Warm Mushroom Salad with Potatoes and Wilted Greens
This warm mushroom salad with potato and wilted greens is one of my favorite fall salads. Crispy, pan-seared mushrooms are the star, tossed with roasted potatoes and fall greens for a hearty and satisfying meal.
Preheat the oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil. Prepare your mushrooms and veggies. Gently rinse the mushrooms in cold water, then thoroughly dry them on paper towels or with a cloth. Brush off any stubborn patches of dirt, then cut into thick slices or quarters. Chop the radicchio and set aside.
Toss the potatoes in the oil and sea salt. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
While the potatoes are cooking, sauté the pancetta and mushrooms. Heat a large, heavy skillet (I prefer cast iron) over medium high heat. Once hot, add the pancetta and cook until brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add about a teaspoon of fat to the skillet and allow it to heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add a handful of mushrooms to the pan; you should hear the mushrooms sizzle when they hit the hot fat. If they are not sizzling, the pan or the fat isn't hot enough. Sautee on one side until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms are brown and crispy. Flip and repeat. Push the current batch of mushrooms to the side of pan, add another teaspoon of fat, wait a moment, then add another handful of mushrooms. Repeat until all mushrooms are browned and crispy, about 30 minutes total.
Add the pancetta back into the pan. Give the mushrooms and pancetta a gentle stir to incorporate, then deglaze the pan with the red wine. Cook, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until all of the liquid is evaporated. Turn off the heat, then season with sea salt, cracked pepper, and parsley. Gently stir to incorporate.
In a salad bowl, toss the radicchio, arugula and spinach with the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Add the potatoes and mushrooms and give the entire salad a mild toss. Allow to sit for a few moments until the greens are slightly wilted, then serve.
Notes
Make it Vegetarian: Omit the pancetta and sub butter or avocado oil. Make it Whole30: sub chicken stock for red wine.