A Little Gem Salad may be just what you’re looking for as a summer starter or lunch. Buttery and crisp with large leaves and a slight sweetness, little gem lettuce is unlike any other. Slivers of pears and Japanese turnips, briny capers, and roasted farm carrots sit alongside this crunchy little gem lettuce. Just don’t forget the homemade vinaigrette on top. This dressing combines local honey with olive oil, sherry vinegar, lime juice, and orange juice for a tangy, sweet mixture. We even recommend saving the leftover vinaigrette for your next salad…or to dress up even the simplest of sandwiches.
The Little Gem Salad at the Kitchen in Santa Fe
A salad starts off every meal at the Kitchen at Plants of the Southwest, where this recipe comes from, which is always two-courses (three if you’re smart and order dessert) and always vegetarian. “When I first started, people looked at me like I had two heads when I told them there was no menu and no choice and it was vegetarian. People were either upset, or disgruntled, or pleasantly surprised,” Kitchen Chef Olive Tyrrell laughs.
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Little Gem Salad
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Discovering this gem of a salad will make summer eating easy!
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette:
- 1 tsp honey
- 9 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- Salt and pepper
For the roasted carrots:
- 1 lb baby carrots, peeled and sliced in half lengthways
- 4–5 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
For the salad:
- 4–5 little gem lettuces, sliced in half lengthways
- 1 pear, cored and sliced in chunky wedges
- 2 ½ oz fresh cheese, such as goat or ricotta
- 2 celery stalks, peeled and sliced
- 2 tbsp capers
- Chopped dill
- Flaky sea salt, to finish
Instructions
For the vinaigrette:
- Place all of the ingredients in a jar with lid and shake until thoroughly combined.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings.
For the roasted carrots:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the carrots with the olive oil, a generous sprinkle of salt and the cumin seeds in a baking pan.
- Roast for about 30 minutes, until the carrots are caramelized around the edges with soft, sweet middles.
- Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to plate the salad.
For the salad:
- To assemble, place the little gem lettuces on a platter. Top with the carrots, pears, cheese, celery, capers, and finish with the dill.
- Drizzle generously with the dressing, dot with the chopped dill and add a generous sprinkle of sea salt.
Recipe by Chef Olive Tyrrell
Story by Julia Platt Leonard
Photography by Tira Howard
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