Interpret this as you will. We don't mean just uncooked food -- steak tartare, oysters on the half shell -- per se. What we want is this: the very best ingredients, mostly unadulterated. But give them to us in new forms. Impress us -- a caprese salad isn't going to cut it.
These are not your usual contests. We have a slightly nutty system but it works. Together, the Food52 community has created two cookbooks this way -- there’s no stopping us now. Read about it
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In the raw: sweet corn, persian cucumber, red bell pepper, shallot, parsley, dill, garlic, vidalia onion, buttermilk, yogurt, and Bulgarian feta. MIA? The white wine vinegar ... oops!
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Disciplining the vegetables ...
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Chipper little chunks of cucumber are refreshing as can be when coated with the buttermilk yogurt dressing -- like a distant cousin of tsatziki.
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As Creamtea explains, you coat the shallots in salt for a bit (20 minutes) to coax out their natural "harshness".
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Don't worry -- she's a pro. Watch those fingers when you do this, though!
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The Merrill method to taming garlic.
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Adding the vinegar to the yogurt and buttermilk mixture. Feel the tang!
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In goes the onion ...
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Poor little garlic.
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Ain't she a beauty? Now to drizzle in the olive oil for the emulsified dressing.
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How noble is a resting knife? Chop job well done.
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Truly the safest technique to cutting corn off the cob -- lie it on its side and gently rotate, shearing it of kernels one side at a time. We'll have none of this stand-it-on-end-and-slice-off-your-fingers bit.
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That's why they call it "tossed". We loved the way this salad embodied the beauty of raw crunch.
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A shower of herbs just waiting to be united with vegetables below -- oh dressing, where art thou?
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There you are!
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Beautifully tossed and plated, Amanda aranges the Bulgarian feta (which has just the right amount of tang, but not the strength or salt of Greek, or mildness of French).
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Lunch, please.
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The ingredients for this homemade snow cone: mint, lemon, Pernod, turbinado sugar, cherries, and cream.
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Selecting cherries -- weirdly, nearly all of ours were "twins!"
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Love the cherry pitter.
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The scene of the crime.
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Hard at work.
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Turbinado sugar is great for muddling -- its coarse texture really helps to break up the fruit and mint.
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Almost a shame to muddle this ...
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A splash of Pernod really makes this dish.
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Amanda's at the ready in case there's a muddling disaster.
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About halfway there.
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Meanwhile, it's time to shave some ice. If the ice gets stuck under the blade, just shake the blender a little (with the power off).
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Snow in summer.
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Bliss in a glass.
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