A Good Dish

making food simpler

A Pretty Winter Salad

Here is a simple salad to make in the winter months when Fuyu persimmons (the small flat ones) are available. All you need to do is wash and dry the arugula, cut up the persimmons and toss with this very basic lemon dressing. Any of the add-ins will make it a fuller-bodied dish, especially the cheese, which can make this a very nice main-course salad, particularly if you are trying to lighten up a meal. And the orange and green are beautiful, especially mid-winter. We often make a double batch, refrigerate half and eat it again for lunch the next day – it holds up pretty well in a lunchbox, if you don’t overdo the dressing.

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Arugula with Persimmons

For the salad:

  • 1 bag of baby arugula leaves (about 8 cups), washed and spun or drained dry (If you don’t like arugula, use romaine or spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces)
  • 2 firm Fuyu persimmons, cut in a large dice or halved and thinly sliced
  • (If persimmons aren’t available, you can use orange or grapefruit segments, sliced mango or even halved grapes)

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Add-in your choice of:

  • A handful of grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
  • A handful of pomegranate kernels
  • 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
  • A handful of toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts
  • 1 or 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • A sprinkle of chia and/or hemp seeds
  • A little grated lemon zest

For the dressing whisk together:

  • Juice of ½ lemon and ½ orange (or all orange, for a sweeter salad)
  • 2-3 TBs olive or nut oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

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Toss well.

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A Fat Radish

IMG_2067I don’t love raw radishes but I do love their color. So I eat them when they arrive in the spring, not only because I think variety is healthy but also since I’ve read repeatedly that radishes are good for digestion. Plus, they are low in calories and high in fiber. My problem is that I don’t love their sharp taste. On a positive note, I have found that I dislike them less when I salt them and as I get older (maybe my de-sensitized tastebuds?). Eating raw, salted thinly-sliced radishes on buttered bread, as the French do, is delicious, which may have more to do with the wonderful taste of butter and bread. So why bother, you wonder?

Radishes are a fine source of dietary minerals. And they can be quite beautiful, especially the pink and purple ones. The watermelon radish, my favorite, is available late summer and fall and stores well into the winter and even spring in the fridge. This is a mildly spicy variety, which is good in small pieces in a salad, adding crunch and color. And the color – wow! A thin white ring surrounds the gorgeous magenta interior and just under the skin lies a bright lime green layer. If you peel it very lightly, yes, it resembles a slice of watermelon. A few slices enliven a crudite platter or a salad, but my favorite way to eat it is lightly sautéed. You can roast radishes alongside your other winter veggies like parsnip, rutabaga, carrot and beet but a simple sauté leaves a slight crunch while losing the sharp bite. The color is enough to brighten a dark winter table!

bowl by Silvie Granatelli
bowl by Silvie Granatelli

Sautéed Watermelon Radish

Wash and gently peel two radishes so as not to lose all of the green flesh that lies just under the surface. Cut in a large dice or into small triangles like watermelon slices. Heat a teaspoon or two of olive oil in a wide frying pan and when shimmering, sauté 2 cloves of minced garlic. Add a sprinkle of salt, add the radishes and a big pinch of thyme and black pepper. Cook, stirring often until starting to brown and the radish pierces easily with a fork but is not soft. Add a little water if they start to stick to the pan. Taste to see if you want more seasoning and serve warm.