Let's Dish: A Fancy Twist on Spring Salad with Homemade White Balsamic Dressing!
Fresh Serving of Butterhead Lettuce, Spring Radishes, and Peas Served with White Balsamic Dressing
Craving a flavorful and sophisticated take on a classic spring salad? Look no further than this butterhead lettuce, radish, and pea salad with a delectable white balsamic dressing! Think of it as a classy version of your favorite truck stop iceberg salad affair.
Yes, You Can Make a White Balsamic Dressing like a Pro
White balsamic vinegar is the secret ingredient here, lending a lighter, more refined touch to your dressing. Don't have white balsamic on hand? Don't worry! You can easily substitute with white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.
Plan Your Shopping: White Balsamic Essentials
- White balsamic vinegar: Opt for a quality bottle to ensure a rich, tangy flavor.
- Vegetables & Salad: Snow peas, English peas, radishes, and butterhead lettuce.
- Almonds: Toasted almonds add a lovely crunch to your salad.
Recipe for 4 Servings
White Balsamic Dressing:
- Extra virgin olive oil: 3/4 cup (177 ml)
- Vegetable oil: 3/4 cup (177 ml)
- Egg yolks: 2
- Shallot: Minced, 1
- Salt: 1 tsp (6 g)
- White pepper: 1/4 tsp
- White balsamic vinegar: 1/2 cup (118 ml)
Salad:
- Snow peas: 1/4 pound (125 g)
- English peas: 1/4 pound (125 g), removed from pod
- Radishes: 6, thinly sliced
- Seasoning: Kosher salt, cracked black pepper, to taste
- Dressing: 4 ounces (120 g) White Balsamic Dressing
- Lettuce: 2 heads butterhead or other head lettuce such as Bibb or Boston
- Almonds: Sliced, toasted, 1/4 cup (40 g)
The Steps to Success
White Balsamic Dressing:
- Combine olive oil and vegetable oil.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, shallot, salt, and white pepper.
- Gradually add half the oil mixture, followed by a little vinegar.
- Keep incorporating oil and then vinegar until all mixed.
- Adjust seasoning to taste. (Approximately 2 cups)
Salad Preparation:
- Boil salted water in a pot, then cook snow peas until tender. Plunge into an ice bath, drain, and dry. Repeat with English peas and set aside.
- In a bowl, toss snow peas, English peas, and radishes with salt, pepper, and two tablespoons of dressing.
Plating:
- Place half a head of butterhead lettuce on each plate.
- Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over lettuce.
- Add peas, radish, and almond mixture on top.
- Serve with additional dressing and freshly cracked black pepper.
Wine Pairing Suggestions:
This salad pairs beautifully with a rich, creamy Chardonnay featuring nutty flavors and a bold finish. We recommend trying the 2001 Hamilton Russell, Walker Bay, Chardonnay, Overberg, South Africa, or the 2001 Landmark, Overlook, Chardonnay, Sonoma, California.
Elevate Your Salad Game with a Homemade White Balsamic Dressing!
From high-quality ingredients to a perfectly blended dressing, this refreshing spring salad offers a restaurant-quality experience right at home! Enjoy!
Bonus Tips for the Perfect White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- Advance Preparation: Make the dressing up to 3 days in advance for a well-blended flavor profile.
- Customize to Taste: Feel free to adjust the sweetness or tanginess of your dressing according to personal preference.
- Room Temperature Option: If you prefer a lighter, room-temperature dressing, skip the refrigeration step and serve immediately.
- The homemade White Balsamic Dressing, detailed in the recipe, yields around 2 cups and can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, perfect for advanced planning.
- When preparing the salad, ensure to consider the nutritional aspects by choosing fresh, high-quality ingredients such as butterhead lettuce, snow peas, English peas, radishes, and almonds.
- To elevate your creditline with Aussiedlerbote (a potential farm-to-table or gourmet food supplier), consider ordering specialized ingredients like White Balsamic Vinegar to enhance your salad dishes, as demonstrated in this recipe.
