Robert Dautch—or BD, as he is known to everyone— has been farming for more than four decades in the Ojai Valley and Carpinteria. I have heard him described as an “organic alchemist.” And having cooked with his exquisite array of herbs, greens, edible flowers and vegetables for many of those years, I can attest that he and his hardworking crew, are masters of their craft. He is also a fountain of knowledge, and it was he, when he saw that I held a bunch of his Japanese globe turnips in my hand one market day, who said, “You know those are great eaten raw, Pascale.” I had not, up to that point, tried raw turnips, but dutifully went home and tried one. The texture and flavor were a revelation: sweet, delicate, with a hint of a mild radish on the palate, and the crunch of an Asian pear. They are terrific in salads. In this recipe they add a delicate yet crunchy contrast to the warmth of the sautéed mushrooms, the creaminess of the goat cheese and the pepperiness of the arugula.
Baby Arugula, Wild Mushroom, Mung Bean and Goat Cheese Salad
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon walnut mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar, or white wine vinegar
For the Salad
- 8 ounces baby arugula
- 2 ounces sprouted mung beans
- 4-5 Japanese globe turnips, washed (and peeled, if necessary) then thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
- 3 ounces goat cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ pounds mushroom, assorted, including cremini, trumpet, shiitake, sliced
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- In a large salad bowl whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients to form a thick emulsion. Place salad utensils over the vinaigrette.
- Place the arugula, mung beans, sliced turnips, chives and goat cheese on top of the utensils.
- Pour the olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is just sizzling, add the butter and melt until foaming. Add the mushrooms, a good pinch of salt and 8–10 grinds of pepper. Sauté, stirring frequently, until liquids evaporate and mushrooms turn golden brown, about 5–6 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the salad. Toss to combine well. Serve while the mushrooms are still warm.
