Radish & Strawberry Salad

This radish & strawberry salad certainly strays from the traditional dishes of Le Marche however is a perfect example of the philosophy "if it grows together, it goes together." The crunchy peppery radishes compliment the sweet juicy strawberries, add a bit of young spring onion (and if we were in the States, cilantro!) for a surprising and delicious spring salad. The recipe is inspired by our friends from Perennial Plate!

Radish & Strawberry Salad
equal parts of radish & strawberries, sliced as thin as possible (you can do this with a mandoline or knife)
a pinch of spring onions, sliced thinly
salt & crack of pepper to taste
olive oil
the best balsamic you’ve got: aceto balsamic tradizionale di modena

In a bowl combine radishes, strawberry & onion. Season with salt & pepper and a light drizzle of olive oil. Very gently (with your hands) toss the salad to incorporate all the ingredients.
To serve: plate and drizzle a few drops of balsamic over the top, serve immediately.

Note: Anything from spring will work in this dish, fresh fava beans or peas, chive, etc - if it grows together it goes together.

Warm Artichoke, Asparagus, Fava & Potato Salad

 When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade and when the garden is producing kilos of fava and neighbors deliver homegrown artichokes and asparagus we make this delicious warm salad! It's a shame to call is a 'potato salad' but when I asked a handful of guests, as they were eating this dish after a cooking class they all replied 'the best potato salad ever!' Use whatever Spring veggies you've got but the combo of warm boiled new potatoes with sweet artichoke hearts and bright asparagus & or fava is simply...the best potato salad ever!

Check out the short video on Tastemade to see a glimpse of the cooking class with this one the menu!

Artichokes & New Potatoes with Fava and Asparagus

Serves 4

12 artichoke hearts, cleaned (we have small artichokes, if you are using big Roman artichokes you can use 1 artichoke heart per person, cut into quarters)
4 medium potatoes (the best looking potatoes you can find)
2 handfuls of cleaned, double shelled fave beans (or peas)
handful of thin asparagus if you have them (grilled or blanched)
handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered (seeds removed)
small handful of chopped herbs: oregano, basil, parsley - whatever you’ve got.
good extra virgin olive oil
vinegar
salt & pepper

In separate pots, of boiling salted water, cook: the artichoke hearts,  the potatoes with the skin left on whole and fave beans until just soft, but not mushy. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
When you can handle the potatoes, peel them and cut into similar size chunks as your artichoke hearts.

While everything is still warm, place the potatoes, artichokes, bean/peas and tomatoes, etc. into a bowl and season with salt & pepper, chopped herbs and dress with olive oil and vinegar. (General rule of thumb, dress with 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, i.e.: a 3 count pour of olive oil to a 1 count pour of vinegar.)

Toss gently, adjust seasonings and allow to sit for five minutes and serve slightly warm. Garnish with grated hard egg over the top if you like.

Chicory Salad with Anchovy Dressing - Puntarelle alla Romana

Chicory with Anchovy Dressing

Until fairly recently there was a certain amount of discussion outside of Rome as to what puntarelle are. Turns out they're chicory shoots of a variety known as Catalogna, picked while still young and tender. Slightly bitter, crisp and fresh this pairs perfectly with salty anchovies and a squeeze of lemon.

Chicory with Anchovy Dressing
puntarelle alla romana (salsa di alici)

1 head of puntarelle, chicory, radicchio, endive or any winter lettuce.

Prepare the puntarelle: Remove the spindly outer dark green leaves to reveal the heart. This resembles a weird looking bunch of white asparagus tips. Remove the stalks from the center core, slice in half length wise and wash. Spin dry thoroughly.

Dressing:
1 spoonful of lemon juice
3 spoonfuls of olive oil
1/2 clove of garlic, minced finely
1/2 - 1 anchovy filet
salt & pepper

This recipe is really simple and can be expanded to make as large as a quantity as you want - just follow the three to one ratio.

In a bowl or mortar and pestle combine the garlic, lemon and anchovy. With either a fork or pestle make sure everything is pulverized and mixed together well. Once you are ready, continuously stir, drizzle in the olive oil. Give it a good stir until the oil has fully incorporated.  Taste and adjust the salt & pepper and acid to oil ratio.

Make a tiny bit or enough to feed an army - it’s easy & delicious!

Fennel and Peach Salad

 On a hot night this is an ideal, super simple, light and refreshing summer salad. The crunch of the fennel & sweet peaches pair perfectly! There are only a handful of ingredients; shaved fennel, peaches, extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper. The key to keeping the fennel flavor from overpowering everything is to shave it very fine with a mandoline.

(Side note: It may not be proper Italian but when it's over 90 F / 30 C it's on the menu.)

