Getting It On With Greens

Salads? You mean tossed lettuce and tomato wedges, right? Not this time! Oh, you're doing the health-food number: alfalfa sprouts, soybeans, dandelion greens ... that stuff. No way! What we have in mind are main-dish salads--zesty concoctions that are eminently satisfying but not heavy. Hearty salads make a lot of sense--and not just as summer eating. They're composed rather than cooked, often with last-minute pickups from the deli and greengrocer, plus any cold treasures the refrigerator yields. The one dish covers you on everything but dessert, and extra guests are easily accommodated by adding more greens, cheese, slices of cold steak ... whatever comes to hand. As you can see, almost anything goes in a main-dish salad.

Despite (continued on page 214) Getting it on with Greens (continued from page 151) their informality, main-dish salads can be delicious eating, running the gamut from a chef's salad laced with strips of boiled ham and cheese to Italian spectaculars calling for meaty porcini mushrooms, sticks of parmesan and thin strips of cold roast veal, all set on a bed of Bibb lettuce and topped with grated white truffles. At $600 a pound, fresh truffles are dispensable, but there's no dearth of intriguing salad ingredients to pique the palate and engage the cerebrum--tortellini, duckling, kiwi fruit, pine nuts, daikon (a mild white Japanese radish) and the Mediterranean treat sliced squid being just a few.

For a fairly unpresuming course, salads seem to generate controversy--whether greens should be torn or cut, for example. However, only a few procedures significantly affect the finished dish:

• Salads should be served chilled; plates should be chilled, too.

• Greens should be dried, whether it's done with paper toweling, dish towels or whirling in a salad spinner. The last is easiest and effective.

• Don't drown the salad in dressing--too little is better than too much.

• Unless you have a special source for buying dressings, make your own. It's worth the trouble.

• Quality and freshness of ingredients is the single most important factor. No one seeks out tired water cress or soggy radishes, of course, but you should be downright finicky when selecting salad ingredients.

The innovative Soho Charcuterie does a particularly good job with main-dish salads. The two that follow are popular with patrons of this attractive Manhattan restaurant.

[recipe_title]Insalata Di Tortellini[/recipe_title]

(Serves four to six)

[recipe]Soho Charcuterie Vinaigrette: 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 cup vegetable oil[/recipe]

(may be part olive oil)

[recipe]24 ozs. fresh tortellini (small stuffed pasta rings)[/recipe]

[recipe]6 ozs. Black Forest ham (or other good-quality cooked ham), cut in julienne strips[/recipe]

[recipe]1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in julienne strips[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup cooked broccoli, cut in small pieces[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup minced scallions[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese Garnish: radishes, cornichons, fennel sticks[/recipe]

Combine all dressing ingredients, except oil, in large bowl; whisk together until thickened. Gradually add oil, while continuing to whisk. Cook tortellini in boiling, salted water just until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Cool quickly in colander under cold running water; drain well. Add tortellini to dressing in bowl, along with remaining ingredients, except garnish. Toss gently. Chill about 1/2 hour before serving. Arrange on platter and decorate with garnishes.

Note: Fresh tortellini are available at shops that sell fresh pasta, and some large supermarkets carry them frozen. If neither are available, small fresh or frozen ravioli may be used, though they're not as delicate as tortellini.

[recipe_title]Green-Bean Antipasto with pine Nuts[/recipe_title]

(Serves four)

[recipe]Soho Charcuterie Vinaigrette[/recipe]

[recipe]1-1/2 lbs. fresh green beans[/recipe]

[recipe]12 cherry tomatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup toasted pine nuts[/recipe]

[recipe]6 ozs. smoked mozzarella, cubed[/recipe]

[recipe]6 ozs. pepperoni, thinly sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon oregano[/recipe]

[recipe]Garnish: curly chicory, marinated artichoke hearts, anchovy fillets[/recipe]

Prepare vinaigrette as for Insalata di Tortellini. Remove stems from green beans, but leave whole. Bring large pot of lightly salted water to boil, add green beans and cook 3 minutes or just until crisp-tender. Cool quickly in colander under cold running water; drain well. Combine with other ingredients, except garnish, and toss with dressing. Arrange chicory leaves on platter. Mound antipasto mixture on top. Decorate with garnishes.

