Salad
So it’s Friday afternoon and I’ve got no idea what to make for dinner. I’m thus discussing the issue with my work chum Holly (a good sounding board for recipe selection and a fountain of knowledge regarding minor celebrities) and suddenly, I remember this great little warm salad. Holly wanted a recipe so I knocked one up for her tout suite. Here it is for you’s too.
Here’s a little thing that I call “Scaldare L’insalata Di Patata”
You will need:
- Baby new Patata (approx 4 per person)
- Asparago or Spring Beans
- Rucola
- Mucho Basilico
- Garlic
- Pine Nuts
- Parmegiano/Pecorino (decent quality Italian style hard cheese to suit your budget)
- Extra Virgin Olive oil
- Lots of black pepper
First off – If you can’t be bothered with all the pesto business – just buy some, and skip to the next bit eh?
- Pesto dressing: This differs slightly from the usual pesto recipe with the addition of garlic, and because it’s a dressing and thus: it’s runnier. Handful of pine nuts into a dry frying pan on a medium flame. You want to gently toast those off (they’ll turn from an anemic cream to a golden brown and create the most lovely varnishy smell). “If it’s brown it’s cooked, if it’s black it’s f**ked” as my mate Gordon once said. If you’ve caught them and they’re black, don’t be shy – throw them out and do it again. Nasty burnt sulphury seeds are not the best starting point for a sauce. Stick them in a blender, follow them with a clove of garlic, a good splosh of decent extra virgin (“your not alone…”) and loads of basil (a couple of handfuls minimum). Pulse them through until it’s an even and smooth – add in a couple of handfuls of grated parmesan and add more oil if things start to stiffen up. Season with fresh black pepper to taste (you won’t need salt cos of the parmesan).
- The veg, like – 4/5 small potatoes per person. If you’ve got bigger ones in there, cut them down so everything is the same size and will cook evenly. Boil in slightly salted water for 8-10 until just done (my ex used to reckon I never cooked potatoes long enough, but hey – she was Polish – not a country renowned for its culinary prowess). Just before they’re done - for the last 3 or four minutes or so, throw in the asparagus, or if it’s out of season/you’re a peasant and can’t afford it, spring/French/whatever beans and blanch them off. You want a nice al dente crunch in my humble opine.
- Start off with a big mixing bowl, put three or four big handfuls of rocket (rucola) in the bowl first, drain your potatoes and greens quickly and then chuck them on top – the heat will start to wilt the rocket. Splash over the pesto dressing and stir everything together. Bit more grated parmesan over the top and your done. Use as a side to steak/quiche, all that sort of stuff.
- If you’re not a massive basil fan, a) you’re insane and b) just repeat the process but only dress it with black pepper, parmesan and garlic oil.
Bon appetito.
