a simple arugula salad

A little while back, I went to lunch at Bar Tartine with a friend.  Their signature tartines are out of the picture for me (there’s a small amount of buttermilk in the rye bread), but there are plenty of other options on the menu, and that day, any hint of disappointment I had quickly dissolved when my lunch was set in front of me: chicories and other greens were layered with slivers of fennel, watermelon radish, and grated fresh horseradish. Have you ever had fresh horseradish on a salad? Apparently it’s a thing in San Francisco, as I had another salad two nights ago at Magnolia with a generous amount shredded on top. It was a little confusing to me at first – at Tartine, I thought that somehow my dairy allergy had been misunderstood and some asiago or parmesan had snuck into the bowl. But alas, horseradish. To be honest, I feel like I’m gaining something here. I do miss cheese, but in some way, this makes it a little more tolerable. It’s a little spicy, soft, and lends a wonderful flavor to whatever you add it to.

This week has been a weird sort of busy. I picked up a lot of greens last time I went to the store, and have been trying to keep some homemade salad dressing in the fridge to make dinner a little less complicated. Arugula, dijon-white wine vinaigrette, and a little fresh grated horseradish. It’s my new favorite simple salad.

Salad

1 inch knob of peeled fresh horseradish

4 cups washed and dried arugula

Dressing (below)

Vinaigrette 

Adapted slightly from 101 Cookbooks

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons lemon or meyer lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup olive oil

Combine everything in a small jar & shake to fully combine. Toss with the arugula and season with black pepper. You may not need all of the dressing, but it keeps well in the fridge. Grate the horseradish on top and serve!