Chervil and sorrel add flavour and sharpness to round butterhead lettuce. Butterhead lettuce has lost favour with the huge variety of salad lettuces and leaves available these days. However, it has a lovely soft sweet flavour which teams well with sweet beans and peas and is set off by the addition of chervil and sorrel. This salad needs to be eaten soon after making, but the beans and peas can be mixed with the dressing ahead and then mixed with the lettuce and herbs just before serving.

Herby Summer Greens Salad

Dietary: Vegan, Gluten-free | Serves: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 butterhead lettuce, leaves washed and dried
• 100g French beans, trimmed
• 100g fresh or frozen podded peas
• 200g fresh or frozen broad beans (podded weight)
• 2 tbsp chopped chervil
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 5 x medium sorrel leaves, finely shredded
• Small handful of red sorrel

Dressing

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• Pinch of salt

Garnish

• Rosemary flowers

Method

1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add the peas, broad beans and French beans and cook for 4-5 minutes until they are just tender. Drain and refresh in cold water. (Or if using frozen peas and beans, blanch briefly in hot water to defrost)
2. Double pod the broad beans to remove the outer skin.
3. Mix the dressing ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and add the cooked beans and peas.
4. Mix in the chopped herbs, lettuce leaves and sorrel leaves, turning gently with your hands or tongs to avoid bruising the leaves.
5. Pile the salad onto a large serving plate, drizzle with any remaining dressing, and scatter the rosemary flowers over.

Delicious food photography by Rob Wicks of Eat Pictures.

Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram where we are chatting about all things foodie and, if you like this post, please share it!

To keep up to date with events and goings on at the cookery school sign up for our newsletter.