Monday, September 30, 2013

Goddess Marcella Hazan

http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780394584041_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG 

I met Marcella Hazan through a book club, remember those? Four books for a $1? Then more formally at an estate sale.   Apparently the recently deceased had never opened the pages of Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.  I paid a quarter, and went off, pleased with myself.

Gentle reader, her recipes are timeless, explicit, and surprising.  Last night in her honor I made her mixed salad.

To start, I sliced half a red onion, and let it soak in cold water.  She does require lettuce that I don't know where to buy: lamb's ears, chicory or escarole.  I settled for what was on hand: arugula and romaine.  Per her directions, I diced half a red pepper, substituted a diced celery rib for celery heart, grated a hearty peeled carrot, and diced a tomato.  She also asks for half a fennel bulb and an artichoke heart, but I wasn't up to a shopping trip.  I made do. I added half an avocado that was wandering about. I drained the red onion.

In a salad bowl I mixed it all the vegetables together, then salted them well.  I shook some red wine vinegar over it, then added a glug or so of olive oil. I mixed again.

So fresh, so delightful, or, as she says: "There is just enough, so that what is missing from one mouthful of salad is suddenly and delightfully present in the next."










5 comments:

  1. I didn't know I was in the mood for salad today, but now I am. Lovely to hear you have avocados "wandering about."

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  2. I read about her death on FB from a friend who was her "FB friend" (as is Jonathan Gold) who took the crazy blog girl of days past 'suggestion' to dine at a little hole in the wall next to a Laundromat and ended up putting his career as well as La Seranat's on the map.

    True story

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    Replies
    1. Your true stories are always the most fascinating. Have you visited Donut Friend yet?

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  3. I'm glad you skipped the fennel. i really dislike it.

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