Little Gems with Lemon Cream, Spring Onion, Radish and Mint

This is another great recipe from that new cookbook, Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables. Little Gems or as I call them baby butterheads, are mini head lettuces with compact heads, crisp cores and tender leaves. I grow both red and green varieties. They make good single or shared portion sizes (if accompanied with a main meal).

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 small little gem/baby butterhead lettuces; cores cut out, leaves washed and dried well in a salad spinner

• 1 small bunch of spring onions or scallions trimmed (including 1/2” off the green tops; slice them very thinly on an angle and then soak them in ice water for 20 minutes and drain well

• ~ 1/2 bunch radishes, scrubbed, tops trimmed off, thinly sliced and soaked in ice water for 20 minutes and drained well

• 1 small handful of fresh mint leaves

• 1/2 cup Lemon Cream (see recipe below)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs

• 2 tablespoons salted roasted sunflower seeds

Put the lettuce, spring onions, radishes and mint in a large bowl. Add lemon cream and toss well with clean hands to distribute dressing. Season with salt and lots of pepper, toss again, taste and adjust. Add breadcrumbs and sunflower seeds - serve right away.

Lemon Cream Dressing

Makes 3/4 cup

Ingredients:

• 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

• ~ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Put the garlic and cream in a medium bowl and let infuse for 2 hours in the refrigerator so the cream takes on a gentle garlic flavor.

Fish out the garlic flavor and season cream generously with salt and lots of pepper, then add lemon zest. Begin whisking the cream. Once it starts to thicken add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the olive oil. Keep whisking until it’s light and airy. It won’t be thick like fully whipped cream but it will have a nice creamy texture. Taste and adjust to your liking. Use within a day or two.