Sucrine they are called here in France, I guess because they have a sweetness to them.
These tightly packed little tornadoes are known as baby gem lettuce in the UK.
They have an agreeable crunchiness that lends itself to strong contrasts–hence the addition of anchovy.
Anchovies are usually a background sound in cooking but here they solo occasionally. I love ’em–but they are not to everyone’s taste.
I ordered this a couple of days ago in our new favorite restaurant–Chez Germaine in Gaillac.
A pre-movie (Whiplash) lunch with Donald Douglas (aka Cap’n McNeil in Poldark!) and Emma Temple, his partner.
This place is the French version of a tapas bar–warm and convivial–and the food comes in small quantities on individual plates. I ordered a plate of baby squid persillade (in parsley and garlic oil) and this salad. Perfect with a glass of the local red wine (Gaillac).
The combination of the crispness of the lettuce and creaminess of the goat’s cheese with the occasional bite of anchovy had everyone dipping in!
Meredith–not too sure about anchovies showing up so brazenly–suggested substituting roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds–good idea.
You could add them anyway–but I like the salad’s simplicity.
for two
ingredients
2 sucrine (baby gem) lettuces–deconstructed and sliced up
half a goat’s cheese “log”–or other shapes–pulled apart to spread its creaminess
3 or 4 anchovy fillets–sliced into smaller pieces
dressing
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic–pulped in a mortar with a pinch of salt
salt and pepper
—————–
Add the lettuce to a favorite bowl.
Add the cheese and the anchovy pieces.
Make the vinaigrette
Add the wine vinegar to the garlic in the mortar and whisk.
Add the olive oil and whisk it in to make the vinaigrette.
Pour it over the contents of the bowl.
Turn everything over carefully until the little lettuce gleams with pride.
Did the borlotti bean and cabbage soup tonight. Delicious. Looking forward to mature seconds tomorrow.
Even better demain je t’assure!
In the USA, it’s called Boston lettuce. My picky-eater adult son prefers this variety.
Merci! I plan to try this tomorrow. I love anchovies and often add one or two to some dishes (well mashed) and find it gives them a special added touch. Cheers to the actor who played such a great role as the Scottish Captain who was captivated by Demelsa and who did not find folks hiding in the Poldark cellar! Santé, Barbara Boling Oxford, Mississippi
Sent from my iPhone Barbara Boling
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To my way of thinking, the perfect salad. I might add slices of hard=boiled egg.
Nice idea I’ll do the same, Fiona.
Laughed out loud at your description of the “anchovies showing up so brazenly.” Those bold and crazy anchovies! I have been eating anchovies since my mid-twenties and to this day I can’t decide if I like them or not. I think I like them as they do give a burst of flavor here and there in a dish like this salad.
Good point about not being quite sure about whether you like anchovies or not–shared by many I think. There are anchovy “yes!” days and anchovy “no!” days, Mary!
Add me to the “anchovies” maybe/maybe not crowd. I’ve had them as part of the “paste” on a leg of lamb (delicious) but not much else.
For a nice salad in summer try thinly sliced zucchini, yellow crook neck squash, quartered cherry tomatoes and sliced green olives with a vinagarette dressing, kept very cold for several hours. It goes well with cold meat and white wine.
Fresh anchovy from the fish shop in Newlyn, are quite delicious, not as salty as the tinned variety, we also preference Spider Crab to Brown, a lovely sweet meat!
Sounds wonderful, Beryl.
Have you tried frying banana with Mackerel? Delicious!! Just slice the banana in two lengthways and add to the pan midway through cooking the fish, the two go together perfectly