Salad Archive

"EAT your vegetables"....we hear those words over and over again - from  childhood into adulthood --  from our mothers and fathers and from nutritionists and others who are constantly reminding us about the health benefits of eating fresh vegetables. Delicious as fresh vegetables are, unfortunately, some of us were fed over-cooked vegetables which resulted in our food prejudices - for example, President Barack Obama apparently "hates" beets - so I can only assume that he was served cold canned or from a jar over cooked beets that were pickled!  I can remember those too and how I hated them myself!  It wasn't until I ate my first roasted beet bathed in olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt & black pepper and chopped fresh rosemary, that I was able to really appreciate the delicious taste of beets. 

The recently announced vegetable garden that will be part of the south lawn of the White House made me very happy.   I strongly believe that the White House vegetable garden will be enormously influential with Americans and their children in educating everyone on how vegetables grow.  I am hoping that the White House Chefs and the Obama family will also share with the American people how they have cooked and eaten their home grown vegetables.

The month's salad is made with vegetables!  As the vegetables are the star ingredients in this salad, buying the freshest vegetables you can is paramount.  By "fresh", I mean buying from a food store that has a lot of customers so fresh produce is being replaced with more fresh product -  not any wilted or yellowed leaves on broccoli, or bend-y old looking carrots - not only are they unattractive, by the time vegetables look wilted or discolored, they have lost their nutritional values.  At that point, you are better off with flash-frozen vegetables.  But that's another story.

VEGETABLE SALAD

2 cups	broccoli florets
2	organic carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1-inch  pieces
2 cups	cauliflower florets
1 cup	snow peas
1/4 cup	extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon	zest removed - and juiced
1	whole shallot, finely minced
	Sea Salt
	Black Pepper

Bring a 6 qt. pot of water to a rapid boil; gradually add 2 tablespoons salt (the water will boil up when adding the salt). 

Add the broccoli florets and cook for 3 minutes - test one floret after 2 minutes and if it is tender yet still has a bite, remove all of the broccoli with a strainer to a serving platter.

Add the carrots and cook for 3 minutes - test one piece after 2 minutes and if it is tender yet still has a bite, remove all of the carrots with a strainer to the same serving platter with the broccoli.

Add the cauliflower florets and cook for 3 minutes - test one piece after 2 minutes and if it is tender yet still has a bite, remove all of the cauliflower with a strainer to the same serving platter with the broccoli and carrots.

Finally, add the snow peas and cook for 2 minutes only.  Remove snow peas with a strainer and add them to the serving platter.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and minced shallot.  Add a pinch of sea salt and a few grinding of black pepper.  Whisk and taste the dressing - adjust the taste with additional lemon, olive oil or salt & pepper to suit your taste.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and serve immediately.  Vegetables taste best at room temperature.

Serve with any grilled or roasted fish, meat or fowl.      

Yield: 4 servings