Fennel and Peach Salad

1 bulb of fennel, core removed, sliced paper thin on a mandoline or meat slicer
2-3 of peaches, sliced
a few tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and gently toss. Let sit five minutes and serve!

Carpaccio of Zucchini

 
Carpaccio of Zucchini
Fine Fine Zucchini

zucchini
salt
pepper
olive oil
lemon
parmesan

handful of cherry tomatoes, radishes, zucchini flowers, arugula (optional)

Use mandolin or slicer, slice zucchini very very thinly - paper thin.

Lay out one layer on a plate or platter.

Crack of pepper, crack of salt, drizzle olive oil, squeeze of lemon. Let sit for 15 minutes.

 

If you have cherry tomatoes and/or radishes toss a small handful ontop as well as zucchini flowers, arugula or celery hearts, etc to give it a little extra bite & color. Finish with shaved parmesan over the top. Serve

Fennel & Citrus Salad (with Blood Oranges)

Fennel - what is it? A big onion? A bulb? Is it even edible? YES and how delicious it is!

The secret is to know how to use it & what to pair it with.

Fennel can be a bit tough & fibrous with an anise flavor. It is also light, crunchy & refreshing when sliced very thin (found in many Mediterranean recipes.) We not only grow our own big bulbs of fennel but another variety of fennel grows wild along our road - the more leafy/flowery type to used as an aromatic.

Here is one of my favorite winter recipes from Jason below. Other ways to use/eat fennel: roasted (love it), braised in white wine (delicious) and the most simplistic - young fennel can be cut into chunks & dipped into olive oil & salt. (oh so Italian!)

Fennel & Blood Orange Salad

1 bulb of fennel, cut in 1/2 and remove core
2-3 blood oranges
salt & pepper
2 glugs of extra virgin olive oil

Slice fennel as thin as possible (use a food slicer or mandolin if available).
Peel & supreme the oranges.  squeeze the remaining juice into a bowl.
Gently toss oranges, fennel, salt & pepper with  olive oil.  Add a spoonful of juice if needed.
Let stand for 5  minutes then serve.

Beet Citrus Salad

Brighten your bleak winter days with this colorful healthy salad of beets, citrus and whatever you've got!  Beets can be found from summer thru winter so this salad is versatile!

There are hundreds of variations; if your have beautiful carrots add them in, no green beans - don't worry about, you can even add in some nuts or shaved fennel. Play with the citrus, try grapefruit for more of a tangy flavor or blood oranges for the color & sweetness.

Beet Citrus Salad

3 beets, any color
2 oranges, supremed/sections and juiced
1 red onion, sliced paper thin
handful of green beans, blanched & cut into thirds
olive oil
salt & pepper

Scrub the beets and bring to a boil in plenty of salted water.  You'll know they are done when you can easily slip a knife in & out like potatoes. Cooking time will depend on the size of the beets, make sure to boil them whole. Drain them and let cool. When the beets are able to be handled, rub the beets with a kitchen towel to slough off the skins. Cut them into bit-sized chunks.

In a bowl, combine about 4 tablespoons of the orange juice, salt and pepper. While constantly whisking, drizzle in about 8 tablespoons of olive oil (you are looking for a 2 to 1 ratio).  (Don't throw out the rest of the OJ - drink it!) 

Toss the onions, beets and green beans with the dressing.  Check your seasoning and allow to sit for about 15 minutes, until the onions start to wilt a bit. Give the salad one more toss & taste, garnish with the orange supremes.

our homegrown beets

Pear & Pine Nut Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

Rosy cheeked, angelica pears, native to the Metauro Valley are found in the markets throughout autumn in our area of Le Marche. One of my favorite ways to use these sweet small pears is tossing them with pine nuts, parmesan and a sweet honey lemon vinaigrette - creating an irresistible salad!

Pear & Pine Nut Salad with Honey Vinaigrette Recipe

Insalata di pera e pinoli

Ingredients:

1 small head of soft leafed lettuce, cut, washed & dry
2  small pears, cubed
100 gr pine nuts, toasted
juice of half a lemon
honey
extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan

Method:

In a bowl, juice the lemon with a spoonful of good honey. As you stir drizzle in olive oil approximately twice the olive oil than lemon juice.

Give it a taste - if its too olive oily- give it a squeeze of lemon, like wise in the reverse order. Set aside.  Toss lettuce with half the pears and pine nuts and the dressing add a crack of pepper and sprinkle of salt. Once in serving bowl, top with the rest of the pine nuts and pears and shaved parmesan.

Panzanella - Tuscan Bread Salad

A summer staple in Central Italy is the Tuscan bread salad Panzanella, a classic example of cucina povera (peasant cooking), transforming stale bread into a flavorful dish with fresh tomatoes, basil & anchovies.

