BUTTER LETTUCE SALAD

BUTTER LETTUCE SALAD image

Yield 6 people

Number Of Ingredients 18

3 heads of butter lettuce, ends trimmed, leaves rinsed,
one head serves 2
4 ounces of plain goat cheese (buy the kind in log form,
not already crumbled. (You will crumble the fresh
cheese with your fingers)
¼ cup toasted pine nuts (always toast in skillet on burner,
not toaster oven - easier to keep eye on them as they
burn easily)
1 tsp of lemon zest
fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 to 1.5 lemons)
olive oil to taste
flake salt (Maldon flake salt is best - there is no
substitute. You can usually find at any specialty market
or occasionally Whole Foods)
1 bag fresh cherry tomatoes cut in half (Nature Sweet)
finely chopped chives "to taste"
coarsely ground black pepper "to taste"
garlic + butter croutons by Marie Calendar

Steps:

Preparation: Rinse and coarsely chop lettuce. Put lettuce in large salad bowl that you plan on serving it in - give yourself enough room in bowl to toss the salad while preparing. "Season" the lettuce by coating/tossing with olive oil, lemon juice, zest and flake salt and pepper. When lettuce tastes good, add the chives and continue to toss until lettuce is lightly coated with chives. This adds great flavor and also color. Add croutons and toss. Add the goat cheese and gently toss just a couple times. (don't toss too much or else cheese will start to smear rather than appear crumbled. Sprinkle top of salad with tomatoes and pine nuts and let people help themselves.