Griddled baby gem salad with toasted hazelnuts and Pecorino

Serves: 2
Course: Salads
Cooking Time: 0 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

  • Serves two
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 Baby Gem, halved lengthways
  • For the dressing:
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • 2 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp chives, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp pecorino cheese, finely grated
  • To serve:
  • 25g toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • Pecorino cheese, cut into fine shavings

This is a simple recipe that only takes a matter of minutes to prepare and results in a unique smokey salad. Baby Gem lettuce charred on a barbecue, or cooked inside on a griddle pan, is a thing of beauty and well worth trying. Drizzled with a sharp, creamy dressing and garnished with salty Pecorino and toasted hazelnuts, it makes a decent supper on its own, or an alternative side dish. For the dressing, put all the ingredients into a jar, cover it with a lid and shake until combined.

Place a large griddle pan over a high heat. Brush the lettuce halves with a little oil and season them.

Place the lettuce halves onto the griddle and cook for about two minutes either side, until they have nice deep char marks, but still hold their shape. You can also barbecue them.

To serve, place the Baby Gem on a serving platter, drizzle with the dressing, scatter the hazelnuts on the lettuce and sprinkle the Pecorino shavings over the top.