The French Farewell Salad

I don’t know about you, but I’m really missing travel - the excitement of waking up somewhere new and experiencing the unique sights, sounds, and flavors of a place. I’m particularly missing my annual trip to France to host The Academy and have been reminiscing about the last six years I’ve spent gathering women from around the world for a week of inspiration and creativity. In an effort to travel vicariously with you, I’m sharing how we created this beautiful table setting to celebrate our final evening together, gathered at the table with a delicious meal, and give you the recipe for our aptly named - French Farewell Salad.

During the week we have most of our meals casually on the patio, but to make our last dinner feel a little more special, we set up an enormous antique table in the middle of the barn. The light streaming in as the sun set was pure golden magic.

The table setting unfolded organically. An antique French sheet was used for the tablecloth and pops of green were added for a fresh, vibrant table setting. It contrasted perfectly with the warm toned and rough textured barn. I also filled the table with glass yogurt cups that we repurposed into votives. The French make the best yogurt, so my team and I would each have one for breakfast, and as you can imagine, we accumulated plenty by the end of the week!

The centerpiece was a metal florist vase filled with tree branches we foraged from the grounds and vineyard, and the mismatched chairs were collected from around the chateau. I love table settings that feel natural, collected, and imperfect.

After a week of being spoiled with rich baked dishes, decadent desserts, and all the bread (and cheese) in France, we were craving something light, crisp, and green! Our personal chef, Paris trained Marisa Curatolo, has the ability to spontaneously whip together the most delicious food in a flash and came up with this superb salad. The sweetness of the apples, the nuttiness of the almonds, and the hint of richness from the Roquefort all came together in perfect harmony.

One of the easiest elements of the salad is the classic French dressing, just a little olive oil and vinegar, with a dose of Dijon mustard. It became a running joke among our team that Marisa was in love with Dijon! She would sneak a little bit of grainy mustard into almost every dish, and even though it wasn’t immediately noticeable, it added a lovely depth of flavor.

Wherever you are in the world, you can recreate this French evening - just whip up this salad, pop open a bottle of wine, and gather around a table with friends or family for a long, leisurely meal filled with conversation. The magic lies not just in the food, but in the French spirit of Joie de Vivre - the prioritizing of life’s little pleasures!

SHOP OUR FRENCH TABLE

French Farewell Salad

Recipe: Marisa Curatolo

Ingredients

4 oz mache lettuce (substitute for butter lettuce if unavailable)
1 bunch baby romaine lettuce leaves
2 small gala apples, cored and cut into thin slices
6 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled

Sugared Almonds:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 cup whole raw almonds

Classic Dressing:
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

For sugared almonds, in small skillet, add sugar and water; cook over medium heat for 1 minute, or until sugar is liquid and bubbly. Add almonds and continue to cook for 1 minute, stirring often or until nuts are coated in golden sugar.

Quickly remove from heat. Pour onto a piece of parchment paper and let cool. To Use: break up pieces by hand or roughly chop. Nuts can be stored in airtight container up to two weeks.

For dressing, in small bowl, combine Dijon and vinegar. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

For salad, in large bowl, toss together the lettuce, apples and Roquefort. Pour in enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves. Add the almonds and toss gently. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

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Photos: Irene Berni for Heather Bullard | Privacy & Affiliate Policies