Taste and adjust the salt and/or lime juice, if needed. For a richer salad, sprinkle the olive oil. Toss again.

Serve immediately.

Serves 1

¹ A review of the book on the Library Journal
² Palmer Creek Farm

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

insalata di avocado

or launch the insalata di avocado audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

salad, avocado, tomatoes, lime juice, Mexican cuisine

[jump to Comments]

insalata di avocado

una ciotola piena di colore e sapore
(tovaglietta de La FABBRICA del LINO)

Si dice "avocado" ed è facile pensare al guacamole, salsa messicana preparata nel molcajete (mortaio), ma per questo viaggio virtuale nel mondo degli ingredienti, ho preparato una ensalada de aguacate ispirata dalla ricetta per avocado salsa cruda in The Latin Table di Isabel Cruz. Ho sostituito il coriandolo, del quale non sono una fan, con la rucola.

In uno dei mercati dei produttori che frequento, in questo periodo trovo avocado raccolti qui in California (e il cipollotto rosso). Avocado di produzione messicana si trovano facilmente nei supermercati tutto l'anno. La varieta più comune è Haas ma ce ne sono anche altre¹.

Grazie ad un produttore locale in vena di esperimenti al mercato vicino casa ho trovato dei bei (e buoni) pomodori, nonostante la stagione. Di produzione locale è anche la rucola.

Ingredienti per una porzione:

110 grammi di pomodori piccoli o ciliegini
30 grammi di rucola, peso pulito
1 cucchiaio di cipollotto rosso (o scalogno) tritato
1/2 avocado medio maturo
1/8 cucchiaino di sale fino o q.b.
1 cucchiaio / 15 ml di succo di lime o q.b.
1/2 cucchiaio / 7.5 ml di olio extra-vergine di oliva, facoltativo

Affettare i pomodori. Se usate i ciliegini, taglieteli a metà o in quarti a seconda della loro grandezza. Mettere i pomodori in una ciotola.

Tagliare la rucola e aggiungerla alla ciotola, poi aggiungere il cipollotto (o scalogno).

Tagliare a dadini l'avocado e aggiungerlo alla ciotola.

Spargere sull'insalata il sale e il succo di lime e mescolare bene, delicatamente.

Assaggiare e correggere sale e/o succo di lime, se necessario. Per un'insalata più ricca, spargere l'olio d'oliva e mescolare di nuovo.

Servire subito.

¹ Varietà di avocado (in inglese)

Contribuisco la mia insalata di avocado dal Messico alla lettera A di Un mondo d'ingredienti evento creato dall'instancabile Aiu' di Trattoria Muvara

FTC disclosure: Ho ricevuto gli articoli di lino gratuitamente dall'azienda produttrice (la FABBRICA del LINO). Non ho ricevuto e non riceverò alcun compenso per presentarli sul mio blog. Le opinioni espresse nel post sono interamente personali.

radicchio and leaf lettuce salad with carrot, microgreens and persimmon / insalata di radicchio e lattughino con carota, micro verdure e cachi mela

November 29, 2022 | Simona

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flavorful and brightly colored
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

The novel Cooking with Fernet Branca by James Hamilton-Paterson¹ is our current Cook the Books Club selection, hosted by yours truly. I chose the book from a list of food-rich ones because the title intrigued me. Fernet-Branca is a popular digestivo (digestive liqueur) in Italy, not a cooking ingredient. A splash of it can be added to an espresso to make a version of caffè corretto. A Fernet caldo (warm) is meant to help digestion.

While I don't know what Fernet-Branca tastes like, I remember well how much I liked its TV ads when I was a kid. The ads² featured ever-shifting shapes made with modeling clay.

"An opera buffa with recipes" is how the NY Times review¹ describes the novel, and I agree. The story and the events are somewhat outlandish and hilarious. The protagonists, Gerald and Marta, whose voice and perspective we hear in turn, keep the reader's attention and so does their turf war — fought in a corner of Tuscany, which for both of them is a foreign country.

Gerald, a British ghost writer, is also a creative cook. His recipes, like the book's plot, are — shall we say — unusual and often enriched with Fernet-Branca (to which Marta introduced him). The inspiration for my salad came not from Gerald's creations, but from a connection I made between bitter liqueur (amaro) and its digestive properties, and bitter greens, like beloved radicchio.

group photo: salad ingredients (minus the microgreens)
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Last month, I spent a few days in Venice (Venezia) and ate radicchio every day, raw or cooked. All the varieties were available at the store where I usually shop for vegetables, which made me happy. In recent years, I have been able to obtain radicchio from some vendors at farmers' markets in California,³ and when that happens I always make a point of thanking the farmer for growing a beloved vegetable.

While the round, wine-red radicchio di Chioggia is the most common salad variety, I sometimes find the burgundy-flecked variegato di Castelfranco.

before the final tossing
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

With their delicate sweetness, Fuyu persimmons, now in season, and great in salads, provide a lovely contrast to radicchio. The other ingredients contribute to the salad's flavor and texture profile.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Radicchio and leaf lettuce salad with carrot, microgreens and persimmon

Ingredients:

2 ounces / 56 grams radicchio (variegato di Castelfranco or radicchio di Chioggia)
2 ounces / 56 grams leaf lettuce
1 ounce / 28 grams carrot (1 small carrot), clean weight
1 ounce / 28 grams microgreens⁴ of choice (sunflower, kohlrabi, arugula)
1 ounce / 28 grams Fuyu persimmon (about 1/2 of a medium persimmon)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
A splash of sherry vinegar + 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, possibly homemade OR 2 tablespoons vinaigrette
1/2 ounce sweet blue cheese, crumbled

Chop the clean radicchio and leaf lettuce and place into a bowl.

