Celeriac rémoulade, shredded celery-root salad, is a familiar sight in French delis, alongside shredded carrot salad. It’s very easy to make and surprisingly elegant. The fresh, wood-sy taste of the celeriac provides a good contrast to richer flavours, so this goes particularly well with pork, and also lentils.
The only trick is to make sure you use a good mayonnaise. If you have a stick (immersion) blender, then it couldn’t be easier to make some yourself.
Celeriac remoulade
Serves 2-3 as a side dish.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons good mayonnaise
1 tablespoon good mustard. I like to use a grainy variety
3 tablespoons double cream, crème fraîche, or wholemilk yoghurt
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 medium celeriac (about 450g)
juice of half a lemon—and perhaps the other half as well
1-2 tablespoons capers, optional
1-2 tablespoons gherkins, chopped, optional
salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
Mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, cream or yoghurt, and parsley.
Peel the celeriac, either with a knife or a robust vegetable peeler. Shred it into shreds. The size is up to you—aim for anything between a matchstick and the coarse side of a standard box grater. Toss them with the lemon juice so that they don’t discolour.
Toss with the mayonnaise dressing. Add the capers and/or gherkins, if you wish, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Check to see if you think it would benefit from a bit more lemon juice, or a bit more mustard.
It’s better if you leave it for about 30 minutes, but it’s pretty good just as it is.
Recipe adapted from Nigel Slater.
Warm herb-coated salmon in a winter salad of potatoes, beetroots and sharp greens, with hard-cooked eggs. The fish is cooked in a way that makes it extra-moist.
The recipe has a lot of separate steps but it’s very easy and you can prepare almost everything in advance. The result is delicious and beautiful, so it’s a fine choice if you’re entertaining. The only thing you need to do after your guests arrive is put the fish in the oven 30 minutes before you’d like to eat.
Serve with lots of good bread and a bottle of white wine for a luxurious weekend lunch. When I made it last week we had poached pears for pudding, which rounded things off nicely.
Wild Salmon Salad with Beetroot, Potato, Egg and Mustard Vinaigrette
Serves 4.
A US cup measure is 8 fluid ounces.
Ingredients
For the Salad
500g beetroots, more or less
6 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, zest grated first
500g potatoes, more or less
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
3 extra-large eggs
½ cup shallots, minced
2 tablespoons dill, minced
1 tablespoon tarragon, minced
¼ cup parsley, minced
1kg salmon fillet in one piece. The recipe calls for wild salmon and if you can find that it is indeed tasty.
200g salad leaves, or more if you like a very leafy salad. Rocket and other sharp-tasting greens are best. In the summer you can use dandelion.
For the Dijon Vinaigrette
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200C.
For the vinaigrette
Whisk the egg yolk in a small bowl with the mustard, vinegar and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste. You might not use it all; the extra can be kept in the fridge for at least a week.
For the beetroot
Toss the beetroot with 2 tablespoons of oil and some salt and pepper. Place in a roasting tin with a splash of water, cover with foil, and roast until tender then poked with a fork. How long this takes will depend on the size of your beetroot. Small ones will cook in about 30 minutes; very large ones could take over an hour. When they’re done, let them cool, and then peel them, and cut into bite-sized chunks. Season with 1 tablespoon of oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper.
For the potatoes
While the beets are roasting, prepare the potatoes: cut the potatoes into 3cm chunks (approximately), or leave whole if they are tiny. Toss in a roasting tin with one tablespoon oil, the thyme, and some more salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Leave to cool and then mix them with some salt and 2 tablespoons of the Dijon mustard vinaigrette.
For the eggs
Bring a small pan of water to the boil and carefully lower the eggs into it. Turn the heat to low and simmer for exactly 9 minutes. Remove the eggs and plunge them into cold water to prevent their cooking any further. When they are cool, cut them in half. Season them with a little salt and pepper.
For the salmon
Mix the lemon zest with the shallots, herbs and 2 tablespoons of oil in a small bowl.
Put the fish skin-side down on an oven-proof rack set over a baking tray or roasting tin. Pat a little of the herb mixture onto the non-skin side of the fish, turn over, and pat the remainder onto the skin side. Season with salt and pepper. You can now leave the fish in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it. Just take it out an hour before you’d like to eat, so that it comes to room temperature.
When you are ready to cook the fish: Preheat the oven to 120C and boil a kettle of water. Pour the water into a shallow pan in the bottom of the oven, to create a humid environment in your oven. This will make the fish moist and custard-like. Put the fish, on its rack and tray, into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes. It’s done when it starts to separate into flakes. The centre should be slightly translucent. Try not to overcook it.
