The new spring green: mache makes a beautiful salad—and tasty hot dishes too - Food Guide

Sunset, April, 2003 by Sara Schneider

In the West's luxuriously crowded field of greens, there's another player. Until recently, mache--also known as lamb's lettuce or corn salad and a longtime staple in France--could be found here mainly in tony restaurants and upscale markets. Now, however, Epic Roots, founded by former chef Todd Koons, is growing it on a large scale in California's Salinas Valley.

Sweet, nutty and a little bit wild-tasting, mache is a multitasker. Its delicate round leaves make a fresh background for spring's best veggies, as in the salad here from Koons. But its hearty texture lets mache work equally well as a cooking green. Use our suggestions below as a starting point for many mache experiments. Mache is available year-round in many markets, including Raley's and some Albertsons, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods Markets. www.epicroots.com or (415) 331-8271.

More mache ideas

* Wilted salad: mix with warm sauteed chopped bacon and sliced mushrooms, and a little balsamic vinegar.

* Pasta: toss with cooked noodles, garlic sauteed in olive oil, toasted walnuts, and lots of shredded parmesan cheese.

* Sauce for chicken or fish: blanch for 30 seconds (keep pushing mache under water), then puree with white wine vinegar and chopped garlic sauteed in olive oil.

* Soup: puree with sauteed onions and some chicken broth, then heat with a white sauce seasoned with fresh-grated nutmeg; top with cooked shrimp or crab.

* Side dish: braise in a little chicken broth for about 2 minutes; spritz with lemon juice.

Mache with Spring Vegetables and Lemon Vinaigrette

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes

NOTES: You can substitute asparagus for the green beans; cook it for 2 to 3 minutes in step 2.

MAKES: 4 servings

2 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup
  extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion (about 8 oz.), peeled
  and slivered lengthwise
8 ounces small haricots verts or
  other green beans, rinsed, ends
  trimmed, and any strings pulled
  off (see notes)
8 ounces baby carrots (1/2 in. wide
  at top), tops trimmed off, and
  scrubbed, or baby-cut carrots
1 cup shelled fresh peas
  (from 1 lb. in shell)
2 tablespoons Meyer or
  regular lemon juice
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  Fine sea or regular salt
  Fresh-ground black pepper
2 quarts mache (4 oz.),
  rinsed and crisped

1. Pour 2 teaspoons olive oil into an 8- to 10-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat; when hot, add onion and stir occasionally until slightly limp, about 8 minutes (onion should be a little crunchy still). Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Meanwhile, in a 3- to 4-quart pan over high heat, bring about 2 quarts water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until tender-crisp to bite, 4 to 5 minutes. With a strainer or slotted spoon, transfer to a colander; rinse under cold running water until cool. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Add carrots to boiling water and cook until tender-crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to colander, rinse until cool, drain, and add to bowl. Add peas to boiling water and cook until barely tender to bite, about 3 minutes. Pour into colander and rinse until cool; drain and add to bowl.

3. In a small bowl, mix lemon juice, yogurt, and mustard until blended. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add mache to vegetables in bowl. Drizzle lemon vinaigrette over the top and mix gently to coat. Divide mixture among salad plates and garnish equally with sauteed onion.

Per serving: 240 cal., 64% (153 cal.) from fat; 4.8 g protein; 17 g fat (2.4 g sat.); 21 g carbo (5.3 g fiber); 68 mg sodium; 0.2 mg chol.