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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, August 8, 2007

TASTE
Trendy Italian foods create light summer salads

 •  Red, white and greens of Italy

Los Angeles Times

Here are three recipes for unusual, light and cool Italian salads to serve at summer suppers.

This recipe is from Donna Deane, director of the test kitchen at the Los Angeles Times.

GRILLED ROMAINE WITH FAVA BEANS AND PECORINO

  • 1 pound fresh fava beans, shelled*

  • 2 tablespoons pecorino Romano cheese, cut in 1/4-inch cubes

  • 4 1/2 tablespoons best-quality olive oil, divided

  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon chopped parsley

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • Cracked black pepper

  • 1 small clove garlic, minced

  • 1 small head (about 1/2 pound) romaine lettuce, quartered lengthwise

    Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then add fava beans and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Break the outer skin of the fava and squeeze out the bean. In a small bowl, toss the beans with the cubes of pecorino Romano. Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt and cracked black pepper (about 4 grinds). Set aside and allow the beans to marinate while you grill the romaine.

    In a cup or small bowl, combine the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and the minced garlic. Brush the quartered romaine with the garlic olive oil and place on an oiled grill over medium-high heat until the lettuce is lightly charred on all sides but still crisp in the center, about 4 to 5 minutes. Place a grilled romaine quarter on each of 4 serving plates. Spoon an equal amount of the fava bean and pecorino mixture over the top of each and season with a few more grinds of black pepper.

    Makes 4 servings.

  • Per serving: 271 calories; 12 grams protein; 22 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 18 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 7 milligrams cholesterol; 226 milligrams sodium.

    * Fava beans are hard to come by in Hawai'i (R. Field sometimes has them). Substitute frozen or fresh limas instead, very lightly steamed.

    This recipe for farro salad is from chef-owner Jason Travi of Fraiche restaurant in Culver City, Calif. Farro (Triticum dicoccum) is a form of wheat that has been feeding the Italian masses for hundreds of years; it's sometimes confused with spelt, another wheat form, but it hardly matters, as they cook up almost the same. The technique for cooking farro is identical to steaming rice: boil liquid, add grain, return to boil, cover, turn down heat and steam 20 to 30 minutes. Writer Lorna Sass, who has written a book on grains, suggests toasting the grain lightly in the dry pan, then adding boiling liquid.

    FARRO SALAD

  • 1 1/4 cups uncooked farro

  • 1 bay leaf and sprig of thyme tied together with kitchen string

  • Salt

  • 1 small red pepper

  • 1/2 cup shelled English peas, blanched*

  • 2 tablespoons mixed chopped tarragon, basil, mint and parsley

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 4 to 6 tablespoons grated fresh pecorino cheese or ricotta salata

    Wash and drain the farro. In a medium saucepan, cover farro with 4 cups cold water, then add the sachet of bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the farro is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes, then drain. Let cool. You should have about 3 cups cooked farro.

    While the farro is cooking, roast the red pepper on a rack over a gas burner over high heat or under the broiler, turning until all sides are blackened, about 10 minutes. Let the pepper stand in a covered bowl until cool, then peel and seed. Cut into medium dice. You will need 6 tablespoons diced pepper. Leftover pepper can be reserved for another use.

    In a medium bowl, toss together the farro, roasted pepper, the peas and the mixed herbs. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and toss. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste.

    Let the salad stand 10 minutes for the flavors to blend. Divide equally onto 4 to 6 plates and sprinkle with the freshly grated pecorino or ricotta salata.

    Makes 4-6 servings.

  • Per serving: 211 calories; 9 grams protein; 30 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 8 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 15 milligrams cholesterol; 176 milligrams sodium.

    * To blanch the peas, place them in boiling water until just tender, about 1 minute, then immediately place them in an ice bath and drain. If you can't find fresh peas, use sliced sugar snap peas.

    This dish, from Los Angeles Times test kitchen director Donna Deane, was inspired by a recipe from "Chez Panisse Vegetables." The dish was originally made with Romano beans, a wide, flat bean hard to find in the Islands; you can use green beans, broad beans or haricots vert.

    BEANS SAUTEED WITH OREGANO

  • 1 pound fresh beans

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh oregano leaves

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

  • 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

    Rinse the beans under cold running water. Drain, leaving any water clinging to the beans. Trim the ends and set aside.

    In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the shallots and saute over medium heat about 1 minute. Add the garlic and continue to saute for 30 to 45 seconds, until tender and fragrant but not browned. Remove the sauteed shallots and garlic from the pan with a slotted spoon, pressing any excess oil back into the skillet. Set aside.

    Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Once the oil is hot, add the beans, oregano leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Saute over medium heat, stirring frequently until the beans are browned in spots and tender but retain some crispness, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the sauteed shallots and garlic. Cook just until aromatic, about 30 seconds.

    Remove the pan from heat and let the beans cool slightly. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and allow contents to cool to room temperature. Remove the salad from the pan to a serving platter.

    Makes 4 servings.

  • Per serving: 135 calories; 2 grams protein; 10 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 445 milligrams sodium.