Scrub the carrot and scrape its surface to remove a thin layer of skin. Grate the carrot using the extra-coarse side of a hand grater. Add the grated carrot and the microgreens to the bowl.

Core and thinly slice the persimmon, then add to the bowl.

Sprinkle the salt on the salad then distribute the mayonnaise or vinaigrette on the surface. Toss gently and thoroughly.

Sprinkle the blue cheese, toss again, plate and serve.

Serves 2

¹ The book on the publisher's website and a review of the book on the NY Times.
² Fernet-Branca website, one ad and another one
³ From briciole's archive: Savoy cabbage and radicchio and radicchio and sweet corn
⁴ This page explains the differences between sprouts and microgreens.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

insalata di radicchio e lattughino con carota, micro verdure e cachi mela

or launch the insalata di radicchio e lattughino con carota, micro verdure e cachi mela audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by Simona of briciole. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

salad,leaf- lettuce, carrot, radicchio, mayonnaise, microgreens, persimmon

strawberry, fava bean, fennel and radish salad / insalata di fragole, fave, finocchio e ravanello

May 31, 2022 | Simona

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Farm-fresh iceberg lettuce inspired this serving option
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Our current Cook the Books Club selection is the memoir Taste by actor Stanley Tucci¹. The book included a couple of interesting sections, one pertaining the history of the highly enjoyable movie Big Night (1996),² in which Tucci played the younger brother, Secondo. I didn't know that he had written the screenplay. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it.

The other section I enjoyed was where Felicity (now Tucci's wife) prepared roasted potatoes in a way that first surprised then alarmed the author, but that in the end won the family's approval. Although the last part of the book focuses on the cancer diagnosis Tucci received, the intense treatment he underwent and his recovery, overall the book is pretty light. I wish—and this is on the publisher, not the author—that it had been proofread by an Italian.

Reading the book in the run-up to the 16th anniversary of my little blog, made me think of all the recipes I have created for it. I decided to select a recipe from the early years and update it based on my current eating habits. The recipe I chose comes from a July 2008 post³ and features seasonal ingredients quite representative of Italian cuisine. The salad also happens to include the colors of the Italian flag (called tricolore): white, red and green (bianco, rosso e verde).

fava beans, fennel, strawberries / IMG_4360

before the salad there are pretty ingredients
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

When I first moved to California, 28 years ago, it was hard to find fava beans and fennel, two foods that had been part of my life since childhood. In time, the situation changed and now I can easily purchase them where I live, when in season.

Fava beans make me think of my father, who loved them eaten fresh from the pods, with just a bit of salt. Fennel reminds me of my godfather, who ate some at the end of every meal (wiped clean with a cloth, not washed, an instruction I follow).

Even after so many years in California, our long strawberry season still thrills me. As a child, the weeks during which strawberries were available always seemed to pass too quickly. Now I know that I have time to enjoy a favorite fruit for several months.

Ready for bright colors: the view from above
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

For this update, I added a radish to the ingredients, a small peppery note to balance the sweetness of berries. (I had the idea after taking the photo above, so the radish is absent from it). Finally, a beautiful head of iceberg lettuce (lattuga iceberg) inspired me to make small boats for serving. To eat, close the leaf into a wrapper and enjoy the combination.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Strawberry, fava bean, fennel and radish salad

Ingredients :

7 ounces / 200 grams strawberries, possibly organic
1 teaspoon / 5 ml balsamic vinegar
1 pound / 450 grams fresh fava beans
1 small fennel bulb
1 radish
2 tablespoons / 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon / 15 ml balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
4-5 leaves of fresh basil, chiffonade
1 teaspoon minced fennel frond

Wash, hull and slice the strawberries, then season them with the balsamic vinegar. Toss and set aside to marinate.

Shell the fava beans and blanch them for 30 seconds, then drain them and plunge them into a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking. Slit the skin with your thumbnail then pinch or twist to slip the bright green core out of its coat and into a small bowl. Set aside.

Trim and clean the fennel bulb, leaving an inch or so of the green stalk to hold it when slicing. Quarter, cut off the core, and slice thinly using a mandoline. Set aside.

Grate the radish using the extra-coarse side of a hand grater.

Bring the ingredients together in a serving bowl.

Pour the olive oil and balsamic vinegar into a small glass jar. Add sat, pepper and mustard. Put the lid on and shake vigorously. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss.Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.

Sprinkle basil and fennel frond.

Toss again and serve as a side dish (contorno) or appetizer (antipasto). Alternatively, spoon some salad on iceberg lettuce leaves and serve.

Serves 3 (4 if served on iceberg lettuce).

For future reference (i.e., when it will be my turn to host Cook the Books. Tucci describes a meal he shared with legendary Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni⁴:

After dinner Marcello ordered a digestivo. This consisted of a half a shot of amaro and a half a shot of Fernet-Branca.

¹ The book's page on the publisher's website
² Big Night
³ From briciole's archive: Strawberry, fava bean and fennel salad
⁴ My favorite image of Mastroianni, by Diane Arbus

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post

insalata di fragole, fave, finocchio e ravanello

or launch the insalata di fragole, fave, finocchio e ravanello audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen . (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

strawberry, fava bean, fennel, radish, salad

red beet, carrot, apple and egg salad / insalata di barbabietole rosse, carote, mela e uovo sodo

March 30, 2022 | Simona

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Colorful salad: the view from above
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Our current Cook the Books Club selection is the spy novel Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews¹. I chose this book for our Club in early June 2021. I had no idea that by the time I started reading it, it would feel like current events. It was hard to believe the book was published in 2013².

While I am an avid reader of mystery novels, this was my first experience reading a spy novel. I was attracted to it because each chapter ends with a short recipe (ricetta): more a list of ingredients and a sketch of the preparation than a real recipe. Still the contrast is intriguing.

