Butter Lettuce with Fennel, Herbs, Meyer Lemon Dressing, and Shaved Pecorino

1/2 fennel bulb
2 heads butter lettuce
1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons minced chives
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup Meyer lemon dressing
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
2 ounces Pecorino, thinly shaved with vegetable peeler
12-16 pieces candied Meyer lemon zest

Using a mandoline, carefully slice the fennel into paper-thin shavings. Tear the butter lettuce leaves from the cores, and put them in a large mixing bowl, Add the tarragon, shallots, chives, parsley, and fennel, and toss. Gently dress the salad with just enough Meyer lemon dressing to coat the leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the salad to a platter, top it with the shaved Pecorino, and garnish it with the candied lemon zest. Serve immediately

Meyer lemon dressing
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons golden (or white) balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 Meyer lemon
3/4 cup rice bran oil or canola oil

Pour the orange juice into a small saucepan and reduce it over medium high heat until syrupy, 5 to 7 minutes - you should be left with just one tablespoon. Put the reduced orange juice, venigar, mustard, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest into a blender. With the blender running, add the oil in a slow, steady, stream, blending until the dressing is thick and emulsified. Transfer the dressing to a plastic container or glass jar and refrigerate until ready to use.

Serves: 6-8

Source: The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook

Prepared by: Heather for the January 2012 meeting.