Red Butter Lettuce and Roasted Asparagus Salad

Red Butter Lettuce

I heard cardinals singing their spring song on Friday, proof that it may still be winter, but that spring will someday arrive. I thought of this light salad from 2007:

I once read that the hallmark of a good French cook is the ability to improvise, to take random ingredients and toss together a credible meal.



I have always prided myself on this, on not relying solely on recipes but preparing meals by instinct.

Tonight, I found red leaf butter lettuce at the supermarket. Not only is it lovely to look at, with delicate spring green leaves tinged with pink and rose, it has a mild flavor. It is a good source of vitamin K, pro-vitamin A and folic acid.

I thought it would be the perfect foil for green onions, roasted asparagus and goat cheese.

It was.

Red Butter Lettuce Salad with Roasted Asparagus (serves two)

• 2 cups red butter lettuce, torn
• 10-12 spears asparagus
• 1/2 cup blanched almond slivers
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup green onions, chopped
• 6 small radishes, sliced
• 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• sea salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Wash and prepare lettuce. Set aside.

Drench asparagus and almonds in olive oil. Place in a shallow pan and roast for about 5-8 minutes. Prepare onions, radish and goat cheese.

Place asparagus and almonds on lettuce. Add radishes, onions and goat cheese.

I recommend a simple oil and vinegar dressing. The raspberry vinaigrette was too flavorful for this delicate salad.

Spring is in the air this week. The sun is higher in the sky and the light is broad. The mourning doves came back to my yard two weeks ago and there was a downy woodpecker in my chestnut tree this morning. A red fox crossed the road in front of my car, perhaps in search of a mate.

Yes, it’s nearly spring.