Chicories with Yogurt, Preserved Lemon, and Mint

I discovered earlier this year that radicchio is far too bitter for my taste. Most chicories are. I didn’t expect to enjoy this salad, which proved true. But one of my dinner guests enjoyed it so much that he took home all of the leftovers. I guess it’s an acquired taste. 

This salad is very simple — torn radicchio and mint leaves tossed with grated garlic, lemon juice, and preserved lemon. Salt and pepper, of course. And laid atop salted greek yogurt. But no matter the flavor pairing, a salad that primarily consists of radicchio, in my opinion, will always be dominated by its inherent bitterness, even with a creamy dressing like yogurt. But the salad sure looked beautiful! 

I served this salad alongside Alison’s Vinegar-Roasted Beets (love!), Yogurt-Marinated Leg of Lamb (post to come), and Sour Cream Flatbreads (a true omg). 

218 recipes cooked, 7 to go.

Celery Salad with Cilantro and Sesame by Alison Roman

I put off a celery salad for as long as I could. I just couldn’t imagine an entire salad made of celery -- a vegetable I don’t dare eat on its own. Its flavor is too strong for me. Eating it requires too much chewing. I don’t mind celery mixed into things like soup, but a base of celery? Never. 

I started a new full-time job in September and have made some new coworker pals. One evening after work, I was standing on the train platform, waiting for my ride back home to the city. I stood waiting with one such pal and told her about this project. “Oh Alison Roman! I love her recipes! My favorite is her celery salad with cilantro.” I did a double take. Of ALL the tasty recipes she could choose from, her favorite is a celery salad?! I was stumped. 

Of course, I now see a bit more of what she meant. No, this recipe isn’t my top 20 of the 225 recipes I’ve (almost) cooked. But it’s certainly in the top half of Alison salads and it’s something I’d make again. I followed Alison’s suggestion and prepared this recipe alongside her Soy-Braised Brisket (which was even better than I remembered it). The salad’s combination of sesame oil and fish sauce really complement the soy and honey flavors of the meat. Beyond the brisket, this salad would work really well with main dishes like pho, bulgogi, or chicken teriyaki.  

While the title suggests that the bulk of the salad consists of celery, I found it to be proportionately balanced with scallions, jalapeño, and cilantro as well. Tossed together with fish sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, and toasted sesame seeds — this celery salad is a wild card front runner I never saw coming.

210 recipes cooked, 15 to go.

Burrata Salad Two Ways: Crushed Peas and Tangerines

Two burrata salads, both alike in dignity. Both delicious, one more complex than the other. Both boasting bold ingredients, then tempered by the rich creamy insides of a burrata ball. Both utilizing arugula, one slightly more memorable than the other. 

I’ll start with the most impactful salad: Crushed Peas with Burrata and Black (Green) Olives. 

Yes, I used green Castelvetrano olives here because I like them better than black olives. A whole lot better. I crushed a handful of them and laid them to rest in olive oil while prepping the rest of the salad. Please note that Alison says nothing in the recipe about crushing the olives, but the picture in the book appears to have crushed black olives, so that’s what I did. Plus, I don’t want to eat a whole olive when everything else in the salad is much smaller/crushed. The texture of whole olives just didn’t feel right. 

I used frozen and thawed peas instead of fresh peas. Half of the peas are crushed by hand, (it’s almost as satisfying as crushing canned, whole tomatoes by hand, and less messy) and mixed with the other half of the peas, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. 

I chose arugula, parsley, and tarragon as my greens, since that’s what I had on hand. I tossed them with lemon juice, then set out to arrange the salad. First, tear the burrata into bite-sized pieces and place it in the center of a serving platter. Next, spoon the peas over and around the burrata. Then, scatter the lemony greens over the peas. Finally, spoon the olives and oil over the salad, followed by more oil and flaky salt. I served this salad with Alison’s Pizza Night (post to come) and it was a true hit! Fully of salty, tangy, herby flavor and fun textures that complemented the pizza nicely. I’ll certainly make this one again! 

And finally: Burrata with Tangerines, Shallots, and Watercress

I also used arugula here instead of watercress for convenience reasons. I first marinated the sliced shallots in lemon juice. Then peeled and sliced several tangerines. I arranged the salad in a similar fashion to the one above: torn burrata in the middle, citrus scattered, then greens, then lemony shallots, followed by a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. For those who don’t like funky flavors, this salad is very straightforward and well balanced. It can pair well with a wider range of dishes, compared to the other salad. 

The burrata with tangerines salad feels like something you’d order at a country club, meaning it’s fresh and healthy tasting, but it probably won’t change your life. The burrata and peas salad could easily be ordered at a hip restaurant in Brooklyn, and you might walk away a bit different than before. 

