Baby Gem Lettuce Salad
This is a JB salad recipe which he casually threw together one day for lunch as a side to his French Schnitzel. I loved it so much, I insisted we must publish it! It's crisp, fresh and full of texture - crunchy croutons, juicy tomatoes and a tangy Creamy French Dressing tying it all together. And it's so pretty too!Please take note of how this salad is build. Presentation matters! :)
Servings: 4 - 6 as a side
Ingredients
- 3 baby gem lettuce (aka little gem lettuce), leaves separated, washed and dried (Note 1)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes , cut in half (or grape tomatoes, or 2 regular tomatoes cut into bite size pieces)
- 1/2 eschalot (US: shallot), finely diced (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp chives , finely chopped
- 1 quantity Creamy French Dressing
Croutons:
- 1 cup white bread like baguette , ciabatta, sourdough, cut into 1cm / 0.4" cubes - preferably stale (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of cooking salt / kosher salt
Instructions
Croutons:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan-forced).
- Toss the bread with the oil and salt. Spread on a tray and bake for 10 minutes, tossing once halfway.
- Cool on the tray before using. (These will keep for weeks in an airtight container in the pantry).
Salad:
- Place all the lettuce leaves in a large bowl.
- Add half of each the tomatoes, croutons, chives and eschalots. Drizzle with half the dressing then gently toss with your hands.
- Pour into a serving bowl or pile on a platter. Scatter the remaining tomatoes, croutons, chives and eschalots across the top, then drizzle with the remaining dressing. Serve!
Notes
1. Baby gem lettuce (aka little gem lettuce) - small, sweet and crisp variety of cos lettuce (called romaine in the US), about 15cm / 6" tall. It has tender leaves and a delicate crunch that’s perfect for salads, and looks so lovely keeping the leaves whole.
2. Eschalots are small, mild onions with purple-tinged flesh and a sweeter, more delicate flavour than regular onions, commonly called shallots in the US. Substitute with 2 tbsp red onion or green onion, very finely chopped.
3. Best bread for croutons - Use a crusty bread like baguette, ciabatta or sourdough as they make good sturdy, crunchy croutons. I keep the crust on. Avoid white sandwich bread if you can - the croutons will bake up crunchy but they soften too easily upon contact with dressing or juicy vegetables like tomatoes. Leftovers - As with most leafy salads, once dressed it doesn't last long as the oil in the dressing makes the lettuce go limp. To make ahead, prepare all the components and keep them separate, then assemble just prior to serving.
2. Eschalots are small, mild onions with purple-tinged flesh and a sweeter, more delicate flavour than regular onions, commonly called shallots in the US. Substitute with 2 tbsp red onion or green onion, very finely chopped.
3. Best bread for croutons - Use a crusty bread like baguette, ciabatta or sourdough as they make good sturdy, crunchy croutons. I keep the crust on. Avoid white sandwich bread if you can - the croutons will bake up crunchy but they soften too easily upon contact with dressing or juicy vegetables like tomatoes. Leftovers - As with most leafy salads, once dressed it doesn't last long as the oil in the dressing makes the lettuce go limp. To make ahead, prepare all the components and keep them separate, then assemble just prior to serving.