I first got the idea for this salad from The Hilton International Cookbook – a compilation of recipes of head chefs in Hilton hotels around the world.
Needless to say, most were entirely impractical for the normal human…. but nevertheless there were some good ideas in terms of favour combinations and so on.
The recipe for this one was submitted by Albert Schnell, at the Hilton in Toronto. The full title was Spinach, Quail Eggs and Livers in Raspberry-Walnut Sauce. The recipe was described as being:
“…a thoughtful balance of colour, texture, temperature and taste. A mound of spinach ribbons crowned with white mushroom confetti, red-orange tomato dice, and glistening walnut bits is accentuated by halved ovals of quail egg. The walnut flavour blends with the gamey liver and earthy vegetables for a salad that is at once fresh and rich.”
I was intrigued…both the Saucy Dressings’ Chief Taster and I are enthusiastic fans of chicken livers. This seemed a good alternative way to serving them on toast, or in pâté. Nevertheless, I was a bit put off by all the peeling and chopping.
Then we were travelling across France, staying the night in Tornus. We were advised by a friend to go to a particular bistro, La Bourgogne, within walking distance of our hotel, “and have the oeufs en meurette”. The day after he asked if it had been a good recommendation, and I emailed back saying, “oeufs en meurette good. Chicken liver salad….sublime”.
Of course, after that I got the bit between my teeth. I based my version on Schnell’s, but Life Is Too Short for peeling quail eggs and all that shredding so I have simplified it and tried to get it as similar to the sublime French bistro version as I could.
Sublime chicken liver salad with spinach, walnuts and raspberry vinegar
Serves – 2
Ingredients
- 150g/5oz washed baby spinach (or a mix of spinach and rocket)
- 2 eggs – at room temperature – if you are making this as a starter, and plating individually the quail eggs really would be better – you’ll need four.
- 150g/5 oz ready sliced mushrooms (or shitake if you can get them)
- 30g/1 oz/¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 30g/1 oz/¼ cup dried sour cherries or cranberries
- 150g/5 oz chicken livers
- Olive oil or butter for frying
- A couple of rashers of bacon (optional)
Dressing:
- 1 tbsp raspberry vinegar – or sherry or balsamic vinegar if you don’t have any
- pinch smoked salt
- Generous grinds Indonesian long pepper
- 2 peeled and finely chopped spring onions
- Some fresh thyme, or snipped rosemary
- 60 ml/¼ cup walnut oil, plus a bit more for drizzling
Instructions
- Boil a kettle, pour into a pan, get the water boiling again, and soft boil the eggs – 6.5 minutes will do if they are at room temperature. If using quail eggs it will take 1.5 minutes. If you have a pregnant guest (as I did) hard boil them.
- Mix the dressing ingredients together in a bowl and add the dried sour cherries or cranberries.
- In a small frying pan, dry fry the nuts. After a couple of minutes or so remove to a chopping board. If you’re including bacon, now is the time to chop and fry in its own fat.
- Use the same chopping board to chop the mushrooms quite small if you haven’t bought them already sliced. Put into the frying pan you’ve just finished using, and begin to fry gently with a little butter or olive oil.
- Meanwhile, pick over the chicken livers, cutting out any white sinew, season generously and chop.
- Pour any juices from the mushrooms (and bacon) into the dressing, and remove.
- Add a bit more butter to the frying pan and begin to fry the chicken livers gently.
- Strip any thick stems off the spinach, and throw away. Put the rest of the leaves on a serving platter.
- Peel the soft-boiled eggs.
- Cut the soft-boiled eggs into quarters (or halves if they are very soft boiled).
- Arrange the eggs, the nuts, the mushrooms, and the chicken livers artistically on the bed of spinach.
- Pour over the dressing.
- Serve with a flourish!
