Brazil Crunchy Salad Perfect for Sunny Days
A new salad recipe from chef and cookbook author Camilla Marcus is drawing attention for its ability to stay crisp even when served outdoors in warm weather. Marcus, who wrote a cookbook filled with ingredient-driven dishes, shared the recipe for what she calls the Whole Stalk or Bulb Salad. The dish relies on crunchy vegetables such as celery or fennel, paired with sweet dates, salty blue cheese, smoked almonds, and a dressing made with preserved lemon and chili brine.
According to the recipe, the key to the salad’s lasting texture is a marinating technique. Marcus explained that the base vegetables are first treated with acid and salt, almost like a quick pickle, and then coated with oil at the end to seal in the flavor. This approach allows the vegetables to absorb the dressing while keeping their crunch, making the salad suitable for making ahead of time or serving at a long outdoor lunch without wilting.
The salad was featured at a backyard lunch celebrating Marcus’s cookbook, where it became the dish guests repeatedly returned to. The recipe calls for 12 ounces of celery or fennel, thinly sliced and chilled in an ice bath to maintain crispness. The vegetables are then marinated for three to five minutes in a mixture of chardonnay vinegar that has been infused with chopped dates, along with preserved lemon and brine from pickled chilies. After marinating, the vegetables are piled over a scattering of smoked almonds and dates, then topped with shaved blue cheese, fresh herbs, a drizzle of avocado oil, and cracked black pepper.
Technique and ingredients
Marcus noted that the method works by having the base absorb the acid and salt before the oil is added, which traps the flavor. The recipe emphasizes simplicity and texture, using a handful of ingredients that include 2 ounces of blue cheese, 3/4 cup of chardonnay vinegar, 4 dates, 1 tablespoon each of preserved lemon and chili brine, and 1/2 cup of smoked almonds. The blue cheese is placed in the freezer for at least an hour before serving so it can be shaved thin.
The salad is designed to work as a side dish for spring and summer menus. It can be dressed ahead of time and still remain vibrant through a warm afternoon, according to the recipe. Marcus’s cookbook, from which the recipe is taken, features other dishes that follow a similar approach of letting simple ingredients shine through layering of flavors and textures.
