Someone at work recently asked me if salads can be served warm or was that sort of anathema to the concept of a salad. Of course they can!
Steamed vegetables -- cauliflower, broccoli, beets, carrots, as well as legumes and grains, when tossed with a dressing while still hot, absorb the flavours rapidly and robustly and then if you add dense coarse bitter greens like my beloved escarole and they start to gently wilt and take on an incredible toothy sweetness, well, this sort of thing just might knock your socks off.
Steamed Carrot Salad, French-style, for 1
Carrots*, peeled and cut into rounds
handful of parsley, finely chopped
tablespoon of capers
5 kalamata or black sundried olives
Dressing
garlic clove, minced and mashed with a bit of salt
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
ground pepper
I used a metal steamer and placed the rounds of carrots over boiling water on high for about 5 minutes, or until tender. I drained and tossed with the dressing, the capers, the olives and the chopped parsley.
*these came from the farmers market and were skinny and tri-coloured. I used the entire bunch, just for myself. You could get three bunches and serve as a side to roast chicken and rosemary potatoes, or you could three bunches and serve as a starter salad.
