Early spring in Northern California offers an overlapping of winter mushrooms and wild greens like miner’s lettuce, watercress, fennel, sorrel and chickweed to name a few. The farmer’s markets carry and array of chicories like escarole, endive, and radicchio. And the Meyer lemon trees are loaded with fruit. This salad brings together the umami of mushrooms, the bitter of chicories and the tart, grassy wild greens with a warm anchovy-preserved lemon dressing. I like to add some protein like cooked lentils or white beans so that it serves as a complete meal. Our fresh anchovies aren’t in season yet, so use the tinned ones.
Serves 2 meal size or 4 side salads
½ pound hedgehog mushrooms (You can substitute store bought, like oyster or trumpet), cleaned and sliced
2 cups wild greens like Miner’s lettuce, sorrel, watercress, washed and dried
2 cups chicories, chopped into bite size pieces and washed and dried.
1 small fennel bulb, shaved. A few small fronds for garnish
¼ olive oil for sautéing mushrooms
½ cup cooked lentils (optional)
Shaved parmesan- about four pieces per bowl
Optional garnish – flowers from three-sided leeks or oxalis
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch finishing salt
½ cup olive oil for salad dressing
1 tablespoon preserved lemon (see recipe here for making them), mashed
5-6 anchovy fillets, diced
1 large or 2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
Instructions
In a sauté pan, heat ¼ olive oil and add mushrooms. Saute until their edges are brown and the texture is slightly crisp.
In a saucepan heat ½ cup of olive oil on low. Add the anchovies, lemon, and garlic and whisk it until the anchovies and lemon start to dissolve. About 5 mins or so.
In a mixing bowl, add the greens, fennel, and lentils. Pour warm salad dressing over it and toss.
Put in serving bowls and place sauteed mushrooms and garnish over them. Sprinkle with finishing salt.
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