The region of France north of Paris is influenced by the Flemish country of Belgium and is also a region that relies on the hardy vegetables of the earth. Potatoes, beets, cabbage, and that great Flemish invention of underground lettuce known as Belgian endive in the United States (and confusingly called chicorée in France) all play significant roles in the cuisine of this region, and a few are incorporated into this recipe as well.
Ingredients
For Steaming (or Boiling) the Potatoes and Eggs
- 2 lbs Red Bliss Potatoes, preferably new (small) potatoes
- 5 Large Eggs
- Ice Bath
For Making the Vinaigrette Dressing
- 1 oz Shallot, minced
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 oz Champagne Vinegar
- 6 oz Vegetable Oil (can substitute olive oil)
- ½ bunch Chives, minced
- ¼ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
For Assembling the Salad
- 5 Belgian Endives
- 2 qt Water
- 3 oz Lemon Juice
- Cooked Potatoes and Eggs
- 12 oz Cherry Tomatoes, halved
- ½ bunch Chives
How to Make It
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For Steaming (or Boiling) the Potatoes and Eggs
- Preheat a steamer or, if unavailable, place a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Add 2 Tbsp of salt per gallon of water.
- Once the steamer or boiling water is prepared, add the potatoes to a perforated pan (if using a steamer) and cook until tender throughout (the length of time will depend on the size of the potatoes; new potatoes should take approximately 15–20 minutes).
- Once the potatoes are done, remove them from the steamer/water and set them on a sheet pan inside a refrigerator to allow them to cool.
- Add the eggs to the perforated pan and steam for 12 minutes, and then immediately place them into the ice bath to cool.
- Once the eggs are cool, peel them and set them aside. For Making the Vinaigrette Dressing
- Place the minced shallot, salt, mustard, and vinegar in a small mixing bowl and—using a whisk—slowly whisk in the oil to form an emulsified dressing.
- Add the minced chives and freshly ground black pepper, and whisk to combine.
- Adjust seasoning, as necessary, with salt and pepper. For Assembling the Salad
- To prepare the Belgian endive, take 2 heads and remove all of the leaves by pulling them from the stem. Immediately add them to a container with 2 qts of water and 3 oz of lemon juice.
- Remove the leaves and set them in a colander; cover with a clean towel dampened with the lemon water (do not discard the water and lemon juice).
- For the other 3 Belgian endives, cut off the end of each endive, split it in half, and remove any remaining core at the base by wedging it out with a chef ’s knife.
- Cut each of the halves in half again, and then cut the quarters into ½-inch sections. Immediately add them to the lemon water.
- To prepare the potatoes, cut each into large diced cubes (if using larger potatoes) or quarter them (if using the small new potatoes) and then set aside.
- To prepare the eggs, slice each into 6 pieces by cutting in half with a wet, clean, and sharp knife, and then cutting each half into thirds; set aside.
- To finish preparing the cut Belgian endive, remove it from the lemon water and place it in a salad spinner. Spin to dry the cut endive and set aside.
- To assemble the salads, place the cut Belgian endive in a mixing bowl, along with the cherry halves and the cut potatoes, and toss with half of the dressing.
- On each plate, place three whole Belgian endive leaves in a triangle pattern near the center of the plate.
- Place about 5 oz of the dressed salad mixture in the center of the plate, covering the broken ends of the Belgian endive.
- Place three egg wedges in between each of the Belgian endive leaves, and drizzle a little of the dressing over each of the egg pieces.
- Garnish each plate with a couple of spears of chives, and serve at once.