Guest guest Posted May 22, 2001 Report Share Posted May 22, 2001 * Exported from MasterCook * Grande Vegetable Salad Composee Recipe By :variation on a recipe by Chef Frederic Van Coppernolle, French Culinary Institute Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : French Salads Vegetarian Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- *for the cabbage Chiffonade:* 1 medium red cabbage kosher salt 1/4 cup red wine vinegar water ( room temperature ) *For the tomatoes:* 6 medium plum tomatoes -- peeled and quartered Kosher salt Bowl of ice or ice water *For the cucumber* 1 large seedless cucumber -- peeled and halved. Kosher salt *For the carrots* 2 large carrots * For the mushrooms* 8 whole button mushrooms * For the Seasoning and Dressing* 1/4 cup fresh mint -- thinly sliced 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon -- chopped 1/4 cup fresh parsley 1/4 cup fresh chives *For the Basic Vinaigrette (For red cabbage and tomatoes):* 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 3/4 cup olive oil * For the Mustard Vinaigrette ( for the mushrooms )* 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar salt and pepper to taste 3 tablespoons olive oil * For the Lemon Vinaigrette (For julienned carrots) * juice of one lemon 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste *For the Whipped Cream And Lime Dressing: (For cucumbers): * 1 cup whipping cream juice of 2 limes salt and pepper to taste Prepare the Red Cabbage Chiffonade: The raw cabbage requires some coddling to make it as tender and attractive as it can be. So in this preparation we, in effect, gently and briefly cook the cabbage by pouring hot vinegar over it. The slicing technique, called a chiffonade, simply refers to rolling the leaves, several at a time, for easy, even slicing. 1. Quarter the cabbage and cut away the tough white core. 2. Take a few cabbage leaves at a time and roll them together neatly. Slice the roll 1/4-inch thick, until you have roughly two cups of sliced cabbage. 3. Place the cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle it with salt. 4. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar to a boil and pour it over the salted cabbage. Add enough water to completely submerge the cabbage and set aside for 10 or 15 minutes before draining and dressing. Prepare the Tomatoes Tomatoes are at their most tender in salads when they've been peeled. The technique uses boiling water to loosen the skin. Cut away the core at the very end of the tomato and crisscross the other side to give the water the ready access that will allow it to loosen the skin in seconds. The trick is to avoid cooking them. 1. In a saucepan boil enough water to completely submerge the tomatoes. 2. Cut away the hard bit of core at the end of the tomato and cut a small crisscross shape into the skin at the other end (without damaging the flesh). 3. Plunge the tomatoes into the water for about 10 seconds. When the skin at the crisscross begins to curl it means the skin is loosening, and at this point, remove the tomato. Place the tomatoes on ice or in chilled water briefly to stop the cooking action. 4. With a paring knife or your fingers gently peel away the skin. Quarter the tomatoes, sprinkle them with salt (which will remove some excess moisture from the flesh) and set them aside. Prepare the Cucumber The large so-called seedless cucumbers were once exotic but are widely available now. ``Seedless'' is a misnomer, by the way -- there are seeds. They're just smaller than in other varieties, and we're going to remove them. 1. Cut the cucumber into 4-inch sections and halve each section.Using a small spoon, scoop out the seeds. 2. Slice the cucumber 1/4-inch thick There should be about two cups. 3. Place the slices in a strainer over a bowl. Salt the cucumber liberally to remove the excess moisture. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Prepare the Carrots: We want carrots that are thinly sliced but not shredded -- in other words, a ``matchstick'' julienne. The easiest way to accomplish that is with a device known as a mandoline, a kind of little slide with a very sharp blade. But you can do it by hand, too, with a sturdy chef's knife. 1. Peel the carrots. Cut then into 4-inch sections and halve each section. 2. With a mandoline or knife, cut them into julienned strips about the shape of a wooden matchstick. About two cups. Set aside. Prepare the Mushrooms In preparing mushrooms, remember not to wash them, which will create sogginess. The trick is to simply wipe away any excess soil with a paper towel or damp cloth towel. 1. Remove the stems and discard them. 2. Slice the mushrooms 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. There should be about two cups. Prepare the Basic Vinaigrette (For red cabbage and tomatoes): 1. Place the vinegar in a mixing bowl. Add the salt and pepper and blend. 2. Slowly pour in the oil, whisking until it is thoroughly blended and thickened into an emulsion. Prepare the Mustard Vinaigrette ( for the mushrooms ) One of the most common additions to vinaigrettes is mustard. It delivers a more complex flavor and creates a much thicker emulsion, as it helps to bind the oil and vinegar. 1. In a mixing bowl, add the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Blend well. 2. Slowly pour in the oil as you whisk, creating a thick emulsion, something resembling a light mayonnaise. Prepare the Lemon Vinaigrette (For julienned carrots) Although the acid used in the following recipe is lemon juice, not vinegar, it is still considered a " vinaigrette, " a loose term applied to all dressings of this kind. 1. Place the lemon juice, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Blend well. 2. Slowly whisk in the oil, creating a smooth emulsion. Prepare the Whipped Cream And Lime Dressing: (For cucumbers): When you choose cream as the designated fat, it needs to be beaten until it thickens into a lightly whipped cream. Not only does this add body to the dressing, but incorporating air helps resist curdling when the acid is added. 1. With a whisk beat the cream until it is lightly whipped, and set aside. 2. In a separate bowl, add the salt and pepper to the lime juice. 3. Add the lime juice to the whipped cream gradually, using a gentle, rapid folding motion rather than beating (otherwise, the air -- and the fluffiness -- will be lost). Place the dressing foundation in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, until needed. Apply the Seasoning and Dressing: We're going to flavor the vinaigrettes with herbs--.that's done at the end to preserve freshness. The easiest method for slicing the mint is to roll the leaves and slice the rolls, as in the chiffonade of cabbage. In each case, reserve any leftover sprigs for garnish at the end. l. Toss about half the basic vinaigrette mixture with the cabbage, until well-coated. Set aside. 2. Add tarragon to the mustard vinaigrette and toss well with the mushrooms until well-coated. 3. Add the mint to the chilled cream dressing and delicately fold in the drained cucumber. 4. Add the lemon dressing and parsley to the carrots and toss until thoroughly coated. 5. Add the drained tomatoes and chives to the remaining basic vinaigrette and toss. Plating: Arrange the vegetables on 6 individual plates in wedge like shapes ( like the spokes of a wheel ) Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with fresh French bread Source: " NY Times Website " - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Per serving: 575 Calories (kcal); 58g Total Fat; (87% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 54mg Cholesterol; 100mg Sodium Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 11 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates NOTES : This is delicious and not as hard as the long recipe implies. It takes some time but is well worth it, parts can be prepared ahead and assembled just before a dinner or party. It is typical of " Salad Composee " served in French Bistos. After all this attention to detail, what you want to do is create a kind of painting on each serving plate. The notion of a wheel is used , with each of the vegetables placed as spokes radiating out from the center of a round plate. An attractive color scheme was used and included orange, white, purple, beige, red: carrots, cucumber, cabbage, mushrooms, tomatoes. Then for additional garnish, a few reserved sprigs of herbs to each platter to each platter. If you wish to make this more substantial as a lunch or even a main course summer meal, add some poached chicken breast, or fish or prosciutto. Place the protein ingredient in the center of the wheel and drizzle one of the dressings over it. Or place boiled egg wedges between the spokes NOTES : There is a free video of the preparation of this dish avaiiable at: http://www.nytimes.com/library/dining/cooking/040301potato-intro.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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