Hot Lunch

When raw veggies seem risky

Hi friends!

Sorry there has been such a delay since our last installment. I’m in the Southwest of France, just outside Biarritz, visiting my mom and some family for a few weeks. I’ve been coming here every summer since I was born. When I was little, we’d stay at my grandparents’ house on the banks of the Adour River, where lunch and dinner often started with a trip to the garden. Tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, lettuce, leeks, peppers, herbs, eggplants, cucumbers and more were growing and were usually ripe for the picking by the time we arrived. We’d drop the haul off in the kitchen and by lunch it all turned into effortless salads, omelettes, tarts, and sauces I’m still trying (and mostly failing) to recreate.

Today’s issue continues my campaign to convince you that the Salad Stuff vinaigrette from Issue One deserves permanent residency in your fridge. First up: a warm potato salad that follows the same rules as the herby salad—dress it while it’s warm and let the magic happen. Then there’s Poireaux Vinaigrette (steamed leeks with vinaigrette), a French bistro classic that’s delicious with fancy toppings but just as perfect left alone.

And since some of you are understandably feeling a little wary about raw vegetables thanks to the recent Cyclospora news, I figured this was a good excuse to celebrate cooked vegetable salads instead. They might calm your nerves, fill your belly, and, most importantly, justify making an even bigger batch of vinaigrette.

Warm Potato Salad

You’ll need:

• 8–9 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (honestly, any potato works, but these are my favorite)

• A double batch of Salad Stuff Dressing

• Herbs of your choosing (about ⅛–¼ cup of each). Choose your own herby adventure! I usually go heavy on tarragon (obviously), chives, and dill.

• Optional: finely sliced celery for extra crunch. I had none, so used none.

Directions:

Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Cook them in a pot of heavily salted boiling water until they’re fork-tender.

While they’re cooking, pour about ¾ of your double batch of Salad Stuff Dressing into a large serving bowl and chop your herbs.

As soon as the potatoes are done, drain them and add them straight to the bowl of dressing. Give everything a gentle and thorough toss. The hot tots soak up the vinaigrette like little sponges!

Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then fold in the herbs. Taste, then finish with flaky salt and plenty of black pepper.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

P.S. This is fantastic the next day. The olive oil in the dressing will firm up in the fridge, so let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving. It’ll be good as new.

Leeks Vinaigrette

In France, leeks are an everyday vegetable. Humble, inexpensive, and in every grocery store and market. They’re often cheaper than onions and just as essential. In the U.S., they can be a little harder to find and once found, can be more of an investment than a bag of onions! Worth it though, in my opinion! Wholefoods usually has them in stock and Trader Joe’s even sells them pre-cut and bagged if that’s more your speed.

You’ll need 4 large leeks

First things first: clean them really well. Leeks are notorious for hiding dirt between their layers. I forgot to take photos of this step... sorry!

Cut the leeks in half crosswise where the white and green parts meet. Then slice each piece in half lengthwise. Rinse thoroughly, running water between every layer to wash away any sand or grit. Try to keep each half intact as you go.

Set a steamer over a pot of simmering water. The green tops take a little longer to cook, so start with those. Arrange them in a single layer, cover, and steam for a few minutes before adding the white halves. Continue steaming until the entire leek is buttery soft and almost translucent.

Once they’re cool enough to handle, gently squeeze out the excess water with your hands. Arrange the leeks on a platter and serve the vinaigrette alongside so everyone can dress their own.

If you’re feeling fancy, top them with crumbled hard-boiled eggs, crispy bacon, tiny croutons, or a sprinkle of chopped parsley. I love it all, but honestly? They’re pretty perfect just as they are.

I made both these dishes yesterday and served them with a couple of cheeses and some saussisons basque too!

More to come soon! A bientot xx