The Best Caesar Salad You'll Ever Eat. And a Roasted Sweet Potato, Broccoli and Kale Wonder for Fall Weather 🍂
From Two Absolute Stars 🌟
SOME OF THE MOST COMPELLING FOOD in the huge social-media landscape, particularly on Instagram, is detached and pristine and abstract and unknowable. But it still makes you (or me) desperately want to meet its creator, to dine at their home! Even though dinner could likely be, you know, two perfect sea beans, a small pool of deep green olive oil, and a tiny, possibly poisonous flower under a pink spotlight served in a kitchen whose vast counters have nothing on them but a giant bowl of guavas and a box of bee pollen.
And some more of the most dazzling food on Instagram is sloppy-gorgeous and sexy, with so many hands reaching for the food that it makes you want to actually become whatever Dionysian god or goddess posted it. So many friends (or, at least, their forearms and hands), wearing pretty rings and bracelets and serving themselves unkempt, luxurious pasta or grill-burnt leeks smeared with the latest spice paste. In these photos, the many empty wine glasses and tablecloth stains indicate it’s way past time to go home. But everyone stays, eternally, being fabulous and needing no sleep because this ravishing, louche food was clearly made from a bed.
And then there are the industrious process videos, with their short visual takes and loud, shotgun-microphoned sounds of chopping, splashing, sizzling, and stirring—all of which bring you so fully into the aural and visual sensation of kitchen work that just passively observing it absolves you of the slower, workaday duty of actually cooking anything at all. Here, food is conjured, exhilarates us, and then disappears in a flash—a kind of culinary satori.
And despite my own undefinable (aka nerdy and undisciplined) social media presence, I absolutely love all of the varieties of online culinary experience in this modern world—even those ridiculous videos of women making casseroles out of things like a dozen hotdogs and four frozen lasagnas covered in grated packaged cheese and barbecue sauce. Good for them! They’re cooking!
We live in a food worshipful universe whose transiency, passivity, ineffability and noetic qualities might appeal to William James if he’d been born this century— a fascinating age in which many people seem to have no memory of a long-ago “food media” that was limited to several quaint television cooking shows, a handful of magazines, and domestic cookbooks focussing on American food.
Whispers: Which is why it seems a little sour to me when l hear complaints from food people about cookbook or newsletter overload—while standing before the largest and most diverse banquet of food related information and images the world has ever known.
For me, being able to digitally conjure practically all the cuisines, cooking habits, fashions, and sensibilities in existence is a thrill and a luxury that far outweighs anything annoying about these times, including overwhelm, which I handle by understanding that I don’t have to consume all of it and by relying on my own personal radar.
So when I’m floating around this vast digital food cosmos, my method to prevent madness is to scan everything but not put down my landing apparatus until I feel a real gravitational pull.
Which happened in a very powerful way a couple of years ago, the first time I came across the Instagram feed of the Brooklyn Restaurant Agi’s Counter, a restaurant that bills its offerings as “market driven cuisine with heavy Jewish & Eastern European influence.”
I happen to be the great-granddaughter of a Russian Jew from Kiev who came to this country in 1897, and even though I was not raised in any way that remotely connected me to this heritage, I felt homesick for Chef Jeremy Salamon’s beautiful dishes.
That’s just how powerful food deeply rooted in cultural and family heritage can be. Even—or especially—when you have no genetic or geographical ties to it at all, of course.
And since Agi’s Counter honors traditional Hungarian cuisine and culture while also embracing our modern farmers-market-driven world, Salamon’s heavenly-sounding menu items—palacsinta (Hungarian crepes) with whipped ricotta and blackberries; chicken liver mousse toast served with pickled grapes; matzoh ball soup showered in dill; tuna confit salad on toasted pullman bread; sour cherry soup, chicken broth with nokedli (Hungarian dumplings); and bright pink glasses of borscht—have been a huge hit with the Brooklyn crowd and way beyond and garnered Salamon a James Beard nomination, inclusion on Bon Appetit’s 2022 Best New Restaurants list, and a 2023 Michelin Bib Gourmand award among other sparkly recognition.
