Butter Lettuce Salad Recipe

Combine white wine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small bowl or jar and stir until sugar and salt dissolve.

Add the thinly sliced shallot to the liquid, pressing the slices down so they are submerged. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes (up to 1 hour) while other components are prepared. Drain before using, reserving a little pickling liquid if desired for dressing.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Arrange prosciutto slices in a single layer on the prepared sheet. Brush each slice very lightly with the 1/2 tsp olive oil to encourage even browning (optional).

Bake 8–12 minutes until prosciutto is crisp and slightly golden at the edges. Keep an eye as thickness varies. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool; once cool, break into bite-sized shards.

In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and Dijon until smooth.

Stir in minced garlic, chopped chives, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning; if the pickled shallot liquid was reserved, add 1–2 tsp to brighten the dressing.

If you prefer a thinner dressing, whisk in up to 1 tablespoon of cold water or more buttermilk to reach desired consistency. Chill briefly if time allows.

Peaches

Slice peaches into thin wedges or 1/2-inch slices. For easy serving, cut around the pit, then slice each half into 4–6 slices.

Radishes

Trim radish ends and thinly slice on a mandoline or with a sharp knife into 1–2 mm slices.

Avocado

Halve the avocado, remove the pit, score the flesh into slices while still in the skin, then scoop out or thinly slice. Toss slices with a light squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning if desired.

Lettuce

Tear butter lettuce leaves into large bite-sized pieces, keeping them whole enough to hold toppings. Dry thoroughly so the dressing clings.

Place the torn butter lettuce into a large shallow bowl or platter. Arrange peach slices, radish slices, avocado slices, and a few drained pickled shallot rings evenly over the greens.

Drizzle the buttermilk dressing over the salad — start with about two-thirds of the dressing and add more to taste — and gently toss or lift the leaves to coat, taking care not to mash the avocado.

Scatter the crispy prosciutto shards over the top. Finish with a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a pinch of sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve immediately so prosciutto stays crisp. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated up to 3 days; store prosciutto separately to preserve texture.