Field Greens or Lambs Lettuce with Smoked Fish

 

Feldsalat mit Räucheraal
This delicious salad is a slightly adapted version of a recipe by German Master Chef Marcel Biró. It combines field greens with smoked fish (the original recipe calls for Lambs Lettuce or maíche with smoked eel) creme fraiche, cherry tomatoes, and a bacon mustard vinaigrette.
Course Salad
Cuisine Lower Saxony
Region Lower Saxony
Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Bacon-Dijon Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped bacon
  • 2 tablespoons genuine German mustard
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the The Salad:

  • 1 pound field greens or mâche Feldsalat
  • 8 ounces smoked eel
  • 1/4 cup crème fraiche
  • 4 cherry tomatoes halved
  • dill leaves for garnish

Instructions

For the Bacon-Dijon Dressing:

  • Fry the bacon until crispy and drain on a paper towel.
  • Whisk the mustard, sugar, vinegar, and water together in a mixing bowl.
  • Continue whisking, adding the oil in a slow, steady stream; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more sugar, if necessary. Add the bacon and mix to combine.

For the salad:

  • In a mixing bowl, place the mâche and pour in the Bacon-Dijon Dressing. Toss to completely coat each leaf. Slice the eel on an angle into 32 equal pieces. Place mounds of the coated mâche in the center of each serving plate (Chef Marcel Biró prefers square plates for this presentation). Place two slices of eel at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 plate positions. In each corner of the plate, shape a small quenelle of crème fraîche. Garnish with the cherry tomatoes and dill leaves.
Courtesy of Marcel Biró and Shannon Kring Biró. Biró – European-Inspired Cuisine