The Darina Allen Column

Nothing says summer like a salad, so why not celebrate the long days with one of Darina’s super Wedge Salads

Wedge salads have been all the rage in the US for some time now. For these, the core ingredient is cut into a wedge and left whole rather than shredded, then topped with all sorts of deliciousness. The end result is crunchy and punchy with lots of little nooks and crannies to absorb a refreshing, zesty dressing.

Iceberg or baby Gem lettuces are favourites, but cos or even loose leaves of Butterhead or speckled Castelfranco are delicious too. I've even used baby cabbages and crisp fennel bulbs. Roasting or grilling perks up the flavour deliciously and it's fun to add Chinese, Vietnamese or Japanese flavours, Mediterranean, Mexican or traditional Irish. Love the charred flavour of Radicchio Treviso which mellows the bitterness in an irresistible way. I was first introduced to this in Venice where it was served on a bed of white polenta.

An Iceberg lettuce can be cut into eight generous wedges. We love it sprinkled with crispy bacon lardons, seasoned cherry tomato quarters, a drizzle of Caesar dressing and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan Cheese. A few shaved radishes would be an extra embellishment. Blue cheese lovers will enjoy a Cashel, Bellingham or Boyne Valley Blue dressing and maybe some pickled red onions. Easy peasy to do, just slice the onion rings thinly. They'll keep for several days.

Just a couple of recipe suggestions below, but the sky's the limit....

Watercress, Chicory, Apple, Pomegranate and Hazelnut Salad
A refreshing clean-tasting salad. Just by reading this, one can visualise how delicious this salad will taste, with lots of peppery watercress.
Serves 8

Ingredients
a handful of whole unblanched hazelnuts
2 bunches watercress
2 heads of red or white chicory, cut into wedges
4 medium dessert apples eg Worcester Pearmain, Cox's Orange Pippin, Egremont Russet
seeds from 1 small or ½ large pomegranate
a small bunch of chives, cut into 2.5cm lengths
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp cider vinegar
pinch of flaky sea salt
8 tbsp hazelnut oil or extra virgin olive oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
Arrange the hazelnuts on a baking tray in a single layer and toast the hazelnuts for 8-10 minutes in the oven. Leave to cool. Rub off the skins and break the nuts into coarse pieces with a rolling pin or in a pestle and mortar.
Whisk the ingredients for the dressing in a large mixing bowl.
Remove the more fibrous stalks from the watercress. Separate the leaves of the chicory. Cut the apples into quarters, remove the core with a sharp knife and slice some into thin wedges and others into chunks.
Just before serving: Gently toss the chicory wedges, watercress and apple in the dressing and season to taste. Transfer to a serving dish or individual serving plates. Sprinkle liberally with the crunchy toasted hazelnuts, a few pomegranate seeds and chives. Scatter with chive flowers if available.

Chargrilled Fennel Wedges with Roast Red Peppers
Chargrilling sweetens the fennel deliciously. Add to Verdura Mista or this versatile combination. The fronds add a fresh liquorice taste and the flowers a touch of anise.
Serves 6

Ingredients
1-2 fennel bulbs
extra virgin olive oil
3 roast red peppers, peeled, deseeded and sliced
1 tsp fennel seeds, slightly crushed and toasted
lots of fresh fennel fronds, coarsely chopped
fennel flowers, optional
12-18 black Kalamata or Nicoise olives
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Heat a char-grill or grill pan over a high heat.
Trim the fennel bulbs and cut into 6 wedges. Alternatively, slice the fennel very thinly, 3mm, from top to bottom. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Cook the wedges or slices on the hot pan until golden and slightly caramelized on each side. Arrange on a platter interspersed with warm roasted red pepper slices. Scatter some freshly roasted and slightly crushed fennel seeds over the top. Toss. Sprinkle over the freshly chopped fennel fronds, a few fresh fennel flowers, if using, add some black olives, and serve as an accompaniment to a pan-grilled fish or pork chop, or just as a starter.

