Tundra Trek Minimalist Salad (Printable View)

Crisp vegetables and subtle flavors artfully arranged over a chilled stone plate, inspired by tundra landscapes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 small daikon radish, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 1 small kohlrabi, peeled and thinly sliced
03 - 1 Belgian endive, leaves separated
04 - ½ cup cauliflower florets, finely chopped

→ Garnish & Accents

05 - ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
06 - 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, lightly toasted
07 - 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
08 - ¼ cup microgreens (e.g., pea shoots or radish sprouts)
09 - Flaky sea salt, to taste

→ Dressing

10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
12 - ½ teaspoon white pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

# How To Make It:

01 - Place a large, clean stone or marble platter in the freezer for 15 minutes prior to assembly.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and white pepper in a small bowl until combined.
03 - Sparsely arrange daikon, kohlrabi, and endive leaves across the chilled stone platter, mimicking a windswept tundra.
04 - Sprinkle cauliflower florets, coconut flakes, white sesame seeds, and black sesame seeds randomly over the vegetables.
05 - Lightly drizzle the prepared dressing over the entire arrangement.
06 - Top with microgreens and a pinch of flaky sea salt just before serving; serve immediately to preserve crisp textures.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It feels like edible art—every element visible, every choice deliberate, turning a plate into a moment of quiet beauty.
  • Crisp textures stay crisp because you're not drowning anything in sauce; the cold stone keeps everything honest and bright.
  • It's faster than you'd expect for something this striking, so impressing people doesn't require hours hiding in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Your stone or plate must be genuinely cold when you start building; a warm plate melts the intention and makes vegetables weep into the dressing.
  • Slice everything thin enough that you're slightly nervous about your knife skills—thickness is the enemy of elegance here, and it changes how flavors land on your tongue.
  • Don't dress this more than a few minutes before serving, or everything starts to soften and the whole arctic landscape starts to look like a foggy morning instead of a crisp day.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds instead of buying pre-toasted ones; the difference in flavor feels small until you taste them side by side, and then it's everything.
  • Serve with something cold and slightly mineral—aquavit, dry white wine, or even a crisp pilsner—because this dish wants an accompaniment that echoes its own quiet intensity rather than competing with it.
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