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Salade de pissenlits
Dandelion salad with warm vinaigrette
Salade de pissenlits: young dandelion leaves from Lorraine and Lyon with a hot shallot vinaigrette, soft-boiled eggs and toasted walnuts
In Lorraine and around Lyon, the first tender dandelion leaves of March and April are gathered from meadows (or bought in bunches at the market) for a salad that marks the end of winter. The leaves are pleasantly bitter, and a hot vinaigrette poured over them wilts them slightly, with soft eggs to make it a light supper. The traditional version has crisp lardons; this vegetarian version uses toasted walnuts and a little of their oil for the same richness. A plate gives about 15 g of protein from the eggs and walnuts, so it is not a high-protein dish. The yolks stay runny, so use pasteurised eggs for anyone pregnant, very young, older or vulnerable, or boil the eggs for 10 minutes instead. The mistake to avoid is using big, old leaves from flowering plants; they are tough and harshly bitter. Chef's tip: soak the leaves in cold water for 30 minutes before drying them; it crisps them and tames some of the bitterness.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the salad
- 5 ½ oz young dandelion leavestrimmed, washed and dried
- 4 eggspasteurised if needed (see above)
- 1 ⅜ oz walnut halves
For the hot vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tbsp walnut oil
- 1 shallotfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toast 1 ⅜ oz walnut halves in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker. Tip onto a board and break up roughly.
4 minStep 2: Lower 4 eggs into boiling water and cook for 6½ minutes for set whites and soft, jammy yolks (10 minutes if you want them fully set). Cool in cold water for 1 minute and peel carefully.
7 minStep 3: Put 5 ½ oz young dandelion leaves in a large, warm bowl. Whisk 1 tsp Dijon mustard, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper in a small bowl.
Step 4: Warm 3 tbsp sunflower oil in the walnut pan over a medium heat and soften 1 shallot for 1–2 minutes without browning. Take off the heat, add 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (stand back, it spits) and 1 tbsp walnut oil, then whisk into the mustard.
2 minStep 5: Pour the hot dressing over the leaves at once and toss until they just begin to wilt. Divide between plates, scatter the walnuts, halve the eggs over the top and serve straight away.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 39 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does salade de pissenlits take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of shallot?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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