Mmmmmm…. there is a restaurant in Yaletown that I love. Glowbal ….. really great food, and relatively reasonable. Just be prepared for the wine list…..very, very expensive… but the food…the food is great. Sunday brunch is fantastic! But I’m usually there for lunch with a friend every month or so. And my favourite meal is a salad that they make, it’s a fresh take on a Cobb salad, but so much better than anything I’ve ever had before!
I decided to make my own version at home for dinner and this is what I came up with…oh so good… a bit of time to get all the bits done, but comes together in a flash if having people over.
Per person:
1 egg
about 10 green beans
3-4 asparagus spears
5-10 small grape/cherry tomatoes
2-3 slices bacon
about 1-2 Tablespoons of goat cheese
1-2 Tablespoons of dried cranberries
1-2 Tablespoons of slivered almonds
about 1.5 cups of baby spinach leaves
olive oil
red wine vinegar
mustard powder
salt
pepper
white vinegar
Turn the oven on to about 350 F
Oil a small baking pan with olive oil.
Cut the tips off the green beans and snap off the woody ends of the asparagus. Cut the grape/cherry tomatoes in half longitudinally. Put the beans, asparagus and tomatoes (cut side up) in the pan and drizzle with olive oil. Grind some fresh black pepper and sprinkle a bit of salt over the veggies and roast in the oven until they are tender. Watch the asparagus as it will be done first! When all the veggies are tender crisp put them on a plate in the fridge. SAVE THE OIL FOR THE DRESSING!
Cook the bacon. I used to do this in a frying pan but it comes out much nicer if you put it on a rack in a baking pan and oven cook it at about 400F. It comes out nice and flat, and the grease all drips to the bottom leaving the bacon much less greasy, and more evenly cooked. When it is cooked, set it aside.
Put about 2 inches of water in a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt for each litre of water. Break each egg into a small cup and when the water is barely simmering, slip the egg into the water and let it sink.Leave it for about 1 minute before gently turning it over with a slotted spoon. Cook for another 3 minutes until the white is cooked but the yolk is barely set. Remove it and place it in a small dish in the fridge.
Toast the almonds in a dry pan until they are golden and fragrant.
Make up the dressing. Use 3 parts oil (don’t forget to use that oil from the roasted vegetables) to one part red wine vinegar. Add a bit of mustard powder (1/4 – 1/2 tsp) and some fresh black pepper. Whisk it together to thicken and add salt to taste.
Build the salad!
Put the pile of spinach leaves in the centre of the plate. arrange the beans and asparagus on top, place the roasted tomatoes around the edges of the plate and sprinkle the cranberries and toasted nuts over the top. Arrange the bacon over the top, place the poached egg on the very top, drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle crumbled goat cheese over it all. Grind a bit more pepper over the entire thing…maybe add a couple of pieces of toasted french bread if you have some lying around…and dig in!
So good and so fresh!