Dish of Vegetable Medley Salad
(click to enlarge)

Vegetable Medley Salad


California
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3-1/2#
***
1-3/4 hr
Best		 A very fine cold salad of cooked vegetables, adapted from our French recipe Vegetable Medley Salad. It can be made a couple days ahead and refrigerated.

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10
10
8
8
4
1-1/2
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2
-------
1-1/3
4
1-1/3
1/2
1-1/4
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1/4
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oz
oz
oz
oz
oz
c
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oz
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T
T
t
t
c
---
c
-- Vegetables
Turnips
Carrots
Green Beans
Potatoes (1)
Pickles (2)
Frozen Peas
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Pasta (3)
-- Dressing
Olive Oil, ExtV
Lemon Juice
Salt
Pepper
Mayonnaise (4)  
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Herbs, Fresh (6)  
Make   -   (1-3/4 hr + Chilling)
  1. While cutting vegetables, bring about 8 cups WATER to a boil and add 2 t Salt. Cook Pasta the usual way until it is how you like it, but definitely not mushy. Strain out, keeping water (see Note-6) and drain well. Toss with a couple drops of oil to prevent sticking.
  2. Peel TURNIPS and cut into dice about 1/4 inch on a side.
  3. Peel CARROTS and cut into dice about 1/4 inch on a side.
  4. Top and tail GREEN BEANS and slice into 1/4 inch lengths.
  5. Peel POTATOES and cut into 1/4 inch dice. Hold in cold water until ready to cook them.
  6. Cut Pickles about the same size as the Turnips, and thaw the Peas.
  7. Squeeze LEMON JUICE.
  8. Chop HERBS fairly fine.
  9. Reheat the water and stir in Turnips. Bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes, then stir in Carrots. Bring back to to a boil and cook until Carrots and Turnips are tender. Do not overcook. Strain out, keeping the water. Refresh in cold running water and drain well.
  10. Repeat the same process with Green Beans, and then with drained Potatoes. Discard the cooking water
  11. Mix all Vegetables together along with the Pasta. Tumble with Olive Oil, then Lemon Juice, Salt, and Pepper.
  12. Mix in Mayonnaise until vegetables are evenly coated.
  13. Refrigerate well before serving.
  14. Sprinkle with Herbs, or stir them in, depending on your serving style.
NOTES:

  1. Potatoes:

      White Rose or Red Potatoes work well in this recipe. You could also use Klondike Gold type potatoes if you are careful not to overcook them. For details see our Potatoes page.

  2. Pickles:

      I use fairly mild Indian or Armenian cucumber pickles.

  3. Pasta:

      Choose a pasta of such size and shape as will cook out to about the same size as the vegetables.

  4. Mayonnaise:

      Home made is best, but can be risky, especially in business friendly Red States, due to the raw egg yolks. Second best is Hellmann's Real (east of the Mississippi) or Best Foods Real (west of the Mississippi), as most food writers agree.

  5. Herbs:

      I use Parsley and Scallion tops. Some Summer Savory or Marjoram would also go well in the mix.

  6. Method:

      Draining vegetables - place a big stainless steel bowl or pot in the sink with the strainer over. Just pour the boiling water through the strainer, then quench the vegetable in the strainer under cold running water for a few moments. The bowl of hot water gets poured back into the pot for the next batch.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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