Once you fry up a batch of frizzled leeks to top this salad, you'll be dreaming up other ways to put them to use (I recommend eating them fresh from the frying pan like you would a handful of chips). Although it's simple, this salad has it all—crunch, tang, creaminess—and it looks beautiful to boot, making it the perfect accompaniment to a main course like seared duck with chanterelles and miso labneh. It's also satisfying enough to stand alone as a light lunch, and it tastes great with a filet of pan-seared salmon perched on top.
Ingredients
1 head frisée
1 lb small red potatoes
1 leek
2 cups canola oil, for frying
2 Tbsp whole grain mustard
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp chives, chopped
kosher salt
fresh-cracked black pepper
Directions
Add the potatoes to a small pot and cover with salted water by an inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool while you assemble the rest of the salad.
To make the frizzled leeks, trim the roots and dark green parts off the leek. Slice in half lengthwise, then cut into 3-inch sections. Slice each section lengthwise as finely as possible so you're left with long, skinny matchsticks. Rinse and dry well.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan until shimmering, then add the dry leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and let cool on a drying rack set inside a sheet tray or a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
Whisk together the mustard, vinegar and chives with a generous pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of good black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil you used to fry the leeks and whisk to combine.
Trim the stem from the frisée and wash and dry thoroughly. Slice the cooled potatoes into 1/4" rounds. Combine the frisée, potatoes and dressing in a mixing bowl and toss until everything is well coated. To plate, dish up a dollop of salad and top with a small handful of frizzled leeks.
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