Butter Lettuce Salad with Castelvetrano Olives
Simple yet elegant, perfect for dinner with friends or family, this salad also makes a great lunch paired with a bit of chicken, tuna, or another protein of choice.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 heads butter lettuce leaves washed and roughly torn
- 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
- 4 ounces Manchego or Iberico cheese crumbled
- 2 Tablespoons minced chives
- black pepper
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- First, toast the breadcrumbs. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add panko and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.2 Tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- To make the dressing, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey, and olive oil. Add a generous pinch each of salt and pepper, then set aside.1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 Tablespoons honey, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, sea salt and black pepper
- To assemble the salad, add washed lettuce leaves to a large bowl or platter. Scatter the olives, cheese, and chives on top, then sprinkle with a few turns of freshly-cracked black pepper.2 heads butter lettuce, 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, 4 ounces Manchego or Iberico cheese, 2 Tablespoons minced chives, black pepper
- Immediately before serving drizzle, drizzle as much dressing as desired on top. (I usually use just over half, then save the rest for a future salad, but the amount you prefer will vary.) Finally, sprinkle with the toasted panko and serve.
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Notes
- Make it a Lunch: Add several ounces of well-drained tuna, grilled chicken, or cold roasted salmon.
- Dry Lettuce Gently: I like to lay the rinsed leaves out across a large, clean kitchen towel, then softly pat another clean towel on top.
- Use a lettuce leaf to test the dressing. Dip a clean lettuce leaf straight into the dressing, then sample. You'll immediately sense how the dressing tastes to you in relation to the actual salad you're about to eat, so you have a chance to make it more tangy (add more vinegar), sweet (more honey), or lively (more salt and pepper) to taste.