Warm Porcini Salad With Mesclun And Black Truffle Vinaigrette Food

WARM PORCINI SALAD WITH MESCLUN AND BLACK-TRUFFLE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the vinegars, mustard and truffle juice in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the truffle oil. (You should obtain an emulsified vinaigrette thick enough to coat the back of a spoon; if too thick, whisk in more truffle juice or water.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To make the salad, clean dirt from the mushrooms and, depending on their size, either slice them or cut into julienne. Set aside.
• In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until it just begins to turn brown. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, only until thoroughly warm and slightly tender. Add the shallots and remove from heat. Transfer the mushrooms to a mixing bowl and toss with half the vinaigrette and half the chives. Season with salt and pepper.
• In another bowl, toss the greens with the remaining vinaigrette and chives. Divide among 4 plates and top with mushrooms. Serve immediately.

SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD WITH PARMESAN TUILES AND WHITE TRUFFLE-OIL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Tuiles: Place a 12-inch non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan on the bottom of the pan. As it starts to melt, use a spatula to form it into three 2 by 5-inch strips. When the cheese starts to bubble and turn golden brown, remove the pan from the heat. Let cool for 4 to 5 minutes; the strips should be pliable. Pick up one end of a strip with a pair of tongs and lay it across the bottom of an overturned bowl or across a wide cylinder so that the tuile hardens into an arc. Set aside and repeat the process with the other strips. Repeat the entire process with the remaining cheese. (Yields 9 Tuiles) White Truffle-Oil Vinaigrette: Blend all the vinaigrette ingredients except their oils in a 2-quart stainless steel bowl. Whisk in the olive and white truffle oils in a slow, steady stream until it is all incorporated and the sauce emulsifies.
• Salad: Remove the mushroom caps from their stems. Clean the tops with a damp cloth or towel. Peel the stem using a vegetable peeler; discard the scraps. Slice the mushrooms as thinly as possible, and place in a 2-quart stainless steel bowl. Add the remaining vegetables. Add the vinaigrette and toss well.
• To serve: Divide the salad among 6 chilled plates. Stand a Parmesan tuile over each salad. Handle gently and serve immediately.

FRESH PORCINI SALAD WITH FENNEL, ARUGULA AND SHAVED PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO

Steps:

• Shave the Parmigiano-Reggiano into paper-thin slices with a vegetable peeler and set aside.
• Combine the fennel and mushrooms in a bowl. Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the oil mixture over the mushroom mixture and combine well. Mix in the arugula leaves.
• Arrange the mushroom mixture on 4 plates and top with the shaved cheese. Drizzle with truffle oil if desired.

MESCLUN SALAD WITH TRUFFLE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Whisk together all ingredients except mesclun in a large bowl until combined. Just before serving, add greens and toss to coat.

MESCLUN SALAD WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice, vinegar, mustard, and oil until combined and thickened; season with salt and pepper. Add mesclun; toss to coat. Season again with salt and pepper.

MESCLUN SALAD WITH SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Whisk together shallot, mustard, and vinegar. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified, and season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, toss salad greens with just enough dressing to coat.

WARM CHICKEN SALAD ON MESCLUN LETTUCE

Steps:

• Soak the chicken in cold, salted water for 30 minutes to eliminate the"game-y" taste.
• Drain, pat dry, and trim off as much fat as possible.
• Slice the breasts across the grain, cutting the chicken into thin strips.
• In a large glass bowl, stir together the soy sauce, lemon juice, scallions, and sesame oil.
• Add the chicken strips and toss to cover well; cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or as long as 4 hours--the longer it marinates, the better the flavor.
• Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a wok; when it gets quite hot, add the chicken and stir-fry until tender, about 3 minutes.
• Remove the chicken and keep it warm.
• Add the reserved marinade to the wok; if there seems to be a surplus, cook to reduce it a bit.
• Then add the butter gradually, stirring it into the sauce.
• Taste for seasoning; if it seems too bland, add some chopped ginger, more scalions, etc.
• Return the chicken to the wok and cook for 3 minutes to warm it; make sure the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
• Divide the mesclun among 4 plates and spoon the chicken and sauce over the lettuce.
• Serve hot.
• **Fora slightly"heavier" main-dish salad, place a large spoonful of hot white rice over the lettuce; top with the chicken and sauce and serve hot.

TRUFFLE DRESSING/ HERB SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, truffle oil, white wine vinegar, and sugar.
• Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
• Clean and thoroughly dry the mesclun mix.
• Combine the mesclun, radicchio, parsley, and dill and toss thoroughly.
• Just before serving, whisk the vinaigrette vigorously and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Toss the salad with the vinaigrette and arrange on plates.
• Serve immediately.