Last update - 00:00 20/04/2007
Salads that can stand up to the grilled meat
By Doram Gaunt
Some guys boast about how they can make it through a whole barbeque without touching anything but the meat. Just give them a bit of steaming-hot pita in one hand - to grasp the bloody slab of meat that has just been removed from the coals and to soak up the savory juices it secretes - and a bottle of beer in the other, and they're set to go.
Vegetables, quiches and other food which didn't once live and breathe, isn't worth wasting room on, as long as there are still hot dogs, kebabs, ribs, steaks and other skewered meats left in the picnic box. (And there's always more meat. That's what happens when you calculate 750 grams per person, including vegetarians, senior citizens, dieting women and nursing infants.)
And yet, there's a certain pleasure in discovering a delicious and refreshing surprise at a barbecue, something that's light and pleasing to the palate. To stand up to the meat, it's important for the salad to be fresh and refreshing. Tired and shrunken vegetables, lifeless from a hot journey to the picnic site, which have been drowning in dressing for hours and have lost their own their juices to the bowl, will have little chance of competing with the real star of the grill.
Those who feel overwhelmed by the logistics of chopping vegetable out in the field, should at least separate the vegetables from the dressing (which should be stored in a tightly sealed jar - and wrapped in plastic, just in case), until the last minute. Another option is to stick to salads that don't contain such perishable vegetables as lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and that actually benefit from the time spent in the box. The latter would include fennel, potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, beets and beans. Here are a few ideas for salads that are fun to eat around the fire, although they are also delicious at home.
Purple potato salad with snow peas in horseradish vinaigrette
Purple potatoes (Vitelotte), which are now sold in supermarkets, have a chestnut-like flavor, a dense texture and a deep color that turns bright when they come in contact with the vinaigrette. The combination with the crispy snow peas creates a psychedelic celebration of color, texture and taste, which is accentuated by the horseradish's moderate spiciness. For 4 servings.
650 grams purple potatoes of the Vitelotte variety
250 grams snow peas
For the vinaigrette:
2-3 tablespoons fresh horseradish root, peeled and finely grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or any other vinegar)
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt, black pepper
Place the potatoes with the skin on (Important: Do not peel! Peeling ruins the stunning color) in a pot, cover with cold water, add salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat until the potatoes are done (about 20 minutes). Remove from water and cool just until you can touch and peel them.
In the meantime, remove ends of the peas and place in salted boiling water, uncovered, for 4 minutes. Remove the peas and place them in a bowl of ice water, to stop the cooking.
Mix all the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl.
Peel the potatoes and break them up with your hands into big bite-size chunks. Put the potatoes in a bowl and season, while still hot, with the vinaigrette. Add the peas and toss gently.
Eat the salad lukewarm or at room temperature. It will still be good unrefrigerated for a few hours in a plastic container.
Wood sorrel salad with dried fruit
The pretty wood sorrel leaves now sold in supermarkets add a refreshing sourness to sauces, soups and salads. The subtly tart flavor complements the dried fruits and the sweetish vinaigrette, and is excellent for creating a contrast or when you want to take a break between one cut of meat and the next. For 4-6 servings.
300 grams washed wood sorrel leaves
1/2 cup dried figs, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or any combination of other dried fruit)
1/2 cup hazelnuts or walnuts, coarsely chopped
For the vinaigrette:
1 heaping tablespoon smooth apricot jam (or any other smooth jam)
5 tablespoons orange juice
6 tablespoons olive oil
salt, black pepper
Place wood sorrel leaves in a bowl (or large plastic container with a lid) and sprinkle with the dried fruits and nuts. Put all the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and shake well to combine. Just before serving combine the salad and dressing, gently toss and serve.
Fennel salad with lemon
This combination is so simple and easy to prepare, that it's hard to believe the result is so delicious, light and not oily. An ideal and convenient side dish for eating with your hands, alongside broiled meat. And thanks to Tzippi and Simon for the recipe. For 4-6 servings.
2 plump, pretty fennel bulbs, preferably with some leaves for garnish
1 whole, fresh lemon
salt, black pepper
If the fennel bulbs have leaves, remove them and save on the side for decoration. Cut and dispose of the base of the fennel and the tough branches on top. Using a sharp knife, slice the fennel, from top to bottom, into thin slices.
Cut the slices in half lengthwise and place in bowl (or plastic container with a lid, if taking the salad to the barbeque.) Squeeze the lemon on the fennel. Dice the squeezed lemon with the peel into tiny pieces. Add half the lemon to the bowl (later taste and decide whether to also add the other half). Season with salt and pepper, mix and garnish with the fennel leaves. Set aside for at least half an hour to absorb the flavors.
doramg@haaretz.co.il