Little Gem Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing

This quick side salad is the perfect mix of creamy and crunchy

Lately, I've been favoring sturdy lettuces in my salads instead of tender baby greens. There are tons of varieties of lettuce available at the grocery store and farmers markets nowadays, so you don't have to choose iceberg if you're looking for green with some crunch. My current favorite is little gem lettuce, which is like a mini version of romaine. Because it's less delicate than mixed greens, heartier lettuce can and should take on a heavier dressing. This creamy lemon dressing gets a richness from heavy cream but still feels light from the lemon juice. It's a great pairing with crunchy radishes and soft avocado and makes a lovely side salad to almost any main course.


Note: You can substitute little gem lettuce with romaine hearts and cream with creme fraiche or plain yogurt if needed.


Related Recipes:
- Green Salad with Grapefruit, Fennel, & Avocado
- Spring Pea Salad with Pea Shoots & Radish
- Butter Lettuce, Radish, & Gorgonzola Salad


Little Gem Salad with Radish, Avocado, & Creamy Lemon-Garlic Dressing:
Ingredients
- 4 heads little gem lettuce, chopped
- 6 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
- 2 tsp. heavy cream
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- kosher salt
- black pepper

Recipe

• In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper, until smooth.
• Slowly whisk in the cream and then the olive oil. Taste for seasoning.
• Add the lettuce and radish to a large mixing bowl and toss with the dressing.
• Arrange slices of avocado on top and top with freshly ground black pepper.
• Serve immediately.

Serves two-four (side dish)