Butter Lettuce Salad with Asian Pears, Pistachios, and Pomegranate Seeds
For me, when it comes to butter lettuce, simplicity rules. I love the texture and mild flavor so much that I don’t want to hide it! So here, I add a little crunch, a little sweet, and a little savory to balance it out, then add the most divine creamy buttermilk dressing loaded with herbs. Serve this salad to people who tend to overlook them and tell me they don’t come back for more!
Ingredients
- 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated
- 2 small Asian pears, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds (from about 1 pomegranate)
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
- 1/2 cup Herb Buttermilk Dressing
Herb Buttermilk Dressing
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tbsp loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp roughly chopped chives
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the lettuce, Asian pears, pomegranate seeds, and pistachios in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1/4 cup [60 ml] of the dressing and toss gently, adding more dressing if needed so the leaves are evenly coated yet there is no dressing left at the bottom of the bowl.
- Serve, passing any remaining dressing at the table.
For Herb Buttermilk Dressing
- In a food processor, pulse the buttermilk, lemon juice, mustard, and minced garlic to combine.
- Add the parsley and tarragon and process until smooth and creamy.
- With the motor running, add the oil in a steady stream until well incorporated.
- Fold in the chives.
- Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
Reprinted from The Vibrant Life by Amanda Haas with permission by Chronicle Books, 2019