[recipe_title]Melange of Cold duck, Imperial[/recipe_title]

(Serves four)

[recipe]2 large ripe peaches, peeled and cubed 1/4 cup fruit vinegar (raspberry, cherry, etc.)[/recipe]

[recipe]2 cups cubed cooked duck[/recipe]

[recipe]2 medium-size seedless oranges, peeled and sectioned[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup seedless green grapes[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 medium-size sweet onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup sliced pitted ripe olives[/recipe]

[recipe]Dressing: 1/4 cup orange juice; 3/4 cup walnut oil; 1 tablespoon chopped onion; 2 sprigs parsley; 1 teaspoon soy sauce; 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram; salt and pepper, to taste[/recipe]

[recipe]Garnish: Bibb lettuce, orange slices, grapes[/recipe]

Toss peach cubes with 1 tablespoon vinegar, in salad bowl. Add duck, orange, grapes, onion rings and olives. Combine rest of vinegar with dressing ingredients in blender; blend until smooth. Pour about half over salad; toss gently. Add additional dressing as needed and toss. Arrange Bibb lettuce on platter. Top with salad, decorate with fruit garnish.

New way with a staple--the chef's salad. The old chef never looked better.

[recipe_title]Superchef[/recipe_title]

(Serves four to six)

[recipe]Dressing: 1/4 cup each wine vinegar and mayonnaise; 3/4 cup vegetable oil (use part olive); 1 crushed clove garlic; salt and pepper, to taste[/recipe]

[recipe]6 cups assorted salad greens, torn in bite-size pieces (romaine, butter lettuce, spinach leaves, etc.)[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 lb. cooked, shelled shrimps, halved[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 lb. pickled tongue, slivered[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 lb. smoked turkey, slivered[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 lb. baked Virginia ham, slivered[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 lb. feta cheese, in 1/2-in. cubes[/recipe]

[recipe]2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced[/recipe]

[recipe]Garnish: 4 to 6 slices crumbled crisp bacon, half-sour pickles, cherry peppers[/recipe]

Combine dressing ingredients; mix well. Put remaining ingredients, except garnishes, in large salad bowl. Toss with dressing until well mixed. Top with garnishes.

[recipe_title]Crab Louis[/recipe_title]

(Serves four)

[recipe]3/4 lb. lump crab meat (or 2 6-oz. packages frozen Alaska king-crab meat)[/recipe]

[recipe]Crab-meat dressing: 1 cup mayonnaise; 1/4 cup chili sauce; 2 tablespoons each finely chopped onion, green pepper and green olives; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; salt and pepper, to taste[/recipe]

[recipe]Vinaigrette: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon wine vinegar; small clove garlic, crushed; salt and pepper, to taste[/recipe]

[recipe]1 medium-size ripe avocado[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tomatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]Romaine-lettuce leaves, torn in bite-size pieces[/recipe]

[recipe]4 hard-cooked eggs, quartered and sprinkled with paprika[/recipe]

Pick over crab meat to remove bits of shell. (If frozen crab meat is used, thaw as package directs.) Combine ingredients for crab-meat dressing and mix well, Add crab meat and toss gently. Combine ingredients for vinaigrette. Peel and slice avocado, quarter tomatoes and sprinkle both with vinaigrette. Cover bottom of serving platter or shallow salad bowl with lettuce. Mound crab meat in center. Ring with avocado slices, tomato and egg quarters.

This piquant dressing is a specialty of Balducci's Market--a gourmet haunt in Greenwich Village. You can use it with any combination of fruits that happen to be in season.

[recipe_title]Fruit in Coconut-Ginger-Lime Dressing[/recipe_title]

(Serves six)

[recipe]Balducci's Coconut-Ginger-Lime Dressing: 1/2 cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons shredded or flaked coconut; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel; 2 teaspoons honey; 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger; 1/4 cup mayonnaise[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large banana, sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]2 nectarines, peeled and sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup thinly sliced jicama[/recipe]

[recipe]1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup fresh pineapple cubes[/recipe]

[recipe]1-1/2 cups cantaloupe and honeydew balls or cubes[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup whole strawberries[/recipe]

[recipe]12 ozs. bucheron or other goat cheese[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup pistachio nuts[/recipe]

Combine all dressing ingredients, except mayonnaise, in blender; blend until smooth. Pour into large bowl; fold in mayonnaise. Add fruit to dressing in bowl; stir gently. Marinate several hours in refrigerator. Spoon out on salad plates. Flank fruit with half-moon cheese slices; sprinkle salad with pistachios.

Note: If jicama is unavailable, substitute crisp, tart apple--peeled and cubed. (concluded overleaf)

At last, a different, and delightful, kind of chicken salad.

