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beet and watercress salad with walnuts and curry vinaigrette

SERVES 4

There is a health food store in Los Angeles called Erewhon that has been around since the 1970s. They used to serve a delicious beet and watercress salad in the deli case, and when they stopped making it I had to create something similar. Voilà—here it is.

2

medium beets, tops and tails trimmed

1/2

small shallot, minced

2

tablespoons Champagne vinegar

1/2

teaspoon curry powder

11/2

teaspoons honey

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4

cup olive oil

2

bunches watercress, coarsely chopped

Fresh corn kernels from 1 ear of corn

3/4

cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Steam the beets in a covered steamer insert set over simmering water until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Replenish the water in the pot if it cooks off quickly.

2. Combine the shallot, vinegar, curry powder, honey, and salt and pepper in a small jar with a lid. Shake vigorously. Add the oil and shake well until the oil and vinegar are emulsified.

3. When the beets are done, let them cool. Peel the beets with your hands under cold running water (the skins will slip off easily). Yes, your hands may turn pink; rinse them with lemon juice later to remove the color, or just wear gloves while peeling. Cut the peeled beets into ½-inch cubes.

4. Combine the beets, watercress, corn, and walnuts in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss until well coated. Season with salt.

heirloom tomato salad

SERVES 4 TO 6

While a tomato used to mean one thing—a red, round, rather flavorless fruit—today you can find dozens of beautiful, colorful tomatoes in the market. I love the odd colors, shapes, and sizes of heirloom tomatoes, which are at their peak in the summer months. Play around with what you find at the farmers’ market: no two tomato salads will ever look alike. The flavors intensify as the tomatoes macerate in the vinaigrette, making it a perfect picnic salad.

2

teaspoons sherry vinegar

3

tablespoons olive oil

1

teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

1

teaspoon truffle oil, or 1/4 teaspoon truffle salt (optional)

21/2

pounds multicolored medium to small heirloom tomatoes, cut into1/2-inch wedges

6 to 8

fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1. In a jar with a lid combine the vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and truffle oil (if using). Shake vigorously until well mixed.

2. Put the tomatoes and basil in a medium bowl and add the dressing. If using the truffle salt, sprinkle over the salad and gently mix until well coated. This salad tends to get a little soggy if it sits longer than a day, so be sure to eat it the day you prepare it.

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did you know. . .

About half of the tomatoes tested in 2004 contained pesticide residues. The frequency and levels of pesticides in imported tomatoes exceed those in domestic fruit, leading to a value of 142 on the Environmental Regulatory Agency’s Dietary Risk Index for imported conventional tomatoes, compared to 68 for domestic tomatoes.

* * *

tomatoes

Tomatoes are both nutrient-dense and nutrient-diverse. One medium tomato provides 40 percent of an adult’s daily need for vitamin C and 20 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin A. They are also the major source of lycopene in our diet. Cooked tomatoes deliver 511 ORAC units per 120-gram serving, almost 15 percent of an adult’s daily needs. (ORACs measure the antioxidant capacity of food.) Lycopene is a proven antioxidant, which has been known to lower the risk of certain illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. It is more readily absorbable in cooked tomatoes. The nutritional benefits of tomatoes come at modest caloric cost—just 25 calories per serving (1 medium tomato).

In 2006, scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that organic ketchup has 57 percent higher levels of lycopene compared to five major national brands of conventional ketchup. Their advice to consumers looking for nutrient-dense ketchup brands was simple—the deeper and richer the color, the more densely