Shelly's Recipe

SCANDINAVIAN CHICKEN SALAD

Category: Salads - Poultry

1 cup diced celeriac
Generous 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped smoked bacon
1/2 boiled or roasted large chicken, or 1 smaller chicken
2 bunches of herbs, such as chervil, chives, tarragon, parsley or dill, chopped
1 tablespoon salted capers, washed and chopped
Salt and pepper
2 butterhead lettuces
For the mayonnaise
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
Approximately 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Heat the celeriac in a saucepan with the vinegar and stir over a high heat until the vinegar has evaporated. Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp, then set aside.

Pluck the meat off the chicken carcass into fine shreds.

For the mayonnaise, the trick is to make sure that all the ingredients are at the same temperature, preferably room temperature. Mix the egg, extra yolk, salt, lemon zest and mustard in a bowl or food processor, and gradually drip in the oil until it is used up. If the mayonnaise separates, try adding a small amount of cold water and stirring vigorously.

Dilute the mayonnaise with the creme fraiche and a little vinegar, then mix with the celeriac, herbs, half of the capers, and chicken; reserve a few of the herbs to decorate. Season if necessary.

Serve the salad on a bed of lettuce, garnished with the bacon and chopped herbs and capers. As the mayonnaise is fresh, you should eat the salad the day it's made.

Serves 6 as an appetizer, or 4 for lunch.