Shaved Pattypan and Crimini Mushroom Salad

Sometimes we think of salads as those boring dishes that are on the table just because people should eat their greens. I have a blatant fondness of salads, but also a sheer disgust of them, because if I had to eat salad every day (like I used to when I was trying to be way too skinny or when I was too lazy to cook something), I’d probably not want to eat them anymore either. I like the versatility of pasta salads, potato salads, vegetable salads, etc. People tend to get locked up in ideas of lettuce and dressing, so I say to you all: give up the mixed greens and take the plunge of eating salads that make you happy and change up what you’d normally eat.

We could all use a number of fresh ingredients added into our diets and sometimes a perfect salad is the best way to incorporate all of those things. This Shaved Pattypan and Crimini Mushroom Salad is something that can change the way you think about raw veggies. The mild marinating of balsamic vinegar and vegetables helps to take that sometimes unpleasant raw flavor out of the lovely little pattypan. I love pattypan. It’s one of my very favorite vegetables to eat, along with most zucchini for that matter. For those of you who don’t know what they are, pattypan are squash that are mild in flavor and are the shape of a large top or also described as sunburst. It is normally a summer squash, so it may be a little difficult to find around right now; if so, you can substitute yellow zucchini, which works well. I hope this little salad, inspires you to give cold vegetables a go with a beautiful light dressing.

10 pattypan, shaved on a thin setting with a mandolin or sliced thin with a knife

10-15 crimini mushrooms, wiped down with a paper towel to get off excess dirt and sliced thin (like the pattypan)

1 small hand full of cherry tomatoes or heirloom cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

2 stalks celery or the celery heart with the leaves attached, cut into small pieces

¼ cup feta cheese crumbles

Salt

Pepper

2 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 sprigs minced parsley (optional)

5 large green olives, pitted and sliced

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add mushrooms, tomatoes and pattypan. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a small amount of black pepper. Add vinegar and oil to pattypan mixture. This mixture can be done ahead of time up to 15-20 minutes in advance and if you’d like a longer “pickling” affect from the balsamic, you may refrigerate and keep longer.

When ready to serve add celery, feta, olives and parsley to the mixture and toss together.

Taste for seasoning.

Enjoy

Cheers

-Unrivaledkitch