Mainly, though, what Agi’s social media personality seemed to say to me was: We make food that is highly delicious; don’t you wish you could eat this? So when I first encountered it, I immediately checked to see if there was a cookbook. There was not, and I suffered greatly for it. But now there is! Second Generation: Hungarian and Jewish Classics Reimagined for the Modern Table just hit bookshelves this past week (on September 17th). And it’s terrific—everything I’d hoped it would be.
It takes its title from Salamon’s experience growing up a “second-generation” Hungarian Jew, under the culinary influence of his two grandmothers, Agi and Arlene, whom he describes in his charming book introduction as “ladies who lunch, ladies who entertain, and ladies who fill up a freezer, ready to feed anyone who walks through the door.”
And I’m thrilled to have recipes from the book for you today, for a Caesar salad and deviled eggs, two dishes that are hard to knock off of most people’s favorite-version pedestal. Nonetheless, they have turned out to be the Caesar salad of my dreams and the deviled eggs of my dreams. (The latter uses a fantastic technique that was a complete surprise to me: You process whole hard-boiled eggs in a blender or food processor to create a velvety, intensely egg-salad-flavored mousse that is not the least bit overbearingly eggy and that has a texture that sends me. Maybe it’s a technique everyone has been using for years, but it’s new to me and I still can’t quite get over it.)
I also have a delicious, cozy, autumnal roasted sweet potato, broccoli, and kale salad—which features an easy sesame brittle topper that is so worth turning on the oven for—from another new cookbook coming out tomorrow, Pass The Plate: 100 Delicious, Highly Shareable, Everyday Recipes, by Carolina Gelen, a proud immigrant and modern-food-world, social-media natural. In fact, she is that phenomenon no one could have imagined back in Julia Child’s day: a viral-recipe sensation.
WE HATE TO BRING IT UP, BUT: It takes two kinds of lettuce (🥬 + $$) to keep the Department of Salad going. The best way to support us, if you don’t already: Press the green button (and get full access to all the salad in our enormous archive). Or give a gift!
By the time Gelen had immigrated to the United States from Romania back in 2021, her work had already caught the eye of both the New York Times and Food52, and she has worked for both. Today, at age 29, she has also caught the eyes of 1.3 million food fans on Instagram and 650,000+ on TikTok, with her laid back, infectious charm, accessible but inventive recipes, and what seems to be truly genuine affection for her fans. I think the kids call it authenticity.
And while Gelen’s cookbook clearly reflects a youthful worldliness that invites extremely online cooks to be as adventurous as she has been, it really is for everyone. In addition to the delicious salad I have for you today (which my cousin Toni gobbled up when I dropped some at her house), I’m particularly looking forward to making the Creamy Miso Potato Salad, Shaved Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette and Parm, and the Afghan Inspired Carrot Raisin Salad. Not to mention plenty of dishes that fall under the book’s “Pasta-Palooza,” “Nosh & Nibble,” and “Veg Out” headings.
“I’ve worked in five star restaurants and casual bakeries, but the best experience was growing up in my mother’s kitchen,” she writes in her Substack newsletter bio (did I mention she also writes a Substack newsletter?). “I speak 5 languages, but my favorite way to communicate is through the universal language of food.”
Hell, yes, I say: Here’s to the wide, online world and the many languages of food it brings to all of us.
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ONE SMALL THING BEFORE YOU HIT THE RECIPES?
Would you mind hitting the ❤️ button at the top left or bottom left of this newsletter if you enjoy being here? It means more to us than you might imagine. XO—Emily
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*RECIPE: Caraway Caesar Salad, from Second Generation, by Jeremy Salamon
Serves 4
Jeremy Salamon’s Recipe Note: Grandma Agi’s idea of a salad was globs of dressing squeezed on iceberg lettuce. And honestly, I didn’t hate it. This salad, one of the signature dishes at Agi’s Counter, is a little more chef driven but keeps the spirit of abundance. I like to thickly coat sturdy leaves of escarole and radicchio in an anchovy and caraway dressing and pile them high (of course, there’s plenty of dill mixed in with the leaves). The bread crumbs are an imitation of the seasoned Vigo bread crumbs my mom always loved to use. And finally, the salad gets blanketed in finely shaved Parmesan to complete my ideal trifecta.
