Little Gems with Sauce Gribiche and Curry Brown Butter Croutons

Salad is usually the forgotten dish at the potluck, skipped over while more exciting casseroles, and desserts get all the praise and attention. Don’t let the salad be the thing people just serve themselves to be polite. This salad recipe will certainly turn heads: a classic sauce gribiche made with fresh herbs, capers, cornichon and hard boiled eggs swim in the leaves of little gem lettuce while curry infused-brown butter croutons scatter overtop.

2 tbsp (60 mL) butter

1 tbsp (15 mL) cumin seeds

2 tbsp (30 mL) curry powder

2 1/2 cups (625 mL) brioche bread or challah cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup (60 mL) finely chopped cornichon (dill gherkins)

2 tbsp (30 mL) capers, drained and finely chopped

2 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped

2 tbsp (30mL) grainy dijon mustard

2 tbsp (30 mL) white wine vinegar

1/3 cup (78 mL) extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped parsley

3 tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped tarragon

4 heads little gem lettuce

2 ribs celery, finely sliced

2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped chives

Heat butter in a large pan over medium high. Cook until butter foams and then turns brown, about 2 minutes. Do not let burn.
Add in cumin seeds and reduce heat to low. Stir, allowing seeds to toast in butter for 1 minute.
Stir curry powder into butter. Add in bread cubes and increase heat to medium. Gently stir to coat the bread in butter mixture and allow to toast, about 3 minutes.
Remove croutons from heat and set aside to cool.
Mix cornichon, capers, eggs, mustard, vinegar, oil, parsley, and tarragon in bowl.
Separate the leaves of the little gem lettuces and place on a platter. Arrange celery slices and chives over lettuce leaves. Spoon dressing over lettuce to dress, then top wth croutons