An adaptation of Erin French’s A Salad of Leaves & Blooms

Janet Collecting Edible Flowers for our Farm to Table Salad

Last fall I came across a cooking series on MAX / The Magnolia Network called The Lost Kitchen. The star of the show is Erin French a self-taught chef who owns The Lost Kitchen restaurant in Freedom, Maine. Her culinary journey is both an inspiration and an affirmation that tenacity as a character trait is a good thing!

Fast forward a few months and a friend gifted me the cookbook Big Heart Little Stove by French as a belated birthday present. I’m still reading through it but thus far it has not disappointed! The following salad is an adaptation of her recipe A Salad of Leaves & Blooms. This salad was one of the dishes I served at my first Farm to Table dinner here on the farm (which you will hear more about in a future blog post.)

One of Erin’s big things in her cooking mantra is utilizing produce from local farmers. As we are starting a Market Garden of our own, our leaves and greens came from the Posh Garden. My friends Beth and Janet who were visiting from Denver gathered a variety of mixed greens, and editable flowers including nasturtiums and dill flowers, while I gathered some cucumbers, cherry tomatoes (White Currants which is a pale-yellow varity), and snap peas which we shelled.

Once cleaned and assembled, we made Erin’s dressing which is crisp and refreshing and allows the flavors of the leaves and blooms to shine. I’ve included information on the cookbook at the end of this post.

Ingredients

2 Teaspoons rice wine vinegar

2 Teaspoons finely diced shallots

1 Teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces mixed lettuce leaves (as noted above we added other veggies to the mix)

Edible flowers such as nasturtiums, calendula, bachelor’s buttons, and/or pansies (we also include dill flowers)

Fresh ground black pepper for serving

These above ingredients will dress and serve a salad for two – four people. You will need to increase the proportions if you make a larger salad.

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and shallots. Let the mixture marinate for 15 minutes for the flavors to meld and the shallots to soften. In a chilled stainless-steel bowl, using your hands, gently toss the lettuce leaves etc… with the shallot mixture and the olive oil. Be tender with the leaves so as not to tear or bruise them.

Arrange the leaves in a beautiful bowl, or on a platter, sprinkle with edible flowers and serve with fresh pepper.

Cook’s Note (Erin French): “Tossing the leaves in a chilled bowl will help keep your lettuces perky. Always use your hands to toss a salad and be gentle. Tongs will only damage the leaves. Rinsing your hands in very cold water to chill them down before tossing the lettuces will also help. When plating, think of the leaves of lettuce as being like feathers falling gently from the clouds – they should mound in a nice high tuft.”

Big Heart Little Stove: Bring Home Meals & Moments from The Lost Kitchen

By Erin French

ISBN-10 1250832314

Bon Appetit!