Martha Stewart's Collection: Alexis's Vibrant Chopped Salad
Derived from the lifestyle mogul's centennial cookbook, 'Martha: The Cookbook,' this salad is among her daughter Alexis's favorite creations. Each batch of this delightful dish incorporates no fewer than ten types of vegetables, making it ideal for summer when fresh produce is abundant.
The ingredients listed here serve as a foundational guide. Adjust as your garden or marketplace dictates—add a trio of string beans in different hues, assorted corn types, and a medley of beets including striped, red, yellow, and white.
I often pair this vibrant salad with a gourmet grilled cheese as a perfect lunchtime meal or serve it before a more intricate evening dinner.
Ingredients Servings: 12
– Kosher salt
– 2 corn ears, husked
– A dash of sugar
– 8 ounces green beans, ends trimmed
– 8 ounces yellow wax beans, ends trimmed
– Four plum tomatoes, seeds discarded, diced into ¼-inch squares
– A pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
– 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeds and veins removed, diced
– 1 small red bell pepper, seeds and veins removed, diced
– 1 small purple bell pepper, seeds and veins removed, diced
– 1 English cucumber, peeled, deseeded, and diced
– One small red onion, peeled, diced, and chilled in ice water
– 1 medium jalapeño, seeds and veins removed, finely chopped
– ¾ cup of whole cilantro leaves
– 2 tbsp unflavored rice vinegar
– 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
– 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
– Radicchio leaves like Variegato di Lusia, for serving
Preparation Steps
1. Arrange an ice bath for cooling. In a medium pan with salted boiling water, add corn and sugar, allowing corn to cook for about 6 minutes until tender. Immediately immerse corn in ice water post-cooking. Once fully cooled, extract corn and shear kernels using a sharp knife. Place kernels in a spacious mixing bowl.
2. In the same boiling water, blanch green and yellow beans for a quick minute until soft. Use a slotted spoon to move beans to the ice bath to cool. Once cooled, drain them via a colander and cut into ¼-inch segments. Combine with corn kernels in the mixing bowl.
3. Incorporate the diced tomatoes, assorted bell peppers, cucumber, chilled onion, jalapeño, and cilantro leaves. Mix thoroughly. Drizzle vinegar and olive oil over the mixture, followed by black pepper and a teaspoon of salt. Toss the salad to amalgamate flavors. Adjust seasoning as needed. Keep refrigerated until serving over radicchio leaves.
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