Panzanella 

Tuscan Bread Salad

3 bell peppers, grilled, peeled, seeds removed cut into strips
500 gr or 1 lb loaf of good quality stale bread
2 lbs or 1 kilo of ripe cherry tomatoes, (small sized) halved or quartered
6-8 anchovy filets
1 small handful of capers, washed & drained
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 celery heart, thinly sliced
large handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
couple cloves of garlic, peeled
red wine wine vinegar
good quality extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

In a colander place tomatoes and sprinkle with a generous spoonful of salt. Toss the tomatoes a bit. Put a plate or another flat object on top of the tomatoes then a heavy jar or container ontop of the plate to allow them to be pressed & drained.

In a bowl place the garlic cloves, anchovy filets & capers. Now place the colander into the bowl, allowing the tomato juices to drip onto the garlic, anchovies & capers. Allow this to sit for 20 minutes of so.

Meanwhile, in another bowl combine your onion, celery heart, grilled peppers & cucumber. Once the tomatoes have had a chance to sit, add the tomatoes to these vegetables and give it a toss.
For the dressing, use the bowl with the anchovies, tomato juice, etc. - remove the anchovies & garlic, chop the garlic & return to the bowl with the tomato juice. Add 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and about 10-12 good extra virgin olive oil. Stir well. Add a little salt & a good crack of fresh black pepper. Toss this dressing with the tomatoes & vegetables. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or so while you tear up your bread.

Remove the innards of the bread, tearing it into small pieces (leaving the hard crust). Add a about 2 handful of torn bread as well as 3/4 of your basil leaves to the salad. Stir and adjust the seasoning giving the bread time to soak up the juices. If after 10 minutes it looks a little watery, add another handful of the torn bread.

To serve: Adjust your seasonings. Place in a big bowl garnish with the remainder of your basil leaves and the filets of anchovies. Give a good drizzle of olive oil atop before it goes to the table.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

1 medium-large butternut squash, seeded and cut into thick 1 -inch slices
salt & pepper
8 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 medium red onion, sliced paper thin
1 clove of garlic, sliced paper thin
handful of fresh oregano
pinch of red chili flakes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
Season the squash with 4 tablespoons of olive oil, salt & pepper. Lay squash in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
Bake about 20 minutes, until tender.
Mix 4 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, onion, garlic, herbs, chili flakes and salt & pepper - creating a marinade.
Remove the squash once tender and pour marinade over hot squash.
Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the marinade, sprinkle with fresh mint and serve.

Best served at room temperature.

Farro, Chickpea & Arugula Salad

Enjoy this fantastic, simple, delicious & healthy summer salad recipe that is one of my favs! We first devoured this at a medieval festival in Piobbico & have been recreating it at home ever since! Farro is a medieval grain the Romans ate to stay full & fight battles. More info on the history of farro - read our previous post here: Farro medieval grain.

Farro, Chickpea & Arugula Salad
Insalata di farro, ceci e ruccola

6 ounces farro or spelt
2 ounces chickpeas or garbanzo beans (soaked over night)
a bunch of arugula
juice of 1/2 lemon
parmesan (wedge to shave ribbons)
salt & pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

In plenty of cold water biol farro until al dente (cooked but with a bite).
In a separate pot do the same with the chickpeas.
In a bowl toss together farro & chickpeas once cooked, add a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper and olive oil.
Taste & check your seasoning - adjusting salt, pepper & lemon. (If too lemony add a bit more olive oil).
Allow to sit for 15 minutes.
Before serving toss in arugula & shave ribbons of Parmesan.
Mix together & serve.

For more recipes with Farro try our Farro & Leek Soup Recipe!

Greenbeans, Tomaotes & Balsamic

1 lb of green beans

3 good fresh tomatoes

good quality olive oil

extra virgin olive oil

garlic

salt & pepper

fresh herbs

Serves: 6

Clean the green beans.

Blanch beans in salted water. Drain & rinse in cold water.

Score the bottom of 3 nice good quality tomatoes and remove the stem root. Plunge into boiling water for 20 - 30 seconds. Drain & shock the tomatoes in ice water.

Slough the skins & de-seed tomatoes. Give them a good rough chop into chunks.

In a frying pan, over low heat add a couple of glugs of good quality olive oil. Throw in 2 whole garlic cloves (skins removed). Gently fry for a couple of minutes.

Raise heat, add the green beans & sauté for a minute.

Throw in tomatoes. Toss a couple of times in the pan & cook for 3-4 minutes until the green beans are tender but not mushy.

Remove garlic cloves. Season with salt & pepper. Add a small handful of one type of your favorite fresh herbs, chopped. (for example basil, oregano or marjoram) and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

At our agriturismo we finish the dish with 30 year aged traditional balsamic. (To find the good stuff in the States can be hard & expensive). It's totally OK to use regular balsamic, it is just more acetic or use a squeeze of lemon.