SALADS: This is a delicious and substantial salad to enjoy as a meal in itself.

WILD MUSHROOM SALAD:

½ quantity Basic French Vinaigrette dressing

4 lightly cooked and seasoned chicken breasts           

8 to 10 oz. mixed salad greens

2 tomatoes, skinned, seeded and diced                       

wild mushroom mixture:

    6 oz. mixed wild mushrooms such as ceps, chanterelles and oyster mushrooms

    3 oz. button mushrooms                             

    ¼ cup unsalted butter + 1 tbsp. olive oil                                         

    2 shallots, finely chopped

    2 garlic cloves, crushed                              

    2 tbsp. sherry or balsamic vinegar

    3 tbsp. chopped chervil                              

    salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the chicken breasts across the fillet into ¾-inch strips.  Arrange strips on 4 large plates into the spokes of a wheel, leaving a space in the centre of the plate. Toss the salad greens with dressing and arrange some greens in centre of the chicken.

Clean all mushrooms; trim and cut into even-sized pieces. In a non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter in olive oil to cook shallot and garlic for a few minutes; then cook mushrooms in batches, if necessary. Return all cooked mushrooms to pan and add vinegar. Stir well and cook quickly; then stir in chervil & salt and pepper to taste.

Add a layer of mushrooms to each serving of salad greens, then more salad leaves and another layer of mushrooms.  Drizzle with more dressing. Serve immediately.

FRENCH VINAIGRETTE:

3 parts oil                                                        

1 part vinegar, preferably good balsamic vinegar

½ tsp. each salt & freshly pepper

½ to 1 tsp. sugar                                              

½ to 1 tsp dry or fresh mustard

chopped herbs                                                

1 clove garlic

Crush garlic.  Whisk mustard with a bit of oil into a thin paste. Add salt, pepper, sugar and the herbs. Add rest of oil and whisk together. Vinegar is added last and the whole mixture is whisk well together.

Some people prefer olive oil, but other oils may be used, or a combination of 2 oils.

There is a wide variety of vinegar to choose from---cider, red wine, white wine, tarragon and other flavoured vinegars, as well as balsamic vinegar. Lemon juice may be used with some salads, particularly seafood salads.