Extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces cleaned squid, rinsed, tubes sliced crosswise into ½-inch rings, tentacles halved if large
1 firm-ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, cut into chunks, and coated in lemon juice to prevent browning
6 medium pickled peppers, such as pepperoncini, cored and sliced into rings
1 tablespoon pickling liquid from the peppers
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup roasted salted pistachios, roughly chopped
Cut the green tops from the carrots (see Note), leaving a tiny bit of green visible on the carrots. Cut off and discard the thicker part of the stems, keeping the feathery tops. Rinse and spin dry, as you would salad greens. Roughly chop the greens and measure out about 1 cup lightly packed. If the carrots need peeling, peel them, but if they are nice and tender, just scrub a bit and rinse thoroughly.
Put the carrot tops, parsley, mint, scallions, capers, and 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest into a bowl. Add ¼ teaspoon salt, a dozen twists of black pepper, and a few drops of the hot sauce and toss. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, or hot sauce. Stir in ½ cup olive oil. Taste again and adjust so that the salsa verde is bright and bracing.
Heat a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat. Lay the carrots in the skillet (cut in half, if needed, to fit) and cook until you hear a bit of a sizzle, about 5 minutes.
Add a small glug of olive oil and roll the carrots around a bit. Cook, rolling so that all sides get cooked, until the carrots are getting lightly browned and tender, about 30 minutes—you should be able to smash them a bit.
Let the carrots cool slightly and pile into a large bowl.
Toss the squid with a small glug of olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and about 20 twists of black pepper. Heat the skillet used for the carrots until it’s very hot. Add the squid and sear, shaking and tossing so the squid cooks quickly, about 3 minutes. Add the squid to the carrots. Add ½ cup of the carrot top salsa verde to the carrots and squid, toss to coat, and let sit for a few minutes to marinate slightly.
Add the avocado slices, another ½ cup salsa verde, the pepperoncini and the pickling liquid, and the lemon juice and very gently fold together. Taste and adjust with more salt, black pepper, hot sauce, or lemon juice. Drizzle with olive oil and fold again. Arrange on plates, sprinkle with pistachios, finish with another thread of olive oil and a sprinkling of lemon zest, and serve while the squid is still slightly warm.
Note: If your carrots don’t have greens or the greens look tired, skip them and use double the amount of parsley and mint in the salsa verde.
Lamb Ragu with Carrots and Green Garlic
Here the carrots don’t stand out on their own but rather melt and merge into a sweet and mellow foundation for the ragu. If you can’t find green garlic, you can use regular head garlic (if you do, you’ll only need 5 or 6 cloves because it’s so much more pungent).
» Serves 4
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces green garlic, sliced into ¼-inch-thick pieces (about 1½ cups)
1 pound carrots (12 smallish), ends trimmed, peeled, cut into ¼-inch dice (about 2½ cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds ground lamb
½ cup dry, unoaked white wine
½ cup water
1 teaspoon dried chile flakes
A generous sprig thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
8 ounces short dried pasta, such as orecchiette, penne, or ditalini
Heat a glug of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the green garlic and carrots and season with 1 teaspoon salt and lots of twists of black pepper. As soon as the vegetables begin to sizzle, reduce the heat to medium-low. Keep cooking until they are soft and fragrant, but not browned at all, about 10 minutes.
Add the lamb, breaking up any big chunks, and cook until it’s no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes; take care not to actually brown the lamb or get really crusty bits.
Add the wine, water, chile flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the thyme. Cover the pan and cook at a gentle simmer until the flavors have married nicely, the liquid is brothy and flavorful, and the vegetables are fully tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Check on the ragu during cooking to be sure it’s not drying out; if so, add a bit more water. You want the final texture to be loose and slightly brothy, but not watery.
Stir in the butter and the cheeses, and add a few more twists of black pepper. Taste and adjust the flavors with more salt, black pepper, chile flakes, or cheese.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt until it tastes like the sea. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. With a ladle or a measuring cup, scoop out about ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and add it to the ragu. Simmer together for another minute or two to fully cook the pasta and infuse it with the sauce flavors, adding a few spoonfuls of the cooking water if the sauce is getting dry.
Pile everything into shallow bowls. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and serve. Pass more cheese at the table.
At the market Look for green garlic at farmers’ markets. It resembles a slightly chubby scallion, and is actually the garlic plant at the stage before it has formed a head with individual cloves. The flavor is sweet and mild.
Celery
In my world of vegetables, celery is the undisputed flavor king. But an unfamiliar king, as most of us associate it only with the healthy snack forced on us as kids. Not even many chefs treat celery with the respect I think it deserves; it can totally stand on its own.
