I don't make a lot of salads, so it's no surprise that I've kind of made several different salads in one. If it looks a bit busy, you're right. All it needs is olives, avocado, and some rice. There are, however a few good tricks in there that can be applied generally.
Anchovy Mayonnaise:
If you've been paying attention, you should be able to make your own pasta, bone a chicken, dismember a rabbit, and make your own stock. Now I think you should make your own mayonnaise too. First reason is it takes about five minutes and second reason is that commercially available mayonnaise is sugary jellied crap. Plus if you're making it yourself, you can mess around with different stuff.
The basics are an egg yolk, no more than one cup of oil per yolk, a teaspoon of mustard (helps emulsify), and salt and pepper. Try to have them at room temperature. For this one I used all of the above but the oil was a mix of 1/4 cup each of walnut oil, EVOO, and vegetable oil. Whisk the other ingredients together and then add the oil drop by drop, whisking continously. Build up to a thin slow stream but take a break before your arm drops off . Once it's all blended in, whisk in a couple of teaspoons of hot water to thin and stabilise it. Season to flavour.
To this I added a teaspoon of anchovies, finely chopped and then smeared to a paste with the flat of my chef's knife and whisked in.
Asparagus:
Cut off the tougher end – around the bottom fifth. These ones were quite thick so peel the bottom two thirds, slice in half down the middle, and then half again, and cook in butter. Keep warm.
Walnuts:
Roast in the oven (or in a pan). Keep warm.
Radicchioand Rocket:
Wash and drain and dry if need be. Those salad spinners are great but I don't have one.
Croutons:
Chop bread into cubes and dry in a hot oven. Fry a couple of cloves of crushed garlic in olive oil and then toss the cubes in them. Keep warm.
Apple:
Core and then thinly slice. Squeeze a little lemon juice over them to prevent discolouration.
Goat's Cheese:
Local stuff – Kytren. Very nice, you only need a little bit for that sour cheesy taste. Crumble over the top. I almost left it off for being a it gimmicky but no harm done.
Prep and Eating:
Mix the leaves, croutons and apples together with the mayonnaise. Then top with the walnuts, asparagus, and goat's cheese and the flick a little of the mayonnaise over the top.
Great, it was a meal in itself and if it wasn't the most harmonious of mixes, everything was well represented. Nice as leftovers with some bald-chin groper cooked in butter too.
And:Got my chef's knife sharpened at Cut it Out on Murray Street (another bit of Jackson's advice along with the mayonnaise and the smearing bit to make a paste). Well recommended, I had no idea my knife could be that sharp. Too scared to use it now, might slice the bench in half.