To assemble the salad
Scatter the salad leaves over a large serving platter and drizzle with ¼ cup of vinaigrette. Nestle the beetroot and potatoes amongst the greens. Arrange the eggs on top. You can do all this in advance, so that all remains to be done is add the warm salmon.
Once the salmon is cooked, use your hands to pull the warm salmon into chunks over the salad. Drizzle with another ¼ cup of vinaigrette, season with a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve. The additional vinaigrette can be served at the table in case anyone wants more.
Recipe adapted from Susanne Goin, Sunday Suppers at Luques: Seasonal Recipes from Market to Table (2005).
This makes a great lunch. It’s quick, crunchy and surprising. Cooking a cucumber intensifies the flavour and gives it a crisp edge. The richness of the haloumi contrasts with the sweet bite of the tomatoes and the sharp, herby dressing pulls it all together. Eat with some crusty bread.
When I made this I used some of the wild marjoram that grows all over Dorset, but I think it would work well with other herbs, or a mixture of whatever you have to hand.
Griddled Cucumber with Haloumi
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 cucumbers
8-10 cherry tomatoes
half a packet of haloumi, sliced into tranches
for the dressing
handful of fresh marjoram, or oregano, or coriander, or parsley or a mixture of different herbs
100ml olive oil
juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin—for optimal flavour, toast some whole cumin seeds in a dry pan, let them cool, and then grind them with a mortar and pestle.
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (hot or sweet, as you prefer)—or less, to taste
pinch of cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Slice the cucumbers lengthwise into 1cm thick planks.
Heat a frying pan. A grill pan with ridges will leave attractive grill-lines on the cucumbers, if you have such a thing. Brush it lightly with oil and place some of the cucumbers in the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, by which time the undersides should be attractively seared and the flesh should look a bit yellower. Turn them over and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until both sides are charred (but not burnt). Place them on an attractive serving platter. Griddle the remaining cucumbers in the same way.
Prepare the dressing while the cucumbers are cooking: whizz the fresh herbs together with the olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings to make a very thick dressing. Taste it to see if it needs more lemon juice. If it’s extremely thick you can thin it out with a bit more oil.
Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Once the cucumbers are grilled, scatter the tomatoes over them.
When the cucumbers are done use the grill pan to griddle the haloumi. It should take about 3 minutes per side to develop a nice golden crust. Tuck the slices of haloumi amidst the cucumbers and tomatoes. Dot the dressing over the top and serve with crusty bread.
‘This is an instant favorite of anyone who tries it’, writes chef Christopher Boswell. The delicate fennel combines with the tang of the Parmesan to create a very satisfying and subtle little salad.
Crudo di Finocchio con Limome, Prezzemolo e Scaglie di Parmigiano
(Shaved Fennel with Lemon Juice, Parsley & Parmesan)
Note that you do not toss the ingredients together. Instead you layer them directly onto the serving platter.
This might serve 4 as part of a larger meal.
Ingredients
3 Canalside fennel bulbs or 2 large ones
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lemon
60ml really good olive oil—such as that special oil from La Jimena
15 parsley sprigs
30g chunk of Parmesan or Pecorino
Preparation
Cut the bottom off the fennel and then slice off the top, leaving just the bulbous body. This is the bit you need for this salad but you can keep the wispy fronds to garnish some other salad if you like. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise. Remove any tough outer leaves and leave it to soak in lots of water for half an hour, to remove any residual earth.
Drain the fennel and then slice it into the thinnest strips that you can produce. Apparently a mandoline is ideal. Opinions differ as to whether you should slice it longitudinally or horizontally. I don’t know that it makes much difference. The key thing is to get it super thin.
Spread the fennel out on a platter and season it with salt and pepper.
Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice all over the fennel.
Drizzle the olive oil back and forth across the dish.
Remove the leaves from the parsley and scatter them artfully over the fennel.
Finally, using a vegetable parer, shave the cheese into thin wisps over the assemblage. Serve immediately.
(Adapted from Christopher Boswell, Verdure: Vegetable Recipes from the American Academy in Rome (2014).)
This week’s recipe is a comforting, warm pie. The leeks and chicken blend beautifully with the tarragon and cream to make a fine suppertime dish. Accompany it with a salad or some cooked spring greens and spinach.
Chicken and Leek Pie
Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 pie crust
60g flour
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
500g boneless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 2cm pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
25g butter
2-3 leeks, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
80ml white wine
250ml chicken stock
125ml single cream
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley and/or chives, chopped
1 egg, beaten
Roll out the pastry and line the bottom of a 20cm pie dish. Cut out enough for the top, as well, while you’re at it.
Place the lined pie dish and rolled pastry top in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Mix the flour, peppers and salt in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss well. Shake off the excess flour.
