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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Wherefore Art Thou, Dinner?

At the rate I'm going, it will be fall before I work through all of the posts related to my vacation.  Plus I promised the kick-ass salad recipe last week.  I seriously don't know where all the time goes.

David and I went to several regions in Italy, but the one we spent the least amount of time in was the Veneto.  This region, in northeastern Italy, is famous mostly for containing Venice, which we skipped this time around because we didn't have enough time to do it justice.  (As an aside, if you ever want to see a truly, atmospherically spooky movie, Netflix Don't Look Now, which stars Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie as a couple vacationing in Venice after losing their young daughter in an accident.  I seriously shrieked out loud at the end.)

Artwork made from recent letters written to Juliet.

The sole place we visited in the Veneto was Verona--the English major in me couldn't resist the opportunity to visit the place where two of Shakespeare's plays were set.  But sorry, Two Gentlemen of Verona, this city is all about Romeo and Juliet.  You can visit Juliet's balcony, Juliet's house and Juliet's tomb--and while the Capulet/Montague feud may have been based on history, you can bet that there was not really a Juliet.  Nevertheless, that doesn't stop throngs of tourists from visiting these attractions, particularly the balcony.

In the courtyard under the balcony, there is a statue of Juliet.  Legend has it that it is good luck to rub her right breast, and we saw lots of people doing it.  We skipped that little attraction and went into the house, which gives you an opportunity to go out on the tiny balcony.  Here's David standing on it, but sadly I couldn't get him to recite the balcony speech to the throngs below.

Verona is also home to some spectacular churches, and I had a terrific lunch there featuring a hefty pile of greens mixed with black olives, cannellini beans and chunks of terrific oil-cured tuna.  The kick-ass salad is definitely a relative of that Veronese salad, with the added advantage of being vegan.

This salad is all in the prep work, and could be varied according to the season.  We found one passable-looking tomato (Alaska gets notoriously terrible tomatoes), but the next time I would leave that out in favor of a vegetable in better shape.


Insalata Cruda e Cotta (Raw and Cooked Salad)

Adapted from Lidia's Italy
2 large, sweet yellow onions, peeled, trimmed and sliced 1/2" thick
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 lb. small red or gold potatoes
1/2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
1 fresh tomato, chopped
3/4 lb. fresh leafy salad greens
1/2 cup black olives, pitted
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Brush the onion slices with olive oil in both sides, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Lay them on the baking sheet and bake the onion slices approximately 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.  The onions should be a light golden brown when done.

While the onions are cooking, start a large pot of water to boil.  Clean the potatoes and drop them in the boiling water.  Cook just until the potatoes are cooked through--you want them to hold together and not get mushy.  Remove the potatoes--don't get rid of the boiling water!--and cut them in good-sized wedges when cool enough to slice.

Add the trimmed green beans to the water and boil just long enough to bring out the color, about four minutes.  You'll want the beans to stay crisp.  When you remove them from the water, put them in a bowl with cold water and ice cubes to shock them so you'll keep the gorgeous color. 

If you have a salad spinner, this is the time to put it to work.  Wash and thoroughly dry the greens--use your favorite in-season lettuces.  I had green leaf lettuce in my CSA box, so that's what I used, but it would be fun to use lettuces of different textures and colors.

In a ramekin or small bowl, combine the vinegar and remaining olive oil and whisk together.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Then throw all of the ingredients except the lettuce and dressing in a large salad bowl and gently toss them together.  Add the lettuce and dressing and toss gently again;  serve immediately.

Makes four large salad servings.  If you do not plan to use all of the vegetable mixture, hold some back and don't toss it with the lettuce.  I had a couple lunches' worth of these salads later in the week.

46 comments:

  1. Time does seem to get away right? But I solemnly pledge that if I make this salad I will eat it nice and slow with full concentration on its stunning flavour :D

    Cheers
    CCU

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    1. That's too funny--but the salad deserves it!

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  2. That is so cool that you are reporting from Italy. I love it! And I love salads. Great post.

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  3. Great salad and great post. I love the photo of your David standing on the balcony...I'd have made him give the speech! :)

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  4. I love that you're posting recipes to go with your trip! I'm not a big salad eater (I know, I'm a freak), but I've got a mother who can't get enough of the stuff, and I know she'll love this!

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  5. You are making me yearn to return sooner than I can afford to. I love this dish - because people don't realize how well the Italians do vegetables and salad. It's not all pasta and pizza (not that there's anything wrong with that...).

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    1. I had some seriously beautiful vegetables in Italy, particularly grilled zucchini and eggplant.

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  6. You are posting this from Italy. Cool! I love your salad.

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  7. I've never been there so I'll live vicariously through you. Love the salad.

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  8. Sigh! I see so many people traveling nowadays (after all it's summer!), and I'm getting jealous~~~! Looks like a delicious salad!

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  9. Amazing salad and lovely post. Great to see a picture of David too! :)

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    1. I am dreadfully camera-shy, so I don't think there are any vacation pictures of me, but lots of David!

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  10. A visit to Italy does encompass a lot of wonderful things and I am glad you are enjoying the travels.
    Also, your salad picture really pulls you in, lots of healthy ingredients and lovely flavors. Delicious post!

