Victoria's Seasonal Vegetable Salad Recipe

Our Stories

Alejandro Saravia is a champion of local produce.

For the past two years, he has led the team at Farmer’s Daughters with the aim of bringing the best of Gippsland to the heart of the Melbourne CBD.

Now, his latest venture is a love letter to the entire state.

Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters is designed to share the untold stories of the region through produce, people and place. Bringing together seasonal ingredients, resident artists and local wines under one roof, Alejandro and his team aim to bridge the gap between producer and consumer.

To celebrate the opening of the restaurant, Alejandro shares the philosophy behind Victoria alongside an exclusive recipe.

Above: Oxford Shirt, Tapas Shallow Bowl, Hast Marble Board, Hast Marble Bowl, Malika Pinch Pots, Windsor Marble Mortar & Pestle.

When you are in Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters, you can feel that there are pieces of all the different regions in one place.
We want to make sure that we tell the story of the people behind the ingredients, while also bringing the personality of each region to the space. —Alejandro Saravia

Victoria will host regions from across the state, with the menu, accompanying artworks and masterclasses influenced by the area in residence.

Farmers, winemakers and producers will be invited to the restaurant to share their craft, allowing diners to discover the region through food.

Above: Martin Tumbler, Tapas Large Dip Bowl.
Pictured: An ingredients table showcases the diverse agriculture of the region. Shown here is crimson pearl potato from Ballan (left) and biodynamic pearl farro from Mount Zero (right).

Above: Alto Wine Glass, Vienna Jug, Tapas Side Plate, Tapas Dinner Plate, Kyron Cutlery, Martin Tumbler, Dana Napkin.
Pictured: A dedicated wine library houses over 3,000 Victorian wines, including 1,000 museum wines not available on the market.

Seasonal Vegetable Salad, Whipped Fetta, Roasted Garlic and Mustard Dressing

Serves 4

Above: Tapas Large Salad Bowl, Theo Timber Salad Server, Tapas Large Dip Bowl, Theo Arch Large Board, Kyron Cutlery, Oxford Shirt, Tapas Shallow Bowl, Hast Marble Board, Hast Marble Bowl, Malika Pinch Pots.

For me, salads can be fun. When I'm at home, I need to make them entertaining and different for my two kids so they can enjoy them. I always like to have a puree of some sort underneath the vegetables, because that brings a different texture, and helps to bind all the different ingredients.

When choosing the ingredients, I usually go to the market and select whatever is in season—and that's always my advice. We are so spoiled here in Melbourne that there are so many markets that we can go and buy fresh and seasonal vegetables, that it's a shame if we don't use that all the time.—Alejandro Saravia

Above: Theo Long Dip Bowl, Hast Marble Board, Hast Marble Bowl, Theo Timber Paddle, Theo Timber Long Dish.

Ingredients

Vegetable mix

8 radishes, cut into quarters
2 large zucchini, cut in thin slices and lightly grilled
2 large beetroot, diced and roasted
20 green beans, cut in half and blanched
¼ of a whole white cabbage, torn apart and poached in vinegar water
1 head of radicchio, torn into small pieces

Whipped fetta

250gm soft fetta
50ml olive oil
100gm thickened cream
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt flakes

Roasted garlic and herb mix (for the dressing)

250gm roasted garlic
2 bunches marjoram
2 bunches sage

Roasted garlic and mustard dressing

2 tbsp roasted garlic and herb mix
4 tbsp whole grain mustard
600ml olive oil
2 medium shallots
100ml red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt pepper

Above: Theo Large Round Platter, Hast Marble Bowl, Tapas Shallow Bowl, Aeri Tea Towel.

Method

For the whipped fetta, crumble the fetta and place it inside a mortar and pestle. Pound and grind the cheese until you get a smooth consistency.
Add the olive oil and lemon juice and repeat the process until all ingredients are well combined.
Add the cream and stir vigorously with the pestle until thoroughly combined.

Above: Windsor Marble Mortar & Pestle, Theo Juicer, Tapas Large Dip Bowl.

Put aside to rest.
For the roasted garlic and herb mix, pick the leaves from the herbs.
Place the leaves in a blender and blitz for 1 minute.
Add roasted garlic to the blender and blitz until well combined.
Store in a container in the fridge.

Above: Tapas Large Dip Bowl, Tapas Condiment Bowl, Windsor Marble Mortar & Pestle, Malika Pinch Pot.

For the roasted garlic and mustard dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender.

Blend until all ingredients are well combined.
To serve, place a spoonful of the whipped fetta on a large platter.Spread the fetta with the back of a spoon using a circular motion.

Above: Nolan Cutlery, Hast Marble Board, Theo Large Round Platter, Windsor Marble Mortar & Pestle, Tapas Large Dip Bowl, Tapas Condiment Bowl, Theo Juicer.

Start placing the vegetables on top of the fetta, starting with the radicchio and white cabbage to create volume.
Using a spoon, dress the salad with the roasted garlic and mustard dressing.