Classic Escoffier French salad platter
Today we explore the several classic french dressings from the Escoffier culinary guide and recreate the classic a French salad platter using 3 of those base dressings. for this particular platter we will combine beetroots, celeriac, lettuce and tomatoes to create a delicious and colorful starter or side dish to share with friends and family.
Keep in mind that this is just one example of what can be done. you can use other vegetable and combine them using the same dressings used in this recipe (I am thinking of potatoes, green beans, cucumber and carrots)
Making a salad platter is really just an assembly games and only a little mise en place (food preparation) is required.
Quick note about salads: It is important to mention that the action of tossing random ingredients together in a bowl and pouring french dressing over it, is not making a mixed salad. The true Salade composée (mixed salad) is made with a combination of ingredients that works well together, offering a contrasting set of textures which are then complemented by a carefully chosen dressing, which goal is to harmoniously complement the vegetables used.
For this recipe most of the work that needs to be done is as follow:
- wash peel, cut (or grate) the raw vegetables ( in this case we grate the celeriac)
- cook the vegetables that need cooking (in this case the beetroot and onions)
- hard boiled and peel the eggs
- make the dressings
- Combine the dressing with the vegetables
- dress up and decorate your salad platter
Most of the work is demonstrated in the video recipe below, but I did mention that the beetroot and the onion need to be oven baked. This two vegetables can be cooked as follow:
Method one: place the beetroot and the onions unpeeled in a baking tray and cook in the oven (on the middle shelf) for around 1 hour to 1h30 minutes (depending on size) at 170 degrees Celsius.
Method two: wrap the beetroot and onions in foil, place in a baking tray ad cook at 200 degrees celsius for 60 minutes.
Note: if you are not keen on using foil wrap the beeroot and onion first in baking paper then wrap in foil ( That way the foil does not touch the vegetable)
Once the vegetables are all prepared it is time to make the dressings. when done mix the them with the vegetables as shown on the video, assemble your mixed salad, decorate with a bit of chopped parsley and you are done.
Base Ingredients for this salad:
- 2 cooked beetroot (oven cooked cut in cubes)
- 2 small onions ( oven cooked ad finely sliced)
- Half a medium size celeriac (grated)
- 4 tomatoes (thinly sliced)
- 2 boiled eggs (optional)
- 2 handful of lettuce leaves 2 shallots (thinly sliced)
- 2 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley
- 1 lemon
Mustard vinaigrette dressing:
- 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
- a pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon of vinegar (xeres wine vinegar)
- 3 tablespoon of oil (grapeseed, peanut or walnut oil)
Remoulade sauce (mustard and lemon mayonnaise) :
- 1 egg yolk
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
- 200 ml of grapeseed, peanut or sunflower oil
- the Juice of half a lemon
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
Mustard cream dressing:
- 100 ml of heavy whipping cream
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard Juice of half a lemon
Video recipe:
