SALAD SAINT JEAN
An elegant example of salade composée inspired from the escoffier guide culinaire
Salade Saint-Jean. This elegant version highlights mostly green vegetables, lightly coated in a tangy mayonnaise, and presented with a garnish of chopped hard-boiled egg, gherkins, and a touch of fresh tarragon. This our video tutorial we explore Escoffier’s Guide Culinaire for a solid understanding of this style of salad. Watch for all the necessary steps to create this fresh, sophisticated salad. It’s perfect for a starter it will please all green vegetable lovers.
Serves: 4 | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 batch Homemade Mayonnaise or quality store-bought
Juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 tbsp white vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200 g (7 oz) green asparagus
200 g (7 oz) green beans, trimmed
150 g (5.3 oz) green peas (frozen)
1 small cucumber peeled, seeded and cubed (you must have at least 150 g once prepped and cubed. Replace the cucumber with the same weight of cooked cubed potatoes if preferred)
2 artichokes with bottoms cooked (I used fresh but from a jar is fine)
2 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and finely chopped
4 small gherkins (cornichons), finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped
MISE EN PLACE
Prepare the Homemade Mayonnaise according (recipe here), then whisk in the lemon juice or white vinegar to add some tanginess. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil for blanching the vegetables. Have a bowl of ice water ready. Cook the eggs in boiling water for 9 minutes, cool them under cold water then set aside for later. You can chop the gherkins and tarragon in advance. Wash, trim, peel and cut the vegetables in small cubes (as shown in the video). If using potatoes, once cubed, retain them in cold water. For the asparagus, cut the tips off and set aside, trim the bottom of the stalks then peel the rest of the stalk and chop into small cubes.
METHOD
Start by plunging the peas into a pot of boiling water. As soon as the water returns to a boil, scoop them out and set aside in a bowl. Next, add the green beans to the same pot and let them cook for 5 minutes before removing and reserving. Drop in the asparagus stalks and cook them for another 5 minutes, then take them out and set aside as well. Finally, add the asparagus tips, cooking them for just 2 minutes until tender-crisp. Transfer them straight into a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking, then pat dry and reserve on a plate.
if using fresh artichokes hearts, also cook them in the boiling water for 10 minutes. If using potatoes, cook them for the same time but ensure you start them in cold water.
To assemble the salad, take a large bowl and gently toss all the ingredients together. Stir the mayonnaise through, adding just enough mayonnaise to coat the vegetables lightly—it should cling to them without weighing them down. Season with a little salt and pepper and mix in half the chopped tarragon.
Transfer the salad to individual plates or a serving platter. Decorate the top with the asparagus tips and decorate around the salad with a scattering of boiled eggs ( sliced or roughly chopped) and the chopped gherkins. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh tarragon and a touch of olive oil and vinegar if you like. Serve immediately.
Tips
The original recipe called for chervil but if this isn’t available, use tarragon.