Shop the farmers’ market. The first step toward celery appreciation is to shop for it at the farmers’ market. Local, in-season celery will always be less fibrous and sweeter than grocery store celery, and the flavor is bright and assertive. Celery is a super-thirsty vegetable, however, and needs a lot of attention from the grower, which is why you don’t see it too frequently at farmers’ markets. If not consistently and adequately watered, celery gets very tough and stringy. Look for heads with tightly clustered, dense stalks—the whole bunch should feel heavy for its size. And don’t be surprised if you start to see celery beyond the classic pale green. Heirloom varieties are appearing, with stalks ranging from deep purple to magenta, looking a lot like rhubarb.
Keep them together. Keep the celery in a plastic bag in the fridge, with all the stalks still attached, until you’re ready to use it. If you encounter a bunch that is very stringy, you can simply peel off the fibrous outer layer with a vegetable peeler.
In the kitchen The very tender, pale yellow leafy stalks in the center of a bunch of celery are the prize. You can save them and add them to a salad, or munch on the stalks on their own as you’re cooking and use the leaves like herbs—anything to treasure their delicate crunch and distinctive celery flavor.
Celery Salad with Dates, Almonds, and Parmigiano
This is one of my favorite dishes. It’s so simple, but the combination of ingredients creates a wonderful, intriguing aroma. Try to use really good olive oil for this salad.
» Serves 4
8 celery stalks (leaves separated and reserved), tough fibers peeled off, sliced on an angle into ¼-inch-thick pieces
4 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
½ cup roughly chopped toasted almonds
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon dried chile flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved into shards with a vegetable peeler
Extra-virgin olive oil
Put the celery in a bowl of ice water and soak for about 20 minutes to heighten the crispness. D
rain and pat dry, then pile into a medium bowl.
Add the celery leaves, dates, almonds, lemon juice, and chile flakes and toss together. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the Parmigiano and ¼ cup olive oil and toss gently. Taste again and adjust the seasoning so you have a lovely salty, tart, sweet balance. Serve cool.
Celery Puntarelle-Style
The inspiration here is classic Roman puntarelle alla romana—made with puntarelle, a late-fall/early-winter bitter green that is just starting to make its way to America, and plenty of garlic and anchovies. If you can find salt-packed anchovies, this would be a good recipe to use them in. They take more work to prepare than the oil-packed anchovies, but their texture and flavor are really meaty and delicious.
» Serves 2
½ pound celery, preferably including some inner stalks and leaves
6 anchovy fillets, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
Extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Torn Croutons
Cut the celery stalks on a sharp angle into thin slices, keeping any leafy parts whole. Put everything in a bowl of ice water and soak for at least 20 minutes; this will make the celery very crisp. Drain and spin dry in a salad spinner.
Meanwhile, put the anchovies, garlic, Parmigiano, and a drizzle of olive oil in a medium bowl and mash thoroughly to make a paste. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add several twists of pepper.
Add the celery and celery leaves and toss thoroughly to get everything coated with the dressing. Taste and add a bit of salt and adjust with more lemon, Parmigiano, or pepper; the salad wants to be very bright. Add the croutons and toss again. Finish with a nice shower of more cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve right away.
Slice celery on a sharp angle to maximize crunch but minimize any stringiness.
Celery, Sausage, Provolone, Olives, and Pickled Peppers
Think of this salad like an Italian hoagie, but without the roll. It will be just fine without sausage if you want to make a vegetarian version, and of course feel free to improvise with other pickled vegetables, capers, even some croutons. The salad gets better as it sits, so it’s a great contribution to a potluck dinner.
» Serves 4 to 6
½ head celery, wide stalks halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into ½-inch chunks
½ pound fresh garlic sausage, cooked, cooled, and cut on an angle into ¼-inch-thick slices
½ pound provolone cheese, cut into ½-inch dice
1 cup roughly chopped pickled peppers, such as pepperoncini
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
Put the celery in a bowl of ice water and soak for about 20 minutes to heighten the crispness. Drain and pat dry, then pile into a bowl.
Add the sausage, provolone, pickled peppers, olives, onion, and thyme. Toss to mix, then season with a bit of salt and lots of black pepper. Add the vinegar and toss. Let the salad sit for about 5 minutes and then toss again. Taste and adjust the vinegar, salt, and black pepper. When it’s as good as a hoagie, drizzle on a healthy amount of olive oil, toss again, and serve.
In the field When you grow celery, you can control the color and delicacy of its flavor by using a method called blanching. As the bunches get closer to harvest time, cover the lower stalks with a sleeve or piece of cardboard. This keeps the sun off them, reducing the production of chlorophyll. The trade-off for more delicacy is less nutrition, however.