The author is a former officer of the CIA’s Operations Directorate, so he wrote the novel from a place of personal experience. I was interested in the language (acronyms and some spy jargon) and the window the novel opens on the mechanics of some secret operations. I found the main characters in the novel interesting, in terms of how they end up doing what they do and also with respect to the question: how do they keep their humanity? How do they maintain friendships, marriages? Those relationships are rooted in trust, openness, sincerity, and yet the spy’s main role is to dissimulate and violence, some of it quite brutal (torture, murder) is part of the job.

salad ingredients ready to be tossed together
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

As the story travels to different countries, the recipes span a number of culinary traditions. When the novel moved to Helsinki, I looked for Finnish recipes, since an important part of the novel takes place in the Nordic capital: that’s where Dominika meets and falls in love with CIA operative Nate, and befriends fellow Russian Marta, whose disappearance pushes Dominika to step over to the other side. In my search, I read about rosolli, a salad

made of cooked, diced root vegetables, especially beetroot, carrot and potato, often combined with one or more of pickled cucumber (of either the vinegar or brine type), raw onion and apple. Variations may also include additional ingredients such as pickled herring or boiled egg…³

Then in chapter 40, I read:

On the way back to Tallinn, Benford stopped at a highway café grill, to see how the Lada would react. Surveillance proceeded two hundred meters and waited on the side of the highway. Benford made himself stretch out a lunch of boiled sausages, pickles, herring, Baltic rosolje salad, black bread, dark loamy beers.

and a recipe for Estonian Beet Salad—Rosolje appears at the end of the chapter, signaling that various versions of this dish are typical of the larger Baltic region. In fact,

Similar dishes are found throughout northern Europe, from the Low Countries across Scandinavia to Russia. Especially the Russian vinegret is very similar to the Finnish rosolli.³

The salad I made is a free interpretation: I roasted red beets and carrots, omitted potatoes, pickles, herring and the “cooked beef or pork” mentioned in the book’s version, used my homemade mayonnaise (maionese) as dressing and added blue cheese (formaggio erborinato). The combination is quite nice: sweet, tender vegetables, crisp apple, egg, a hint of sharpness in the cheese. You can roast the vegetables ahead of time, then assemble the salad right before the meal. I imagine preparing the ingredients and allow the guests to make their own salad, which can be served also as an appetizer (antipasto).

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Red beet, carrot, apple and egg salad

Ingredients per person (to be multiplied as needed):

2 small red beets
2 small carrots
1 large egg, from pastured poultry
1/2 medium apple
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
A splash of sherry vinegar, to taste
1-2 tablespoons / 15-30 ml mayonnaise, possibly homemade, to taste
1/2 ounce / 15 grams Point Reyes Bay Blue⁴ OR other sweet blue cheese

Note: I recommend you purchase a bunch of red beets with their greens. Cut off the greens about 1 inch / 2.5 cm from the root and consume them as soon as possible like you would other types of dark leafy greens.

Heat the oven to 375 F / 190 C.

Scrub the red beets well. Scrub the carrots well and scrape the surface with a blade to remove a thin layer of skin. Wrap each in foil and place them on a baking sheet. Put in the oven and roast the vegetables until easily pierced with a blade. Check the carrots after 30 minutes and the beets after 45 minutes and gauge the cooking time remaining for each.

Let the carrots cool until easy to handle, then slice them (half the slices if the carrot is wide) and set them aside. Let the red beets cool until easy to handle, then slip off the skin. Cut the beets in bite-sized pieces and set them aside.

In the meantime, hard-boil the egg, let it cool, then peel it and dice it. Crumble the cheese. Just before assembling the salad, dice the apple (peeling optional).

Compose the salad using the vegetables, apple and egg. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar and toss. Add the mayonnaise and toss, then add the blue cheese, toss one last time, and serve.

¹ The book’s page on the publisher’s website
² A review of the novel on the NY Times
³ The wikipedia article about rosolli and a recipe for rosolli on the Finlandia Foundation website
⁴ Point Reyes Bay Blue cheese, “a rustic-style blue cheese with a natural rind. It is known for its mellow flavor and sweet, salted caramel finish.”

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

insalata di barbabietole rosse, carote, mela e uovo sodo

or launch the insalata di barbabietola rosse, carote, mela e uovo sodo audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by me, Simona of briciole. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

red beet, apple, carrot, egg, salad

kohlrabi slaw with fresh fruit / insalata di cavolo rapa, carota e frutta fresca

July 10, 2021 | Simona

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[versione in italiano]

kohlrabi slaw with fresh fruit / DSCN0078

fresh fruit turns kohlrabi slaw sweet

Pale green or purple, kohlrabi is a stunning vegetable, with its bulbous enlarged stem and its crown of leaves. The name kohlrabi comes, via German, from the Italian cavolo rapa and literally means 'turnip cabbage'. However, kohlrabi is not a turnip, but a cultivar of Brassica oleracea, a species that includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale.

Kohlrabi is a versatile vegetable: you can eat it raw, add it to soups and stews, shred it to make fritters or slice and grill it, or cube and roast it. Regardless of the skin color, the inside is a creamy white. Kohlrabi's crisp texture is reminiscent of a broccoli stem, with a flavor that is somewhat sweeter and slightly radish-like. Its leaves (foglie) are edible and can be used like you would collard greens or kale.

