A Salad That Makes Summer Real

Here is a salad I learned to make by watching Craig Claiborne (above) and Pierre Franey (below) make it at the Springs Fishermans’ Fair in an August of the late 1970s. There are many things you could serve with this, but it calls for nothing at all except, perhaps, a very nice simple baguette, a perfect summer’s evening at twilight with a clear pink sky and the hopes for a beautiful tomorrow

1. Mussels, very well rinsed, bearded, steamed until the shells are open, and cooled. How many mussels? As much as one of your friends wants to eat, multiplied by the number of people you’re going to serve.
2. Red onion, peeled and coarsely chopped.
3. Parsley, rinsed and coarsely chopped
4. Good olive oil.
5. Good wine vinegar.
6. Salt.
7. Freshly ground black pepper.

In an enormous bowl toss all of the ingredients together.