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English Garden Salad Sautee
Ginger and Raspberries spice up the greens
by Patrick Edie
The gardens of aristocratic 1778 England burst with lovely flowers in the spring and sweet fruits in the summer. The luscious bells of the pepper plants now meet the wok as Hawai'i's regional cuisine reflects on the influence of the British in the islands.
To create this sauteed garden salad begin by poaching some fresh tender asparagus. Cool under water as soon as the shoots are cooked to al dente (firm to the bite). Julienne several colors of bell peppers and a medium onion.
Place some mixed greens or picked-over romaine lettuce hearts on the serving plates. Arrange the asparagus spears and set aside.
In a hot wok place a small amount of rosemary-scented olive oil (1) and a fresh grating of ginger. Add the peppers and onion. Saute quickly turning several times. Add a splash of raspberry vinegar (2) and a pinch of white pepper. (An optional teaspoon of sugar or Nutrasweet will give a sweet-sour note.) Spoon the warm peppers over the greens and serve immediately. Complement this salad with white bread finger sandwiches spread with wasabi flavored mayonnaise and thinly sliced peeled cucumbers. A few calendulas, nasturtiums or borage blossoms make a colorful accent.
Rosemary scented olive oil is available at Williams-Sonoma Stores at Ala Moana Center and other fine stores, as is raspberry vinegar.
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