Spring Flower Mother's Day Salad
Mother's Day is just around the corner, with that I thought it to be a grand idea to spend the next three weeks in preparation for Mom's. Home is were the heart is and mom's surely appreciate the fuss and care that we will all put into a dinner with her as the guest of honour. We will start with the salad this week and carry through until dessert. Stay tuned! Edible flowers have been the fashionable food rage for quite some time. The only mystery remains is which ones are safe to eat. Well not all please the palate, but here are a few that you can count on to not only accent your salad, but give it an interesting color, flavour and innovation.
Ingredients:
3 cups loosely packed, any variety and combination: nasturtiums; borage; rose petals; johnny jump ups; pansy; gladiola; tulip; yellow marigolds (calendula); lavender; violets; mimosa; holly hock; chive flowers.
1 cup young butter lettuce leaves
1 cup red leaf lettuce leaves
1 cup baby spinach leaves, stems removed
1/4 cup fresh young mint leaves
1/4 cup fresh young basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
Dressing:
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/3 cup tarragon vinegar
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. fleur de sel
Good grinding Tellicherry pepper
Method:
1. Wash and dry the greens. The flowers should not need washing as it is important that they never be sprayed or treated with repellants of any kind. Combine the flowers and greens in a large bowl.
2. In a small glass bowl place the mustard, pour in the tarragon vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil continually until the dressing is smooth and thick. Add the fleur de sel and the pepper.
3. Pour the dressing over the flowers and greens, toss very gently to barely coat the leaves. Transfer to your serving plates and enjoy. Do not let the salad sit after being dressed. It is quite fragile and wants to be eaten right away.