[recipe_title]Chicken-Peanut Salad[/recipe_title]

(Serves two to three)

[recipe]1/2 lb. bean sprouts[/recipe]

[recipe]2 cups shredded cooked chicken[/recipe]

[recipe]1/3 cup sliced canned water chestnuts[/recipe]

[recipe]1-1/2 cups water-cress leaves[/recipe]

[recipe]1 small red onion, thinly sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1/3 cup chopped peanuts[/recipe]

[recipe]Dressing: 3 tablespoons peanut butter; 2 tablespoons each soy sauce, white wine and vinegar; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon each sesame oil, sugar, grated fresh ginger root; 1 crushed clove garlic; 1/4 teaspoon each dry mustard and curry powder; 4 dashes Tabasco, or to taste[/recipe]

[recipe]Garnish: chutney, trimmed scallions, English-cucumber slices[/recipe]

Pour boiling water over bean sprouts, rinse with cold water, drain very well. Combine with chicken, water chestnuts, water cress, onion and peanuts in large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Toss salad ingredients with dressing until well combined. Arrange on platter and decorate with garnishes.

[recipe_title]Shellfish Remou Lade[/recipe_title]

(Serves four)

[recipe]Sauce Rémoulade: 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise; 1 large clove garlic, crushed; 2 tablespoons each chopped cilantro (coriander leaves), minced shallots; I teaspoon chopped capers; 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard[/recipe]

[recipe]1-1/2 cups dry white wine or vermouth[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 lb. bay scallops[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 lb. fresh shrimps, cooked and shelled 6 ozs. cooked lobster chunks (or lump crab meat)[/recipe]

[recipe]Red leaf lettuce[/recipe]

[recipe]1 lb. asparagus spears, cooked[/recipe]

[recipe]Cherry tomatoes[/recipe]

Combine sauce ingredients and chill. Bring wine to simmer in shallow saucepan. Add scallops and poach just until they turn opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and chill. (Shrimps and lobster are available cooked, at good fish stores.) Arrange bed of red leaf lettuce on oval platter. Mound shrimps at one end, follow with rows of asparagus, scallops, cherry tomatoes, lobster. Spoon dressing over all.

Note: Fresh cilantro is usually available in Oriental and Hispanic produce markets.

[recipe_title]Cold Roast Beef Gribiche[/recipe_title]

(Serves three to four)

[recipe]Sauce Gribiche: 2 hard-cooked eggs: 2 teaspoons mustard; 1 crushed clove garlic; 3/4 cup vegetable oil (use part olive); 1/4 cup wine vinegar; 3 tablespoons well-drained pickle relish; 1 tablespoon each capers, finely chopped shallots, chopped parsley; 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon; salt and pepper, to taste[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 lb. cold roast beef or steak[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large potato, cooked, peeled and sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]Garnish: slivered pimiento, sliced daikon radish, tiny pickled beets[/recipe]

Prepare sauce: Mash hard-cooked egg yolks in bowl until smooth. Work in mustard and garlic. Beat in 2 tablespoons oil, few drops at a time. Then beat in rest of oil in slow stream. Beat in vinegar, little at a time. Stir in chopped egg whites and other sauce ingredients. Cut beef in thin strips. Stir-fry mushrooms in hot oil until lightly golden. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Combine beef strips, mushrooms and potato slices in salad bowl. Add Sauce Gribiche and toss gently until well combined. Chill about 1/2 hour. Decorate with garnishes before serving.

[recipe_title]Tuna Cannellini[/recipe_title]

(Serves two)

[recipe]1 can (7 ozs.) Italian-style tuna in olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1 can (11/4 lbs.) cannellini beans, well drained[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup sliced pitted ripe olives[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup slivered pimiento[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons chopped parsley[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 medium-size red onion, sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon dried thyme[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt and pepper, to taste[/recipe]

[recipe]Garnish: arugula or escarole, whole ripe olives, green-pepper rings[/recipe]

Break tuna into chunks in bowl. Add beans, olives, pimiento, parsley and onion; toss lightly until mixed. Mix oil, lemon juice and thyme. Pour over tuna and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on platter; decorate with garnishes.

The Romans and the Chinese used both lettuce and cress as aphrodisiacs. Maybe they knew something. What the hell ... if they don't work, you can always go back to oysters.

"Main-dish salads allow plenty of latitude for freelancing and personal expression."