Insalate

Insalate
Authentic Italian Salads for All Seasons

By Susan Simon

Since the first insalata on Sicily, tossed together from the wild herbs and greens that covered the island, Italians have been enjoying the bounty of their fields and waters, creating fresh, flavorful salads. Insalate offers a delectable sampler of refreshing, authentic Italian favorites accompanied by enchanting photographs of open-air markets, artisans, and vineyards. Organized by season to take advantage of produce picked at the peak of ripeness, more than 60 simple yet exuberant recipes use fruits and vegetables to create glorious palate-pleasers. Author Susan Simon shares the delights of eating and enjoying simple, authentic Italian salads year-round.

Welcome the coming of spring with succulent baby spinach leaves topped with melted Gorgonzola cheese. Asparagi alla Citronette di Verdure showcases tender stalks of asparagus in a tangy citrus dressing. Take the heat out of summer with mouthwatering, vine-ripened tomatoes sliced with fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and extra-virgin olive oil in the classic Insalata Caprese. Hearty salads of Genoa salami, butternut squash, potatoes, or celery root signal the start of autumn. Insalata Palermitana couples juicy blood oranges with thinly sliced fennel and kalamata olives—a combination sure to whisk you away to the hills of Sicily in winter.

Some other wonderful choices of the mouthwatering insalate included in this completely unique book are the Insalate di Frutti di Mare (Seafood Salad) for the beautiful spring months; the Insalata di Pasta con Melanzane (Pasta Salad with Eggplant) for an outdoor summer picnic; the Insalata di Fontina e Peperoni Gialli (Fontina and Roasted Yellow Pepper Salad) for the time of year when the air outside is getting crisp; and the Insalata di Pomplemo e Avocado (Grapefruit and Avocado Salad for a refreshing yet exotic, winter welcome.

With selections ranging from classics to contemporary, served as appetizers, main courses, or the crisp finale to a meal, Insalate offers a colorful way to recreate the flavors of Italy in your very own salad bowl. Buon appetito!

About the Author

Susan Simon is the author The Nantucket Table and The Nantucket Holiday Table, both from Chronicle Books. She lived in Italy for several years, speaks fluent Italian, and continues to visit regularly. She runs a catering business in New York City and is a part-time resident of Nantucket Island.

Buy the Book!

Insalate
Authentic Italian Salads for All Seasons
By Susan Simon
Chronicle Books, June 2001
Paperback, $17.95
132 pages, full-color photographs throughout
ISBN: 0-8118-2872-7
Information provided by the publisher.