Chef Sami Tallberg served this salad in Helsinki at a dinner where every ingredient came from Finnish forests and fields. Four medium cep mushrooms, sliced paper-thin. Tender cattail cores sliced on the diagonal. A large handful of wild edible greens. Cold-pressed rapeseed oil, salt, and pepper. Nothing else. It is the kind of recipe that makes you trust the ingredients.
He mixed everything in a bowl and piled it high on each plate, a tall fluffy heap. The ceps were raw and earthy. The cattail was crisp and mild. The greens tasted like the forest floor smells in early autumn.
Tips for Making Cep and Wild Herb Salad
Slice the ceps as thin as possible
Raw cep mushrooms (porcini) are best when sliced paper-thin. A sharp knife or mandoline. Thick slices are tough and chewy when eaten raw.
Use firm, fresh ceps. Soft or spongy mushrooms have too much moisture and will not hold their shape in the salad.
Dress lightly with rapeseed oil
Three tablespoons of cold-pressed rapeseed oil for the entire salad. That is all. Rapeseed oil has a mild, nutty flavour that does not compete with the mushrooms.
Do not add the oil until you are ready to serve. The greens wilt quickly once dressed. Toss and plate immediately.
Cep and Wild Herb Salad
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Omnivore
Description
A Finnish-inspired raw salad bursting with earthy mushroom and wild herb flavors. Simple to make, yet utterly delicious.
Ingredients
- 4 quality, medium-sized cepes mushrooms, thinly-sliced
- 4 pieces, tender cattail core, sliced diagonally
- 1 large handful of edible plants and greens, washed and dried
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp (50 ml) quality, cold-pressed rapeseed oil
Instructions
- Mix everything together in a large bowl.
- Serve the salad, making a tall, fluffed heap on each plate.
Notes
- For optimal flavor, use freshly foraged cep mushrooms if possible. If using store-bought, ensure they are firm and free of blemishes.
- To prevent wilting, add the rapeseed oil just before serving.
- If cattail is unavailable, substitute with finely sliced fennel or asparagus for a similar textural element.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Finnish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 100
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 3
Frequently Asked Questions
What are cep mushrooms?
Also known as porcini. Large, firm mushrooms with a brown cap and thick white stem. They have a rich, earthy, nutty flavour. Available fresh at farmers’ markets in autumn and some specialty grocery stores. Dried porcini cannot substitute here because this is a raw salad.
What is cattail?
The tender inner core of the cattail plant shoot. It is crisp, mild, and slightly sweet. If unavailable, thinly sliced fennel or blanched asparagus tips give a similar crunch.
What greens can I use?
Any edible wild or cultivated greens: baby spinach, mache, watercress, wood sorrel, or dandelion. A mix of tender, mild greens works best. The greens are a background for the mushrooms, not the star.
