Salads are not just about vegetables. In fact, some of my favorite salads are either meaty, cheesy or both. And I think this is why I am currently in love with the book Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables. Even though it’s a book about vegetables, it is not vegetarian by a long shot. Yes, vegetables are the backbone of the book, but they are brought to new levels not just through a thorough understanding the different seasons, but also by adding things like cured meats, nuts, cheese and bread to turn ‘salads’ into hearty, filling dishes.
One of the things I love about the book is that he really does address seasonality at a micro level. Sine the author, Josh, was first a chef, and then managed a farm, he is very attuned to the differences between, say, an early season asparagus and a late season asparagus. Which means that the recipes really work: you won’t find yourself trying to make a salad with raw asparagus with the last-of-the-season tough spears. I know it sounds a bit much, but there really is a huge difference in this kind of attention to detail. And if you are going to go to the trouble of going to the farmers market, or growing your own produce, then this kind of attention pays off.
Another thing I love about this book is the emphasis on layering seasoning. He doesn’t just ‘season to taste’ at the end, but makes sure that every stage of every ingredient is seasoned appropriately. And since each vegetable is always going to be different, taste again and again at the end until you get it perfectly right.
This weekend I lugged the book (it’s big!) up to our house in Umbria. I knew I wanted to make one of the spring salads with salami and so made sure I had that on hand. My memory of the other ingredients in the salad was fuzzy. And in fact, I had merged two different salads in my mind, both involving the addition of salami (brilliant) but one with a with artichokes and farro, and another with fava beans and farro. Since I didn’t have farro, or artichokes or fava beans for that matter, I kind of improvised, and made a salad that very much embraced the spirit of both recipes, as well as the glorious spring weather. It was the perfect centerpiece to lunch under the pergola.
My only regret is that I didn’t make double the amount. I thought I had made a ton, and was sure there’d be leftovers. But I guess I’m not used to cooking for a group of twenty-somethings. Sophie and her friends gobbled it up. And so did we.
Asparagus & Rice Salad with Salami & Herbs
The three main ingredients in the salad are some type of grain, some type of salami, and some type of vegetable. As I mentioned I completely swapped out all the main ingredients for different ones, but still very much preserved the spirit of the salad. Instead of using farro, instead I chose to use a dark red variety of Italian rice called Venere. It is a cross between a aromatic Asian rice, and a shorter grain Italian one. I love it in salads.
And while I used asparagus, I'm certainly going to be trying this with the last of the artichokes. And I'm also thinking of adding a handful of peas.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of Venere rice (or farro)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- dried chili flakes
- salt
- 1 pound of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 large red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
- 1 cup mixed fresh herbs (mint, parsley, basil)
- 1 lemon
- 3 ounces / 1 etto of salami (cut thickly and then into half moons or quarters)
- 5 or 6 artichoke hearts, preserved in olive oil (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt
Instructions
- To cook the rice: pour about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pot. Add the garlic, chili flakes (about 1/4 teaspoon) and heat over medium heat until the garlic starts to become fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice, and stir for about 3 minutes. Then add 4 cups of water, 2 teaspoons of salt, and the bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Let cook until the rice is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Drain the rice, and lay out on a plate to cool off. Discard the bay leaf.
- In the meantime prepare the asparagus. Using your hands snap off the tough ends. Then cut them into 1 inch pieces. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and place immediately in a bowl of ice water to chill. Drain and let dry.
- Assemble the salad in a medium bowl. Add the cooled rice, the drained asparagus, the chopped herbs, artichoke hearts, salame and mix with the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust for seasoning, adding juice from a half lemon. Serve at room temperature.
This recipe was adapted from Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables, by Joshua McFadden and Martha Holmberg
Elizabeth, thanks! And thanks for sharing your great posts every week!
I just wanted to say that I discovered your blog a few months ago and I enjoy it so much. I spent some time in Italy for the first time last year solo traveling and attending a food photography workshop. It was such an amazing time and every image and recipe you post reminds me of it.