well.
SCANDINAVIAN CUCUMBER SALAD
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
The cucumber is about as universal a vegetable as there is, and is found in salads around the world. The Scandinavians use it as we do coleslaw, as the accompaniment to many different dishes.
2 medium cucumbers or 1 hothouse (seedless) cucumber
Kosher salt
½ cup cider or white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 ⁄ 8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, or use half dill and half fresh flat-leaf parsley
If they are big, waxy, coarse cucumbers, peel them, cut lengthwise in two, and scrape out the seeds. If using a hothouse cucumber, leave unpeeled and unseeded. In either case, slice very thinly, put in a colander, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Allow to drain for an hour or so, then rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry. Transfer the cucumbers to a bowl. Whisk the vinegar, sugar, water, pepper, and dill together and pour the dressing over the cucumbers, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand for at least 3 hours before serving, by which time the cucumbers will have wilted. Season with more salt, if needed.
FRESH MUSHROOM SALAD
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Salads of vegetables, cooked, canned, or raw, served with a vinaigrette sauce, are more commonly known as vegetables vinaigrette. They can be served alone as a salad or first course, or as part of an hors d’oeuvre selection, along with other vegetables vinaigrette, canned, fresh, and cured fish and shellfish, pâtés, ham, and sliced sausages such as salami and mortadella. Some vegetables benefit from being marinated first for an hour or two.
2 pounds very firm mushrooms, wiped clean
½ cup Basic Vinaigrette Sauce
1½ tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Break off the mushroom stems and reserve them for some other use (they can be chopped and cooked down in butter until all the liquid evaporates, then used for an omelet filling or swirled into scrambled eggs).
Slice large mushroom caps lengthwise about ¼ inch thick. Small mushrooms may be left whole, or halved. Put the mushrooms into a mixing bowl, add the vinaigrette sauce and tarragon, and toss well. Let the salad stand for 1 or 2 hours. To serve, put into a serving bowl or dish, add additional oil and vinegar, if needed, and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
OLD-FASHIONED OREGON POTATO SALAD
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
This salad, which was very popular when I was growing up, is one I like to serve with very simple foods, such as ham, cold chicken, and other cold meats. The nasturtium leaves, a particularly Western addition, were picked from the garden and tossed into the salad bowl to add a peppery zest. If you don’t grow nasturtiums, you might add a little garden cress, arugula, or watercress.
2½ pounds small new potatoes, unpeeled
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely diced
1 or 2 carrots, shredded
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
1 ⁄ 3 cup cider vinegar
4 or 5 unsprayed nasturtium leaves, cut into shreds (optional)
¾ cup Mayonnaise , as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mixed salad greens, for serving
3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered or sliced, for serving
12 stuffed green olives, sliced, for serving
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish
Boil the potatoes in their skins in a large saucepan of salted water to cover until they can just be pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain. Peel and slice into a large bowl while still warm and combine with the onion, celery, carrot, and parsley. Add the vinegar, and the nasturtium leaves, if using, and toss to mix well. Let the salad stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Blend with enough mayonnaise to coat the vegetables well, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
Line a deep platter with greens and unmold the chilled salad onto it. Top with the hard-cooked eggs and olives. Sprinkle with more chopped
SCANDINAVIAN CUCUMBER SALAD
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
The cucumber is about as universal a vegetable as there is, and is found in salads around the world. The Scandinavians use it as we do coleslaw, as the accompaniment to many different dishes.
2 medium cucumbers or 1 hothouse (seedless) cucumber
Kosher salt
½ cup cider or white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 ⁄ 8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, or use half dill and half fresh flat-leaf parsley
If they are big, waxy, coarse cucumbers, peel them, cut lengthwise in two, and scrape out the seeds. If using a hothouse cucumber, leave unpeeled and unseeded. In either case, slice very thinly, put in a colander, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Allow to drain for an hour or so, then rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry. Transfer the cucumbers to a bowl. Whisk the vinegar, sugar, water, pepper, and dill together and pour the dressing over the cucumbers, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand for at least 3 hours before serving, by which time the cucumbers will have wilted. Season with more salt, if needed.
FRESH MUSHROOM SALAD
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Salads of vegetables, cooked, canned, or raw, served with a vinaigrette sauce, are more commonly known as vegetables vinaigrette. They can be served alone as a salad or first course, or as part of an hors d’oeuvre selection, along with other vegetables vinaigrette, canned, fresh, and cured fish and shellfish, pâtés, ham, and sliced sausages such as salami and mortadella. Some vegetables benefit from being marinated first for an hour or two.
2 pounds very firm mushrooms, wiped clean
½ cup Basic Vinaigrette Sauce
1½ tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Break off the mushroom stems and reserve them for some other use (they can be chopped and cooked down in butter until all the liquid evaporates, then used for an omelet filling or swirled into scrambled eggs).
Slice large mushroom caps lengthwise about ¼ inch thick. Small mushrooms may be left whole, or halved. Put the mushrooms into a mixing bowl, add the vinaigrette sauce and tarragon, and toss well. Let the salad stand for 1 or 2 hours. To serve, put into a serving bowl or dish, add additional oil and vinegar, if needed, and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
OLD-FASHIONED OREGON POTATO SALAD
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
This salad, which was very popular when I was growing up, is one I like to serve with very simple foods, such as ham, cold chicken, and other cold meats. The nasturtium leaves, a particularly Western addition, were picked from the garden and tossed into the salad bowl to add a peppery zest. If you don’t grow nasturtiums, you might add a little garden cress, arugula, or watercress.
2½ pounds small new potatoes, unpeeled
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely diced
1 or 2 carrots, shredded
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
1 ⁄ 3 cup cider vinegar
4 or 5 unsprayed nasturtium leaves, cut into shreds (optional)
¾ cup Mayonnaise , as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mixed salad greens, for serving
3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered or sliced, for serving
12 stuffed green olives, sliced, for serving
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish
Boil the potatoes in their skins in a large saucepan of salted water to cover until they can just be pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain. Peel and slice into a large bowl while still warm and combine with the onion, celery, carrot, and parsley. Add the vinegar, and the nasturtium leaves, if using, and toss to mix well. Let the salad stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Blend with enough mayonnaise to coat the vegetables well, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
Line a deep platter with greens and unmold the chilled salad onto it. Top with the hard-cooked eggs and olives. Sprinkle with more chopped
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