Warm Wild Mushroom Salad with Black Truffle Vinaigrette

If you're looking for a new and different side to go with the steak you're throwing on the grill tonight, here's your solution. It goes well with other simply prepared proteins as well...salmon, tuna steak, veal chop or pork tenderloin. Splurge on the truffle oil. It's totally worth it. Yum.


Warm Wild Mushroom Salad with Black Truffle
Makes six servings.


2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup white or black truffle oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound mixed mushrooms, including shitake, button and cremini, stems trimmed and thinly sliced
1 small shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
8 cups mixed baby lettuces, washed and dried


Whisk the sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar and mustard in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the truffle oil until emulsified.


Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet until it foams. Add the mushrooms and shallot and cook, stirring, until warmed through and slightly tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add half of the chives and toss with half the vinaigrette to coat. season with salt and pepper and cover loosely to keep warm while preparing greens.

In a large bowl , toss the greens with the remaining vinaigrette and chives, and distribute among six salad plates. Top with the warm mushrooms and serve immediately.


Food/Wine Pairing: While a nice California Cabernet is usually my go-to wine with a steak, here the mushrooms cry out for Pinot Noir. And if you're splurging on the truffle oil, might as well have a top-notch bottle of wine. Two of my favorite Pinot Noirs are Goldeneye and Belle Glos (try the Telephone and Clark Vineyard). Both are well-worth the $50 they cost. Cheers...