Ensalada Fresca de Pollería
Ensalada Fresca de Pollería·(en-sah-lah-dah fres-kah deh poh-yeh-ree-ah)
La Pollada del Fin de Semana (The Weekend Gatherings)
For years, food blogs have tried to sell the lie that Peruvian rotisserie chicken is served with a green cilantro dressing on the salad. It isn't. The true pollería salad is dressed with a pale, aggressively tangy vinagreta—a brilliant emulsion of mustard, vinegar, dried oregano, and one crucial local secret: a physical chunk of fresh cucumber blended right into the mix. It provides a hydrating freshness that cuts perfectly through the heavy chicken and fries. To make this work on a standard Tuesday night, skip the hour-long process of boiling raw beets and grab a pack of vacuum-sealed ones from the produce aisle.
Ingredients
- egg1 large
- fresh cucumber1 small
- garlic1 small clove
- yellow mustard1 tbsp
- distilled white vinegar3 tbsp
- lime juice1 tbsp
- dried oregano1 1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- neutral oil3/4 cup
- Iceberg lettuce1 head
- Roma tomatoes2 med
- English cucumber1/2 med
- carrot1 med
- pre-cooked beets8 oz
- Hass avocado1 large
Method
- 01
Pulverize the base ingredients for the vinagreta.
In a standard blender or a tall cup with an immersion blender, combine the egg, the fresh cucumber chunk, garlic, mustard, white vinegar, lime juice, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend on medium speed for about 10 seconds until the cucumber is completely obliterated and the mixture is frothy.
- 02
Slowly emulsify the oil into the dressing.
Keep simple things simple: the only secret to mayonnaise is patience during the pour. With the blender running on medium-low, pour the neutral oil in a very slow, hair-thin stream. The sound of the blender will deepen as the liquid thickens into a beautiful, pale, creamy emulsion speckled with green oregano. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
- 03
Build the salad on a wide serving platter.
The hallmark of a pollería salad is a rustic, layered presentation. Arrange the completely dry chopped lettuce on a wide platter. Scatter the grated carrots evenly over the greens, then layer the tomato, cucumber, and beet slices around the platter. Gently crown the entire thing with the avocado wedges.
- 04
Dress the salad at the exact moment you sit down to eat.
Do not pre-dress this salad, or the acidity of the vinagreta will immediately wilt the lettuce and bleed the red color from the beets into a muddy mess. Generously drizzle the dressing over the vegetables right at the table, serving the rest in a small bowl on the side.
Notes
Moisture ruins the dressing.
Ensure your lettuce is spun completely dry. If the greens are wet, the creamy vinagreta will slide right off the leaves and pool into a watery mess at the bottom of the plate.
Skip the raw egg if you prefer.
If you are uncomfortable using a raw egg, you can achieve a nearly identical texture by substituting it with 1/4 cup of whole milk or evaporated milk. The oil will emulsify with the proteins in the milk exactly the same way.
The optional pollería secret.
If you want the exact, slightly addictive restaurant flavor, add a tiny pinch of MSG into the blender with the base ingredients before emulsifying the oil.
From Cook Peruvian in America.