Summer Salad
Veranda on Highland's popular salad keeps diners coming back for more.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
At Veranda, executive chef Thomas Robey strives to use the freshest ingredients possible. Robey says that it is important to him to use local purveyors, to keep the money spent in the restaurant here in Birmingham to strengthen the City's economy, which hopefully for him will mean more diners at Veranda.
“We work with two local Farms-Snow’s Bend Farm and Averiett Branch Farms. Not only is freshness important, but being able to purchase all our goods from locally owned companies,” he explains. All meat is purchased through Evans Meats, who sources much of their product from local businesses—buying chicken, catfish, and sausage from Alabama farms and processors. Groceries and dry goods come from Wood Fruitticher, the largest independently owned Grocery distributor in the South. Most seafood comes from Inland Seafood. “Any produce not bought directly from the farms comes from Franks Produce, whose owner, Mark Franks, combs Finley Avenue for the best stuff available.”
One year ago I covered his technique for making Crabmeat, Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Pimm’s Cup Vinaigrette in the “Chef Secrets” column. Since that time many have discovered this light and delicious dish and emailed requests to me for the complete recipe. Robey shares his recipe. The techniques from the previous column are archived on the Chefs’ Secrets section of BirminghamRestaurants.com.
Vinaigrette:
2 Tablespoon diced shallot
1 Lemon, zested and juiced
1 Tablespoon fresh Mint, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh Cilantro, chopped
Pinch Sugar
4 Ounces Pimms No. 1
6 Ounces Salad Oil
Salt and Pepper
Place all ingredients except oil into a blender, slowly drizzle oil. This is what’s known as a temporary emulsion, which means it must be re-shaken or stirred before each use.
Salad:
1 Large Red Tomato, cut into four slices, then quartered
1 Large Yellow or Heirloom Tomato, cut into four slices, then quartered
½ Cup of Red and Yellow Watermelon, free of seeds and diced
1 Medium cucumber, peeled and seeded, then sliced into ribbons with the vegetable peeler
1 Small red onion, peeled then shaved into thin rings (rinse the shaved onion under cold running water for five minutes, this will take out the bitterness)
¼ cup chiffonade of Mint
1/5 cup chiffonade of Cilantro
Splash of Cane or Red Wine Vinegar
Kosher Salt and freshly Ground Black Pepper
Place the tomato slices in a bowl, season with the salt, pepper, and splash of vinegar. Arrange the slices onto four chilled salad plates, alternating colors. In a stainless steel bowl, place the watermelon, cucumber, crabmeat, onion, mint and cilantro. Add four ounces of the vinaigrette, salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine being careful not to break the crabmeat very much. Split the mixture onto the four plates on top of the tomatoes, drizzle the rest of the vinaigrette around the plates, and garnish each with a mint sprig.