RURAL PALATESRURAL PALATES

IINA GARTEN, THE BELOVED STAR OF

BAREFOOT CONTESSA ON FOOD

NETWORK AND THE CREATOR OF SIX

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING COOK-

BOOKS, IS BACK WITH HER EASIEST

RECIPES EVER. FOR INA’S MILLIONS OF

DEVOTED FANS, BAREFOOT CONTESSA

HOW EASY IS THAT? IS HER MUST-HAVE

COOKBOOK, ALL ABOUT FABULOUS, FLA-

VORFUL RECIPES THAT COME OUT PER-

FECTLY EVERY TIME WITHOUT COMPLICAT-

ED TECHNIQUES OR SPECIAL EQUIPMENT.

INA LIVES IN EAST HAMPTON, NEW YORK,

WITH HER HUSBAND, JEFFREY. VISIT INA AT

BAREFOOTCONTESSA.COM.

MIDDLE EASTERN VEGETABLE SALADServes 4 to 6

In summer when the tomatoes, scallions, and

cucumbers are plentiful at Jim Pike’s farmstand in

Sagaponack, New York, I love to make fatoush, a

Middle Eastern salad with feta and toasted pita

bread. The chickpeas make this a very hearty

lunch and lots of chopped fresh herbs—parsley,

mint, and basil—give it so much flavor. It’s up to

you whether you serve this in the traditional way

with the pita tossed in the salad, or the way I do

with the pita on the side.

10 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded, cored, and 1/2-inch-diced

1 hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and 1/2-inch-diced

1 can or jar (12 to 16 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1⁄3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1⁄3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

1⁄3 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup good olive oil

8 ounces good feta cheese, 1/2-inch-diced

Toasted pita bread, for serving

Barefoot ContessaHow Easy Is That?

Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips by Ina Garten

1 4 4 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M

MIDDLE EASTERN VEGETABLE SALAD

RRRRRURRURUUUURRRARRARAAAAAALLAAA ATATATPPAA AA EEEETTTATTLLPPP AAAAARR RRARRRRRRRUUUUUARAARRRRRLAALLAAAAAAAAAAAAALAALLLLAAAA ATATATATPPPP EEAAAA AAAA EEEETTTTEEEEPPPPAARRRRRRRAALLAAAAAALL TTLLLLLLTTLLLLLLAALLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLAARR RRRRRR RRR LLLUUUUUU AAAA

RURA L PA LAT E SPlace the scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, parsley, mint, and

basil in a large salad bowl and toss to combine.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, gar-

lic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil

to make an emulsion. Pour the dressing over the salad, tossing gently to

coat all the vegetables. Add the feta, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and

toss gently. Serve the salad with the toasted pita bread.

I prefer Cirio chickpeas in a jar, if you can find them, but canned chick-

peas will be fine.

I use Greek feta. Be sure to dice rather than crumble it.

ROASTED SALMON WITH GREEN HERBSServes 6

This is a great last-minute dinner.

I can pick up the salmon on the

way home, and I’ve usually got

some herbs in the garden, and

the rest of the ingredients in the

pantry. Roasting is so much less

stressful than grilling and the

salmon stays very moist. I have

needlenose-pliers in a drawer for

removing any pesky pinbones

that the fish store misses.

1 (2- to 2 1/2-pound) skinless salmon fillet

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup good olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (4 scallions)

1/2 cup minced fresh dill

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

1/4 cup dry white wine

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the salmon fillet in a glass, ceramic, or stainless-steel roasting

dish and season it generously with salt and pepper. Whisk together the

olive oil and lemon juice and drizzle the mixture evenly over the salmon.

Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the scallions, dill, and parsley. Scatter the

herb mixture over the salmon fillet, turning it so that both sides are gen-

erously coated with the green herbs. Pour the wine around the fish fillet.

Roast the salmon for 10 to 12 minutes, until almost cooked in the cen-

ter at the thickest part. The center will be firm with just a line of uncooked

salmon in the very center. (I peek by inserting the tip of a small knife.) Cover

the dish tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut the

salmon crosswise into serving pieces and serve hot with lemon wedges.

MOCHA CHOCOLATE ICEBOX CAKEServes 8

Almost everyone has fond memories of that old-fashioned dessert made

with chocolate wafers and whipped cream. I decided to update that ice-

box cake with really good chocolate chip cookies and mocha whipped

cream. WOW—and talk about easy! I use chocolate chip cookies from

Tate’s Bake Shop in Southampton, New York, which are available nation-

ally or at TatesBakeShop.com. If you can’t get them, use another thin,

crisp chocolate chip cookie.

2 cups cold heavy cream

12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup Kahlúa liqueur

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Pernigotti

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 (8-ounce) packages Tate’s Bake Shop chocolate chip cookies

Shaved semisweet chocolate, for garnish

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine

the heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, Kahlúa, cocoa powder, espresso

powder, and vanilla. Mix on low speed to combine and then slowly raise

the speed, until it forms firm peaks.

To assemble the cake, arrange chocolate chip cookies flat in an 8-inch

springform pan, covering the bottom as much as possible. (I break some

cookies to fill in the spaces.) Spread a fifth of the mocha whipped cream

evenly over the cookies. Place another layer of cookies on top, lying flat

and touching, followed by another fifth of the cream. Continue layering

cookies and cream until there are 5 layers of each, ending with a layer of

cream. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Run a small sharp knife around the outside of the cake and remove

the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the top with the chocolate, cut in wedges,

and serve cold.

* Tate’s Bake Shop cookies are 2 inches in diameter, thin, and crisp.

You will have cookies left over from 3 packages, which never seems to be

a problem here.

* If you heat the block of chocolate in a microwave for 30 seconds, you

will get larger shavings.

Reprinted from the book Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? by

Ina Garten. Copyright (c) 2010 by Ina Garten. Photographs copy-

right (c) 2010 by Quentin Bacon. Published by Clarkson Potter, a

division of Random House, Inc.

ROASTED SALMON WITH GREEN HERBS

MOCHA CHOCOLATE ICEBOX CAKE

❉

LL PPPAPAAALALAATATT ET EE SE SSSLLLLLLLL