Scott Clark Archives | Saveur

Summer Squash and Plum Salad With Umeboshi Vinaigrette

Scott Clark — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 16:23:05 +0000

Cheyenne Ellis (Courtesy Chronicle Books)

Punchy umeboshi (Japanese pickled plum) and salt-brined sakura (cherry blossom) bring their floral zip to this showstopping salad’s kombu dressing. You can find all the ingredients for the vinaigrette—including bonito flakes and shiro shoyu (white soy sauce)—at Japanese markets or online. When it comes to picking summer squash, “Go for the smaller, crisper ones,” which have more flavor, says chef Scott Clark of Dad’s Luncheonette, and “avoid the big, waterlogged monsters.” Shaved into ribbons with a mandoline, the raw vegetables’ tender crunch shines through. Clark suggests using any leftover dressing as a marinade for grilled fish.

Featured in “Building the Ultimate Picnic Spread on the California Coast” by Scott Clark as told to Betsy Andrews in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue. See more recipes and stories from Issue 204.

Makes: 6–8

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

1 cup white balsamic vinegar
¼ cup bonito flakes
2 Tbsp. shiro shoyu
1 Tbsp. salted sakura blossoms, rinsed and squeezed dry
2¼ tsp. sugar
10 umeboshi, pitted and finely chopped
One 3- by 2-in. piece kombu, cut into 1-in. pieces

For the salad:

5 firm plums, such as greengage
5 medium pattypan squash, ends trimmed
4 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
10 shiso leaves, torn
8 salted sakura leaves, rinsed, squeezed dry, and torn

Instructions

Make the vinaigrette: In a large jar with a lid, shake together the vinegar, bonito, shoyu, sakura blossoms, sugar, umeboshi, and kombu. Set aside at room temperature for at least 8 hours, or up to 24.
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl and strain the vinaigrette, discarding the solids. (It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.)
Make the salad: Using a mandoline set at ⅛ inch and placed over a large bowl, shave the plums, turning them as you shave down to their pits. Shave the pattypans sideways into the bowl to make thin disks. Shave the zucchini lengthwise into the bowl to make long, thin ribbons. Mix gently with your hands. Toss in half of the vinaigrette, adding more as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the fruit and vegetables are lightly coated. Toss in the shiso leaves, sprinkle with sakura leaves, and serve.

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Hen of the Woods Mushroom and Egg Sandwich

Scott Clark — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 16:22:57 +0000

Cheyenne Ellis (Courtesy Chronicle Books)

A mainstay at Dad’s Luncheonette in California’s Half Moon Bay, chef Scott Clark griddles maitake mushrooms (also called hen of the woods) in ghee until golden brown and crisp for this hearty sandwich. A fried egg and sharp cheddar provide unctuous oomph, while mustard and pickled onions keep everything balanced and bright. Use good white bread, like a pain de mie or a Pullman loaf, that can stand up to the filling’s heft.

Makes: 1

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. ghee (clarified butter), divided
2 slices white bread
One 3½-oz. hen of the woods mushroom
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 slices sharp cheddar cheese
1 large egg
Mustard, lettuce leaves, and pickled red onions, for serving

Instructions

In a large skillet over -medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the ghee. Add the bread slices and cook without flipping until golden on one side, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a plate toasted-side down and set aside.
In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee. Add the mushroom, season with salt and black pepper, and cook, pressing the mushroom down with a spatula and flipping once, until golden brown and crisp on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Move the mushroom to one side of the skillet and top it with the cheddar. Crack the egg into the open space and cook until the white is set, about 2 minutes. Flip the egg and turn off the heat.
Spread mustard on the untoasted sides of the bread. Top one slice with the lettuce and pickled onions and the other with the mushroom, then the egg. Close the sandwich, cut it in half, and serve.

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Corn Salad With Dandelion Greens and Smoked Blue Cheese

Scott Clark — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 16:22:16 +0000

Cheyenne Ellis (Courtesy Chronicle Books)

When lightly sizzled in ghee and olive oil, sweet summer corn kernels take on a toasty, caramelized flavor, which chef Scott Clark of Dad’s Luncheonette balances with smoked blue cheese and tangy Sun Gold tomatoes. A mix of Italian and purple opal basil as well as dandelion greens lighten these hearty ingredients with a bit of leafy freshness. Dandelion greens become tough and bracingly bitter as they mature, so look for tender, young leaves, or just use the tops.

Featured in “Building the Ultimate Picnic Spread on the California Coast” by Scott Clark as told to Betsy Andrews in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue. See more recipes and stories from Issue 204.

Makes: 4–6

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. ghee (clarified butter)
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, thinly sliced crosswise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ears of corn, kernels removed, divided
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, preferably Meyer
2 tsp. pitted and finely chopped umeboshi
6 Persian cucumbers, or watermelon gherkins, cut into ½-in. chunks (2 cups)
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, preferably Sun Gold, halved
6 oz. smoked blue cheese
1 cup dandelion greens, torn into 1-in. pieces
½ cup packed basil leaves

Instructions

To a medium skillet over high heat, add the ghee, oil, and shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and golden brown, 3–5 minutes. Season generously with salt, then stir in half of the corn kernels. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the corn is fragrant and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Season generously with black pepper and transfer to a large bowl.
To the bowl, add the lemon juice, umeboshi, and remaining corn kernels and stir until fully coated. Set aside.
In a serving bowl, toss together the cucumbers, tomatoes, and a big pinch of salt. Crumble in the blue cheese, then add the corn mixture and toss to combine. Fold in the dandelion greens and basil, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and serve.

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Ember-Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Aged Feta

Scott Clark — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 16:20:44 +0000

Cheyenne Ellis (Courtesy Chronicle Books)

Cooked in hot coals until fluffy on the inside and charred on the outside, these sweet potatoes need little adornment—honey, briny feta, and chile flakes or hot sauce—to become a smoky, satisfying fireside treat. “When you cook with fire, you don’t want raging flames. You want well-controlled embers,” says chef Scott Clark, of Dad’s Luncheonette, so be sure to let your fire die down before burying the potatoes. If you don’t have access to a fire, roast the foil-wrapped sweet potatoes in an oven at 425°F for 50-60 minutes for a similar result.

Makes: 4

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed, ends trimmed
¼ cup ghee (clarified butter), divided
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
6 oz. feta, crumbled (½ cup)
Honey and crushed red chile flakes or hot sauce, for serving

Instructions

Build a large fire in a firepit or a charcoal grill and let it burn down to glowing embers.
Rub each potato with 1 tablespoon of the ghee and 1 teaspoon of the salt and wrap tightly in foil. Break up the embers with a fireplace shovel, then bury the potatoes, seam-side up, completely in the embers. Cook until the potatoes are soft in the center when pierced through the foil with a fork, 45–90 minutes. (Cook time will vary depending on the size and shape of the potatoes and how hot the embers are.)
Remove the potatoes from the fire and carefully unwrap them. Halve the potatoes and top generously with feta, honey, and chile flakes or hot sauce.

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