Sicilian Harvest Salad Recipes

HARVEST FOCCACIA

Steps:

• In a large bowl or the work bowl of an electric mixer, dissolve the yeast in the milk and add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 cup of the flour. Mix well, cover bowl with tea towel and let stand in a warm place about 15 minutes for the yeast to activate. Place risen dough in mixer, set aside.
• Take a large saute pan and heat it dry over medium-high heat. Pour in 1 cup of the olive oil and add rosemary. Add grapes, and raisins, mix together and allow to cool.
• Begin to mix the dough, slowly, and mix another 4 cups of flour in to the yeast mixture with the dough hook attachment, then add a pinch of gray salt. Add half of the olive oil/grape mixture into dough. Knead until smooth with hands. Form the dough into a ball. Place some olive oil in large bowl to coat the sides. Place dough ball into bowl, and cover with tea towel. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise in refrigerator until doubled in bulk about 45 minutes, or up to overnight for a fuller rise.
• The next day, take the risen dough, and place in mixing bowl. With more olive oil from the grape/raisin mixture, press dough down into a flat disk with the heel of your hand. Using your fingertips, nudge the dough into a rectangle. The dough can be rolled but the pressure will produce heavier bread. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and brush with the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil. Cover with tea towel, and let rise again until doubled, 30 to 40 minutes.
• To bake, preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Bake 15 minutes then remove from the oven and brush with the egg. Sprinkle with the remaining grape mixture then the remaining sugar. Top with lemon zest and finish with some coarse salt. Return to the oven and continue to bake until golden brown on top and crisp on the bottom, about 7 or 8 minutes. Let cool in the pan before cutting.

SICILIAN HARVEST SALAD

Steps:

• Put the raisins in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them to cover. Let stand until plump and soft, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• Put the raisins, grapes, apricots, rosemary and onion in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and stir in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Separate the radicchio into leaves, saving the heart for another use. Tear into bite size pieces and add to the dried fruit mixture along with the spinach. Toss well. Divide among 4 plates and top with the prosciutto, if using. Scatter the pine nuts over the top.
• Frying rosemary on the branch removes its slightly soapy, bitter flavor so you can use more. Heat 1-inch oil in a deep saute pan to 350 degrees F. Deep-fry the rosemary for 30 seconds and drain on paper towels. Strip the leaves off the stems and crush the leaves in the paper towels to remove any excess oil. Mince and store in a clean, tightly sealed container. Use the fried rosemary to make a seasoned salt by adding it to a mixture of black pepper, dried lemon zest and salt.

NORTH FORK HARVEST SALAD

Steps:

• To caramelize the pears: Cut each pear into 8 wedges. Melt the butter with the honey in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pears, reduce the heat to medium and cook until they are golden and caramelized on 1 side. Turn the pears and cook until browned and tender, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the pears to a platter to cool.
• To make the vinaigrette: Place the pumpkin in a saucepan. Add 2 inches of water. Cover and simmer over medium-high heat until the pumpkin is tender, about 12 minutes.
• Transfer the pumpkin to a blender. Add the ginger and shallots and puree, then add the Dijon and dried mustard. With the blender on, add the honey, then the lemon juice, oil, and orange juice. Season with the salt and pepper.
• To cook the duck: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Trim any excess fat from the duck breasts. Using a paring knife, score the skin in a diamond pattern being careful not to pierce the flesh. Rub the thyme leaves into the skin and flesh of the duck breasts, then season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and then the duck breasts skin-side down. Cook, browning the skin and melting the under layer of fat for about 5 minutes. Drain the fat from the skillet then transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast for 18 to 22 minutes for medium rare. Remove the duck from the oven and rest it for 7 to 8 minutes before slicing. Turn the oven off.
• To prepare the goat cheese: Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. Combine the bread crumbs, hazelnuts, red pepper, herbs, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Dip the cheese rounds in the egg then gently coat with the bread crumb mixture.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Fry the cheese until golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the goat cheese to a baking sheet and hold in the oven (it will still be warm) until ready to serve.
• To assemble the salad: Dress the mustard greens with pumpkin vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Slice the duck. Put the greens on large plates. Arrange 4 pears on each plate. Top each salad with goat cheese and sliced duck. Season the salads with a bit more salt and pepper and serve accompanied by additional dressing, if desired.

SICILIAN SALAD

Steps:

• Combine arugula, lettuce, celery, onion, tomatoes, olives, and capers in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sea salt, then toss. Drizzle with vinegar and toss again.

SICILIAN SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. , In a large salad bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes, cheese, onion, olives and parsley. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

SICILIAN-STYLE CITRUS SALAD

Steps:

• Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. It should be tart but not over-vinegary. Taste and add a little more olive oil if necessary.
• To peel the citrus fruit, use a small serrated knife. First, cut off a thin slice of peel from the top and bottom of the orange, so it can sit flat and securely on the cutting board. Use a sawing motion to take off the peel, cutting from top to bottom, following the curve of the fruit. Remove only the peel and white pith, not the flesh of the orange. It should now be perfectly spherical and naked. Peel remaining oranges and grapefruit in this fashion.
• Carefully slice peeled citrus crosswise. Arrange slices on a large serving platter in a random pattern, letting them overlap a bit here and there. Scatter onion, fennel and celery over top. Dot the surface with olives. Surround with salad leaves, if using.
• Whisk vinaigrette, and spoon evenly over the salad. Sprinkle lightly with flaky salt and serve.