French Mushroom Salad

This is champignons a la Grecque, the classic French cold appetizer where mushrooms are cooked in a fragrant court-bouillon and served chilled. The technique dates back to traditional bistro cooking, and the flavor only gets better as it sits in the fridge.

Twelve whole mushroom caps get fried in olive oil first to soften them, then set aside while the cooking liquid comes together. Pearl onions, quartered Boston lettuce, sliced tomatoes, celery, lemon juice, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, coriander seeds, and dry white wine simmer together for 20 to 25 minutes until the onions are tender and everything has melded into an aromatic, acidic broth.

The final step is key: the vegetables get boiled hard for 4 minutes to concentrate their flavors into a thick, intensely flavored dressing, then poured hot over the mushrooms. As it chills, the mushrooms absorb that wine-and-herb-laced liquid and the whole thing transforms into something much greater than the sum of its parts.

Serve cold on its own as a starter or alongside crusty bread and a glass of the same dry white wine you cooked with.

Chef Tips

• Use button or cremini mushrooms for the most traditional result. Their firm texture holds up to cooking and chilling
• Keep the caps whole for presentation. Only the stems get chopped
• Chill for at least 2 hours before serving, but overnight is ideal. The flavors deepen significantly
• Remove the bay leaf before serving. It’s done its work during the simmer

Variations

• Mixed mushroom: Use a combination of cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms for more variety and depth
• Artichoke addition: Add canned artichoke hearts to the cooking liquid alongside the onions
• Sherry vinegar finish: Stir in a tablespoon of sherry vinegar before chilling for extra tang