Salads are a great way to begin or end a meal and this one from Chefs Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier is one of the best. Using a variety of vegetables and herbs for texture and flavor, it’s simple to prepare but will impress guests every time (and it’ll be a welcome respite from all the rich food of the holiday season).
Leonardo’s Notebook Salad
Details
Servings: 2
Ingredients
for the salad
- 3 ounces (12 leaves) baby heirloom lettuce
- 1 ounces radicchio, chiffonade
- 6 mint leaves, fine chiffonade
- 1 ounce marinated fennel (recipe follows)
- 1 ounce herb vinaigrette
- 8 winter radishes, sliced thinly using a mandolin
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon spearmint, chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 Meyer lemons, juiced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
for the vinaigrette
- Combine ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
- Split and core the fennel and slice very thin. Place in bowl.
- Mince garlic and add to the fennel. Add lemon juice, oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Place lettuces, radicchio, mint, marinated fennel and radishes in a stainless mixing bowl.
- Add reserved vinaigrette and gently toss to coat ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the salad to plates and top with remaining bits of fennel and radishes around plate.
