Pickled Vegetable Salad w/ Crispy Shallots
4
Ingredients
Bouquet Garni
- 3 sprigs parsley
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
For Salad
- 1½ cups extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 bunch baby rainbow beets
- 1 bunch baby turnips, peeled & washed
- 1 bunch baby carrots peeled & washed
- 1 bunch baby fennel, trimmed & cored
- 1 bouquet garni (see ingredients above)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup quartered white mushrooms
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- ¾ cup white wine
- chopped parsley
- sliced chives
- edible flowers (optional)
- 1 bunch peppercress or other spicy greens
- fried shallots to garnish (see recipe below)
How-to
Make Bouquet Garni
- Tie parsley, thyme and bay leaf in a small piece of cheesecloth and set aside
Make Salad
- Heat olive oil in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat and add onions and garlic
- Cook until tender, about 10 minutes
- Season with salt and pepper
- Add seasonal, local vegetables of choice. Beets (any variety but red), fennel, carrots and turnips are suggested. Add bouquet garni. Cook 6-7 minutes until cooked through, but still al dente
- Add mushrooms and cook 1-2 more minutes
- Add white wine and white wine vinegar. Allow to come back to a simmer. Remove from heat and cool over ice bath to stop the cooking
- Transfer into a bowl or container, cover and refrigerate overnight for best taste
- When ready to serve, strain the vegetables from the liquid (reserving the liquid)
- Toss in chopped parsley and chives, and plate. Garnish with edible flowers (optional)
- Toss peppercress or any other spicy green of choice with a bit of the reserved cooking liquid (the rest can be refrigerated and kept to use as a vinaigrette!)
- Top vegetables with peppercress, and crispy shallots* if desired
*To make crispy shallots, slice shallots thin and coat in all-purpose flour. Heat a small pot of filled with at least 2" of canola oil to 350º. Shake off excess flour and fry until golden-brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Season with salt and serve