Kohlrabi and carrot go well together. The original recipe for this slaw was kindly shared with me by Kelsey Perone of Rain Frog Farm located near Blue Lake, CA (details in an article I wrote for the North Coast Journal¹). The recipe includes raisins (uvetta) and I have also prepared it with dried cherries. The version I am sharing here uses fresh fruit instead.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Kohlrabi slaw with fresh fruit

Ingredients:

7 ounces / 200 grams kohlrabi, clean weight
2 1/2 ounces / 70 grams carrot, clean weight
2 tablespoons / 1/2 ounce / 14 grams minced red onion
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (basil, dill, parsley or cilantro)
2 tablespoons / 30 ml mayonnaise, possibly homemade
2 teaspoons / 10 ml cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 ounces / 100 grams fresh fruit, for example blueberries, strawberries, cherries, clean weight

After cutting off the leaves and their stems (remember, the leaves are edible), cut the kohlrabi in half lengthwise, then into quarters. Cut away the bottom corner and peel off the tough outermost layer. Weigh then grate the kohlrabi using the extra-coarse side of a hand grater.

Scrub the carrot well and scrape the surface to remove a thin layer of skin. Weigh then grate using the extra-coarse side of a hand grater. Place the minced onion, the vegetables and the herbs in a serving bowl.

In a ramekin, whisk together the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, cider vinegar, sea salt and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well.

Prepare the fruit as needed (for example, hull and slice strawberries, pit and quarter cherries, remove stone and slice peaches or apricots) then weigh it. Add the fruit to the vegetables, toss again and serve.

Serves 2-3.

diving into the bowl

In another article I wrote for the North Coast Journal, I suggest adding melon (melone) to leftovers of this slaw².

¹ My article Meet Kohlrabi (North Coast Journal, August 2, 2018)
² My article Add Melon (North Coast Journal, August 29, 2019)

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

insalata di cavolo rapa, carota e frutta fresca

or launch the insalata di cavolo rapa, carota e frutta fresca audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

I am contributing my salad to Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays, a weekly event created by Cook the Books club co-host Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.

The roundup of the event.

kohlrabi, carrot, salad, berries, mayonnaise

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insalata di cavolo rapa, carota e frutta fresca

la frutta addolcisce questa insalata di cavolo rapa

Verde chiaro o rosso violaceo il cavolo rapa è una verdura affascinante con la sua forma bulbosa e la sua corona di foglie. Dall'italiano cavolo rapa, attraverso il tedesco, viene il nome inglese kohlrabi. Ma non si tratta di una rapa: questo vegetale appartiene alla specie Brassica oleracea, che comprende anche broccolo, cavolo e cavolfiore.

Il cavolo rapa è un ortaggio versatile: si può mangiare crudo, aggiungere ad una zuppa, grigliare o fare arrosto. La polpa è bianco crema e la sua consistenza ricorda lo stelo del broccolo con un sapore un po' più dolce e che ricorda un po' il ravanello. Le foglie di cavolo rapa sono commestibili e si preparano come il cavolo nero o riccio.

Cavolo rapa e carota formano un ottimo connubio. La ricetta originale per questa insalata mi fu data da Kelsey Perone dell'azienda agricola Rain Frog Farm (vicino a Blue Lake, CA) per un articolo ¹. La ricetta comprende l'uvetta e io l'ho preparata anche con le ciliege secche. La versione che presento qui invece utilizza frutta fresca.

Ingredienti:

200 g cavolo rapa, peso pulito
70 g carrota, peso pulito
2 cucchiai / 14 g cipollotto rosso tritato (o cipolla rossa tritata)
1-2 cucchiai erbe aromatiche fresche (basilico, aneto, prezzemolo o coriandolo)
2 cucchiai / 30 ml maionese, possibilmente fatta in casa
2 cucchiaini / 10 ml aceto di sidro di mele
1/4 cucchiaino sale fino
1/8 cucchiaino pepe nero macinato fresco
100 g frutta fresca, per esempio mirtilli, fragole, ciliegie, ecc., peso pulito

Tagliare le foglie, se presenti e metterle da parte per usarle in un'altra ricetta (sono commestibili). Tagliare il cavolo rapa a metà per lungo poi ancora a metà. Tagliare l'angolo in basso e pelare ciascun pezzo. Pesare poi grattugiare con la parte a buchi più grossi della vostra grattugia.

Pulire la carota e raschiare la superficie. Pesare poi grattugiare con la parte a buchi più grossi della vostra grattugia.

Mettere cipollotto o cipolla, le verdure e le erbe aromatiche in un'insalatiera. In una ciotolina, mescolare gli ingredienti della salsina: maionese, aceto, sale e pepe. Versare la salsina sulle verdure e mescolare bene.

Se necessario, preparare la frutta: per esempio rimuovere il picciolo e affettare le fragole, snocciolare e tagliare in quarti le ciligie, ecc. Pesare poi aggiungere all'insalata e mescolare di nuovo, poi servire.

Porzioni 3.

visione dall'alto

In un altro mio articolo, suggerisco di aggiungere del melone agli avanzi di questa insalata².

¹ Il mio articolo (in inglese) Meet Kohlrabi (North Coast Journal, 2 Agosto 2018)
² Il mio articolo (in inglese) Add Melon (North Coast Journal, 29 Agosto 2019)

Porto la mia insalata di cavolo rapa, carota e frutta fresca sulla tavola del 6° mese del gruppo Fattoria consapevole e solidale: Frutta fresca

La lista delle ricette contribuite questo mese.

red beet, avocado, blood orange and daikon salad / insalata di barbabietola rossa, avocado, arancia rossa e ravanelli

March 31, 2021 | Simona

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red beet, avocado, orange and daikon salad / IMG_3716

before tossing
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Our current Cook the Books Club selection is the memoir Where I Come From by chef Aarón Sánchez¹. I didn't know him before reading the book, but a few pages into it, I realized a few year ago I had met his mother, Zarela Martinez. She had been described to me as the chef who introduced Mexican cuisine to New York. It was interesting to read her story told by her son: what an amazing woman! On July 21, 1982² the NY Times published an article by Craig Claiborne titled Memorable Dishes From a Master Mexican Chef. Here's how Ms. Martinez is introduced:

A few months ago Pierre Franey and I were invited to plan a menu and supervise the preparation of quintessentially American food that was to be served to nearly 200 French chefs visiting this country. The vast majority of these chefs had never sampled the native fare of the United States. The dishes we proposed covered the country…

We also wanted to have Mexican-style food from Texas. When we canvassed our contacts for the best cook of the region, we were told that person was, hands down, Zarela Martinez-Gabilondo. She prepared the Mexican-American segment of the meal and her contribution was memorable.

