Herb Salad

3/4 cup (about 4-6 lemons) fresh lemon juice
2 (about 2 Tablespoons) shallots, peeled and finely chopped
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
To Taste freshly cracked pepper
1 1/2 cup fresh dill leaves, stems removed
1 1/2 cup fresh chervil leaves, stems removed
11/2 cup fresh tarragon leaves, stems removed
1 cup finely chopped fresh chives
4 or 5 heads Bibb lettuce, washed and dried, with the bruised outer leaves removed and discarded and the rest of the leaves separated and kept intact
1/2 cup pale green celery leaves (optional)
To Taste Fleur de sel or kosher salt


In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and shallot, and allow them to sit about 10 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil, salt and pepper. Adjust the lemon juice, salt, and cracked pepper to taste.

Separate out ½ cup each of the dill, chervil, tarragon, and parsley leaves, and set aside. Finely chop the remaining quantity of herbs, and toss them together with all of the chives and celery leaves.

Place about a quarter of the lettuce leaves, slightly overlapping, on a large platter, and drizzle a few Tablespoons of the dressing over them. Evenly scatter a quarter of the chopped herbs, a quarter of the whole herb leaves, and a sprinkling of the fleur de sel over the lettuce.

Pile a second layer of lettuce leaves over the first, and continue layering in the same manner until you have used all of the lettuce, dressing and herbs, finishing with a sprinkling of herbs and the fleur de sel. Squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top, and several grindings of pepper to taste.

Yields 8 servings.

Recipe compliments of Nancy Silverton from: Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book: The Best Sandwiches Ever From Thursday Nights at Campanile (Knopf, Oct. 2002)