My Tomato Salad

Now, as they are in season, vendors are almost giving away tomatoes.  Take advantage of this largess and try my tomato salad recipe:

Peel three or four large dead-ripe tomatoes (this is important ... try dipping them in boiling water for a few seconds to loosen the skin) and cut them into bit-sized pieces.  Put this into a large bowl.  Clean and dice a small bunch of scallions and add them.  Chop a good four or five sprigs of Italian parsley and add to the bowl.  If you want, you can also add chopped fresh basil and oregano (I often don't.)  Add a good five-finger pinch of salt and about six grinds of fresh black pepper.  Squeeze in a half a juicy lemon through your fingers to catch the seeds.  Add about four dollops of good olive oil and about three of a good (but not great) balsamic vinegar.  Mix well and refrigerate until cold.  (I know, I know, you are not supposed to refrigerate tomatoes ... but trust me on this.)

If you can keep from eating this all yourself, serve what is left to your good friends and family ... with a good crusty bread to soak up the juices. 

Simply Simple

Here is a recipe for an hors d’oeurve that contains only five ingredients and about which I have had continued raves. (And it was given to me by my wife’s father, Leo, a former chef at Luchow’s.) The ingredients are: a large package of room-temperature cream cheese, 5 scallions chopped into bite sized pieces, 5 radishes (preferably French Breakfast) chopped into bite sized pieces, a good pinch of salt, and a good pinch of freshly-ground pepper. That’s it. Put all this into a pretty bowl, mix well and refrigerate for a few hours. Serve with crispy crackers or thinly sliced crusty bread and your favorite cocktails. Enjoy ... and then look up and thank Leo.

Addendum: the reason that they are called "French Breakfast" radishes is that the French often eat them in the AM, thinly sliced on a well-buttered baguette with salt and pepper.  Try this tip with what you have left over from the above recipe.

One Potato, Two … Three Potatoes, Four …

Potato salad can be leaden and sticky … or light and tasty. I like the latter. Here is my take:

Boil four or five large Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes in a copious amount of salted water. When fully cooked (use the fork test), drain out the water and, when just cool enough to handle, peel them and cut them into ½ to 1 inch cubes … placing them into a large colander to dry. While still warm, put them in a large bowl and pour a scant two tablespoons of good sharp cider vinegar over them ... or substitute the juice of half a lemon for half the vinegar. Now clean two celery stalks and two scallions and chop them into fine cubes somewhat smaller than the potatoes. Add this to the potatoes along with a palm full of capers, salt and pepper to taste, a good half cup of Hellman’s mayonnaise, and a heaping tablespoon of poppy seeds (or celery seeds or even caraway seeds, but poppy seeds are best).

Cover and place in the ice box (an Emeril affectation) until well chilled. Then and only then, mix well, being careful not to mash the potatoes (less likely when they are not warm). When ready to serve, if the potato salad is too congealed, add a few teaspoons of cold butter milk and mix lightly to loosen it up. Then grate a cleaned cold carrot on the top and serve with your favorite picnic favorites (fried chicken would be nice.)

Speaking of cold buttermilk ... it is one of the best thirst quenchers around.  Try drinking a glass of it on a hot summer afternoon and see for yourself.  This benefit was common knowlege to our grandparents but is gradually being forgotten.  Drinking bittermilk is also often looked down on because of the way it makes the glass look afterward ... and also because of its name.  Many believe buttermilk contains butter.  In fact, it is the opposite.  It is what remains after butter making.  Our grandparents knew this.  Few of us now do.

Salad Days

Need I re-iterate? If you want a good chef’s salad, you must buy good ingredients. Two-bit substitutions will produce two-bit results. So take time to find a good deli with superior cold-cuts and select carefully. Here is the shopping list for this summer-time favorite (generously serves six):

- 1/3 pound deli-thin sliced Genoa salami (NOT prepackaged)

- 1/3 pound deli-thin sliced Swiss cheese (the nuttier the better)

- 1/3 pound deli-thin sliced Italian roast beef (w/ that hint of garlic)

- 1/3 pound deli-thin sliced baked ham (the real deal)

- 1/3 pound deli-thin sliced roast turkey (not that plastic-looking imitation)
- One large cucumber
- Two ripe tomatoes
- One bunch scallions
- Two packages Summer Salad mix or make your own with torn-to-bite-size frisee, Bibb lettuce, arugula, radicchio, etc, (no baby spinach).
- Your favorite salad dressings (I prefer home-made Thousand Island made with equal parts mayo, ketchup and relish), but Italian or Ranch or Parmesan/peppercorn will do.

Then:
- Wash and spin-dry the salad greens (even if prepackaged).
- Peel the tomatoes (take the time, it is important) and cut into bit-sized pieces.
- Peel, seed and cut the cucumber into bite-sized pieces.
- Clean three or four scallions and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Cross-cut the cold-cuts and Swiss cheese into 1/8 inch slivers.

Next:
- Place the salad greens in a large salad bowl.
- Arrange the tomatoes, cucumber, cold cuts, and Swiss cheese in pie shaped segments on top of the greens (taking time to contrast the colors).
- Place the chopped scallions in the center.

Present the salad in all its glory to your guests and then toss it vigorously until it is well mixed. Serve to your salivating guest and let them pick their own dressing. If you choose Thousand Island dressing, top with some fresh cracked or ground black pepper.

Serve with a good white wine and crusty bread. Enjoy!