Watercress Salad

Shopping the East Village, Back in Time

People of different generations love to lament about how the East Village in New York City has lost the eclectic charm that they remember from when they first discovered the neighborhood.  I must admit that I am guilty of being one of those people. From the late 70’s through the early 90’s I lived in the East Village and did my food shopping along First Avenue, between Sixth and Twelfth Street. The Ukrainian, Polish, Italian, and Jewish influence, from the immigrants that came here in the early 1900’s, could be felt in the restaurants and mom-and-pop shops. I purchased bread from an Italian bakery where the loaves were on display behind the counter and handed to you in a white, paper bag. Kurowycky Meat Products sold polish sausage such as kielbasa and cured ham. Spices, nuts, and grains were sold by the ounce or the pound, scooped from large barrels, and packaged in brown paper bags at Pete’s Spice and Everything Nice. DeRobertis Caffe, opened in 1904 before the advent of refrigeration, but thankfully by my time they served a tall glass of strong iced cappuccino and cannolis. I can still picture the dim interior and comfortable booths.  A fish monger just up the avenue always had delicious fresh mussels  and explained to me how I should check them for freshness. These small shops, that made you feel as if you were grocery shopping in a European city, no longer exist. My time in the city was also marked by guys walking around with boom boxes on their shoulders, pay phones on street corners, and the possibility of seeing Keith Haring descend into the Astor Place subway station to draw one of his iconic chalk figures.

First Avenue was also home to many purveyors of fruits and vegetables, initially owned  by Italians and later on by Koreans. As new markets opened they became increasingly spacious and more upscale. They always stocked blocks of tofu and bunches of watercress that were kept fresh in bins of water.  Today, unfortunately, at my supermarket, I am only able to buy watercress in a cellophane bag.  The leaves are not as robust as the ones that I remember, but at least they are not packaged in those hard plastic containers. I was introduced to this watercress salad years ago at a dinner party given by a friend.  He explained briefly how it is made and I have been enjoying it ever since, despite my current somewhat disappointing selection of watercress. Even with so few ingredients, the peppery flavor of the watercress coupled with the sesame oil, soy sauce, and caramelized onions provide a burst of flavor.

Ingredients

4 cups watercress, stems and leaves

1 medium yellow onion, slivered

1 T. olive oil

1 T. sesame oil

1 1/2 t. reduced sodium soy sauce

Directions

Wash and dry the watercress. Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil.  Once oil is hot, add slivered onions and sautee until caramelized. Combine onions, while still warm, with the watercress in a salad bowl.  Add sesame oil and soy sauce.  Toss with your hands.  Serve immediately.

Two generous servings.

Thanks for reading!

Vicki