f O O Q AMERICAN CLASSICS
the idea,
chopped salad
IS A BLEND OF THE FRESHEST,
MOST COLORFUL INGREDIENTS
THE PRODUCE AISLE OR FARMER’S
MARKET HAS TO OFFER.
INGREDIENTS
DRESSING
2
to 3 cloves garlic, peeled
/2
teaspoon kosher salt
/2
lemon
1
7- to 8-oz. carton crème
fraîche* or sour cream
SALAD
2
hearts romaine lettuce
2
ears fresh corn, kernels cut
from cob
4
oz. green beans, trimmed
and cut in 2-inch lengths
1
cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1
cucumber, seeded and
chopped
/
cup finely chopped fresh
chives
Maldon sea salt,** other sea
salt, or salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1
avocado, halved, seeded,
peeled, and cut into chunks
6
slices bacon, crisp-cooked
and chopped
*To make your own crème fraîche, in
a jar or bowl stir together 1 cup
heavy cream and 2 tablespoons
buttermilk. Cover and let stand at
room temperature, out of direct
sunlight, for 12-36 hours, until
thickened. Refrigerate up to 1 week.
**Scott prefers Maldon brand sea
salt from England,
m aldonsalt.co.uk,
for its pure flavor and light texture.
“It’s like snowflakes,” he says. The
salt is available online at
seasalt.com
or at
am azon.com .
PREPARE DRESSING
Peel garlic, split lengthwise, and remove any green germ or interior sprout.
“Otherwise you can get a sour flavor,” says Scott. Finely chop the garlic with a generous sprinkling of kosher
salt. “The salt absorbs the oils released from the garlic and helps with the next step.” Hold knife with blade
facing away from you; repeatedly rub garlic and salt together with flat of the blade to work it into a fine paste.
Transfer mashed garlic to a small bowl. Squeeze lemon over garlic, catching seeds with your fingers. Stir in an
additional sprinkling of salt. Allow to stand 10 to 15 minutes so lemon can tame the garlic—“raw garlic can
cause indigestion,” Scott says. Whisk in crème fraîche and season with salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
To give flavors time to develop, refrigerate for 1 hour. The dressing keeps in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
PREPARE LETTUCE
“Good lettuce is critical to the salad," says Scott, “so look for heads that are free
of browning or bruising, and they should be firm to the touch.” Wash lettuce
gently,
submerging in a large
bowl or well-scrubbed kitchen sink. “Lettuce needs plenty of water to move about in,” he says. “Work in
small batches so you don’t crush it.” After lifting lettuce from water, allow to drain well. (“Or you can spin
slowly
in small batches in a salad spinner,” he says. “Fast spinning can bruise the lettuce.” Lettuce needs to
be crisp and thoroughly dry or the dressing won’t coat properly, so arrange leaves in a single layer on
clean, absorbent kitchen towels or paper towels. Cover with a second clean towel, then
gently
roll up
jelly-roll-style and slide into a large plastic bag and refrigerate. Just before using, cut into bite-size pieces.
190
JUNE 2010
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
