Crayfish, Asparagus, Fava Bean, Artichoke Bottoms, and Morel Salad

Name: Crayfish, Asparagus, Fava Bean, Artichoke Bottoms, and Morel Salad (Salade aux Queues d’Écrevisses, Asperges, Fèves, Fonds d’Artichauts, et Morilles)
Yield: Makes 6 First-Course Servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 36 live crayfish; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 shallots, or 1 small onion, chopped; 2 shallots, or 1 small onion, chopped; 1 medium-size carrot, chopped; 4 medium-size tomatoes, chopped coarse, or 1 can (15 ounces [400-450 g]) tomatoes, drained, chopped coarse; 4 medium-size tomatoes, chopped coarse, or 1 can (15 ounces [400-450 g]) tomatoes, drained, chopped coarse; ½ cup [125 ml] heavy cream; 18 thick stalks asparagus, or 36 thin stalks, peeled; salt; ½ pound [225 g] fresh morels, or 1 ounce [30 g] dried; 1 pound [450 g] fava beans (weighed in the pod), shucked and peeled; 3 large, 6 medium-size, or 12 baby artichokes, trimmed and cooked; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (for the morels); 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (for the morels); pepper; ½ cup [125 ml] Basic Mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or other good quality wine vinegar (except balsamic, which discolors the salad), or more to taste; 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or other good quality wine vinegar (except balsamic, which discolors the salad), or more to taste; 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, chervil, or chives, or a combination; 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, chervil, or chives, or a combination; 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, chervil, or chives, or a combination; 1 small bunch chervil (optional); 1 small bunch chervil (optional)

Salade aux Queues d’Écrevisses, Asperges, Fèves, Fonds d’Artichauts, et Morilles

Preparation info

Makes
6
First-Course Servings

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Glorious French Food

By James Peterson

Published 2002

About

Don’t be intimidated by all these ingredients. This is a magnificent salad, based on classic techniques and traditions, but unless you live near a very fancy market you probably won’t be able to find everything and you’ll end up making substitutions. In truth, you could replace everything and just follow the principle of delicately binding together shellfish and seasonal vegetables in a light and flavorful homemade mayonnaise. You’d be far better off using what’s fresh and in season instead

Ingredients

Europe
France
Fish course
Starter
Pescatarian
Gluten-free
Mediterranean

Ingredients

Method