Sánchez ends a few of the book's chapters with recipes, none of which is along the lines of what I cook, so I browsed the web for a Mexican recipe that would be. Recently, almost every day I have been making a salad using fresh vegetables from the farmers' market.

ingredients for the salad fresh from the farmers' market
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

A few recipes I found online³ made me draw up a list of ingredients: red beets, avocado, oranges and jicama. I couldn't find the latter, so I used daikon instead and was introduced to red and purple daikon, which are sold alongside their more famous white relative. I had not roasted red beets for a while and making this salad reminded me how much I like them. I buy them in bunches with their greens and stems (foglie e coste di barbabietola rossa), which are flavorful on their own (I will share a recipe soon).

I looked for lime but instead found variegated lemon (limone). Finally, in the citrus arena, I went for blood oranges, because I like their flavor and love their color. That all the salad's ingredients are grown in California is satisfying. My current favorite cheese addition to salads and other dishes is also a California production: Point Reyes Bay Blue⁴.

To me salad bowls are experiment benches: I mix and dress, toss and taste and tend not to repeat twice. For the photo op above I kept the ingredients separate, but then everything is tossed and eaten in the purple juice of red beet and blood orange. The citrus (agrumi) offset beets' sweetness and the blue cheese (formaggio erborinato) gives the salad a bit of a tang, while the daikon adds some zest.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Red beet, avocado, blood orange and daikon salad

Ingredients per person:

1 red beet (4-5 ounces)
1/3 of a medium purple or red daikon
1/2 medium blood orange
1/2 medium avocado
3-4 tablespoons crumbled Point Reyes Bay Blue OR other sweet blue cheese
1/8 teaspoon of fine sea salt
1 tablespoon / 15 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons / 10 ml fresh lemon juice

Note: if you purchase a bunch of red beets, cut off the greens as soon as possible, leaving about an inch / 2.5 cm of stems and consume the greens shortly afterwards.

Heat the oven to 350 F / 177 C. If you only need 1-2 red beets, I suggest you bake them together with other foods, for efficiency's sake.

Scrub the red beets well. Wrap each in foil and place on the baking sheet or baking pan. Put in the oven and roast the beets until easily pierced with a blade. Let cool, then peel.

Prepare the vegetables in amounts according to the servings needed. Cut the red beet into bite-sized pieces. Brush and rinse the daikon, then grate it using the extra-coarse side of your grater. Peel and section the blood orange. Peel and slice the avocado.

Compose the salad using the vegetables and blue cheese. Dress with the sea salt, olive oil and lemon juice, toss and enjoy.

¹ The book's page on the author's website
² NY Times published an article by Craig Claiborne
³ The recipes that inspired me: Mexican Chopped Salad with Beets and Walnut Dressing, Xec, a Jicama and Citrus Salad, and Avocado, Orange and Jicama Salad
⁴ Point Reyes Bay Blue cheese, "a rustic-style blue cheese with a natural rind. It is known for its mellow flavor and sweet, salted caramel finish."

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

insalata di barbabietola rossa, avocado, arancia rossa e ravanelli

or launch the insalata di barbabietola rossa, avocado, arancia rossa e ravanelli audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by Claudia of Honey from Rock. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

This is my second contribution to the 41st edition of Novel Food, the literary/culinary event that Lisa of Champaign Taste and I started 13 years ago and that I continue to host.

The roundup of the event.

I am contributing my salad to Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays, a weekly event created by Cook the Books club co-host Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.

The roundup of the event.

avocado, red beet, salad, daikon, orange

vegetable and quinoa salad / insalata di verdure e quinoa

February 10, 2021November 30, 2025 | Simona

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[versione in italiano]

ingredients ready to be turned into a salad
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Last summer I started taking photos of produce I brought back from the farmers’ market. I enjoy letting fresh vegetables take center stage before they are transformed into dishes. Some of you will wonder: What about the quinoa? It comes from a local farm too.¹

Lake Llanquihue and Osorno in the background
(image taken outside Puerto Varas, Chile)

One of my last restaurant meals before the pandemic changed our lives was in a delightful place called El Humedal² (the wetland) in Puerto Varas, Chile. My husband and I had dinner there: after a bowl pumpkin soup (zuppa di zucca), I had a salad: “GREEN QUINOA Green leaf mix, grated carrots and beetroot, basil leaves, avocado, toasted almonds and a mix of quinoa with basil pesto and rose lemon dressing.” I ate with appetite (after a 68-mile bike ride) and had enough leftover to fill a container.

the salad before tossing: each ingredient brings something to the mix
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

An event organized by fellow Italian bloggers (with whom in the past I traveled virtually around Italy, the European Union and part of the world³) that focuses on local products inspired me to cook quinoa and use local, seasonal vegetables (verdure di stagione) to make a salad.

I tested different ways of cooking quinoa: 1) not rinsed, toasted in a dry skilled; 2) rinsed then toasted in a dry skillet; 3) rinsed only. Based on the result, my preference goes to the last method.

Since I am the only one in the family eating quinoa and I don’t eat a lot of it, I cooked 1/4 cup / 50 grams at a time for each of my experiments. Every time, I found that I needed more liquid than the 1:2 ratio usually found in recipes. Finally, using part water and part broth made for a tastier result.

the salad before tossing: each ingredient brings something to the mix
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

As for the vegetables, use what’s in season, like tasty salad turnips (a favorite, also featured in a recipe last year⁴). If you buy a bunch, save the tasty greens and cook them. I liked the addition of steamed broccoli in one version. I liked using the last persimmon in another.