FOR THE DRESSING
4 anchovy fillets
3 large egg yolks
3 garlic cloves
¼ cup champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons caraway seeds, ground
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
A few ice cubes
1½ cups canola oil
FOR THE BREAD CRUMBS
2 cups plain bread crumbs, store-bought or homemade
½ tablespoon dried parsley
½ tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE SALAD
2 heads of escarole, cleaned and pulled apart into whole leaves
1 head of radicchio, cleaned and pulled apart into whole leaves
1 bunch of fresh dill, roughly chopped
6 ounces Grana Padano or Parmesan, grated (1 ½ cups)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to garnish
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Make the dressing: Combine the anchovies, egg yolks, garlic, vinegar, caraway, mustard, and ice in a blender. Blend on high speed just until the garlic and anchovies are broken down, about 10 seconds. With the blender running on high speed, slowly add the canola oil in a steady stream until the dressing comes together. It should be slightly thick. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. This makes 2 cups (bonus dressing!) so store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Make the bread crumbs: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176.°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss together the bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil in a large bowl until combined. Spread the bread crumbs evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even color. Set aside to cool completely. I like to make extra of these to have on hand, so this makes more than you need. Store any extra bread crumbs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Assemble the salad: Have a serving platter or large salad bowl ready. Combine the escarole, radicchio, dill, 1 cup of the cheese, the olive oil, lemon juice, pepper, and 1 cup of the dressing in a large bowl. Using your clean hands (yes, this gets messy), toss together the ingredients, massaging the leaves so the dressing gets in all the nooks and crannies.
Transfer the salad to the platter, piling it high to achieve a dramatic look. Rinse and dry your hands. Sprinkle 1 cup of the bread crumbs over the salad as well as the remaining ½ cup cheese. Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil.
*RECIPE: Dressed Deviled Eggs, from Second Generation, by Jeremy Salamon
Makes 1 dozen devils
Jeremy Salamon’s Recipe Note: If you’d told me the most famous dish to come out of my restaurant would be deviled eggs . . . well, it’s surprising, but I’ll take the distinction with pride. A deviled egg is so versatile, a kind of timeless budget food that feels fancy. Growing up, both of my grandmas always had hard- boiled eggs in the fridge for snacks and we ate them plain with salt. The problem was the eggs were boiled within an inch of their lives and there was nothing else to balance the intensely eggy flavor. This recipe is a perfect base , a jumping- off point for creativity, that sets the stage for a wide range of toppings and flavors.
FOR THE MOUSSE
10 large eggs, boiled for 9 minutes, cooled and peeled (see “On Boiling Eggs,” below )
¾ cup Japanese mayonnaise, such as Kewpie, or regular mayonnaise (preferably Hellmann’s or Schmaltz Mayo, page 193 of “Second Generation”)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
TO PLATE
6 large eggs, boiled for 8 minutes, cooled and peeled
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Good extra- virgin olive oil
Final touches
Sweet and sour pickles
Whole dill fronds
Chili crisp
White anchovy fillets
Fried chicken skin
Fish roe
Hot sauce
Make the mousse: Combine the 9-minute eggs, mayo, and kosher salt in a food processor and blend together until silky smooth, about 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Store the mousse in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use or up to 1 day.
To plate: Unless you own a fancy deviled egg plate, the one with individual cubby holes, the eggs will have difficulty standing up on their own. I recommend dolloping 1 teaspoon of mousse underneath each egg to keep it stable on a large platter.
Cut the 8-minute eggs in half and leave the yolks in the center. Schmear about a tablespoon of mousse on each egg. Season with flaky salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. From here, add any final touches you want!
Wine pairing: Try the deviled eggs with a sparkling rosé (pezsgő or pét- nat).
ON BOILING EGGS
Prepare an ice- water bath in a bowl large enough to comfortably fit your eggs. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Use a spider strainer or a large slotted spoon to gently lower the eggs into the pot and immediately set a timer. Cooking for 6 minutes will yield a runny yolk, 8 minutes will be slightly gooey yolks, 9 minutes fully set. Transfer the eggs to an ice- water bath and soak for about 10 minutes , until cooled completely. Store the eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Before serving, peel and rinse under cold water to remove any small shell pieces.
