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Salad of Butter Lettuce, Pear, Walnuts and Avocado

Serves 4

This recipe is simple and quick-just the way a good salad should be. First, I toss the butter lettuce very gently with my favorite olive oil. This coats the leaves and keeps them crisp. Then I sprinkle the lettuce with a bit of coarse sea salt (Maldon sea salt, with its crunchy, delicate flakes is great for this). I suggest avocado, pear and walnuts for this salad, but you can pick whatever looks best at your local farmers' market.

The dressing I recommend will work well with a Chardonnay that is crisp, rather than oaky and buttery. I use some of the Chardonnay in the dressing to add flavor and acidity. Use just enough dressing to add a little zing to the salad and let the olive oil and the flavors of the other ingredients stand out.
  • 1 head butter lettuce
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • coarse sea salt, to taste (Maldon)
  • 2 ripe pears (I recommend Bosc)
  • 1 ripe Haas avocado
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup Mustard-Basil Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
  • 1/3 bunch chives, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Separate the lettuce leaves, rinse and dry completely (pat with paper towel or spin). Toss the leaves with olive oil, and arrange neatly on 4 chilled plates by stacking the leaves loosely on top of each other.

Just before serving, cut the pear and avocado into cubes and 'sprinkle' them over the lettuce leaves. Next, sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the salad. Drizzle with vinaigrette and finish by sprinkling the fresh chive over each salad. Serve and enjoy!

Mustard-Basil Vinaigrette
Makes 2 cups (15-20 individual salads)

For the best flavor, make the dressing ahead of time, and add the slivers of basil just before serving. This gives the dressing a real burst of fresh basil flavor!

There are many variations on this recipe. Substitute shallots or green onions for the garlic, or add dried Herbes de Provence or any fresh herb you'd like. Try different oils, or, if you are not pairing this salad with a particular wine (or if you have a high acid wine), you can replace the wine with any vinegar you'd like. Experiment, and each time, you will have a new and interesting dressing!
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons dry Chardonnay
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (if available, use Meyer lemons for a sweeter taste)
  • 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
  • 2 tablespoons whole egg mayonnaise
  • 1 cup light olive oil
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • sea salt and pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the garlic, Chardonnay, lemon juice, mustard and mayonnaise. In a measuring cup, combine both oils. Whisk the first ingredients in the bowl. Continue whisking as you add the oil in a slow steady stream. When the dressing is sufficiently blended (thickened), whisk in the chopped parsley. Season with sea salt and pepper, and refrigerate. Just before using, chop and slice the fresh parsley and basil and add to the dressing.

Chef Bruce Riezenman
August 2006

Eat well!
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