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Shallots, Red & Green Grapes, Aged Goat Cheese & Tarragon
Serves 8

England’s Jamie Oliver is a breath of fresh air in cooking today, with the Cooking Channel so resplendent in fifty-something-chefs. He is a young man with a creative touch, as evidenced in this terrific salad from his cookbook “Jamie’s Kitchen” (Hyperion, NYC). The fresh tarragon is a truly inspiration idea for salad! If you cannot find fresh tarragon, don’t make the salad. I added a couple of touches (endive, sugar, lemon juice) to highlight the exception flavor notes.

2 large banana shallots, or six small ones, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup of good vinegar (I used champagne raspberry vinegar)
4 cups of fresh tarragon leaves
2 endive heads, cut crosswise in one inch sections
1 large bunch of seedless red grapes, halved
1 large bunch of seedless green grapes, halved
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
7 ounces of good aged goat’s cheese or hard salted ricotta

Preparation: 1. Soak the shallots for one half hour in vinegar water; which will make them very crisp. 2. Separate the endive sections and soak them for one half hour in vinegar water; which will reduce the bitter taste. 3. Toss the grape halves with the lemon juice, one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of sugar; marinating for one half hour. 4. Assemble the salad in a large bowl; draining the shallots, endive and grapes, and tossing them with the tarragon leaves, and vinegar and olive oil to taste. 5. Using a potato peeler, shave the goat’s cheese into the salad. 6. Add sea salt and ground pepper to taste.

Presentation: Drain any excess dressing. Compose the salad and serve immediately.

Richard Wottrich