Butter Lettuce Salad with Eggs
Tender butter lettuce with halved boiled eggs and cherry tomatoes, dressed lightly with a mustard vinaigrette and fresh chives.
Butter lettuce is delicate enough that it barely needs a dressing at all, just a light coat of vinaigrette. Eggs cooked until fully set give this simple salad enough substance to work as a light lunch. Chives at the end add a little bite without overwhelming the soft lettuce.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step doneLower the eggs into a pot of simmering water and cook for 9 minutes for a fully set yolk.
Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool completely, then peel them carefully and slice each one in half.
Wash the butter lettuce leaves carefully, dry them well in a salad spinner, and tear into large, even pieces.
Shake the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a lidded jar until the dressing turns creamy and emulsified.
Toss the butter lettuce gently with most of the dressing, being careful not to bruise the tender leaves.
Arrange the dressed lettuce on a plate, halve the cherry tomatoes, and scatter them over the top.
Top with the halved eggs, drizzle with the remaining dressing, and finish with the chopped chives.
Kitchen note
Handle the butter lettuce gently since the leaves bruise easily; tear them by hand rather than cutting with a knife.
