Yesterday I met a friend for lunch at Clementine in Los Angeles. I have never been there before, but all the food displayed on the counter looked so fresh and healthy. Just up my alley.
It was so hard to pick but I finally settled on their salad. I am so glad I did because it was so delicious I found myself wanting to lick the empty plate. I knew I had to come home and recreate it in my kitchen.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did… xxx Chef MM
Butter Lettuce with Pinenuts & Caramelized Veggies
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
- 6 large orange carrots cut into fingers
- 6 parsnips cut into disks
- 1 red onion cut into slivers
- 1 fennel bulb with the stems cut into wedges
- 2 TBS brown sugar
- 2 TBS ginger
- 2 TBS cumin
- 1 TBS chilli flakes
- Grapeseed oil for drizzling
- 2 packs butter lettuce
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts
- ¼ cup shelled pumpkin seeds
FOR THE DRESSING
- ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup grapeseed oil
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 2 TBS honey
- 2 TBS red onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- Lots of coarse salt & black pepper
Instructions
Whisk the dressing together and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 450 F/235 C
Cut carrots, parsnips, fennel, and onions into fingers. Place vegetables on 2 foil-lined baking sheets. Ensure they are only one layer thick so they can brown. Sprinkle with spices and brown sugar and drizzle with grapeseed oil. Toss to evenly coat vegetables.
Roast on the middle and top rack for 30 minutes. Turn the veggies and switch them to different racks. Cook for an additional 30 minutes until golden brown and caramelized. (1 hour total cooking time). Set aside.
Toast the pine nuts on a baking sheet to give them color (3 minutes). Watch them because they burn quickly.
Lay the butter lettuce on a platter. Top with the roasted vegetables. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with the dressing just before serving.
SERVES 6-8
Notes
You can top the salad with cubes of feta cheese or add a shredded rotisserie chicken to make it a complete meal. Or serve the veggies alone alongside a juicy steak or over a bed of cous cous or quinoa if you want a vegetarian option.
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