(raw vegetarian, raw vegan modifiable*, gluten-free)
This is a classic example of letting high quality fresh food speak for itself. No need to overly complicate, and very simply dressed. This was like, a magnificent Alice Waters moment.
Over the weekend, I went to the Winter Park Farmer’s Market which is held every Saturday from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. One of the produce vendors had a variety of the most beautiful heirloom lettuces, the first harvest, right from his organic garden. Colorful, fluffy medleys of leaves were hand picked and neatly bunched into 6 to 8 ounce bags. And right next to those were some lovely haricots verts.
The only other instances I’ve had lettuce that perfect, alive and bouncy from the garden was either at Primo restaurant here in Orlando, where the whole premise is based on garden-fresh local, organic, and sustainable foods, or New York City, or someplace in Europe. It was just luscious.
Sherry-Shallot Vinaigrette:
1 tbs minced shallot
1 tbs sherry vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbs walnut oil
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp herbs de provence
1/2 tsp fleur de sel
a few turns of freshly ground black pepper
Salad:
6-8 oz heirloom lettuce leaves or other very fresh lettuce
8 oz haricots verts
raw goat’s cheese crumbles, such as Montrachet or chevre*
niçoise olives
To prepare vinaigrette, add the shallot and vinegar to a small bowl or cruet and let sit for about 30 minutes. Add all other ingredients and whisk or shake well. It is best to make the dressing a day ahead of time so that the flavors intensify.
I chose to blanch the haricots verts in a pan of shallow water for about 1 minute, then shock in ice water. This is to take the “edge” off due to my personal digestibility. Bypass this step for a completely raw preparation.
In a bowl, add a little of the vinaigrette to the haricots verts, toss, and let sit while preparing the rest of the salad. In another large bowl, add lettuce and gently toss with remainder of vinaigrette.
For plating, simply present the lettuces along with desired amount of haricots verts for each plate portion, followed by a few niçoise olives and crumbles of goat cheese*. If desired, add more freshly ground black pepper.
*Omit goat cheese for vegan preparation.
<3, JMK
