Can I be forgiven if I sneak off without my usual couple of paragraphs of diatribe? I am sick you see, I have a nasty cold and I have been losing my lustre as the morning has progressed. But I just had to post this today in case you were looking for inspiration for tonights dinner.
I am going to leave you with a couple of words to best describe this creation (that is as wonderful as it sounds), and they are; packed with flavour (so many flavours – it’s creator, Suzanne Goin is right in saying each mouthful will taste different), decadent, indulgent, tender and crisp.
Okay, more than a few words I know, but I just had to get the message across – this salad is sensational!
Now, back to bed for me, have great weekend!
Ingredients
1/2 cup blanched hazelnuts (no skins)
2 tablespoons finely diced scallions (shallots)
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 kilo/2 pounds wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, black trumpets, or hedgehogs, cleaned
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
170 grams/6 ounces mixed salad of treviso, dandelion greens, and frisée, (or any other leafy green), washed
¼ cup tarragon leaves
¼ cup chervil sprigs
½ cup flat leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup of ½ inch chive batonnets
¼ cup sliced scallions (shallots)
¼ pound wedge Pecorino di Grotta or other pecorino
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 375f.
Toast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet 8 – 10 minutes, tossing them once or twice, until they smell nutty and are a light golden brown. Let them cool, then chop the nuts coarsely.
Place the diced shallots, sherry vinegar, and ½ tsp. salt in a bowl, and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk in 5 Tbsp. olive oil and set aside.
If the mushrooms are large, tear them into smaller (1 – 1½ inch) pieces. (They’ll shrink once they’re cooked, so don’t make them too small.)
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil and heat another minute. Swirl in 1 Tbsp. butter, and when it foams, scatter half the mushrooms in the pan. Season with 1 tsp. thyme, ¾ tsp. salt, and a healthy pinch of pepper. Sauté the mushrooms about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’re tender and a little crispy. They should not be soggy. (The cooking time will depend on the particular mushrooms you use.) Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a plate, and repeat with the second batch.
Meanwhile, place the salad and herbs in a large salad bowl.
When the second batch of mushrooms is done, add the first batch back to the pan. Cook for another minute or two to heat thoroughly, then toss in the sliced shallots. Spoon the hot mushrooms over the salad. Return the pan to the stove and add three-quarters of the vinaigrette, swirling the pan to heat it. When the dressing is very warm, pour it over the salad. Season with ¼ tsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss carefully to dress the salad and mushrooms, and taste for seasoning. You may need a little more salt, pepper, vinaigrette, or straight sherry vinegar.
Arrange half the salad on a large platter. Use a vegetable peeler to shave some pecorino over the salad, and sprinkle half the hazelnuts over that. Place the remaining salad on top, and finish with shavings of cheese and the rest of the nuts.
Notes: This salad has quite a few steps and involves quite a bit of prep so make sure everything is chopped and ready to go before you start. Also, if you cannot get your hands on the mushrooms specified then any will do – even plain brown mushrooms work really well.
Source: Sunday Suppers
© 2011, Michelle. All rights reserved.
