During the cold months, you might look to long-cooked braises or labor-intensive stews and soups to fill bellies and ward off the chill. But here’s a full-flavored menu that doesn’t require hours of preparation.
To start, something sprightly: I always want a salad, no matter the season. And there’s no denying a salad can be a great way to begin a meal, even if it’s the dead of winter.
This time of year, my choice of salad leaves skews toward sturdy chicories (radicchio, endive, escarole), reliably crisp romaine hearts and more peppery greens like watercress or arugula.
I’d happily make a salad from any of those, but I confess a real fondness for arugula, especially the variety marketed as “wild,” with its jagged leaves.
Arugula, known elsewhere as rucola, roquette or rocket, is in the mustard family, with a bold sharp flavor, and long loved in Italy and the south of France. Some prefer it as part of a mixed green salad, but an all-arugula salad suits me fine, especially with a zippy vinaigrette.
For this colorful salad, I made a thick dressing with shallot, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, lemon juice and red wine vinegar. A trick learned from French friends: Shake the dressing in a jar with a tightfitting lid. A mustard jar works well, all the better if it’s a used mustard jar that’s almost empty, with the last of the condiment still clinging to the sides, a flavorful and frugal move.
A sharp knife or mandoline helps cut fuchsia-tinged watermelon radish and fennel bulb into not-quite-paper-thin slices. Along with soft-centered boiled egg, they add brightness, and the sharp vinaigrette complements it all.
Follow with a dish that’s impressive but very easy to achieve: a well-seasoned savory shrimp dinner, which you can have on the table in less than 10 minutes. A pound and a half makes a fine main course for four.
I like to use large shrimp, preferably wild from the Gulf of Mexico or the Mid-Atlantic. (Farmed shrimp can be problematic, environmentally hazardous and often dipped in preservatives.) These are readily available, both fresh and frozen, and hefty at 16 to 20 pieces per pound.
For the best flavor, buy them with the shells on. Peeling and deveining your own might sound tedious, but it’s time well spent and guarantees the freshest-tasting specimens.
From there, a hot pan with a generous lump of butter, a spoonful of hot paprika or smoky Spanish pimentón picante, a little garlic and a splash of white wine are all that’s needed for a robust, ruddy sauce. Sizzling for only a minute or two on each side guarantees juicy shrimp. Serve them with plain polenta, little roasted potatoes or steamed rice. Or just have a crisp warm baguette for sopping all of the flavorful, richly aromatic, buttery juices.
For a fruity dessert, pears, which I’ve been enjoying in every color this year, are a good option. Red Bartlett, Comice and D’Anjou varieties have been my favorites. You may be skeptical, but pears are underrated. Though they are sold underripe and hard, letting them sit at room temperature gets them ready to eat. Press lightly on the neck of a pear to determine if it’s ripe — it should be firm but yield a bit. For an Italianate treat, try eating sliced ripe pears with shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano, a divine combination.
Or make this easy cake of simply sliced pears baked in an almond flour batter. Feel free to make it early in the day, or even the day before serving: It keeps well and is better slightly aged than straight out of the oven. The cake is golden and a bit crunchy on top, with a tender moist fragrant interior. A small slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes a fine dessert, but it’s equally good for breakfast or tea. Just eat it as it’s designed: with ease and conviviality in mind, meant to be enjoyed by good friends sitting elbow to elbow.
