In Defense of Pasta Salad

I have always wondered why certain so-called connoisseurs in this country turn up their noses at pasta salads. I suspect snobbery might be the reason--after all, pasta salads are not part of classic cuisine. Still, I think they’re an invaluable part of any cook’s repertoire.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that pasta salad--an American invention, though Asians have been eating cold noodles for centuries--has finally “arrived” in Europe. I just returned from the French capital, where I saw pasta salads displayed not only at fine charcuteries but even in the window of the most fashionable food store in Paris, Fauchon. Right next to Fauchon’s famous glazed ducks was a platter of salade venitienne , made of fettuccine, baby shrimp, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs and vinaigrette.

Unlike old-fashioned macaroni salads with sweet, thick mayonnaise dressings, today’s American pasta salads are made with fresh vegetables, herbs and light dressings. Those featuring shrimp or other seafood (like the one at Fauchon) are the most elegant and luxurious. Yet they’re also economical--the inexpensive pasta helps stretch a small amount of seafood.

There’s usually no need to use fresh pasta in salads, because its delicate texture is lost once it cools and absorbs the dressing. Dried pasta is available in a greater variety of interesting shapes than fresh pasta, anyway. Try one of the flavored varieties, some of which are perfect with seafood. Black pasta made with squid ink, for example, creates a dramatic background for the pink and white hues of fish and shellfish.

Dressings for seafood and pasta salads are most often versions of vinaigrette, like the tarragon and sesame dressings below. These clear, light-textured dressings show off the salads’ colors and shapes to best the advantage and highlight seafood’s subtle flavor without masking it.

Seafood and pasta salads taste best when served cool rather than cold, so they should be removed from the refrigerator 15 minutes to 30 minutes before being served. This allows the dressing, which thickens when chilled, to soften slightly. If the salad appears to have absorbed all the dressing, moisten it by adding 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon lemon juice or wine vinegar at the last minute.

With warm weather, refreshing seafood-and-pasta salads are convenient to put together. And since you can make the salads ahead, they solve the main problem shared by pasta and seafood--both usually require last-minute cooking.

This salad is quick and easy to prepare because it uses cooked crab meat. You can substitute cooked lobster, shrimp or a white-fleshed fish like sole or sea bass. It’s also pretty when prepared with black pasta and a pink type of crab meat such as snow crab. Serve the salad on a bed of tender lettuce leaves, or, if you want, stir in one or two cups lightly cooked asparagus tips.

CRAB-LINGUINE SALAD WITH SESAME DRESSING

8 ounces cooked fresh or frozen crab meat or small cooked shrimp

Sesame Dressing

8 ounces dried linguine

Boiling salted water

3 tablespoons minced parsley

3 tablespoons chopped green onions

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, optional

Asian chile oil, optional

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Salt, optional

Pick through crab, discarding any pieces of shell or cartilage. Reserve few large pieces of crab for garnish. Place remaining crab meat in bowl. Add 1 tablespoon Sesame Dressing and let stand about 15 minutes.

Cook linguine, uncovered, in large pan of boiling salted water over high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm to bite, about 8 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to large bowl.

Add remaining dressing, parsley, green onions and cilantro and toss. Add crab mixture and toss. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding chile oil and salt to taste. (Salad can be covered and refrigerated 1 day.) Just before serving, add sesame seeds and toss. Garnish with reserved crab meat. Makes 2 to 3 main-course servings, or 4 to 5 appetizer servings.

Note: To toast sesame seeds, place in small heavy skillet over medium-low heat and stir until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.

Sesame Dressing

2 tablespoons sesame oil

3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar or 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon chile oil or hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Dash salt

Combine sesame and vegetable oils, vinegar, chile oil to taste and salt in small bowl and whisk until blended. Set aside.

It’s hard to imagine that such an exquisite entree could be so simple to make--it’s simply black fettuccine tossed with pink poached salmon, a simple vinaigrette dressing and fresh chives. For an even more festive salad, top each portion with sour cream and a spoonful of caviar.

BLACK-PASTA-AND-SALMON SALAD

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 cups water

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried

1 bay leaf

1 1/4 pounds salmon steaks, about 1 inch thick

4 teaspoons Sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar

4 or 5 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

8 ounces dried black fettuccine or spinach fettuccine

Boiling salted water

2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

1/2 to 3/4 cup sour cream, optional

4 teaspoons black or golden caviar, optional

Combine wine, water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, thyme and bay leaf in deep medium skillet. Bring to simmer. Add salmon steaks. Cover and cook over low heat about 9 minutes or until salmon can just be flaked with fork. Remove salmon with slotted spoon and let cool.

Whisk vinegar with salt and pepper to taste in small bowl. Whisk in 3 tablespoons oil. Adjust seasonings to taste. Set aside.

Cook fettuccine, uncovered, in large pan in boiling salted water over high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm to bite, about 5 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to bowl. Toss with remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool completely.

Remove skin and any bones from salmon. Break meat into bite-size chunks. Place salmon in bowl. Add vinegar-oil dressing and toss. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Add salmon mixture and chives to pasta and toss gently. (Salad can be covered and refrigerated 1 day.) To serve, divide salad among 3 or 4 plates. Top each portion with dollop of sour cream and 1 teaspoon caviar. Makes 3 to 4 main-course servings.

For this colorful salad, I prefer fresh spinach pasta because its taste is a better complement to the delicate shrimp - and - tarragon dressing. If you want to use dried pasta, use plain egg noodles, bow ties or herb-flavored fettuccine.

SHRIMP-AND-PASTA SALAD WITH TARRAGON DRESSING

2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar or herb vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

6 to 7 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves

8 ounces medium shrimp, unshelled

Boiling salted water

1 medium carrot, cut into 2 1/2x1/2x1/4-inch strips

2 zucchini or crookneck squash, cut into strips of same size as carrots

9 to 10 ounces fresh spinach fettuccine

Whisk vinegar with mustard in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in 6 tablespoons oil. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon. Adjust seasonings to taste. Set aside.

Cook shrimp in pan of boiling salted water over medium heat until they just turn pink, about 1 1/2 minutes. Rinse with cold water. Drain. Peel and devein. Add shrimp to dressing.

Cook carrot, uncovered, in pan of boiling salted water over high heat 1 minute. Add zucchini and cook until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 1 minute longer. Drain well and set aside.

Cook pasta, uncovered, in large pan of boiling salted water over high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm to bite, about 2 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to bowl. Add shrimp mixture and toss. Add remaining 2 tablespoons tarragon and vegetables and toss again. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding remaining 1 tablespoon oil if needed. (Salad can be covered and refrigerated up to 8 hours.) Makes 4 to 5 appetizer servings.