200 and 201 recipes cooked, 24 to go.

Cucumbers and Kohlrabi in Crunchy Chili Oil by Alison Roman

I tried to structure this project around produce seasonality. Which worked out, some of the time. For example, kohlrabi is available year round, but according to the internet, it “shines” in the winter. Kohlrabi is underrated, and therefore, harder to find. I was lucky to score one at Whole Foods. 

Kohlrabi surprised me. Its mild flavor – sweet and slightly peppery – and wet texture resembled a crossover between a turnip and a beet. Though its appearance resembles an alien head, it tastes familiar. I can imagine it would blend in well with many salads, and would probably be a great candidate for pickling. 

This recipe is simple – shaved kohlrabi, paired with cucumber ribbons, tossed in rice vinegar and sea salt, and drizzled with Alison’s Crunchy Chili Oil, which really makes the salad sing. The oil is a combination of Aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes), sesame seeds, and black peppercorns (or Sichuan peppercorns if you can handle them) sizzled in oil over low heat. Alison tells us this oil can always be found in her fridge, and now I see why. It’s adds texture and heat without overpowering anything. It’s a more versatile version of hot sauce. It can carry the flavor or just embellish the flavor depending on what you add it to. Plus, it’s easy to make and keeps for a month in the fridge. 

To me, the word that best describes this salad is “refreshing.” I look forward to making it next summer when it’s hot outside. 

196 recipes cooked, 29 to go.

Persimmon Salads Two Ways: ft. Apples, Cheddar, Spicy Pecans and Blue Cheese by Alison Roman

Until these salads, I’m not sure I understood the purpose of the persimmon. They’re like a slightly sweet, mostly flavorless person at a party that always looks put together with their bright orange outfits and pretty little leafy bows on top, but when you talk to them, you realize that meaningful, deep conversation isn’t their strong suit. Perfectly pleasant persimmon, but does it really make the party a richer event? Alison sure thinks so. In fact, it’s the persimmon’s subtlety she praises. Perhaps I get what she means. 

When it comes to standard vegetable salads, there’s a wealth of virtually flavorless leafy options to populate most of the bowl: romaine, kale, iceberg, spinach, butter lettuce, the list goes on. The leaves give us something to dress, something to pair toppings with. When it comes to fruit salads, what options do we have? Very few fruits don’t make a statement. In fact, I can only think of the persimmon. 

There, that’s it! Persimmons can be the romaine of our fruit salads, at least for the two months a year when they’re in season! To take advantage of their limited seasonality, Alison provided us with two somewhat similar, but truly tasty salad recipes. Even Jordan said both salads top his list for the project. 

< Quick interjection about Alison’s salad recipes -- I think I accidentally chose to make the salads I’d like the least at the beginning. For the first few months, it felt like most every salad I made struck out. It wasn’t so much the recipes themselves, I can see merit to them and why they were included in the book. The flavors just didn’t do it for me. They were usually more acidic and less balanced with salty and sweet. I didn’t want to save the leftovers. But in the last two months or so, every salad has been a hit. > 

Both persimmon salads are lovely, I think I prefer the Persimmon and Pear one a bit more - I love the combination of sweet/spicy nuts and strong, salty cheese with crisp fruit. 

A few notes about Persimmon and Pear Salad with Spicy Pecans and Blue Cheese: 

• Be sure to buy Bosc pears like Alison suggests. They’re typically a firmer pear that keeps its shape - perfect for plating in a salad. They’re also perfectly sweet and tangy. 

• I’ve never liked blue cheese. The smell is too potent and the taste too funky. Alison calls for a firm blue cheese so I bought the smallest block I could find. Much to my surprise, I could tolerate, and even slightly enjoy, the thin shavings of this hard cheese. If you also have a hard time with blue cheese, maybe the stiffer kind will be better? (The smell is still awful though, be forewarned.)

• The pecans were easily the best part, and so easy to make. Saute pecans in maple syrup and Aleppo pepper until bubbling and sort of “fuzzy” in appearance (Alison’s term, not mine, but it’s true!). Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Chop once cooled. 

A few notes about Vinegared Apples with Persimmon and White Cheddar: 

• Not much different from the first salad, except no nuts, and less strong of a choice of cheese. If you’re super, super opposed to blue cheese, I recommend making the other salad and swapping blue cheese for sharp white cheddar. Now you’ll have the best of both worlds!

Both salads are doused with white wine vinegar and drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper, which, together, unify the other ingredients. 

182 and 183 recipes cooked, 42 to go.