Crispy Iceberg Salad with Almond Crust

Crispy Iceberg Salad with Almond Crust

This salad was inspired by a recipe in the latest Cornersmith book. I just love the idea of chopping iceberg lettuce into wedges and drizzling it with a creamy dressing and topping with a crispy crust.

This salad has completely changed my opinion on the good old iceberg. Now I’m excited to use it in more than just Sang Choi Bau or as a low carb alternative to tortillas and wraps.

If you have ghee, make sure you use it to toast the nuts. It adds a whole extra dimension. If using butter, just be careful it doesn’t burn.

Makes a fab side for chicken in any form. If you’re short on time pick up a 1/2 BBQ chicken on the way home from work and you’ll be rewarded with a tasty almost-effortless dinner. Also good with sausages.

BTW, this dressing combo of creamy mayonnaise and tangy yoghurt is one of my current faves. Love how it brings the perfect balance of richness and zing. Great on veggies or as a simple sauce for chicken or fish as well.

enough for: 2
takes: 15 minutes
1 tablespoon ghee or butter
50g (2oz) almond flakes
1/2 large iceberg lettuce
2 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
BBQ, roast or pan fried chicken, to serve

1. Heat a small frying pan on a medium high heat. Melt ghee / butter and toss in almond flakes. Cook, stirring for a few minutes until almonds are lovely and browned. Cool on paper towel.

2. Slice lettuce into 4 wedges. Arrange on a serving platter. Mix yoghurt and mayo to make a dressing and drizzle over the lettuce.

3. Top with cooled almonds and serve with your chicken.

WINE MATCH: A crispy dry white like Vermentino, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris.

Variations & Substitutions

nut-free / budget – replace almonds with sourdough bread crumbs like the Cornersmith gals do.

herby crust – add a few thyme leaves to the hot almonds. And add some chopped flat leaf parsley once the nuts are cool.

dairy-free / paleo – replace yoghurt with extra mayo and a little lemon juice. Use olive oil instead of the butter / ghee.

more substantial – use more nuts! Toss in some cooked grains or legumes such as quinoa, brown rice or chickpeas.

carb-lovers – serve with crusty bread and butter or roast potatoes. Or use toasted bread crumbs as the crust.

vegetarian – serve as a side to mushroom or eggplant steaks. Or toss in some cooked chickpeas or lentils.

Video Recipe

Watch the video recipe on YouTube.

Prepare Ahead

The nuts can be toasted a week or so ahead and kept in an airtight container in the pantry. The rest of the salad is best when freshly made.

Have fun in the kitchen!

With love,
Jules x

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Tags: almonds, butter, chicken, dinner, iceberg lettuce, mayonnaise, salad, simple, yoghurt