Butter Lettuce Fennel Salad
Every dinner party needs a perfect simple green salad - and this dressing is the main character. Whether it's a random Tuesday night or you're having company over for the holidays - this one delivers.
Butter lettuce gets its name from its tender, almost buttery, texture. It pair perfectly with the crispy shaved fennel. The aged manchego brings a nutty, salty edge to the salad. But the main attraction in this dish is the dressing. If I am having you over I am making you this dressing on whatever salad I make because I have never had anyone not LOVE it. The tang of the dijon mixed with the slight sweetness of the honey and the acidity of the lemon all wrapped together with olive oil, it is divinity!
Have any questions? Join my chat and I’ll help you out! I’m just a text away!
Psst….Some Secrets Before You Start
Arugula is another really good choice for this recipe. You can also use a spring mix or whatever lettuce makes you happy.
Manchego cheese can be swapped out with parmigiano reggiano.
You can use your grainy mustard of choice instead of dijon.
Make this salad a main - You can add grilled chicken, shrimp, sliced meats or even chickpeas to add some protein!
You can make this dressing ahead. It will last 3-5 days in the fridge. Make sure you store it in an airtight container and give it a good shake before using because the ingredients will separate a bit.
The Perfect Pairings
Not sure what to pair with this cocktail - I got you 😉
Start your night off with a London Mule. This is a Moscow Mule but with gin (you can still use vodka). It’s large batch so it’s perfect for company! Honestly, this salad pairs with virtually any dinner you choose, but for this pairing I’m going to pick Chicken Francese. It’s lemony, herby and buttery! As a side my Whole Roasted Cauliflower covered in the most amazing sauce is the way I would go! It’s a showstopper too. And to end the night, a decadent Burnt Basque Cheesecake.
Butter Lettuce Fennel Salad
Prep: 10 minutes - Dressing Rest Time: 15 minutes - Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 2
Equipment
Cheese Grater
Whisk
Mandelin Or Knife
Bowl
Ingredients
Dressing
â…“ cup freshly grated 12 month aged manchego + more for shaving over the salad
1-2 lemons + zest
1 ½ tsp honey
2 tsp dijon mustard
salt to taste, I used Peg's Seasoned Salt
â…“ cup olive oil
Salad
4 ½ oz container of butter lettuce
1 fennel - shaved
fresh ground black pepper - to taste for topping
Instructions
Dressing
To a bowl, add grated manchego, the zest of 1 lemon, the juice of both lemons, honey, dijon, salt and olive oil. Whisk really well. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Adjust for taste - i.e. it might want more olive oil or more lemon.
Salad
Shave the fennel and squeeze a bit of lemon on to it so it doesn’t turn brown.
Add the butter lettuce leaves and fennel to a bowl. Gently massage the dressing in, adding as much or as little as you want.
Shave more parmigiano on top as well as fresh ground black pepper and that is it.
Nadia’s Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Serving: 62g, Calories: 478kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 43g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 27g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 235mg, Potassium: 721mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 2388IU, Vitamin C: 45mg, Calcium: 299mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.