So you’ve just gotten back from a week of an all-out indulgent vacation and you start to notice that your pants don’t fit quite so nicely anymore. You have just spent the day taste-testing endless amounts of chocolate as a part of your job training. (I know, it's a tough life). You don’t want to skip supper, so what do you make?
A salad! But not just any salad. One with a ham and beans and a nice thick red pepper dressing so rich in flavor and aroma that you won’t find yourself hungry again two hours later.
Adapted from Food & Wine: Quick from Scratch Soup and Salads Cookbook.
Mixed Greens with Smoked Ham, Kidney Beans, and Roasted Red Pepper Dressing
Serves 4
1 red bell pepper (cut into thirds for easier heating)
½ garlic clove, smashed (recipe calls for a whole clove, which seemed excessive)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper (I used coarse ground)
½ pound mixed salad greens
4 slices of smoked ham, sliced into small pieces
1 cup drained and rinsed kidney beans
1. I cheated a little here. I didn’t have a gas flame or grill handy to roast the pepper, so I just sautéed it in a pan over high heat. But doesn’t “roasted” sound so much better? (If you have a gas flame or grill, by all means, roast away. Keep the pepper whole and watch that baby burn.) Keep the pieces on the skillet skin down, for about 10 minutes, until the skin is blackened.
2. When the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin. Because of the natural sensuous curves in the bell pepper, some parts are not going to be charred and will be more difficult to pull off (if you roasted it, this should not be much of a problem.) Remove the stem, seeds, and ribs.
3. In a blender, combine the roasted pepper, garlic, vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Puree until the texture is smooth.
4. Mix together the greens, ham, and kidney beans. Divide onto four plates and spoon the sauce on top. Admire the wonderful tapestry of colors.
The book says that the salad needs “a crisp and frankly fruity red to contrast its smoky flavors,” and recommends a Beaujolais. I didn’t have a Beaujolais handy, but I did have a sparkling apple cider.
The verdict? I could have used less dressing, or more greens, since the pepper and garlic flavors were so strong. You get the smoky flavor right away, but it takes about a minute or two for the sweet flavor to kick in. So I highly highly recommend a drink with a fruit taste, for those important in between moments.
Oh, I almost forgot the last step.
5. Pat yourself on the back for your healthy eating. March back into the kitchen and get yourself a nice bowl of ice cream. After all, we musn’t forget our dairy.
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