Green vegetable salad, Piedmont hazelnut & truffle praline, blood orange, parmesan

Kostas Papathanasiou

Kostas Papathanasiou

31st March 2026
Kostas Papathanasiou

Green vegetable salad, Piedmont hazelnut & truffle praline, blood orange, parmesan

45 min

This seasonal vegetable salad recipe by Kostas Papathanasiou, culinary director at Michelin-starred Lita in Marylebone, is a refined spring and summer starter built around asparagus, beans and purple sprouting broccoli. 


Layered with hazelnut and truffle praline, silky mushroom emulsion and a sharp truffle dressing, the dish combines earthy, nutty and citrus notes with elegant restaurant-style presentation. 

Ideal for chefs and ambitious home cooks looking for a fine dining vegetable starter, this recipe showcases seasonal produce with black truffle, Parmesan and bright, precise flavour.

This recipe serves four, as a starter.

Ingredients

vegetable salad

  • green asparagus
  • runner beans
  • fine beans (green and yellow)
  • purple sprouting broccoli

hazelnut & truffle praline

  • 100g roasted hazelnuts
  • 50g hazelnut oil
  • 50g fresh black truffle, finely chopped

mushroom emulsion

  • 100g olive oil
  • 15g egg yolk
  • 10g Dijon mustard
  • 20g lemon juice
  • 10g mushroom powder

truffle dressing

  • 80g extra virgin olive oil
  • 60g rapeseed oil
  • 10g Dijon mustard
  • 30g white wine vinegar
  • 40g fresh truffle, finely chopped
  • 20g lemon juice
  • 5g salt

to finish

  • 200g blanched seasonal vegetables
  • 5g finely chopped chives
  • 5g finely chopped shallots
  • 20g truffle dressing
  • 20g orange or grapefruit segments
  • finely grated parmesan

Method

vegetable salad

Prepare the seasonal vegetables by trimming as needed.
Blanch each vegetable separately in well-salted boiling water until just tender, keeping its natural texture and colour.
Refresh in ice water, then drain and reserve.

hazelnut & truffle praline

Lightly pulse the roasted hazelnuts with the hazelnut oil to create a coarse paste, taking care not to over-blend.
Fold through the finely chopped black truffle and reserve.

mushroom emulsion

Blend the egg yolk, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and mushroom powder together.
Slowly emulsify with the olive oil until smooth and stable.
Adjust the seasoning if needed.

truffle dressing

Combine the extra virgin olive oil, rapeseed oil, Dijon mustard, chopped truffle, white wine vinegar, lemon juice and salt.
Blend with a hand blender until emulsified.
Taste and adjust the acidity if required.

finish

Gently dress the blanched seasonal vegetables with the chives, shallots, truffle dressing and citrus segments.
Spread 30g of hazelnut and truffle praline on the base of each plate.
Add 30g of mushroom emulsion.
Arrange the dressed vegetables on top.
Finish with finely grated parmesan.

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