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Salade des Gourmets

Ready in 20 mins

Recipe by Graham 

A gourmand is a person who takes great pleasure in food. The word has different connotations from the similar word gourmet, which emphasises an individual with a highly refined discerning palate, but in practice the two terms are closely linked, as both imply the enjoyment of good food.

Our favourite restaurant on the banks of the river Oise in France is called La Petite Rôtisserie (65, chemin de Halage, 95610 Eragny) and it serves the finest Salade des Gourmets I have ever tasted. Every time I go there, I keep meaning to take a different starter course (and they have a wonderful selection), but most of the time I can't resist their Salade des Gourmets which is served on a large plate and, rather than heaping the salad high (as you see in the photo on the left), it is spread to cover the whole plate, with the meats cut into smaller pieces and distributed around the plate. It's both visually stunning, and a delight to eat.

Fine restaurants that serve a good Salade des Gourmets all have their own particular recipe. The one I include here is the one used by La Petite Rôtisserie but there are no rules - you make it up to suit your own preferences (and to suit what is available to you or otherwise).

Preparation Time

15 Minutes

Cooking Time

5 Minutes
A Top Choice Recipe for Entertaining

Ingredients for Salade des Gourmets

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Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements

To serve 4:

  a mixture of tender salad leaves
2 slices foie gras
2 large slices smoked salmon
2 large slices smoked ham (Parma, Bayonne, Smithfield)
8 slices magret de canard
12 small cherry tomatoes
12 white (seedless) grapes
1 tablespoon butter
16 fresh scallops
16 cooked prawns
a few pine nuts
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
  salt and pepper
2 teaspoons honey

How to Cook Salade des Gourmets

  1. Wash and dry the salad leaves and break them into small pieces about 1" - 1½" (2.5cm - 4cm) across. Spread these on four large plates so that the plates are covered in a single layer of leaves.
  2. Cut the foie gras, smoked salmon, smoked ham and magret de canard (if you can get it) into pieces about 1" - 1½" (2.5cm - 4cm) across. Distribute these on the plates, on and between the salad leaves. Cut the cherry tomatoes and grapes in two and similarly distribute them on the plates.
  3. Prepare the vinaigrette... Mix the oil and mustard in a bowl, add the raspberry vinegar (you can use balsamic if you can't get raspberry) along with a shake of salt and a few twists of freshly ground pepper. Mix well and then add the honey.
  4. Pat the scallops dry and cut off the small side muscle, if present (normally it's removed by the fishmonger). Don't confuse this side muscle with the pink coral. The coral should be retained. This recipe is suitable for (1" - 1½") sea scallops rather than the small (½") bay scallops (queenies).
  5. Melt the butter in a frying pan (skillet). Add the scallops to the pan and cook for 1 - 1½ minutes on each side over a medium-high heat. Remove the scallops and add the prawns to the pan; cook for about 1 minute, turning frequently (this is just intended to warm them).
  6. Give the vinaigrette a final stir and drizzle over the salads. Distribute the warm scallops and prawns on the plates and serve with a good white wine (Beaumes de Venise or other quality Muscat).
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
Avoid using hickory smoked ham. The flavour is too strong and will overwhelm the delicate tastes of this superb dish.