And in terms of dressing, choose what goes well with the vegetables: nut butter and broccoli, mayonnaise (maionese) and baby salad greens (from my garden). The overall idea is that you can cook some quinoa and have it handy to compose a salad.

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Vegetable and quinoa salad

Ingredients:

1/4 cup / 50 grams quinoa, any color or blend
1/2 cup / 120 ml water + 1/4 cup/ 60 ml vegetable or chicken broth OR 3/4 cup / 180 ml water
A pinch of salt
Vegetables of choice, like broccoli florets (4 ounces / 112 grams per serving), carrots (1-2 per serving), salad turnips (1-2 per serving), baby salad greens (1 ounce / 30 grams per serving) [This is just an estimate: for example, if someone is not a fan of broccoli, they may compose their plate with 2 carrots and 2 turnips]
Dressing of choice, like nut butter diluted with water, mayonnaise (possibly homemade), vinaigrette

Put the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer (make sure it is fine enough that the quinoa does not go through the mesh). Rinse under cold water while rubbing the quinoa with your hand, then drain.

Put the quinoa in a small saucepan, add the liquid and the salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook gently, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then uncover and fluff up the quinoa with a fork. Let cool.

Prepare the vegetables in amounts according to the servings needed. Steam the broccoli florets until tender to your preference and chop into bite-sized pieces. Scrape the carrots’ skin with a blade, rinse well and grate them using the extra-coarse side of your grater. Brush and rinse the salad turnips and grate them using the extra-coarse side of your grater. Rinse and drain the baby salad greens.

Compose the salad using a portion of quinoa and vegetables according to preference and appetite. Dress as desired, toss and enjoy.

Serves 1-4 (if more servings needed, then cook more quinoa and prepare more vegetables, accordingly)

¹ Wild Rose Farm
² El Humedal homepage
³ These pages list all the post for the Italian culinary ABC, the European culinary ABC and the World ABC, respectively
⁴ Recipe for Carrot, radish and turnip salad with microgreens
⁵ I love this company’s nut butters

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

insalata di verdure e quinoa

or launch the insalata di verdure e quinoa audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

I am contributing my salad to Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays, a weekly event created by Cook the Books club co-host Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.

The roundup of the event.

[jump to Comments]

insalata di verdure e quinoa

ingredienti pronti per essere trasformati in insalata
(tovaglietta de La FABBRICA del LINO)

Mi piace mettere al centro delle mie fotografie verdure fresche comprate al mercato del produttore prima che le trasformi in pietanze. Vi domanderete che cosa ci fa la quinoa: anch’essa viene da un’azienda agricola locale.¹

Lago Llanquihue ed Osorno sullo sfondo
(foto scattata alla periferia di Puerto Varas, Cile)

Una delle ultime cene al ristorante prima che scoppiasse la pandemia io e mio marito l’abbiamo mangiata in un delizioso ristorante chiamato El Humedal² a Puerto Varas, Cile. Dopo un’ottima zuppa di zucca io ho mangiato un’insalata di verdure (insalata mista, carote e barbabietole grattugiate), basilico, avocado, mandorle tostate e quinoa. Avendo trascorso la giornata pedalando, ho mangiato con appetito.

una versione dell’insalata prima di essere mescolata
(tovaglietta de La FABBRICA del LINO)

Per il primo mese del gioco Fattoria consapevole e solidale: I cereali e simil cereali (farro, bulgur, grano saraceno, quinoa, avena ecc. sia in chicchi che farina), ho deciso di preparare un piatto alla quinoa, ricca di proteine, che perciò si presta bene alla preparazione di insalate ‘piatto unico’.

Ho testato modi differenti di preparare la quinoa: 1) non sciacquata, tostata in una padella a secco; 2) sciacquata e poi tostata in una padella a secco; 3) solo sciacquata. Quest’ultimo metodo mi ha dato il risultato preferito.

Dal momento che in famiglia solo io mangio la quinoa e non ne mangio in grandi quantità, ne ho cotti 50 grammi per volta per ciascuno dei miei esperimenti. Ogni volta ho dovuto usare più liquido della proporzione 1:2 che di solito viene data nelle ricette. Infine, sostituendo una parte di acqua con del brodo la quinoa viene più gustosa.

un’altra versione dell’insalata prima di essere mescolata
(tovaglietta de La FABBRICA del LINO)

Per quanto riguarda le verdure, utilizzate quelle di stagione: nel mio caso broccoli, carote, rape da insalata³ e lattughino che miracolosamente cresce nel mio orto nonostante il tempo inclemente. E per quanto riguarda il condimento, scegliete quello che meglio si abbina alle verdure: burro di noci (o mandorle) e broccoli, maionese e lattughino. L’idea generale è quella di cuocere della quinoa e poi averla pronta per comporre un’insalata a piacere.

Ingredienti:

50 g quinoa di qualunque colore, o mista
120 ml acqua + 60 ml brodo vegetale o di pollo, oppure 180 ml acqua
un pizzico di sale fino
Verdure a scelta, come broccoli (112 grammi a porzione), carote (1-2 a porzione), rape da insalata³ (1-2 a porzione), lattughino (30 grammi a porzione) [Queste sono solo stime: per esempio, se a qualcuno dei commensali non piacciono i broccoli, possono comporre la loro insalata con 2 carote e 2 rape]
Condimento a scelta, come burro di noci o mandorle diluito con acqua, maionese (possibilmente fatta in casa), vinaigrette

Mettere la quinoa in un colino a maglia molto fine. Sciacquare sotto il getto dell’acqua fredda mentre muovete i chicchi con la mano, poi scolare.

