This salad can be served hot or at room temperature. It’s hearty enough to be a light meal and has lovely contrast between the sweet, soft roasted shallots, crunchy, salty bacon and crisp bitter witlof.
INGREDIENTS:
500g golden shallots
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 x 5mm thick slices of bacon, sliced into small strips
1kg small Cuttlefish, cleaned
500g kipfler potatoes, boiled and peeled (see notes)
200g baby spinach, rinsed and dried
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 heads witlof, sliced
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 150ºC.
Place shallots on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for about 45 minutes, until very soft. Allow to cool slightly, then peel and set aside.
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Add bacon and fry until lightly crisped, drain on paper towel.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Blanch Cuttlefish hoods and legs, in batches if necessary, until they just turn white. Slice hoods finely and place in a large bowl with the legs.
Slice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Add to the Cuttlefish with the shallots, bacon, spinach, vinegar, witlof, remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss lightly and arrange on plates or a large platter.
NOTES:
Kipflers are waxy potatoes that hold their shape well when cooked; other waxy potatoes include charlotte or pink fir apple.
ALTERNATIVE SPECIES:
Baby Octopus (cut into quarters), Prawns, Squid, Calamari.