Herbed Spring Salad With Egg and Walnuts
This bright, herby, fresh-tasting salad makes a very nice accompaniment to a pan-fried breaded pork chop. Cooked beets (preferably golden) thinly sliced radishes, celery and turnips are dressed, then tossed with a mixture of zesty salad greens — use a combination of watercress, dandelion, curly endive, escarole, radicchio, mizuna, spinach, or red sorrel leaves. The components can be prepared in advance, but wait until the last minute before dressing and serving.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 2tablespoons finely diced shallot
- 1tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 3tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste
- ½teaspoon grated garlic (from 2 small cloves)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ¼cup walnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 6ounces/4 cups lightly packed watercress or, preferably, a mixture of zesty salad greens
- 3medium golden beets, cooked, peeled and cut in wedges
- ½cup thinly sliced red radish (6 to 8 medium radishes)
- ½cup thinly sliced turnip (or use small kohlrabi or watermelon radish)
- ½cup thinly sliced celery heart, plus tender leaves (from the center of 1 celery head)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2tablespoons roughly chopped dill
- 2tablespoons tarragon leaves
- 4(7-minute) boiled eggs
- 1cup toasted walnut halves
Instructions
Step 1
Make the vinaigrette: Put shallots in a small bowl. Add mustard, vinegar, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and the garlic. Stir together, and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk in the walnut oil. Set aside for a few minutes, then taste and adjust lemon juice and salt.Step 2
Wash and dry the salad greens. Tear large leaves into smaller pieces, if desired. Wrap in a clean towel and refrigerate if not serving immediately.Step 3
Just before serving salad, put beet wedges in the bottom of a wide salad bowl. Add the radish, turnip and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Add dill, tarragon and half of the vinaigrette. Toss gently to coat.Step 4
Add the salad greens and combine to distribute sliced vegetables evenly. Cut eggs in halves or quarters, and arrange over salad. Scatter walnuts over the top. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.