Salmagundi Recipe

By
Sydney Oland
Sydney Oland: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Sydney Oland
Sydney Oland lives in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, where she develops recipes and owns and operates three businesses: a bean-to-bar chocolate company, an ice cream company, and a collective food production space. Previously, she wrote brunch and British food recipe columns for Serious Eats.
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Updated April 30, 2019
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Sydney Oland

Salmagundi is more of a concept than a recipe. Essentially, it is a large composed salad that incorporates meat, seafood, cooked vegetables, raw vegetables, fruits, and nuts and is arranged in an elaborate way. Think of it as the British answer to Salad Niçoise.

Dating back to the seventeenth century, salmagundi refers to the large assortment of ingredients that give the diner a large range of flavors and textures on one plate. But it's also, in true British form, a way to use leftover roasts and vegetables in a new, striking way. The meal-sized salad is normally served for lunch or as part of a picnic.

While I have included recipes for an assortment of ingredients to serve in your salmagundi, don't feel inhibited. Use what is fresh, or what you have in the fridge, or what you feel like eating at that moment. Just make sure to include a wide variety of ingredients and plate the dish on a large serving platter, for the best first impression when you place your salmagundi on the table.

Recipe Details

Salmagundi Recipe

Active 90 mins
Total 90 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces (bone-in, skin-on thighs are ideal)

  • 3/4 pound small potatoes

  • 6 sprigs thyme

  • 4 medium cloves garlic

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon butter, divided

  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

  • 1/2 bunch asparagus

  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped

  • 1/4 pound green beans

  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, from 1 lemon

  • 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

  • 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1/2 teaspoon grainy mustard

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 8 ounces mixed greens

  • 6 radishes, thinly sliced

  • 1 pear, cored and thinly sliced

  • 2 beefsteak tomatoes, quartered

Directions

  1. Adjust the oven rack to middle position and preheat to 400°F. Place chicken, potatoes, thyme, and garlic in a roasting pan. Drizzle with vegetable oil then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Using your hands, toss all the ingredients together so they are evenly coated. Place in the oven and roast until potatoes are soft, and chicken is fully cooked and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

  2. Meanwhile, melt 1 teaspoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add the almonds and toss to coat. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and toss to coat with almonds and butter. Cover and cook, shaking pan occasioanally, until asparagus is just tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate to cool.

  3. Return skillet to medium-high heat and melt another teaspoon of butter. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the green beans and toss to coat with shallots and butter. Cover and cook, shaking pan occasioanally, until beans are just tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate to cool.

  4. Return skillet to medium-high heat and melt remaining teaspoon butter. Add the lemon zest and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring often, until shrimp is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add chives and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate to cool.

  5. Whisk together red wine vinegar, mustard, tarragon, and olie oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, dress the lettuce with some of the vinaigrette and place on a large serving platter. Using the vinaigrette dress the radishes and place on one section of the platter, then repeat with sliced pears and tomatoes.

  6. Arrange the asparagus and the green beans on the platter, followed by shrimp, chicken, and potatoes topped with the whole roasted garlic cloves. Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette over the vegetables and serve immediately.

Special equipment

roasting pan, nonstick skillet, large platter

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
767Calories
43gFat
39gCarbs
60gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories767
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 43g56%
Saturated Fat 11g56%
Cholesterol 345mg115%
Sodium 1383mg60%
Total Carbohydrate 39g14%
Dietary Fiber 8g30%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 60g
Vitamin C 39mg196%
Calcium 180mg14%
Iron 5mg29%
Potassium 1632mg35%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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