- 4 large artichokes
- 450 g mushrooms
- 1 lemon
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 shallots
- 50 g walnut kernels
- sunflower oil
- walnut oil
- white wine vinegar
- chervil
- tarragon and fresh parsley
- salt and ground white pepper
Enhanced with fine herbs, crisp celery, and tender artichoke hearts, this salad captures the essence of Touraine cuisine—light, fresh, and subtly flavorful—dressed in a nutty walnut oil vinaigrette.
- Cook the artichokes in salted water for 30 minutes. Remove the leaves and choke, then let cool. Clean the mushrooms (avoid washing unless very dirty), trim the stem bases, and thinly slice into a salad bowl, squeezing lemon juice over them as you go to prevent browning.
- Trim and cut the celery stalks into small chunks. Peel and finely chop the shallots. Coarsely chop the walnuts.
- Prepare the vinaigrette: whisk 3 tablespoons sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon walnut oil, and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar. Finely chop 1 tablespoon each of chervil, tarragon, and parsley.
- In a wide bowl, combine the sliced mushrooms and celery. Cut the artichoke bottoms into strips and layer on top. Stir the shallots into the vinaigrette, season with salt and white pepper, then pour over the salad and gently toss. Sprinkle with herbs and walnuts, and serve immediately.
Source: Regional Cuisines of France
