PARISIAN SALAD
a midday favorite among Parisians.
The so-called Parisian salad was born out of the bourgeoning tourism trade in Paris, created from the need for cafés to offer a quick bite for foreigners near the busy train and metro stations. Today, it’s part of the foodscape and a midday favorite among Parisians. All you need to re-create this Parisian icon is butter lettuce, ham, Emmentaler cheese, boiled eggs and a mustard vinaigrette.
This recipe features in our cookbook, French Cooking Academy: 100 Essential Recipes for the Home Cook
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 batch Mustard Vinaigrette
2 heads butter lettuce, or a large bag of good-quality lettuce leaves
4 large eggs
4 thick slices (⅝" [1.5 cm]) good-quality leg ham, shredded or cut to your liking
7 oz (200 g) Emmentaler or Gruyère cheese, shredded or cut to your liking
1 tbsp (4 g) finely chopped fresh parsley, (3 g) chives or (10 g) shallot
MISE EN PLACE
Prepare a Mustard Vinaigrette and cut the base off the lettuce and wash and dry the leaves.
METHOD
Cook the eggs in boiling water for 9 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of cold water and let sit for 10 minutes before shelling and cutting them into quarters.
This salad is very much an individual affair served as a one-person serving and not a large salad to dig into. To assemble, line medium-sized plates with a bed of lettuce leaves, sprinkle with the ham and cheese, then lay the egg quarters neatly on top. Finish with a smattering of parsley, chives or shallots.
The mustard vinaigrette is always served in a separate bowl. It’s an unspoken rule in France: Never dress a Parisian salad on behalf of another. I should also add, dressing a salad in advance will “cook” the lettuce limp and droopy, so always add dressing at the last minute.
Variation
As some French cafés are known to do, add the following ingredients to your liking: corn kernels, tomatoes, potatoes, croutons, mushrooms or cucumber.