Butter Lettuce Salad with Parmesan Tuiles and Almonds

Butter lettuce is crisp and refreshing, the perfect foil for a parmesan-rich dressing. Although this salad is delicious on its own, the crispy tuiles take minutes to make and are well worth the effort. Prep and Cook Time: 45 minutes. Notes: For best flavor, don't use already-grated parmesan for this recipe; buy a chunk and grate it yourself, preferably with a razor-sharp grater, such as Microplane. If you're nervous about using an undercooked egg in the dressing, seek out in-shell pasteurized eggs, available at many grocery and natural-foods stores. The salad dressing can be made a day ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator. Tuiles can also be baked a day ahead; store them in a tight-sealing container in a cool, dry place so they stay crisp.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1  egg yolk
• 1  teaspoon  whole-grain mustard
• 3  tablespoons  lemon juice
• 1/3  cup  canola oil
• 1/3  cup  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  cups  (about 4 oz.) finely grated parmesan cheese (see Notes)
• 3  heads butter lettuce, outer leaves removed, inner leaves washed and separated
• 1/2  cup  sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation

1. In a food processor, pulse yolk, mustard, and lemon juice to combine. Mix oils in a measuring cup. With motor running, add oils to yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream. Process until oils are incorporated and dressing has emulsified. Transfer dressing to a bowl and stir in pepper and 1 cup parmesan. If dressing is too thick to drizzle, stir in up to 2 tbsp. warm water. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the salad, or up to 1 day.

2. Make the tuiles: Preheat oven to 350°. On a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or a piece of cooking parchment, divide remaining 1 cup parmesan into 6 piles (about 2 1/2 tbsp. per pile, spaced about 2 in. apart). Using your finger, gently pat each pile into a circle with an even thickness and a diameter of about 4 in. Bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. (Watch carefully, as cheese can burn easily.) Remove sheet from oven and let stand 1 minute, then transfer tuiles to a cooling rack or an airtight container (they'll keep for 1 day).

3. Divide lettuce leaves among 6 chilled salad plates. Drizzle each with a generous amount of dressing. Sprinkle with almonds and top each salad with a tuile. Serve immediately.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

367 (86% from fat)

Protein:

11g

Fat:

35g (sat 6.9)

Carbohydrate:

4.8g

Fiber:

1.2g

Sodium:

370mg

Cholesterol:

50mg