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This salad is one of the simplest and most elegant first courses imaginable. Red butter lettuce becomes a delicate bed for sweet Fuji apple slices, rich toasted hazelnuts, and deeply fulfilling crispy leeks. Topped off with creamy chèvre, leek-infused olive oil, red wine vinegar, and flaky sea salt, it’s a perfect midday delight or appetizer for a larger meal.
Frying leeks in olive oil and Maldon smoked sea salt yields an intoxicating flavor and texture that was so good I ended up dipping apple into it. For reals. Like, me and the frying pan and an apple standing over the sink.
This is also a great salad to make in large quantities—even ahead of time, so long as you don’t dress it until you’re ready to serve.
RED BUTTER LETTUCE WITH CRISPY LEEKS, TOASTED HAZELNUTS, FUJI APPLES & CHÈVRE.
Servings 2
Ingredients
- 8-10 large red butter lettuce leaves washed and gently torn in medium-sized pieces, or other lettuces!
- ½ Fuji apple
- ¼ cup thinly sliced leek green or white parts
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp Maldon smoked sea salt or other flaky sea salt, smoked optional
- ¼ cup toasted hazelnuts
- ¼ cup chèvre goat’s cheese
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
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Heat olive oil in frying pan over medium heat. Add leeks and sea salt and stir occasionally, cooking until crisp, about 2 minutes. Don’t burn. Remove from heat, and drain oil into a small bowl.
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Add red wine vinegar to oil and whisk with a fork to blend. If not already toasted, toast hazelnuts in a pan on the stove or in a toaster oven at high heat for a couple minutes. Be careful not to burn! Roughly chop.
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Assemble salad, layering leaves with apples, crumbled chèvre, and chopped hazelnuts. Drizzle with dressing mixture. Add a few sprinkles of sea salt, to taste.