fresh gem lettuce caesar salad

The Caesar is one of my favorite salads, rich and creamy dressing, chunky romaine leaves and crunchy croutons---delicious but perhaps not a salad you can eat everyday.  I came up with my own light and modern version, fresh, crisp and lemony and so easy I have been eating it every day.
I started with little gem lettuces, and separated out the smallest leaves (Trader Joe's sells the gem lettuces--3 heads for only $1.99).  I then made a Caesar dressing and thinned it with the juice of a lemon.  You can do this with your favorite bottled dressing if you like, the result should be lemony and thin enough to drizzle.  I tossed the leaves with crispy turkey bacon lardons, my substitute for croutons, shaved on good parm and drizzled with the dressing.  Cracked black pepper and you are good to go.  Restaurant worthy result!

perfect butter lettuce salad

I think I have the perfect little French salad--much like the perfect little black dress, it goes with everything, is always appropriate and never goes out of style--such is the classic butter lettuce salad.

I had my first taste of this simply creation several years ago at Cafe de la Presse in San Francisco.  So simple as to be deceiving in the flavors, I was determined to recreate it at home and I did.  But of course, over time, other salads from Caesar to arugula to frisee came and went until I was watching one of my favorite chefs, Geoffrey Zakarian talk about butter lettuce as the superior lettuce for both salad and a variety of dishes from burgers to Asian minced lettuce cups--and voila!  My perfect little French salad is back!  Thankfully, it was never really gone for long.

1 head of live butter lettuce (on the roots). Chopped, bagged butter lettuce doesn't work.

Separate leaves, wash and place dry leaves in a bowl.

Splash with small amount of sherry or white wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. (Less than a tbsp or so of each--you can always add more.)

Add small amount of very finely snipped chive. Chervil and parsley may also be used (classic fines herbes blend).  Top with fresh black pepper and a dash of Maldon sea salt.  Toss lightly and serve.

For an extra touch, add toasted/chopped hazelnuts sprinkled on top.