We all look forward to spring and summer vegetables, but it’s still a bit too early for peas and asparagus, even here on the West Coast. So let’s enjoy the great cool-weather produce at the market while we can.
I’m still excited about the radicchio. Rapini greens, a.k.a. broccoli rabe, are always welcome at my table. And the citrus season is at its peak. All are present in this Italian-leaning menu.
Radicchio, once hard to find outside Italy, is now a familiar staple in the United States. And many farmers’ markets feature many of its red-leafed relatives, such as Treviso or Chioggia, as well as the pink Mantovano or the speckled pale Castelfranco. Feel free to mix and match: You could even throw in other chicories like greener curly endive and escarole, but there’s something special about a salad that’s all red.
Then, pair the leaves with an assertive dressing, say, one flecked with anchovy and bright with lemon. With its pleasant bitter flavor, radicchio yearns for boldness. Just be sure to use the best anchovies you can find, then drain, rinse and pat them try to mellow just a bit of their intensity. Given this dressing’s simplicity, the details count.
Unlike many of my menus, which begin with something light and green, I see this salad less as a stand-alone starter and more as an accompaniment to the main course, tofu Milanese. That’s mostly for logistical reasons: I don’t want to leave the table during the meal to fry slices of tofu. Still, it could be served as a first course or a light lunch. (In those cases, I’d advise garnishing the salad with Parmesan, grated or shaved into strips.)
But back to that main for a moment: Milanese — breaded pan-fried cutlets — are traditionally made of veal, pork or chicken. Here, tofu stands in with excellent results in this smart, satisfying vegetarian twist on the dish. You still get the crunchy bread-crumb coating, the best part of any Milanese, here gently fried in extra-virgin olive oil for added flavor.
In Italy, Milanese is often served with a lemon wedge and nothing else. I like it with cooked greens on the side, a big pile of them. I adore the deep flavor of broccoli rabe because it tastes so very Italian, but mustard greens of any variety or chard make good substitutes.
To finish: panna cotta, that perfect dinner-party dessert, since it must be made in advance, even a day ahead. A creamy dessert custard, set with gelatin instead of eggs and perfumed with a drop of pure almond extract or vanilla, it’s lovely plain, with a drizzle of honey or topped with berries. Why not consider in-season kumquat instead?
If you’ve never tried kumquats, chew them whole for a burst of citrusy vitamin C, or slice them thinly to add to a salad. But they are most delicious made into jam or quickly candied, as they are in this recipe. Let this diminutive citrus fruit shine bright.