Mettere la quinoa in un pentolino, aggiungere il liquido e il sale e portate a bollore. Abbassare il calore, coprire il pentolino e cuocere per 15 minuti. Togliere dal fuoco e far riposare per 5 minuti, poi scoperchiare e mescolare la quinoa con una forchetta per aerarla (come se sbatteste un uovo). Far raffreddare.

Preparare le verdure nella quantità necessaria a seconda delle porzioni. Cuocere al vapore i broccoli fino a che siano teneri secondo il vostro gusto poi tagliare a piccoli bocconi. Raschiare le carote con una lama e sciacquare bene poi grattugiare con la parte a buchi più grossi della vostra grattugia. Pulire con uno spazzolino da verdure le rape e sciacquare bene poi grattugiare con la parte a buchi più grossi della vostra grattugia. Sciacquare e scolare il lattughino.

Comporre l’insalata utilizzando una porzione della quinoa e verdure a piacere. Condire a seconda dei vostri gusti, mescolare e Buon appetito!

Porzioni 1-4 (se necessitano un numero maggiore di porzioni, cuocere più quinoa e preparare proporzionalmente più verdure)

¹ Wild Rose Farm: azienda agricola produttrice della quinoa
² El Humedal homepage
³ Ho presentatao le rape da insalata in una ricetta qualche mese fa. Sono una varietà di rape a polpa tenera che si prestano bene ad essere mangiate crude. Comunque, rape tradizionali, se fresche, sono ottime crude e vanno bene in questa ricetta, dal momento che sono grattugiate.

FTC disclosure: Ho ricevuto gli articoli di lino gratuitamente dall’azienda produttrice (la FABBRICA del LINO). Non ho ricevuto e non riceverò alcun compenso per presentarli sul mio blog. Le opinioni espresse nel post sono interamente personali.

Porto la mia insalata sulla tavola del 1° mese del gruppo Fattoria consapevole e solidale: I cereali e simil cereali (farro, bulgur, grano saraceno, quinoa, avena ecc. sia in chicchi che farina).

La lista delle ricette contribuite questo mese.

carrot, radish and turnip salad with microgreens / insalata di carote, ravanelli, rape e micro verdure

May 26, 2020 | Simona

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carrot, radish and turnip salad with sprouts / IMG_3234

pretty salad for one

Hippie Food by Jonathan Kauffman¹, our current Cook the Books Club selection, offers a wide historical view of nutrition in recent decades, with a particular focus on foods that moved from being consumed by a relatively small number of people to becoming mainstream. Each chapter introduces a varied cast of characters each of whom has contributed one or more threads to the complex tapestry Kauffman weaves as he describe the evolution of eating habits from the 1960's to the present.

As with a previous Cook the Books selection, The Food Explorer by Daniel Stone, the interest is in obtaining a historical view of what we observe in the present and may even take for granted, like organic certification. This reader sometimes had difficulty keeping in mind all the names and who did what. My suggestions would be to read the book in small bites.

Although I have lived in California for 25 years, I spent my childhood and early adulthood in Italy, so I don't have firsthand experience of the events described in the book that predate my move. The situation in Italy was different from that in the US. For example, Italians have always been serious about their bread, buying it fresh almost daily from a neighborhood bakery. I have never experienced the "plastic bread" described in the book. I do remember, however, when whole-wheat bread (pane integrale) became more readily available, as the health benefits of whole grains became better known.

salad turnips are a favorite spring crop

The book contains no recipes, but mentions a lot of foods, cookbooks and recipes. The inspiration for me came when early on, the book talks about alfalfa sprouts. I have eaten sprouts (germogli) occasionally, though I am not a regular consumer. Microgreens², on the other hand, have become a favorite salad ingredient, and I am fortunate I can get a variety of them at the farmers' market. The book also talks about farmers' markets and organic certification and my dish takes advantage of both.

Our farmers' markets have remained open during the shelter-in-place period so I have maintained access to fresh, locally grown produce and the precious smiles of our farmers, quite visible even behind masks. Although shopping at the market is not the festive social occasion it used to be, I am grateful I can do it and don't mind abiding by the rules that make us all (farmers and customers) safe.

carrots, radished, salad turnips sprouts / IMG_3249

fresh ingredients make a tasty salad

I buy carrots, radishes and salad turnips by the bunch, then, once I get home, I cut off the greens from all of them and use those in other dishes. I admit I am still learning to appreciate carrot tops: they have a rather strong grassy flavor that I must dilute with other greens. The Persian dish Kuku Sabzi (herb and green frittata), described in a recent post³, is perfect for making use of the greens mentioned above plus fresh spinach (spinaci).

One great characteristic of carrots, radishes and salad turnips is that they last a few days, unlike their greens, which wilt fairly quickly. This is particularly important for me as I am the only root vegetable eater in the household, which explains why the recipe is for one. Of course, it can be easily multiplied to nourish all the people around your table.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Carrot, radish and turnip salad with microgreens

Ingredients:

4 ounces / 113 grams of a combination of carrots, radishes and salad turnips, possibly organic, clean weight [see below]
1/2 medium ripe avocado
1 tablespoon mayonnaise, possibly homemade
A pinch of fine sea salt
1 ounce / 28 grams microgreens of choice (for example, sunflowers, broccoli, arugula)

Scrub carrots well and scrape surface to remove a thin layer of skin. Scrub radishes and salad turnips and trim the tails.

Grate the root vegetables using the extra-coarse side of a hand grater. Combine to get a total of 4 ounces / 113 g. The number of units depends on their size and also on your taste: for example, more carrots mean a sweeter salad, while more radishes will give your salad more of a bite.

Scoop the avocado meat into a small salad bowl or onto a plate. Add the mayonnaise and salt, and mash well. Add the grated vegetables and toss well, then mound them in the middle.

