THIS ALL WHITE SALAD, ACTUALLY MORE OF A REMOULADE THAN A SALAD, WAS AN INSTANT HIT WHEN I SERVED IT AS A FIRST COURSE AT A RECENT DINNER PARTY. THE INGREDIENTS -- BELGIAN ENDIVE, RAW KOHLRABI AND PEARS -- TOSSED IN A CREAMY DRESSING OF LEMON JUICE, MUSTARD AND CRÊME FRAÎCHE; MY VERSION OF A ROBUCHON RECIPE FOR CELERY ROOT REMOULADE. KOHLRABI IS A NEW DISCOVERY FOR ME: SIMILAR TO CELERY ROOT, BUT WITH A MORE TURNIP-LIKE TEXTURE AND THE SLIGHT TASTE OF GREEN APPLE. AT ESTELA IN NEW YORK, IGNACIO MATTOS SLICES IT PAPER THIN AND DRAPES IT OVER TUNA CARPACCIO. IT'S ALSO GREAT HOT, PARTICULARLY PURÉED WITH POTATO. PEAR WAS A LAST-MINUTE INSPIRATION SINCE I THOUGHT THE DISH NEEDED A TOUCH OF SWEETNESS TO OFFSET THE BITTERNESS OF THE ENDIVE AND THE SOURNESS OF THE KOHLRABI AND THE DRESSING. YOU COULD SUBSTITUTE CELERY ROOT FOR THE KOHLRABI, APPLE FOR THE PEARS BUT YOU MIGHT WANT TO GIVE THIS VERSION A SHOT.
PUT A FEW PINCHES OF SEA SALT AND A GENEROUS GRIND OF WHITE PEPPER IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SERVING BOWL. SQUEEZE IN THE JUICE OF 1/2 A LEMON.
WHISK IN 2 TBSPS OF MUSTARD, 1/2 CUP OF CRÊME FRAÎCHE AND 2 TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL.
TRIM THE BASE OF THE ENDIVES. USING A SMAL KNIFE GOUGE OUT THE SMALL, TOUGH TRIANGLE OF WHITE FLESH FROM THE BASE. CUT THE ENDIVES IN 1/2-INCH ROUNDS, LEAVING ABOUT 3 INCHES OF THE LEAVES.
TRIM AND PEEL THE KOHLRABI. ( IT'S EASIER WITH A KNIFE THAN A VEGETABLE PEELER.) PASS THE KOHLRABI THROUGH THE SHREDDING OR JULIENNING BLADE OF A FOOD PROCESSOR.
TOSS THE KOHLRABI WITH THE DRESSING AND ALLOW TO SIT FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING.
PEEL AND CORE THE PEARS. CUT LENGTHWISE INTO EIGHTHS.
PUT THE ENDIVE AND THE PEARS ON TOP OF THE KOHLRABI. TOSS TOGETHER JUST BEFORE SERVING.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
Directions
PUT A FEW PINCHES OF SEA SALT AND A GENEROUS GRIND OF WHITE PEPPER IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SERVING BOWL. SQUEEZE IN THE JUICE OF 1/2 A LEMON.
WHISK IN 2 TBSPS OF MUSTARD, 1/2 CUP OF CRÊME FRAÎCHE AND 2 TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL.
TRIM THE BASE OF THE ENDIVES. USING A SMAL KNIFE GOUGE OUT THE SMALL, TOUGH TRIANGLE OF WHITE FLESH FROM THE BASE. CUT THE ENDIVES IN 1/2-INCH ROUNDS, LEAVING ABOUT 3 INCHES OF THE LEAVES.
TRIM AND PEEL THE KOHLRABI. ( IT'S EASIER WITH A KNIFE THAN A VEGETABLE PEELER.) PASS THE KOHLRABI THROUGH THE SHREDDING OR JULIENNING BLADE OF A FOOD PROCESSOR.
TOSS THE KOHLRABI WITH THE DRESSING AND ALLOW TO SIT FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING.
PEEL AND CORE THE PEARS. CUT LENGTHWISE INTO EIGHTHS.
PUT THE ENDIVE AND THE PEARS ON TOP OF THE KOHLRABI. TOSS TOGETHER JUST BEFORE SERVING.
SERVES 4
