I know that some weeks I veer slightly off the recipe for French Fridays with Dorie (and that’s ok…) but this week, I’m way off the recipe, except for (what I would argue is) the most important ingredient, chanterelle mushrooms. This was supposed to be a(n admittedly odd-sounding) combination of Napa cabbage with toasted hazelnuts, parsley, shallots and chanterelles (which I will most likely make at some point…) but I say, when in France… use the ingredients you can find locally (and happen to have on hand on the last night in your rental property when you are trying to clean out the fridge!).
Chanterelles were not a problem to source for me all summer in France. I saw them everywhere (and they were so reasonably priced too!) so in my last week in France, knowing this recipe was coming up, I picked up a giant bagful at the market in Bergerac for about €4. I vaguely looked around that day for Napa cabbage but, unsurprisingly, there was none to be found… I already knew I had nuts at home (not hazelnuts but almonds and some pumpkin and sunflower seeds) and a shallot wouldn’t be a problem either… It was just the cabbage. Later that week, I did see some in the supermarket (imported) and I hesitated but ended up leaving it next to its imported friends – it just didn’t seem right to be in France with all the gorgeous local produce and add something not-local to my salad…
So we ended up with a very not-Dorie recipe this week 😉 Soft buttery lettuce topped with thinly-sliced radishes (for colour and crunch!) and lightly sautéed chanterelles sprinkled with pumpkin and sunflower seeds. We topped this with a citrusy salad dressing and it was the perfect mid-summer salad.
I had every intention of making this properly when I got home but have not been able to source chanterelles (except dried ones) anywhere close to me. If I see them, I’ll nab them and perhaps I will make the Napa cabbage version. Or maybe I’ll let myself be inspired by other local market finds…
Get the recipe for Dorie Greenspan’s chanterelles with Napa and nuts here or on page 346 of Around my French Table.
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Glad you were able to channel your inner Cher and come up with a gorgeous salad!
I like your “use what I have on hand” version.
Following recipes is highly over rated.
A very eye appealing salad indeed.
Not difficult to find here either, though I tend to see them more in late summer / early fall. All the local restaurants are currently featuring special menus with them. The Germans get very into their seasonal produce so I can very much understand your decision to stick with what was market fresh and change up the recipe a bit.
That salad looks fantastic. I love the buttery lettuce with all the other ingredients, simply perfect.
I think you put together a very nice version of this week’s recipe. Thank you for not buying the imported cabbage or whatever. Your chanterelles do look lovely. I hope you do have the opportunity to make this chanterelle/napa cabbage version. It really is delicious. Welcome home and I hope you will share news of your maison.
I think Dorie would be proud of our group’s ability to interpret her recipes rather than slavishly follow them, and she would definitely approved of your using local produce. Nice dish!
I adore chanterelle mushrooms and brought back a bag of them from this morning’s market. Beauties! I would never have thought of putting them in a salad – this looks so healthy and stunning, too!
You went the right way on this one. Making the most of local produce is always the way to go! I couldn’t find chanterelles, but I’m hopeful they will turn up in September I was fortunate to have a cabbage from my farm share, so I went with that rather than a Napa cabbage. Do try the sauteed version when it feels right. It was delicious.
Your salad looks fabulous and I love that you took full advantage of your local produce! Welcome home, Mardi!
Your salad looks delicious and very summery. Much better to use up everything you’ve already got than to go hunting for other ingredients, I say. The recipe’s a good one and would work with many sorts of mushrooms, so it’s worth making – even if the chanterelles are less abundant and more expensive than they are in France.