Fall

Warm Chantrelle Salad with Escarole and Pecorino Romano

by:
November 18, 2010
5
1 Ratings
  • Serves 4-6
Author Notes

The beauty of wild mushrooms is that they can easily take the starring role in a meal. And while they're earthy and satisfying, they're not heavy. Paired with fresh greens, they seem a great way to transition from winter to spring. When cleaning your mushrooms, simply brush them off, don't rinse in water or they'll taste like soggy sponges and won't get crisp as they're sauteed in butter. Don't be skimpy with the salt and pepper...the salad will taste flat without proper seasoning. (Though this salad holds its own as a light meal, if you crave a bit more, add some pancetta or pair it with a grilled steak.) --KayKay —kaykay

Test Kitchen Notes

I wish I had made this for our Thanksgiving meal! It is the perfect fall salad -- warm, sweet from the vinaigrette and a bit spicy from the Pecorino cheese. And I agree with kaykay – the more cheese the better! I couldn't find escarole -- so used a combination of arugula and mixed greens and it worked perfectly. I also added a touch of maple syrup to my Dijon mustard in place of the sweet mustard. The vinaigrette was fantastic, one that I can see using over and over again on many different salads this winter. - Jennine —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Salad
  • 1 pound chantrelle mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 12 ounces baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or lemon thyme leaves, chopped
  • 1/3 cup loosely packed italian parsley, chopped
  • 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
  • 8 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 5-6 cups escarole, arugula or mixed greens
  • shaved pecorino romano, to taste (I like a lot!)
  • 1/4 cup toasted pinenuts
  • Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sweet mustard such as balsamic or champagne maple
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • a few shaves of lemon zest (optional)
Directions
  1. Prepare the dressing-- place all the ingredients in a jar. Close jar tightly with a lid and shake to emulsify. Taste test it...it should be well balanced...be sure to add enough salt to balance out the acids.
  2. Toss the mushrooms, thyme, parsley, and shallots together in a large bowl. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. When butter is melted, spoon 1/3 of the mushroom mixture into the pan and stir to coat. Spread out the mushrooms evenly in the pan. There should be a little space between the mushrooms. If there isn't, remove some of the mushrooms and plan to saute more batches. Resist the temptation to stir the mushrooms nervously. Just let them sit there until they start getting a crisp brown edge, then toss a bit to brown the other side. Season generously with salt and pepper and remove them from the pan into a medium sized bowl. Again, add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil and add another 1/3 of the mushrooms. Continue process until all the mushrooms are sauteed.
  3. To assemble the salad, place the greens on a serving dish. Top with shaved pecorino romano and pinenuts. Spoon warm mushrooms in the middle. Drizzle salad with dressing.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Daphne
    Daphne
  • monkeymom
    monkeymom
  • mrslarkin
    mrslarkin
  • kaykay
    kaykay
kaykay

Recipe by: kaykay

I love cooking because you don't have to follow rules. I have dessert after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I'd choose cioppino over fettucine alfredo any day. I love that my 6 and 9 year old daughters are epicurean adventurers and will plow through a huge bowl of mussels, sweat their way through Indian curry, or savor raw sushi. I can't pick my favorite meal until the end. Then, I will reflect back and choose one that truly stood out after after a lifetime of culinary indulgence.

6 Reviews

Daphne November 20, 2010
I love salads and this is so complimentary to our Thanksgiving menu. Can't wait to make it and Happy Thanksgiving kaykay!
 
kaykay November 22, 2010
Hope you have a great holiday with the family Daphne!
 
kaykay November 22, 2010
Hope you have a great Thanksgiving with the whole family!
 
monkeymom November 19, 2010
I want this!
 
mrslarkin November 19, 2010
Yum! I love all the flavors here, kaykay! Glad you're back!!
 
kaykay November 22, 2010
Thanks for the welcome back...looking forward to another food-filled year on Food52!