Starter Salads

Here’s something most people don’t know about me: I hate carrots. The only time I’ll eat carrots is if they’re overpowered by cumin, like the roasted carrot at ABC Kitchen, or vinegar, like in this salad.

This starter was a constant presence in my childhood. When I was a kid, I’d wake up from my afternoon nap to a pungent, funky smell—the vinegar. From that first whiff, I’d know my mom was home and making dinner. One of these salads would be the first dish to hit the table, something to munch on while my mom finished up the hot dishes and rice.