Coming up for some air and a mimosa salad...

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May 29, 2024

I begin with an apology. I have been completely delinquent in keeping current with this newsletter of late but I promise I haven’t been lazing about. Rather I’ve been racing against the clock to get my garden in tip-top shape for some events I will be hosting in the coming weeks. I have been outside every night digging holes until dark, but I think I can finally stop buying plants…oh bugger…now I have to apologize a second time for telling such a heinous lie. I will never stop buying plants!!

On top of that I have been continuing to do promotion for my new book, The Side Gardener, finish the last bits of reno to our kitchen and dining room AND most importantly, been completely preoccupied with our new ginger kitten, Bean. Due to his RIDICULOUS good looks and hilarious nature, I have been extra distracted. But not so distracted that I’d ignore my own hunger. So in an effort to get things done and feed myself, I’m multi-tasking by making one of my favourite salads from The Side Gardener while also sharing it with you!

A mimosa salad is a delicious concoction made of layers of tender greens, lightly dressed in a dijon vinaigrette and then smothered in crumbled hard boiled eggs. If you are a fan of egg salad sandwiches, as I am, this is the salad for you. Once it is assembled, the crumbled eggs are thought to resemble the mimosa flower for which it is named. It made for a perfect little lunch which I enjoyed while watching Bean bounce off all the furniture and torment the dog.

Salad

2 large eggs

1 head butter lettuce

Dressing

1 tbsp champagne vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 tbsp finely chopped chives

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/3 cup/80 ml olive oil

Makes 4 servings

Place a medium saucepan half full of water over high heat. When the water is at a full boil, use a spoon to gently lower the eggs into it, one at a time. Allow the eggs to boil for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and drain off the boiling water. Place the saucepan under the tap and run cold water over the eggs for several minutes until they are cool enough to handle.
Take an egg and lightly tap both ends on the edge of the sink, then gently roll the egg along the counter to crack the shell. Hold the egg under the cold running water while you peel off the shell. Once it has been removed, give the egg a little shake to remove any excess water and place it on the cutting board. Repeat with the remaining egg.
Cut each each in half and remove the egg yolks. Use your hands to crumble the egg yolks into a small bowl. Finely chop the egg whites and place them in another bowl. Chill the egg yolks and whites, covered, in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Remove any wilted or damaged leaves from the butter lettuce. Cut the root off the bottom of the head and gently release each leaf. Fill the sink with cool water and submerge the leaves. Use your hands to give them a good swirl to remove any dirt or bugs from the garden. Drain the sink and repeat for a final rinse. (Under normal conditions I would use a salad spinner to wash greens, but I want to maintain the full leaves of the lettuce for assembling the salad, so I do it this way instead). Lift the leaves from the water and give them a gentle shake to remove any excess water. Then place them in a single layer on a clean tea towel or paper towels and loosely roll the leaves up to dry.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, chives, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk while slowly adding the olive oil until fully combined.
Place the lettuce leaves in a large serving bowl and use tow large spoons or a set of tongs to toss with the dressing. Arrange the leaves on a serving platter in concentric circles that slightly overlap. Sprinkle with the chopped egg whites over the leaves and then top with the crumbled egg yolks. Sprinkle the eggs with a little more salt and pepper to serve.