Do you know that kind of sour that makes your saliva glands ache a little and actually squirt just thinking about biting into something? It’s like, no you don’t want to eat that, but you can’t stop yourself! And there you are 3 seconds later… not wanting to take yet another bite. But you know you will! A little shiver goes down your spine and you can’t decide if it is from pleasure or pain!
Well that’s the kind of sour I have for you today. The sour kind of sour, that can only be described as hurts so goooood!
And look at these things, I have seen engagement rings with less sparkle and appeal!
So break through your barriers, put aside your fears, and let’s take a journey on the sour side.
I am mostly teasing here. Because these little sour jewels won’t hurt you. They are just one ingredient in a luscious salad full of opposing flavors and textures. Which is just the sort of salad I love.
Sure there are plenty of sour little flavor bombs sprinkled about this salad. Just enough to really worry you (am I blushing??). But there is also tender, crisp, rich and nutty white asparagus.
And as if that were not enough to hold your interest… there is soft, green bibb lettuce. And bold crunchy walnuts, and creamy bits of goat cheese.
I am dressing this salad with just the barest hint of walnut oil. There is no vinaigrette I can think of that could ever hold it’s head up around these flavors. No, this salad needs the full fat flavor of the nutty walnut oil all by itself. Black pepper brings the final zing that makes this salad sing!
Serves 4 White Asparagus Salad with Walnuts and Pickled Rhubarb
Pickled Rhubarb
5 or 6 rhubarb stalks, sliced thinly (about 1/3 inch)
1‑cup sugar
1‑cup apple cider vinegar
1‑teaspoon salt
Bring the sugar, vinegar, and salt to a boil. As soon as all of the sugar is dissolved, pour over the sliced rhubarb. Let stand for at least 3 hours. Then put them in the refrigerator until well chilled. These will keep covered a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. They are a bit addicting so make plenty.
White Asparagus Salad with Walnuts
1‑pound very thick white asparagus
3/4 to 1 cup chicken stock, approximately
3 tablespoons salted butter
1 bay leaf
walnut oil
4 cups of butter or Bibb lettuce, washed and torn into bite size pieces
4 or 5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
some of the pickled rhubarb (as much as you can handle)
black pepper
Place the asparagus into a heavy saucepan. Choose a pan large
enough to hold all the spears in a single layer. Otherwise work in batches.
Add enough stock to come about halfway up sides of the spears. Add 2 tablespoons butter, and the bay leaf, and cook uncovered over medium heat about 8 minutes. Roll the spears around until spears are very tender and glazed.
Remove the spears from the braising liquid and set aside on a plate. One of the joys of white asparagus is that it does not quickly discolor from cooking so there is no need to plunge into ice water as with green asparagus. But you can if you want to. If you have an audience in the kitchen (and well, who doesn’t??) then please plunge away as dramatically as you can!
Once the asparagus has cooled completely cover it and place it in the refrigerator until well chilled.
When you are ready to plate this, toss a mild-tasting lettuce such as butter or Bibb with just enough walnut oil to make them glisten. Use the oil sparingly. It does not need to be mixed with vinegar or lemon juice. This salad has plenty of zip on it’s own! Mound the dressed lettuce in the center of each salad plate.
Stack a pile of 5 or 6 spears of white asparagus around or on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle a generous amount of crumbled goat cheese on top followed by plenty of the pickled rhubarb.
Drizzle with some more of the walnut oil, just a few drops here and there for sparkle. Then add a good grind of black pepper over everything. Pucker up and enjoy!
SERIOUS FUN FOOD
Greg Henry
SippitySup
Looks like a perfect lunch to me — or maybe breakfast…
The terrine looks so good, I can only stare. Yes, I’d love some of this with cornichons, crusty bread and some of your homemade mustard!
…very good. GREG
Your bacon and meatloaf (with cornichons, fresh bread, and mustard) looks and sounds positively delicious. I used to HATE meatloaf as a kid, and had no problem making this known, but now I rather fancy it. And with bacon? Mmm. I love how clear and detailed your directions are, by the way. Now, if I can only find a mold that will turn out a meatloaf as beautiful as yours… 🙂
Taint cheap…but it’s nice! GREG http://www.creativecookware.com/stainless_steel2.htm
or
http://www.jbprince.com/professional-culinary-molds/terrine-pate-molds.asp?page=1
Great idea to let the flavors mingle overnight. My meatloafs are always on the fly and never this fancy wrapped in bacon. Very cool dish, as always! Kirsten
I’ve never done a terrine before (can I just call it a terrine for short?) — but now you’ve given me the courage to try. Let’s get this straight, meatloaf wrapped in bacon? Unreal.
Your photos, again, are wonderful. Bravo Greg, bravo.
You can call it a ter for short. I don’t care! GREG
Oh yeah! This one rocks! Love it!
I love your interpretation of this fantastic meal. No crazy spices and just about every one can put this together using your explanations and pictures. Great post!
Eric
It’s been ages since I’ve made a pate- used to be something I had to make twice a week at work in my garde manger days… I love making country style ones the best, as the smooth livery ones are a little too finicky and fussy. Thanks for this- it’s completely delicious looking and inspiring 🙂
Out of curiosity, do you know what the internal temperature of the finished pate is?? I don’t have the proper pan at home and would likely use a regular ol’ loaf pan, which of course is gonna mess with the baking time.
I do not have a definitive answer about internal temp. I have poached raw sausages before though. I think Thomas Keller reccomends 155 degrees F. as a good internal temp. for pork sausage. It’s a place to start! GREG
This looks beautiful. And terrine de campagne definitely sounds better than meat loaf! Also, I have never had pickled cherries — that sounds interesting.
If I get the courage up to do a post on a torchon de fois gras, I will do the cherries as an aside. I need to get a good recipe figured out though. Everytime I have tried making them they did not stand up to my memory. GREG
that several other bloggers have had good success with the torchon from the French Laundry Cookbook — though, admittedly, I have never attempted it.
…though like you I have not tried it. When I am feeling wealthy and have to make something fancy for a party, I probably will. I have done his pickled cherry recipe before and was disappointed with it. I have such memories of pickled cherries at an ocean view cafe in Nice! Maybe it was the locale, but I have never tasted something like that before, and am constantly trying to reproduce it here.…I’ll keep trying. GH
This is one gorgeous meatloaf! Excellent with bacon!
Yah, we had 6 weeks of pates and terrines in garde manger. Some were delightful and scrumptious others not so much! Yours looks delicious and simple to prepare!! Kudos to the chef ( I will not call someone that unless worthy or trained, so yes you can feel honored! :))
That looks mighty fancy, if you ask me. Well done!!
In the Philippines, there’s also a version of the meatloaf called Embutido. Similar ingredients, but with hard boiled egg, raisins, and sausage. I think it goes by a similar name in Spain and Portugal.
uhm, next time I make meatloaf.…the un-fancy kind…I think I’m going to wrap it in bacon!
Okay another new kitchen gadget to go out and buy! Well, not sure this would be something I make often, but I was quite surprised how much I liked it! Yours of course is just prettier than my ‘rustic’ version… Great job, and I am officially making you an honorary culinary graduate with all the wonderful cooking you do!
If that is your idea of limited culinary skills, then I just need to quit now;)
I just choose easy things I know I can do! Choose your battles wisely and always tread forward…GREG