American · Sides
Soft Herb Salad
This herb salad can be as sweet or as pungent as you like -- served in a big heap as a fresh first course, or a small pile as a refreshing side dish. Especially energizing alongside heavy winter feasts: the leaf-green herbs, pink peppercorns and buttery golden almonds perk up the browns of roasts and braises.
Ingredients
Serves 6- 2 cupscilantro leaves
- 1 cupflat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 cupsmall dill sprigs
- 1 cupbasil or mint leaves
- 1 cuparugula leaves
- 2 cupspurslane, mache or hearts of Boston lettuce leaves
- 4 tbspunsalted butter
- 1 cupsliced almonds
- Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
- ¼ tspred chile flakes or 1/2 tsp crushed pink peppercorns (optional)
- 3 tbsplemon juice, more to taste
- 2 tbspolive oil, more to taste
Method
- 01
Up to a day before serving, wash the herbs and greens: Fill a large bowl or clean sink with plenty of cold water. Immerse the leaves, swish around to loosen any dirt, then gently lift out. Dry in a salad spinner or by spreading them on clean kitchen towels. If working ahead, refrigerate the dry leaves in sealed plastic bags or containers with a paper towel to absorb excess water.
- 02
Melt butter in a frying pan until it sizzles. Add almonds. Saute over low heat until the almonds are golden and the butter is browned. Lift out almonds and drain on paper towels, reserving butter. (Butter can be kept for 1 day. Melt and cool again before assembling salad.)
- 03
When ready to serve, place greens in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper, chile flakes, almonds, cooking butter (cooled to room temperature), lemon juice and olive oil. Toss gently and season to taste, then serve immediately.