Celery, Apple, and Peanut Salad
I learned to appreciate celery when I worked at Four Season Farm, and now I always have a celery salad on my menu. Good, fresh, in-season celery is dense and juicy with flavor, unlike the dry, stringy stuff you find at supermarkets.
» Serves 4
4 large celery stalks (about ½ pound), tough fibers peeled off, sliced on an angle into ¼-inch-thick pieces
3 or 4 scallions, trimmed (including ½ inch off the green tops), sliced on a sharp angle
1 large medium-hot fresh chile, such as Anaheim or poblano (or several smaller chiles), seeded, deribbed, and cut into thin julienne strips (about ½ cup)
2 medium apples (a crisp variety, such as Braeburn, Ashmead’s Kernel, or Fuji), halved, cored, and sliced into thin wedges
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
1 small handful flat-leaf parsley leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil
Put the celery and scallions in a large bowl of ice water to soak for about 20 minutes—this will make them crisp and will temper the bite of the scallions. Drain and blot them dry with paper towels, and put them in a large bowl.
Add the chile, apples, and lemon juice and toss to distribute. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and many twists of black pepper and toss again. Taste and adjust with more lemon, salt, or black pepper to make the flavor very vibrant.
Add the peanuts and parsley and a healthy glug of olive oil. Toss well, taste, and give the salad a final seasoning adjustment. Serve cold.
In the kitchen To tame the heat of your chiles, don’t simply remove the seeds—slice away the whitish ribs inside the chile, which is where most of the capsaicin resides.
Cream of Celery Soup
This soup is so simple and pure in flavor that I often serve it unadorned. Make a simple topping with a few torn croutons, a grating of Parmigiano, or a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil, or go all the way with the unexpected sweet and nutty topping.
» Serves 4
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 head celery, cut into 1-inch pieces, leafy tops chopped and reserved
1 small onion, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable stock or water
½ cup roughly chopped lightly toasted walnuts
½ cup raisins, plumped in warm water for 15 minutes, drained
1 teaspoon celery seed
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup heavy cream
Put the butter, celery, and onion in a large pot over medium heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook the vegetables slowly until they have begun to soften and release their juices, about 8 minutes. Don’t let the vegetables brown at all.
Add the stock, adjust the heat to a simmer, and cook until the celery and onion are completely tender, about 30 minutes. Let the soup cool a bit, then process in a blender to make a smooth puree. You may need to do this in batches.
Meanwhile, toss together the reserved chopped celery leaves, walnuts, raisins, and celery seed in a bowl and moisten with a few drops of olive oil.
Return the puree to the pot, add the cream, and bring everything to a low simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes to soften the raw cream flavor. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Divide into serving bowls and top with the walnut-raisin mixture.
MORE WAYS:
Add a rich topping: Make some Brown Butter, gently heat some toasted pine nuts and raisins in the butter, season with a touch of chile flakes, and spoon onto each portion of soup.
Make a delicate seafood stew: Poach shrimp, scallops, and chunks of halibut or cod in the broth for the last 5 minutes. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon, finish the soup as directed in the recipe, and then return the seafood to the pot to heat up just before serving.
Texturize it: Fold in diced raw celery at the last minute and top with a big handful of Torn Croutons
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Celery Gratin
Braising celery transforms its crunchy raw texture (left) into dense silkiness with a mellow flavor.
A few aromatics and a finish of cheese turn a bunch of celery into a mellow, deeply flavored side dish—the beauty of simplicity. This dish is also gorgeous with a slice of rare roast beef.
» Serves 4
1 head celery, trimmed, stalks separated
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 sprigs thyme
3 or 4 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon dried chile flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Rinse the stalks to be sure there is no grit on the inner surfaces. If your celery seems stringy, peel off the outer layer of the larger stalks with a vegetable peeler.
Arrange the celery in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish so that it’s more or less in an even layer; it’s fine if things are slightly crowded. Add ½ cup water and the vinegar and pop in the thyme sprigs, garlic, and bay leaf. Sprinkle with the chile flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and generous twists of black pepper. Pour the olive oil over everything.
Cover the dish with foil and bake until the celery is quite tender, 25 to 35 minutes. Remove the foil (careful, the steam is hot), sprinkle the Parmigiano over the top, and distribute the butter over the surface.
Return the dish to the oven, uncovered this time, and bake until the cheese is melty and there are just a few juices bubbling around the celery, another 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 minutes and then serve, spooning over any juices remaining in the dish.
Six Seasons Page 14
