Talbos ng Sayote Salad with Bagoong Vinaigrette

I first discovered the delicious talbos ng sayote (sayote tops) last year when we went to Laguna to visit some family friends.  Our friends served the most amazing salad made with the delicate-tasting sayote tops with native onions, tomatoes, salted eggs and a bagoong balayan vinaigrette.  I've been on the lookout for these amazing greens!

My patience has been rewarded!  I finally saw some at the local market and immediately bought a bundle!  So it was this delicious salad for dinner! 

To make the salad:

Clean talbos ng sayote (sayote tops) and remove thick stalks (remember to keep the tendrils, they're the best part!).  Blanch briefly in boiling water and rinse immediately in cold water.  Spin dry in a salad spinner.  Arrange in a serving plate.

Slice about 4 shallots, 2 medium salad tomatoes and 2 salted eggs into slices and/or wedges.  Arrange on top of the sayote tops.  Toss with bagoong vinaigrette.

I didn't have bagoong balayan, instead I had some bagoong that Tita G made and so that was what I used.

For the bagoong vinaigrette:

In an air-tight shaker, mix together 1/4 cup sukang paumbong (native vinegar), juice of 1/2 a lemon, 2 tablespoons olive oil, freshly ground black and white peppercorns, about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of bagoong, 2 to 3 pinches of white sugar (depending on the sweetness of the bagoong), and 1 to 2 pinches of pink sea salt (again depending on the bagoong).  Seal the container and shake, shake, shake!