It’s early April and in Sydney we’re now heading down a slippery slope towards winter. Even though we haven’t exactly pulled out the woollies yet I did serve a warm salad last night rather than a chilled, summery one and we enjoyed the change.
A pile of green vegetables, sautéed with garlic and shallots and tossed with red grapes, parmesan and almond slivers isn’t a common, garden variety salad but I think the dictionary definition of a modern salad probably needs an up-date.
At an exhibition of drawings recently, I was surprised to see works which were clearly paintings and asked an artist friend to define drawing for me. He said “if the artist says it’s a drawing, it’s a drawing”. I think we can carry that philosophy over to the kitchen too.
The warm salad below can be very versatile. It can be served as an entrée or simply on the side with something grilled or barbecued.
It can become a more substantial dish when tossed through gluten-free pasta.
With extra stock added it can become a soup.
Is it still a salad? Apparently it is if the cook says so.
Rosie
WARM GREEN VEGETABLE SALAD WITH RED GRAPES, ALMONDS AND PARMESAN
Serves 6 as a vegetable accompaniment
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 golden shallots, finely sliced
50 gm unsalted butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
200 gm baby brussels sprouts, halved
2 bunches broccolini, florets only
2 bunches asparagus
80 gm red seedless grapes, halved
200 ml chicken or vegetable stock
2 witlof
90 gm parmesan, freshly grated or shaved
40 gm almond slivers, toasted
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sauté golden shallots and garlic in olive oil and butter until soft, add brussels sprouts, broccolini florets and asparagus. Fry until brussels sprouts are lightly browned and broccolini florets and asparagus half cooked. Add chicken stock and allow it to reduce to a glaze. Toss in grapes and toasted almond slivers for a few seconds. Remove from the heat and toss together with parmesan and witlof.