jénoise's salad page

serves 4 main course

• 6 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 green onion, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 medium head of bibb lettuce (washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 small zucchini, cut julienne
• 1 medium red pepper, cut julienne
• 1 small fennel bulb, paper-thin slices (use a vegetable peeler)
• 8 new or 4 red rose potatoes (cooked, cooled and cut into bite-sized pieces)

whisk oil, lemon juice, tarragon and green onion in medium bowl to blend. season with salt and pepper.

add lettuce, zucchini, red pepper, fennel and potatoes to salad bowl. toss with dressing and serve immediately.

sugar snap pea salad with sherry and shallot vinaigrette

• 4 cups bibb (or butter) lettuce
• 4 cups sugar snap peas, string removed
• 3 tablespoons minced shallots
• 4 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 7 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons chopped italian flat leaf parsley

wash and dry lettuce and tear into bite-sized pieces.

make the vinaigrette by combining the shallots, vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil; set aside.

make an ice bath. fill a large bowl with ice and cold water; set aside.

in a large pot, blanch peas in boiling water for abut 3 minutes; until peas are bright green and cooked but still crunchy. immediately, drain peas and plunge into the ice bath.

once peas have cooled and stopped cooking; remove from ice bath. remove excess water from peas by blotting with a towel. (up to this point, the salad can be made a day in advance, refrigerated and as separate components). use the lettuce to line the bottom of a serving dish. add peas, basil, and parsley to another bowl. add vinaigrette and toss. put this mixture to top the lettuce and serve immediately.

baked goat cheese salad

serves 4

• 1/2 cup olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 bay leaf, crumbled
• 2 4-ounce logs soft mild goat cheese, each cut into four 1/2-inch thick rounds
• 1 cup toasted white breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 8 cups assorted baby greens (washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces)

combine first 3 ingredients in small bowl. arrange cheese rounds in single layer in small glass baking dish. pour oil mixture over cheese. turn cheese to coat. cover and refrigerate 1 day.

preheat oven to 450 f°. lightly oil baking sheet. place breadcrumbs in bowl. remove cheese from oil; reserve oil. coat each round with crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. arrange cheese on prepared baking sheet. bake until lightly bubbling and golden, about 5 minutes.

whisk vinegar into reserved oil mixture. season with salt and pepper. place greens in bowl. pour over enough vinaigrette to coat lightly. season with slat and pepper. top salad with hot cheese.