I tend to think of this as Christmas Salad. Not because of when it is served, but because of the reds and greens of its colors and the jewel-like look of the pieces. This would be a good “company” salad as you can cut all the components except the avocado in advance. Then it is just a matter of assembling it at the last moment. This salad is a study in contrasts of colors and textures, and is fun to eat. If cutting lots of cubes seems like too much work, see Chef’s Notes for an easy variation.
INGREDIENTS:
1 head red leaf lettuce, cleaned and torn into bite-sized pieces 3-4 roasted beets (see recipe) or enough to equal 2 cups cut up, trimmed and cut into 1/4 to 3/8 inch cubes, and well drained of any liquid 4-5 thick outside celery stalks, cut into 1/4 to 3/8 inch cubes* 2 avocados, cut into 1/4 to 3/8 inch pieces at the last moment 1 cup roasted shelled pistachios 1 cup pomegranate seeds Salt and pepper to taste** 1 cup, or as needed, Creamy Poppyseed Dressing (See recipe)METHOD:
Put the beets on a couple paper towels and blot dry. This is to keep them from bleeding onto everything else so the separate colors remain distinct. If you don’t care about this, skip this step.
Put the lettuce into a bowl with a small amount of dressing and gently toss to lightly coat the lettuce. Distribute between 4 plates.
Put the celery and beets into the bowl and add 1 tablespoon dressing, or just enough to barely coat. Toss to mix and place some in the middle of each lettuce mound and spread out a little bit.
Scatter the avocado over the beet and celery piles.
Scatter the pistachios, then the pomegranate seeds over the salads.
Drizzle with a little dressing over all, then season with a little salt and pepper, then serve.
Chef’s Notes: * Look for thick and dark green stalks for this. Do not use the part of the celery near the top where the stalk starts to branch. It is always tough and bitter. Take a bite of the celery, and if the threads seem very tough remove them by slipping a paring knife under them at the base and pulling up with the edge of the knife and the ball of the thumb. This should grab several strands at once and the threads should separate cleanly from the stalk. You can also use a peeler to shave the outside of the stalk where the threads create the raised surface. **As to salt for this recipe, use very little, and it is there for crunch and contrast-the little hit of salty against the backdrop of the sweet dressing and nutty flavors is quite nice. If you do not have something like Maldon, Murray River, or Sel de Camargue, skip the salt.
If dicing all those vegetables seems like too much work, just cut things into batons. In this case, when the beets are cool enough to handle, trim them to have flat sides and cut them into sticks ¼-inch across and as long as you can. Then, slice the celery on a diagonal into ¼-inch wide slices. Choose the angle of the cut to give you pieces as long as the batons of beet. Cut the avocado into ½-inch cubes. This salad lends itself to different presentations. If you wish, you could use a ring mold for everything but the lettuce and form a cylinder. Top the cylinder with microgreens or place a scattering of lettuce around the upper quarter of the plate. You could also put everything but the lettuce into coupe or parfait glasses for a fancy presentation for a holiday party. Switch the pomegranate seeds for cubes of apples (toss into water with a little lemon juice to prevent discoloration) and use a cider cream dressing instead of the poppyseed.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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