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  11. Still so jealous of your trip! This salad looks amazing. Have you ever seen the movie "Letters to Juliet"???

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    1. Yes--I saw it last summer! Across from Juliet's house, there is a building with a gift shop (of course), and the Juliet society is up on the second floor. There are also letter boxes at Juliet's house and tomb where you can drop a letter to her.

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  12. I had a great time during my trip to Verona, Juliets Balcony, Romeo's House plus all the churches. I also did Venice and the ride on the gondola was a memorable one which I still hold strongly inside me.

    The salad you made is one which is unique to me although I do add veges inside but without wine and olives are expensive over here. However, we do hold stocks of wine at home. The next round when I have the bottle opened, a similar salad will be done at home. Very nice and simple, btw I simply love salad, they are healthy and makes a good change in between the meals we have.

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    1. I remember seeing the photos from your trip! You're right, the churches were spectacular--I have some photos of those as well.

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  13. O I'm so jealous! I've visited Italy a couple time and still haven't had a chance to visit Verona, I'm absolutely dying to go! It sounds like so much fun :) And another delicious recipe! I love Lidia :) Her cace e pepe is a staple at my house!

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  14. I have to go to Italy!!! I always say that but I hope it happens soon! Thanks for sharing the recipe! It's funny what you shared about "Juliet's lucky right breast" ... weird! HUH!

    Paloma.

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  15. I love this salad! I'm a huge fan of cooked and raw combinations and your final colours are marvellous! I've been giving Italian cooking classes for almost 2 decades now and still enjoy surprising my students with the variety of vegetable dishes they can come up with! I agree with Claudia, many people just don't get past the "standard" recipes! Am going to bookmark this, have friends over this weekend and am doing Italian, will most definitely make this salad!
    As a fellow English Major (& teacher!), I'm soo with you on the need to pay homage to the Bard's settings! Love Italy, it used to be my second (or was it 3rd?) home after Paris and London! Great post BTW!

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    1. I truly envy your having lived in such amazing places! Wish I could take one of your classes.

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  16. The salad looks fresh and healthy,,,I heard alot of things about Italy the food and beautiful city,maybe will be on my plan for future vacation,I hope :)

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  17. I have always wanted to visit Venice ever since I read 1000 Days in Venice. I don't care if it takes until December for all your vacation posts. I want to hear it all! Thanks for the scary movie recommendation and the salad recipe. It looks delicious!

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    1. I read that book too--I love travel literature. On the way home, I read a book about Sicily and am now obsessed with going there.

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  18. My salads are usually raw. This combination of raw and cooked is very cool!
    I can so use a vacation right now and italy would be one of my top choices!

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    1. It really does add great texture to the salad--I plan to roast the potatoes next time and maybe leave those warm.

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  19. I love the raw and cooked aspect to this salad!

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  20. I need an extra large portion of this salad for lunch. Yum yum!

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  21. I need to add more green beans into a salad... Looks great!! Loved the picture of your honey on the balcony... yes.. he should have recited some Romeo and Juliet. :) What a weird tradition rubbing the statue of Juliet... I'm sure the men enjoyed that one. LOL! :)

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  22. great salad! so vibrant and delicious!

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  23. How lovely you got to visit Verona. I stood in that exact spot on my honeymoon a few years ago. Great little town. If you do decide to visit Venice, do your research. It is lovely, but so overpriced for visitors. There is a price for out-of-towners, and a significantly lower price for locals. Thanks for bringing back great memories. Glad you had such a lovely holiday.

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    1. What a great place to honeymoon! And thanks for the advice on Venice--it's going to be awhile before we get there, I think, but I found that same problem in other parts of Italy.

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  24. What a great vacation, Verona has so much stories and medieval charm, definitely a must see. And the salad looks delicious, nice to bring back flavors from a great vacation!

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  25. I´m quite jealous of you - but very happy for your wonderful honeymoon! Italy´s food is never underrated and rightfully so!

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  26. Mmm..looks and sounds so good!
    I'll have to look for that movie. IT sounds like one I'd like :)

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  27. Thank you for you nice comment on my blog regarding my daughter's wedding! I'm sorry for my late return in visiting you.

    I visited Verona many years ago and have always been enchanted by the Romeo and Juliet story. Your salad sounds delicious --I love the green bean and potato combination!

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  28. I hope I get to Italy one day but I am enjoying your posts about your visit! And love the salad...so beautiful! : )

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  29. My husband and I visited Verona years ago and, yes, it was all about Juliet. Love the balcony photo!

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  30. I am so envious, but happy for you that you had such a wonderful time! This salad recipe comes just in time for green bean season!

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  31. What a fantastic salad! I ate tons of Salade Niçoise the past couple weeks and this one is quite similar...yum! I loved hearing about your trip :)

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  32. Sounds like a delicious salad...perfect for the upcoming dinners outside this summer.

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  33. This salad looks great! I am so tempted to have it...love the way you made this.

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  34. The salad looks very tasty and Verona sounds so very interesting and beautiful!

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  35. The entire architectural view of Verona is really interesting and attractive. I will definitely return there with my first occasion.

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