Freshly picked watercress, sauteed oyster mushrooms (I added some other wild mushrooms as well), shaved parma and a tarragon vinaigrette.

I really need to remember to add watercress to my menu more often. This was super easy and packed with flavor. Didn’t think the salad was going to be enough, so I added a chipotle marinated flank steak and some local fresh dug boiled fingerling potatoes. To be honest, the mushrooms make this salad so “meaty” that the meat was probably overkill. Of course the shaved parmesan cheese added a bit of fatty saltiness that took it over the top.

Favorite part is the amazing tarragon vinaigrette. This is a keeper and will be repurposed on other dishes/salads. Wasn’t convinced using an immersion blender was essential, but in hindsight, it’s the way to go. Makes the dressing super silky smooth versus the chunky results I’m sure I would get if I did it the chop and whisk way.

Here’s a link to the original recipe. BTW…Serious Eats is a really good blog that’s worth the time.

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/10/quick-pickled-cucumbers-rice-vinegar-recipe.html