Potato, mushroom and mussel salad

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Potato, mushroom and mussel salad .jpg

Serves: 8
 

INGREDIENTS

Salad: 

  • 12 ounces cremini mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup chopped shallots
  • 1 dried chili pepper
  • 3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) mussels
  • 1 1/4 pounds (625 grams) fingerling potatoes

Dressing: 

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 packed cup arugula

Garnish:

  • 1 teaspoon tarragon
  • 2 tablespoons chives

METHOD

Preheat oven to 450 F (232 C).

Trim stalks of cremini flush to the cap. Place in bowl and toss with olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Place on baking sheet and bake 10 minutes, flipping once, or until tender. Cool and cut into quarters. Reserve in large bowl. Combine white wine, lemon rind, water, shallots and chili pepper in a wide pot or sauté pan. Bring to boil over high heat, add mussels and cook until mussels open, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove mussels as they open with tongs.

Add potatoes into pot and bring back to boil, turn heat to medium low, cover and simmer until potatoes are cooked about 15 minutes. Remove mussels from shell and combine with mushrooms. Remove potatoes, cool a little, then slice in half lengthwise. Add to bowl.

Reduce liquid in pot until about 1/4 cup remains. Reserve.

Whisk together lemon juice, mustard, tarragon, olive oil and reserved pan juices. Toss with salad while potatoes are still warm. Cool, then stir in arugula.

Pile on a platter and garnish with tarragon and chives.


WINE PAIRINGS

This zesty potato salad goes best with a crisp white. Preferably not too light, though; something with the textural weight to match all those mushy-soft chunks. The California style of sauvignon blanc called fumé blanc, often made with brief oak contact to add body and soften the grape’s herbal assault, is perfect. But the choices are broad. A crisp chardonnay also will work with this salad. Beppi Crosariol