Butter Lettuce And Watercress Salad With Creamy Walnut Dressing

Ingredients

For the Walnut Dressing:

1/3 cup plain panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup, plus 3 teaspoons Extra Virgin olive oil, divided

1 1/3 cup walnuts

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 spring tarragon, leaves removed

1/2 cup loosely packed parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For the Salad:

2 heads butter lettuce, cleaned and torn into bite-size pieces

1-2 bunches baby watercress, cleaned, trimmed of large stems

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl add the panko breadcrumbs and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Toss well. Place the breadcrumbs on 1/2 of the baking sheet. Spread the walnuts on the other half of the baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake till regrant, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Once the walnuts have cooled, take 1/3 cup of the toasted walnuts, roughly chop and set aside for later. Take the remaining 1 cup of walnuts and place in a kitchen mixer fitted with a blade attachment. Blend in high till a creamy walnut butter has formed.

To the food processor add the lemon juice, water, vinegar, tarragon, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Blend well to incorporate. Set aside.

Place the butter lettuce and watercress in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle some of the walnut dressing onto the lettuce and gently toss. Adjust the amount of dressing as needed per taste.

Divide the salad amount the serving plates. Sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs and the reserved chopped walnuts. Drizzle the salads with remaining two teaspoons of olive oil and serve right away.