FLAVORS
On the
Sides replete with fresh seasonal vegetables
ease diners into spring and summer.
National Onion Association
The weather is turning balmy, and chefs are
ramping up their offerings of cool, clean
dishes to suit the season. Fresh vegetables
are a natural for sides, which lend themselves
to all kinds of creative renditions. So, gather
the bounty of the season, and treat your
guests to sides that signal an end to winter.
sliced into 5 slices
2 t. sliced chives
2 cups Miner’s lettuce or mâche
Shaved Parmesan, for garnish
Ground black pepper, for garnish
Avocado/Mango Salad
Thomas Martinez, Executive Chef
Mission Beach Café
San Francisco
1) Cut onion bulbs in half; remove dry, papery
outer layers. Soak bulb halves in water. Season
with 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
Grill or sear on cut side until dark and lightly
charred; turn over, repeat. Bulbs should be soft
but not flimsy. Sprinkle with 1 t. vinegar while
allowing onion to cool to room temperature.
Arrange on salad plate, alternating bulb and
stem.
2) For caper mostarda, whisk egg yolks
with lemon juice, mustard and salt and pepper
in bowl for 30 seconds. Slowly add blended oil
in thin stream until thick mayonnaise is formed.
Add mustard seeds, capers and oregano.
Adjust seasoning, as needed.
3) Pound beef
slices between plastic wrap until paper-thin.
Put in stainless bowl; season with remaining
extra virgin olive oil, chives, remaining vinegar
and salt and pepper. Add lettuce; toss. Adjust
seasoning, as needed.
4) To serve: Arrange
grilled onions on salad plate. Gently place beef
slices and lettuce on onion base. Dot caper
mostarda around outside. Garnish with shaved
Parmesan and ground black pepper. Serve at
room temperature.
Yield: 4 servings
Grilled Spring Onion Bulbs with Wagyu
Beef, Miner’s Lettuce and Caper Mostarda
Bruce Logue, Chef
La Pietra Cucina
Atlanta
Yield: 2 servings
6 oz. barrel-aged sheep’s/goat’s milk feta
cheese
8½ oz. mango, small dice
Salt, as needed
4 oz. spring mixed greens, divided
White Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 large fresh California avocados, peeled,
seeded, halved
Mango Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Johnny-jump-up flowers, as needed
Arugula flowers, as needed
Borage flowers, as needed
4 medium spring bulb onions, tops
removed 3 inches above bulb
2 T. + 3 t. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 t. Pedro Jimenez vinegar or sherry
vinegar, divided
2 egg yolks
3 t. lemon juice
1 T. Dijon-style mustard
1 cup blended oil
1 t. mustard seeds, soaked in warm water
for 10 minutes, drained
½ cup capers, rough chopped
½ t. dried oregano
5 oz. Wagyu beef sirloin or filet, trimmed,
Recipe courtesy of the National Onion
Association.
1) Crumble feta cheese in large bowl; add
mango and pinch of salt. Add spring mixed
greens; toss with enough white balsamic
vinaigrette to completely coat greens,
adding more vinaigrette or salt, to taste.
2) Slice each avocado in half vertically into
approximately ¼-inch slices, leaving halves
intact. Lightly salt surface of each avocado;
set aside for plating.
3) To assemble: On
each plate, put 1 T. mango vinaigrette in
one corner; spread across plate with back
