Little Gem Salad with Lemon Cream and Hazelnuts
Wait, whipped cream in a salad? Yep. This rich, bright lemon cream is perfectly suited for Little Gems. “The cream takes over your whole mouth,” says chef Joshua McFadden, “while the lemon juice acts as a bridge.”
INGREDIENTS
4 garlic cloves, smashed
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more
Salt, to taste
¼ cup blanched hazelnuts
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
6 heads of Little Gem (about 1 pound total), cores removed, leaves separated
4 small carrots (about 4 ounces), scrubbed, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline
½ cup mint leaves
1½ ounces SarVecchio or Parmesan
Flaky sea salt, to top
Directions:
Combine garlic, cream, and ½ tsp. pepper in a small bowl; season with salt. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool before chopping coarsely.
Strain cream mixture into a large bowl and add oil. Whip to soft peaks, then whisk in 1 Tbsp. lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Toss lettuce, carrots, mint, and half of hazelnuts with remaining 1 Tbsp. lemon juice in another large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add a few dollops of lemon cream and gently toss to coat.
Spoon remaining lemon cream onto a platter and top with salad. Shave cheese over salad and top with cracked pepper, sea salt, and remaining hazelnuts.
Recipe Source: Bon Appetit