Insalata Festival (Salad With Gruyere and Mushrooms)

This is from La Vera Cucina Italiana by Donaldo Soviero. Every recipe in his book is classic Italian. This salad is the one he calls the most elegant with a wonderful combination of mushrooms, cheese, celery, olives, and truffles (optional).

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 3 -4  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 9  ounces mushrooms, finely sliced
• 1⁄2 medium onion, finely diced
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme
• 1  teaspoon dried basil
• 1  teaspoon dried chervil
• 1  pinch cayenne
•  salt and pepper
• 2 -3  celery ribs, thinly julienned
• 10  ounces gruyere, uniformly julienned
• 8 -10  pitted black olives
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1  truffle, finely sliced (optional)
• 6  large lettuce leaves
• 6  sprigs parsley, chopped

• Al Limone

• 6  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1  pinch cayenne
• 1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1  teaspoon dried chervil
• 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
•  salt
•  freshlt white pepper

Directions

1. Heat the butter in a skillet and saute the mushrooms lightly.
2. Add the onion, thyme, basil, chervil, and cayenne and cook for a few more minutes, stirring.
3. Season with salt and pepper, remove and chill.
4. Toss the chilled mushrooms with celery, cheese, olives, lemon juice, and 1 TBS of chopped parsley.
5. Add the sliced truffles and toss again.
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill and to marinate.
7. When ready to serve, place the large lettuce leaves open on each plate.
8. Divide the mushroom mixture equally among the chilled plates on top of the lettuce leaves.
9. Then prepare Al Limone: Place lemon juice, cayenne, mustard, and chervil in a small, high-sided bowl and whisk to combine.
10. Begin adding oil, drop by drop, while whisking constantly to form an emulsion.
11. Continue adding the oil until all is used.
12. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle a teaspoon or so of dressing over each salad filled lettuce leaf.
13. Garnish with chopped parsley.