Distribute the microgreens around the root vegetables and serve. Toss again before eating.

Serves 1

¹ The author's website and a review of the book on the NY Times.
² This page explains the differences between sprouts and microgreens.
³ My recent post featuring a personal version of Kuku Sabzi (Persian herb and green frittata)

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

insalata di carote, ravanelli, rape e micro verdure

or launch the insalata di carote, ravanelli, rape e micro verdure audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

And I am contributing my fruit salad also to Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays, a weekly event created by Cook the Books club co-host Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.

The roundup of the event.

salad, carrot, radish, turnip, microgreens, avocado

tomato, cucumber and radish salad / insalata di pomodori, cetrioli e ravanelli

July 7, 2019 | Simona

tomato, cucumber ad radish salad / IMG_1977

light, refreshing, colorful, flavorful: perfect!
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Three months ago, I listened to an interview¹ with science writer Christie Aschwanden², author of the book Good To Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery³. I was so intrigued by what I heard that I purchased the book and learned a lot by reading it. While I am not a competitive athlete, I exercise regularly and a year and a half ago I started running regularly. Regardless of how far you push yourself, recovery is a fundamental component of physical activity.

Aschwanden's writing kept my attention throughout the whole book as I followed description of her experiences, interviews with experts and athletes, and the summary of her extensive research. If you want a taste of what the book is about, besides listening to the interview, you can read a five-point summary⁴. Aschwanden supports some things I have done for a long time, like not skipping sleep and drinking when I am thirsty. I do my best to listen to my body, because our body is really good at adapting to challenges and also at signaling when adjustments are needed. This active listening is often hard for us to do, pushed as we are by fads and unscientific claims.

cherry tomatoes means summer is here!
(bottom row: red and yellow tiger stripe)

Just as I was reading the book, summer arrived and with it produce I like, including tomatoes, corn, melons (meloni), green beans⁵. Running in warmer temperatures means sweating more and with it comes the desire to eat water-rich vegetables, like tomatoes and cucumbers. When I was a child, we would spend the day at the beach (if on vacation) or at the swimming pool (if in Perugia): in either case, it was nice to come home to a big salad made with pomodori da insalata (salad tomatoes, slicing tomatoes harvested while still a bit green) and slicing cucumbers, the kind with dark green skin. I now favor cherry tomatoes for salads and the array of cucumbers available is quite rich, including lemon, Boothby's blond, Japanese, to name just a few.

Armenian cucumbers

I am currently fascinated by the pale green, deeply ribbed, long Armenian cucumbers (cetrioli armeni), whose flesh is mild- and sweet-tasting. Genetically they are a musk melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus), rather than a cucumber (Cucumis sativus). The addition of peppery radishes creates a pleasant contrast of flavors, accented by fresh basil (basilico), indispensable companion.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Tomato, cucumber and radish salad

Ingredients:

12 ounces / 340 g cherry tomatoes (in the photo are red and yellow tiger stripe), preferably organic
10 ounces / 280 g Armenian cucumbers OR cucumbers of another slicing variety, preferably organic
4 ounces / 112 g radishes, preferably organic
1/2 tablespoon / 7.5 ml sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons / 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
6-8 fresh basil leaves, shredded

Prepare the salad shortly before serving it.

Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and, if they are long, cut each half in half or into thirds crosswise. Place in a salad bowl.

Quarter the cucumbers lengthwise and slice them into the salad bowl.

Grate the radishes using the extra-coarse side of your grater and add to the salad bowl.

Put the vinegar, olive oil and sea salt into a small glass jar. Screw on the lid and shake well. Distribute on the salad and toss gently. Sprinkle the basil, then toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking, then serve.

Serves 4-5

tomato, cucumber ad radish salad / P1040021

this salad makes it easy to eat your daily quota of vegetables
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Light, refreshing, colorful and flavorful: this salad is perfect for lunch and dinner. Your body will thank you.

¹ Recording of the interview (on the same page you can access an excerpt of the book)
² The author's website
³ The book's website
⁴ The Greatest Tool for Recovery Might Be Common Sense (from Outside magazine)
⁵ See my previous post with a recipe for Green bean and torpedo onion salad

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

insalata di pomodori, cetrioli e ravanelli

or launch the insalata di pomodori, cetrioli e ravanelli audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

This is my second contribution to the 36th edition of Novel Food, the literary/culinary event that Lisa of Champaign Taste and I started 11 years ago and that I continue to host.

The roundup of the event.

I am contributing my salad also to Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays, a weekly event created by Cook the Books club co-host Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.

The roundup of the event.

tomatoes, Armenian cucumbers, cucumbers, radished, salad, Italian food

briciole

Simona Carini serves recipes and Italian words related to food

Salad

bean, tomato, sweet pepper and corn salad / insalata di fagioli, pomodori, peperoni dolci e mais

avocado salad / insalata di avocado

insalata di avocado

radicchio and leaf lettuce salad with carrot, microgreens and persimmon / insalata di radicchio e lattughino con carota, micro verdure e cachi mela

strawberry, fava bean, fennel and radish salad / insalata di fragole, fave, finocchio e ravanello

red beet, carrot, apple and egg salad / insalata di barbabietole rosse, carote, mela e uovo sodo

kohlrabi slaw with fresh fruit / insalata di cavolo rapa, carota e frutta fresca

insalata di cavolo rapa, carota e frutta fresca

red beet, avocado, blood orange and daikon salad / insalata di barbabietola rossa, avocado, arancia rossa e ravanelli

vegetable and quinoa salad / insalata di verdure e quinoa

insalata di verdure e quinoa

carrot, radish and turnip salad with microgreens / insalata di carote, ravanelli, rape e micro verdure

tomato, cucumber and radish salad / insalata di pomodori, cetrioli e ravanelli