Monk beard salad

Monk’s beard is a green vegetable which originates from Tuscany. It is similar to samphire in appearance and taste but without the overwhelming saltiness that makes samphire such an acquired taste. Monk’s beard gets its name from the Cappuccino monks who were well known for growing the vegetable.
Monk’s beard has a very short season of approximately five weeks in the spring and while it is predominately grown in Tuscany it is also increasingly being grown by specialist salad and vegetable growers in the United Kingdom and United States.
Monk’s beard is known as Barbe dei Frati in Italy and is also called goat's beard in the United Kingdom.
When it is very young it is suitable to use in salads but it is perhaps best when lightly steamed and dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and freshly ground black pepper (and sea salt to taste) to produce a delicate side platter. It almost look like chive just thicker and bigger, like thick gras.

I've seen monk beard a few times at the supermarket and befor buying it I searched the web. In fact I have a recipe for monk beard since years. I guess I just saved it just in case. And then I bought it and it stayed in my refrigerator for a few days and then I defently had to make it before it went bad. My first try was just roasted monk beard with onions, chilli and deglazed with balsamic vinegar. Thought it does look a little dark cause of the balsamic vinegar, the taste was "oh my God", so good!! I can't even tell you the taste, hard to define, but defently not strange, like what, yes what? Anyway just good I immediatly fell in love and I had just a prepared dish in about 8 min cooking time, so fast done. Yesterday I bought it again and made that great salad!


 Monk beard salad

Ingredients for 2 persons:

1 bunch monk beard

1/2 small onion dice into thin cut

1 garlic clove, finely diced

1 small chili pepper, diced small

2 Tablespoons best wine vinegar

Salt, pepper,

1 Tsp mustard

3 Tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

Generously cut off the roots of the monk beards and then thoroughly wash, he can be quite sandy. Boil water in a large pot, salt vigorously and boil monk beard for about 5 minutes. Drain and return hot again in the pot. Mix with the onion, garlic, chili.

In a large bowl stir a vinaigrette with vinegar, salt, pepper and mustard. Add olive oil stir it beautiful creamy and then give the monk beard out of the pot in the salad bowl and mix everything thoroughly.