RECIPE: Broccoli Sweet Potato Harvest Salad with Maple Sesame Crunch, from Pass the Plate, by Carolina Gelen
Serves 4 to 6
Carolina Glen’s Recipe Note: A recipe to celebrate the fall harvest season: Roasted broccoli, crunchy kale, and sweet potatoes are dressed in a mustard maple vinaigrette and topped with feta chunks. The best part about this recipe? The maple sesame crunch! I will often make an extra batch, just to snack on as I’m prepping the actual salad. It’s sweet, toasty, and adds a lovely texture to every bite. Since the salad feeds a crowd, you can assemble it a few hours ahead of time, keeping the sesame bark separate and crumbling it on top right before serving to keep it nice and crunchy.
Salted Maple Sesame Bark
½ cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as sunflower or grapeseed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Harvest Salad
2 medium bunches lacinato or green curly kale
1 medium head broccoli, stalk peeled and thinly sliced, broken into florets
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
¼ cup neutral oil, such as sunflower or grapeseed
Boiling water
Salt
Maple Dijon Dressing
3 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
Kosher salt
Assembly
Kosher salt
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
Make the salted maple sesame bark: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, stir together the sesame seeds, maple syrup, oil, and salt. Pour the sesame mixture onto the baking sheet and spread it into an even layer, aiming for about ¼-inch thickness. Bake until fragrant and toasty, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
Make the harvest salad: Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (218°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Strip the kale leaves off the stems, separating the leaves and stems into 2 different piles. Finely chop the kale leaves and add them to a colander.
Finely chop the kale stems. Cut any larger broccoli florets into bite-size pieces. Evenly arrange the chopped kale stems, broccoli florets, sliced broccoli stalk, and sliced sweet potato on the two baking sheets. Drizzle the oil all over and season with a big pinch of salt. Toss well to coat.
Roast for 20 minutes. Preheat the broiler. Place the oven rack about 4 inches from the heating element. Broil the vegetables, keeping a close eye on them, until they’re nicely charred in some places, 2 to 3 minutes.
Set the colander full of kale leaves in the sink or over a large bowl. Pour a few cups of boiling water all over the kale leaves to wilt them (this makes them easier to chew) and drain. Rinse the kale under cold water and squeeze any remaining water from the kale with your hands.
Make the maple Dijon dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, vinegar, oil, mustard, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, oil, or vinegar as needed.
Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, add the kale leaves, a pinch of salt, and about half of the dressing. Massage the mixture with your hands for a minute or two to let the dressing penetrate the kale. Add the roasted vegetables and feta and toss again. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top and crumble the crunchy sesame bark all over. Serve right away.
ALSO OF INTEREST TO DEPARTMENT OF SALADERS!
Book Talk: The Weekday Vegetarians: Get Simple
I’ll be in conversation this coming Thursday evening, September 26, from 6:30 to 7:30 ET, with Jenny Rosenstrach about her latest book, The Weekday Vegetarians: Get Simple. Rosenstrach, in case you aren’t familiar (I doubt it), is the much-loved creator of Dinner: A Love Story, the award-winning website and newsletter devoted to family dinner, and the New York Times Bestselling author of the books Dinner: A Love Story; Dinner: The Playbook; and How to Celebrate Everything. Again: we’ll be talking this coming Thursday evening, September 26, from 6:30 to 7:30 ET. The last 30 minutes will be Q&A. Sign up here; you’ll receive a Zoom link a few days before the event.
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🥬 🥬🥬 🥬That’s It! We’re done here! We’ll see you soon with a recipe for authentic Toasty Prune Betty. I’m kidding—it’s going to be salad.
🥬🥬🥬 ONE MORE THING: Please remember that while you may receive The Department of Salad as an e-mail, all issues of the newsletter—along with any corrections, the archive, and our Fancy New Recipe Index—are always available at the Department of Salad website. (You can always search “The Department of Salad” or go directly to emilyrnunn.substack.com.) All the recipes from all the newsletters will be there for you. To search the Index, simply use the search function (command F) that produces a search bar in the upper-right-hand corner of the page.
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wow great newsletter! those eggs!!!!!!
Thanks, Emily. Another humdinger of a newsletter, and I’m with you all the way. Food on the socials, food in print cook books, 4 binders overflowing with recipes, and even on the backs of cans. Always something intriguing or delightful.