Green Salad With Pickled Mushrooms, Cucumbers, Onions, and Pecorino Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated Mar. 26, 2019
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J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Bright pickled vegetables make for a bracing, refreshing salad that goes great with grilled meats.

Recipe Details

Green Salad With Pickled Mushrooms, Cucumbers, Onions, and Pecorino Recipe

Active 20 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 cucumber, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch dice
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 ounces hon-shimeji mushrooms, trimmed
  • 4 ounces snap peas, trimmed and split crosswise at a bias
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large head red leaf lettuce, leafed, washed, and carefully dried
  • 3 ounces crumbled pecorino cheese
  • Black pepper

Directions

  1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, 3/4 cups water, sugar, and a large pinch salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring. Remove from heat, then add cucumber, onions, and mushrooms to pot and cover with a clean dish towel or paper towel directly in contact with the surface. Set aside for ten minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, blanch snap peas in boiling water until bright green but still crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer to a strainer or colander and run under cold water until chilled.

  3. Strain pickled cucumbers, onions, and mushrooms through a fine mesh strainer or colander, reserving 2 tablespoons pickling liquid. Run pickles under cold water until chilled. Transfer snap peas and pickles to a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet and dry carefully.

  4. Combine mustard and reserved pickling liquid in a large bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Add lettuce, pickles, snap peas, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine and dress evenly. Serve immediately.