Endive Salad with Meyer Lemon, Fava Beans, and Oil-Cured Olives
Certain foods taste better when you eat them with your hands, like barbecued ribs and corn on the cob. This salad is the perfect way to indulge that primal urge. Use the endive leaves as scoops to gather up some olive shards, a fava bean or two, and a slice of lemon. The crisp spears explode with flavor, and before you’ve finished the first your hand will be reaching for another. Hand out forks if you must, and make sure to tell your friends that the Meyer lemon slices are for eating. They’re sweet and delicious, peel and all. Slice the olives thinly, so their intense taste doesn’t overwhelm the other ingredients. As for the dressing, gently stir (don’t whisk) in the cream to incorporate it without whipping it.
Ingredients
Meyer Lemon Cream
Preparation
Step 1
Place the lemon on its side on a cutting board. Holding it with one hand, cut off the pithy end and slice the lemon into paper-thin pinwheels. Pick out the seeds.
Step 2
Place the endive spears in a large bowl and pour the Meyer lemon cream over them. Add the fava beans, lemon slices, and sliced shallots. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently to coat the endive with the dressing. Taste for seasoning, and arrange on a large chilled platter. Scatter the olives and herbs over the salad.
Meyer Lemon Cream
Step 3
Place the shallot, lemon juice, and a 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil. Gently stir in the cream, add a few grinds of pepper, and taste for balance and seasoning.
