Bottega - Michael Chiarello [33]
CHEF’S NOTE: At Bottega, we deep-fry small branches of rosemary to remove its slightly soapy aftertaste and make this herb a little more versatile. You can either deep-fry (if you have a fryer set up), or heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small sauté pan, add the rosemary still on the stem, and sauté until it begins to crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Let the rosemary drain on paper towels. Strip the leaves from the stems, discard the woody stems, and blot the leaves again with paper towels. Keep any extra in an airtight jar in your pantry for up to 1 week or freeze it for a few months.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Marcona Almonds and Pecorino
SERVES 6
Chef de Cuisine Nick Ritchie and I were looking for a winter salad that was more than mixed greens. He came up with the idea of shaving the Brussels sprouts. If you never thought you’d take to Brussels spouts, this will be better than the best coleslaw you’ve ever had.
Six dozen Brussels sprouts seems like a lot to shave, but with a mandoline this goes quickly. At Bottega, we’ve got both the expensive ones and the small thirty-dollar plastic version, and for this job, the inexpensive mandoline works great.
A full-flavored citrus vinaigrette ties it all together. In France, I learned that citrus peel is just as important as the juice. I’ve been making this dressing for decades, and it never disappoints. The trick is to use a juice extractor, which lets you juice the whole fruit, peel and all. (If you don’t have one, ask the person at the juicing machine of a specialty produce market to juice the lemons and oranges for you, making sure they juice the whole fruit.) Feel free to make the vinaigrette a day or two in advance.
Marcona almonds from Spain add the crucial crunch to this salad. You can fry your own blanched almonds in a few tablespoons of olive oil with a pinch of sea salt, but it’s easier to buy them already cooked in olive oil and salted.
If you don’t have a sieve for the egg, don’t go out and buy one: improvise. My mom was a master at using one tool for another job; try a box grater, a slotted spoon, or a colander. At home, I use my mini-chopper on the eggs.
This salad tastes best if the shaved Brussels sprouts, egg, and vinaigrette are all well chilled before you start.
Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc
WHOLE-CITRUS VINAIGRETTE
2 lemons, preferably Meyer lemons
½ navel orange, or 1 small orange
1 large shallot
1½ cups olive oil (see Chef’s Note)
1 teaspoon sea salt, preferably gray salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 dozen large eggs, hard cooked (see Chef’s Note)
6 dozen (8 to 9 cups) Brussels sprouts
3 dozen (¾ cup) Marcona almonds, finely chopped
¼ cup grated Pecorino-Romano
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: Use a juice extractor to juice the lemons, orange, and shallot, using the entire fruit with peel. Pour the juices into a small bowl and gradually whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream to form an emulsion. Season with the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Whisk again, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. You should have about 2 cups.
At Bottega, we push the hard-cooked egg whites through the sieve, then sieve the yolks and layer the two separately when serving. If it’s easier, you can sieve the whole eggs and not bother separating whites from yolks.
Using a mandoline, carefully shave each Brussels sprout, holding the stem end. You should have about 9 cups when they’re all grated. In a large bowl, toss together the shaved Brussels sprouts, sieved eggs, and chopped almonds. Pour on about 3/4 cup of the vinaigrette and toss again. Spoon into chilled small bowls and top with the pecorino. Top with a little more of the vinaigrette.
SUMMER VARIATION: Substitute 9 cups of julienned sugar snap peas for the shaved Brussels sprouts.
Grilled Radicchio Salad with Tuna Conserva
SERVES 6
This dish brings together parts