Saladish

Ilene Rosen is our chef, creative director, and co-owner here at R&D Foods. Saladish is her first cookbook, and winner of a 2019 James Beard Cookbook Award.

A “saladish” recipe is like a salad, and yet so much more. It starts with an unexpectedly wide range of ingredients, such as Japanese eggplants, broccoli rabe, shirataki noodles, Bosc pears, and chrysanthemum leaves. It emphasizes contrasting textures—toothsome, fluffy, crunchy, crispy, hefty. And marries contrasting flavors—rich, sharp, sweet, and salty. Toss all together and voilà: an irresistible symphony that’s at once healthy and utterly delicious.

Cooking the saladish way has been Ilene Rosen’s genius since she unveiled the first kale salad at New York’s City Bakery almost two decades ago, and now she shares 100 fresh and creative recipes, organized seasonally, from the intoxicatingly aromatic (Toasty Broccoli with Curry Leaves and Coconut) to the colorfully hearty (Red Potatoes with Chorizo and Roasted Grapes). Each chapter includes a fun party menu to turn a saladish meal into an impressive spread.

Rosen resides in Brooklyn, a seven-minute walk from our shop and a two-minute walk from the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket, where she continues to be exuberant about fruits and vegetables.