Heat the oil and butter in a pan over high heat. When it’s hot sauté the chicken until it’s lightly browned. It does not need to be cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the leeks and garlic to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until wilted. Add the wine and boil for a minute. Add the stock and cream and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add the herbs and return the chicken to the pan. Cook for a minute longer and then remove from the heat.
Put the filling into the pie dish and cover with the top. Slash the top in several places to let out the steam, and then brush with the beaten egg to give it a shiny glaze. Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown.
(Recipe adapted from Bill Granger, Bill’s Sydney Food.)
This week’s recipe combines leeks with tomato-y rice to make a lovely salad.
Leeks à la Grecque
Serves 4 as a starter or part of a mezze.
3-4 leeks
300ml water
150l olive oil
1 heaped tablespoon tomato purée
1 heaped teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper (to taste)
60g white rice
1 lemon
12 black olives
parsley, chopped
Cut the ends off the leeks and slice them into 4cm lengths. Wash them well.
Put the leeks, water, olive oil, tomato purée, sugar, and salt and pepper into a medium-sized pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the rice to the pan and turn the heat down a little so it’s not boiling too furiously. Cover the pan again and cook for 8 minutes more. The rice should have absorbed most of the liquid.
Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the stove, covered, for another 10 to 15 minutes. After this time the rice should be cooked but firm.
While the rice is resting cut the lemon in half. Juice one half and slice the other half into thin slices.
Season the rice-leek mixture with the lemon juice and check whether it needs more salt or pepper. Once you’re happy with it put it into a nice dish and chill. When you’re read to serve it, garnish it with the lemon slices, olives and chopped parsley.
(Adapted from Jane Grigson, Good Things)
Hurrah for La Jimena!
This week’s recipes celebrate the arrival of the delivery of citrus fruits, olives, olive oil and almonds from La Jimena farm in Spain! The recipes combine some of the Canalside winter staples (potatoes and onions) with lemons, oranges and olives, to bring a bit of Spanish sunshine to the Midlands. If you’ve received a box from La Jimena, this is a nice way to use some of its contents. If not, the shops are full of excellent citrus fruits, which are currently at their peak.
These recipes are adapted from Claudia Roden’s wonderful 2009 Arabeque: A Tate of Morocco, Turkey, & Lebanon.
You’ll notice that the dressings for these two salads are virtually identical, yet the results are strikingly different.
Potato and Olive Salad
serves 3-4
500g of Canalside white potatoes
5 tablespoons olive oil
juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon paprika or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin*
salt to taste
1 small red or white onion, finely chopped
12 olives
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Cover the potatoes with cold water and bring them to a gentle boil. (Claudia Roden suggests peeling them first so that they absorb more of the dressing.)
While the potatoes are cooking mix the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, cumin and salt in a serving bowl. Add the onions and olives and set aside until the potatoes are cooked.
When the potatoes are tender drain them and cut into chunks as soon as they are cool enough to handle.
Mix the still-warm potatoes with the ingredients in the bowl. Leave them to absorb the flavours of the dressing if you have time—but it will be tasty to eat right away.
When you’re ready to eat it mix in the parsley.
Orange, Olive and Onion Salad
serves 6
4 oranges
1 large red onion, finely chopped
16 olives
1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin*
1/2 teaspoon paprika or to taste
salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Peel the oranges and cut off as much of the white pith as possible. Cut them into thick slices, and then cut the slices into quarters.
Toss them with the onion and olives and arrange the mixture on a serving plate.
Prepare the lemon in the same fashion as the oranges, but cut it into tiny pieces (i.e. peel it, cut off the white pith, slice it into thin slices, and then chop the slices into small pieces).
Mix the lemon and any juice with the olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt and parsley. Toss this dressing on the salad and serve.
* For the best flavour toast about 2 teaspoons of whole cumin seeds in a dry frying pan (don’t add any oil) until they smell fragrant. Leave them to cool and then grind them in a mortar and pestle.
This is a new regular feature in the weekly members’ update, suggested by member, Rebecca Earle, and using something from next week’s share list. Thanks for this Rebecca, and I look forward to future, tasty, culinary inspiration from you! :o)
It’s modified from Smitten Kitchen: https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/05/carrot-salad-with-harissa-feta-and-mint/
Carrot Salad with Cumin, Feta and Mint
serves 2-4
400g carrots
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 crushed clove of garlic
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon harissa (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
100g feta, crumbled or chopped into bits
Peel the carrots and grate them into a serving bowl.
Heat the oil in a small pan. Once it is hot sauté the garlic, caraway, cumin, paprika, harissa and sugar in the oil until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
Pour the mixture over the carrots and mix. Mix in the herbs and the feta. Very yummy.