Why mess with Nature's perfection? Ingredients can speak for themselves while beautifully arranged.
Sometimes your best intentions or instructions are not relayed in the way that you would prefer. One of my huge problems is my ability to pass on my expectations. I assume that the person that I am speaking to already knows what I am talking about, and I carry the conversation from that point.
Then disaster strikes. You arrive at a dish that is not what you envisioned.
Enter in today’s photo. I took this photo so that I could lay back my expectation of the dish. Regarde! C’est la Salade!
You might be asking what I am talking about. Let me relay the story:
I changed our banquet menus to be more seasonal, more local. (Part of the promise that I set out to our clients at the hotel.) Well, the Winter here in Montreal can be a little bit – demanding on the local front. We have to look to have most products local. We then default to the season.
All components of this salad represent that. All is fine with the world then. I explained the salad to the cook, assuming that they knew about the dishes background and how it was to be presented.
What I got was a bowl of baby spinach, a bowl of marinated Feta cheese, a bowl of Lemon Oregano vinaigrette, and a bowl of shaved onions.
In all, there is nothing wrong with that presentation, all components were there.
The problem comes from the client’s side. Why should they have to guess what components are in the salad? Plus, with all components deconstructed, will it look good?
I quickly put the components together to make a nice composed salad. I think you will agree it looks good, no?
The picture represents the salad, and my need to communicate with my staff more effectively, and to inspire them with my vision.
It seems a small thing about the salad. Any chef will tell you that it is the small details that count.
Baby Spinach with Marinated Feta, Shaved Red Onions, Kalamata Olives and Oregano Lemon Vinaigrette
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette
- 1 shallot, peeled, minced
- 10 mL (1 1/2 tsp) Dijon mustard
- 5 lemons, zest and juice
- 250 mL (1 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 sprigs fresh oregano, minced
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
For The Salad
- 1 bag baby spinach, washed
- 225 grams (8 oz) Feta cheese, washed, cubed, (marinated in lemon oregano vinaigrette above)
- 1 medium onion, peeled, shaved thinly on mandolin
- 100 grams (2 cups) Kalamata olives
Method:
For the vinaigrette:
- Place shallot and Dijon mustard in a medium sized bowl; whisk to incorporate.
- Add lemon juice, whisk until the mixture is frothy.
- Slowly drizzle the olive oil while whisking vigorously to make an emulsion.
- Continue drizzling the olive oil into the bowl until it is finished and the dressing has come together. (If it breaks, fear not! Just add it to a mason jar. Put the rest of the ingredients inside and shake vigorously.)
- Add in chopped oregano; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- As a final touch, separate a quarter of the dressing and marinate your feta cheese.
For the Salad
- At the time of service, toss your baby spinach together with the dressing, place in a serving platter.
- Place marinated feta in front, the olives on the side, and the shaved onions on the top.
- Serve immediately so the spinach does not wilt.
How would you serve this salad? I would love to know!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, a couple things
red wine vinegar,garlic, toms, cucumbers………….. maybe a little persely as well, mint( thats the greek secret) shhhh do not tell anyone
instead of regular pepper lemon pepper has a beautiful kick and sea salt considering the greek background.
dijion mustard is not very greek…
any if it were details that counted hopefully the olive oil would come from greece, its a well kept secret but the do have the best olives so duh the best oilve oil extra virgin cold pressed of course.
and to be a hard ass nothing represents a winter salad from quebec here, i.e local ingredients, flavours
maybe the only ingredient from quebec could be the sweet onions or taking a long shot, green house spinanch
and why wash the feta… weird, its in a brine for a reason
all so i can tell the olives were not pitted from the photos, bad move for a function or salad, always pit’em
@Benjamin – Thank you for your response. Actually, the ingredients in the salad do in fact come from a local supplier. Granted, they may be in the hothouse, but they are local nonetheless. Remember also, if you cannot go local, at least go in season. As for the olive oil, a good Greek Kalamata olive oil is the way we ride here.
We wash the feta because the brine can be hard to eat. While it is in the brine for a reason, no one likes a big old cup of that stuff. I got that from a Greek grandmother. Finally, I have pitted and not pitted olives in the past. For a salad- not pitted, for a pasta – pitted.
LOL. Not-So-Secret ingredient in many Greek dressings is Dijon mustard. Restaurants that is. Gives it a little kick-me-up.
I am always craving feta and olives, and I mean daily.
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