Rainbow salad and summer dinners
Cooking and hosting as the temps get warmer
Hi friends,
June is moments away, and the days are getting longer and warmer. Below is a dish I’m thinking about as we approach a new season.
Amidst the halting darkness in the world, some days it feels harder to write and share about food. And still, these are the times when gathering and strengthening community feel most urgent to me, when I’m supremely grateful for the nourishing food I’m able to eat and share with others, and for the long days and their call to congregate in the grass, by the water, in a breeze, wherever we can to dream of a new future together.
Thank you for reading, your comments and shares!
Sonya
When it’s a sweltering day and the sun is slowly lowering into the horizon, do you dream of lounging around outside in the cooling night air, preferably with a cool drink and a few close friends?
Maybe you want this vision to materialize without ever having to step foot in a kitchen. Or maybe you’re like me, and you can’t help stepping into the kitchen no matter how boiling hot it is in your AC-less Portland home.
Kari and I were talking about summer dinner for this week’s episode of Food Friends. How do you host without turning on your oven? What are easy, crowd-pleasing dishes that feel nourishing after a long hot day? How can we optimize the bounty of summer produce?
She described a meal her sister-in-law recently made where she served sheet pan salads alongside grilled sausages and buns. How smart! Hearing Kari describe the meal, I could instantly visualize the dish: a bed of lettuce topped with rows of veggies like tomatoes, blanched green beans, and tiny boiled potatoes served on a regular old sheet pan. I loved the idea of a customizable communal salad. Each guest gathers the elements they prefer onto their plate… skip the tomatoes if you feel like it.
The other evening, we decided to have an impromptu Shabbat dinner with friends on a balmy, summery May evening. I offered to bring challah, dessert, and a substantial salad. I wanted this salad to be as satisfying and filling as an entrée. Inspired by my conversation with Kari, and strolling through the market, a rainbow salad popped into my mind. I immediately grabbed an array of brightly-hued vegetables and a can of chickpeas. Back home, I doused the chickpeas in spices and olive oil and roasted them in the oven until crispy. I sliced and shredded vegetables, cubed some feta, and whisked up an oregano-heavy vinaigrette.
At my friend’s house, I brought the salad to the table in a large, shallow serving bowl with the veggies arranged in colorful rows. It’s hard not to smile at a rainbow on the table. Once all your guests are seated, you can pour the dressing on top and toss everything together. It still looks cute all jumbled together.
Since that dinner, I’ve been making rainbow salads on repeat with whatever is in the fridge. You can find a recipe (it’s more of a guide) for the salad and dressing below!
Rainbow salads can be made with any combination of colorful vegetables, seeds, cheeses, legumes, or proteins. Here is a guide to assembling this style of salad at home, along with a quick easy dressing.
Rainbow Salad
Equipment:
A large shallow serving bowl, platter, or even a sheet pan!
A sharp knife
A mandoline, box grater, or vegetable peeler (for creating different cuts and shreds)
Vegetables:
Leafy greens like crisp lettuce (chopped) or arugula
Purple cabbage, thinly shredded
Carrots, shredded
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Cucumber, diced
Colorful mini bell peppers, thinly sliced
Fresh herbs like mint, dill, chives, cilantro, tarragon, or parsley (or all)
Add-ins:
Crispy roasted chickpeas
Cubed feta
Chioggia beets or a colorful radish, shaved thinly on a mandoline
Heirloom tomatoes, diced
Sugar snap peas, cut on the bias
Toasted nuts or seeds like pepitas, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios, etc.
Proteins like cubed chicken, tofu, or sliced steak
Edible flowers (would be so cute)
Dressing (serves 6-8):
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, grated on a microplane or finely minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1½ -2 teaspoons maple syrup or agave
1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, or ½ cup if you like it less acidic
To make the dressing:
Add the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, oregano, maple syrup, Dijon, and salt & pepper to a small bowl. Whisk together, then continue whisking as you slowly drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified. Use immediately, or store in a jar in the fridge for up to one week. Shake the jar before using.
To make the salad:
Sliced, dice, and shred your vegetables. Place your lettuce/greens in the bottom of your serving bowl. Arrange the ingredients in rows. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the desired amount of dressing over the salad, and toss until well combined. Serve!