Pickled Red Onions 
You'll find yourself dipping into the jar of pickled onions regularly, to add to a salad, sandwich, or as an accompaniment to beef or fish burgers.
Makes 2 x 200g jars

Ingredients
225ml white wine vinegar
110g granulated sugar
pinch of salt
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick, broken
1 dried red chilli
450g red onions, peeled and thinly sliced on a mandolin

Method
Put the vinegar, sugar, salt and spices in a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to the boil. Put in one-third of the sliced onions and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until they turn pink and wilt. Lift out the cooked onions with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a sterilized jam jar with a non-reactive lid. Repeat with the rest of the onions, cooking them in two batches. Top up the jars with the hot vinegar, put on the lids and set aside to cool overnight. Once cold, store in the fridge.

Rory O'Connell's Little Gem Lettuce with Caesar Dressing and Chorizo Crumbs 

This is a lovely savoury combination. If you can manage to get tight little heads of lettuce, they can be cut into wedges which makes a lovely presentation. Omit the chorizo crumbs if you're running short of time but they do add a certain je ne sais quoi!
Serves 12 as a bite

Ingredients
3 heads of baby Gem lettuce
6-8 tbsp of Caesar Dressing (see recipe)
3-4 tbsp Chorizo Crumbs (see recipe) or croutons
3-4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
6-12 anchovies (optional)

Method
Cut each lettuce into four neat wedges yielding 12 pieces.
Carefully dress the lettuce wedges with Caesar dressing. Sprinkle each wedge with chorizo crumbs and grated Parmesan. Place an optional anchovy on top of each wedge for a particular savoury taste.

Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
2 egg yolks, preferably free-range
2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 x 50g tin anchovies
1 clove garlic, crushed
a generous pinch of English mustard powder
½ tsp salt
½ - 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
½ - 1 tbsp Tabasco sauce
175ml sunflower oil
50ml extra virgin olive oil
50ml cold water

Method
I make it in a food processor, but it can also be made very quickly by hand. Drain the anchovies and crush lightly with a fork. Put into a bowl with the egg yolks, add the garlic, lemon juice, mustard powder, salt, Worcester and Tabasco sauce. Whisk all the ingredients together. As you whisk, add the oils slowly at first, then a little faster as the emulsion forms. Finally whisk in the water to make a spreadable consistency. Taste and correct the seasoning: this dressing should be highly flavoured.

Chorizo Crumbs
Chorizo Crumbs are delicious and used in so many ways. We like to scatter them over potato, celeriac, Jerusalem artichoke or watercress soup. They are particularly good sprinkled over cauliflower or macaroni cheese. Keep in a box for several weeks and scatter when you fancy!
Ingredients
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
125g chorizo, peeled and cut into 5mm dice
100g white crust-less breadcrumbs
Method
Put the oil into a cool pan, add the diced chorizo. Toss on a low heat until the oil starts to colour from the smoked paprika in the chorizo and the chorizo begins to crisp very slightly. Be careful as it is easy to burn the chorizo. Drain through a metal sieve, save the oil and return to the pan.
Increase the heat, add the breadcrumbs and toss continuously in the chorizo oil until crisp and golden. Drain and add to the chorizo.

Seasonal News
The Farmgate is back...
After 40 years in business, the much loved Farmgate Restaurant in Midleton closed in October last after it was totally devastated by flooding. Its many devotees were deeply saddened when they learned the damage was so extensive that it would not open again...
However, brilliant news. The Farmgate has reopened on Main Street, Lismore, Co. Waterford. Go along and support, then wander through Lismore Gardens and pop into the Art Exhibition 'Each now, is the time, the space' curated by Habda Rashid.
Then visit Vinilo Bakery before you come home and fill your shopping bag with loaves of natural sourdough and delectable viennoiserie.
For more information, email farmgatelismore@gmail.com

http://www.cookingisfun.ie/