Little Gem Lettuce With Summer Squash Walnuts And Pecorino Recipes

LITTLE GEM LETTUCE WITH WALNUT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Whisk together both vinegars, shallot, and mustard. Gradually whisk in both oils; season with salt and pepper. Stir in walnuts.
• Arrange lettuce on a large platter; spoon vinaigrette evenly over top and serve.

GRATED SUMMER SQUASH WITH TRUFFLE PECORINO

Steps:

• Trim the squash, grate on the large holes of a box grater, and transfer to a medium bowl. Finely grate enough of the cheese to make 1/4 cup and add to the bowl. Use a vegetable peeler on the remaining chunk of cheese to make a small pile of cheese shards, and set them aside.
• Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the squash, add a few large pinches of salt, and mix well. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and sprinkle the cheese shards over the top of the salad.
• Because squash has so much water, it starts to wilt and release liquid as soon as it comes into contact with salt. So for best results, serve this salad within minutes of making it.

LITTLE GEM LETTUCE WITH SUMMER SQUASH, WALNUTS, AND PECORINO

Steps:

• Place the onion slices in a small bowl of ice water and set them aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients for the salad.
• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Scatter the walnut halves on a baking sheet and toast them for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally for even toasting, until they're lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the walnuts from the oven and set them aside to cool to room temperature. Transfer the walnuts to a small bowl, drizzle with the walnut oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat the nuts with the seasonings.
• Drain the onion, pat dry with paper towels, and place it in a medium bowl. Add the squash, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette, season with salt, and toss to coat the vegetables with the seasonings. Add the grated pecorino romano and toss gently to distribute the cheese. Taste for seasoning and add more vinaigrette or salt, if desired.
• Discard any brown or unappealing outer leaves from the lettuce heads. Pull the leaves away from the cores, putting them in a large, wide bowl, and discard the cores. Season the lettuce with salt and toss gently to distribute the salt evenly. Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of vinaigrette over the lettuce and toss, gently massaging the vinaigrette into the leaves. Taste for seasoning and add more vinaigrette or salt, if desired.
• Building the salads in three layers, place three of the largest lettuce leaves in the center of each of four plates like a triangle. Scatter one-third of the squash and onions on the leaves, dividing them evenly. Lay two onion rings and scatter several walnut halves on each salad. Build two more layers the same as the first, using the medium leaves for the second layers and reserving the smallest leaves for the top layers. Grate fresh pecorino romano and coarsely grind black pepper over each salad. Scatter the remaining walnuts around the salads, dividing them evenly, drizzle about a teaspoon of vinaigrette around each salad, and serve.
• Friulano (Friuli)