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Butter Lettuce with New Potatoes, Eggs, and Pancetta Vinaigrette

Course
Lunch
Servings

4

This recipe is from the Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables cookbook by Joshua McFadden. My favorite book to reference as the seasons change. I love to go to my local farmers market and get the latest fresh veggies, even adding some unfamiliar veg to my tote because I know I'll find inspiration in this book for how to cook with it. This recipe is my go-to when spring first hits, especially here in Boulder, CO where our farmer's market is still pretty sparse. It's great as a side dish, but just add some chicken and I have a deliciously filling meal!

Tips & Tricks:

  • 🔪 Skip steps with knife if you completed the prep ideas!
  • 🐓 I added some instructions to cook up some chicken to add to the salad for a more filling lunch, but feel free to skip (step 4) or just make extra satay to add instead.
  • 🧅 Pickled Onion Brine ingredients are not included in the grocery list.

Ingredients:

  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1/2 lb of new potatoes
  • 1-2 large heads of butter lettuce
  • 4 eggs (or buy hard boiled)
  • 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 cup pickled onions (store-bought or homemade)
  • Your favorite dressing or DIY
  • 1 lb of chicken breast (optional or make extra satay)

DIY Pickled Onions (not on the grocery list)

  • 1 large red onion
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups hot water
  • 5 tbsp sugar
  • 1+ tbsp salt

Pancetta Vinaigrette (1 cup) (not on the grocery list)

  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp grainy dijon mustard
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 3 oz pancetta, finely chopped
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. 🔪Quick Pickle Onions (skip this step if you have store bought pickled onions)(this step can be done ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to a month).
    1. Put all ingredients in a heat proof container such as a mason jar or glass Tupperware and stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
    2. Add half moon sliced onions and push all of them down so they are all submerged in the brine.
    3. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Veg Prep
    1. Clean and dry butter lettuce. Chop into bite size pieces.
    2. Pick parsley leaves and roughly chop.
    3. Halve or quarter the potatoes into bite size pieces. Place in a pot filled with cool water and enough salt to make the water salty.
  3. 🔪Boil Potatoes and Eggs
    1. Bring the pot of potatoes to a boil.
    2. Reduce the heat to gentle simmer and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes.
    3. Once cooked, scoop the potatoes out into a colander and rinse with cold water and let them cool.
    4. Bring the pot back to a boil and place the eggs in the pot.
    5. Boil for 8-12 minutes depending on how hard you want the yolk.
    6. Place the eggs in an ice bath of water to let them completely cool.
    7. Peel the eggs.
  4. 🔪 Chicken (if you have a sous vide machine - find directions here)(chicken can be cooked ahead and refrigerated)(Skip this step if you’re using Chicken Satay).
    1. Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes.
    2. Season chicken all over with salt and pepper, + any dried seasoning you want.
    3. Warm a pan over medium heat with a tablespoon of oil.
    4. Saute chicken in the hot pan letting it sit on each side for 1 minute before flipping. Cook until you break a piece open and don’t find any pink, about 5-7 minutes.
  5. 🔪Build Salads
    1. Place chopped lettuce in meal prep containers if making ahead.
    2. Top with chopped or sliced eggs, parsley, pickled onions, potatoes, and chicken.
    3. Serve with Pancetta Vinaigrette or your favorite dressing.

Pancetta Vinaigrette

  1. Put a small glug of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat, add the pancetta, and cook it slowly, stirring often, until the fat is rendered out and the pancetta is barely crisp, 7-9 minutes.
  2. Take the pan from the heat and when the oil stops sizzling, add the green onions and garlic. Stir for a few minutes to soften.
  3. Whisk in the vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil. Taste the dressing and add more oil, salt, or pepper. It should be sharp, but it shouldn't make you cough.
  4. You can store this in the refrigerator for a few weeks; the fat will solidify on the top. To use, let it sit at room temperature until the fat melts, then give a quick stir to blend the ingredients again.