This salad was inspired by a recipe in the latest Cornersmith book. I just love the idea of chopping iceberg lettuce into wedges and drizzling it with a creamy dressing and topping with a crispy crust.
This salad has completely changed my opinion on the good old iceberg. Now I’m excited to use it in more than just Sang Choi Bau or as a low carb alternative to tortillas and wraps.
If you have ghee, make sure you use it to toast the nuts. It adds a whole extra dimension. If using butter, just be careful it doesn’t burn.
Makes a fab side for chicken in any form. If you’re short on time pick up a 1/2 BBQ chicken on the way home from work and you’ll be rewarded with a tasty almost-effortless dinner. Also good with sausages.
BTW, this dressing combo of creamy mayonnaise and tangy yoghurt is one of my current faves. Love how it brings the perfect balance of richness and zing. Great on veggies or as a simple sauce for chicken or fish as well.
Crispy Iceberg Salad with Almond Crust
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee or butter or butter
- 50 g sliced almonds
- 1/2 large iceberg lettuce
- 2 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- BBQ chicken or roast or pan fried chicken, to serve
Instructions
- Heat a small frying pan on a medium high heat. Melt ghee / butter and toss in almond flakes. Cook, stirring for a few minutes until almonds are lovely and browned. Cool on paper towel.
- Slice lettuce into 4 wedges. Arrange on a serving platter. Mix yoghurt and mayo to make a dressing and drizzle over the lettuce.
- Top with cooled almonds and serve with your chicken.
WINE MATCH: A crispy dry white like Vermentino, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris.
Variations & Substitutions
nut-free / budget – replace almonds with sourdough bread crumbs like the Cornersmith gals do.
herby crust – add a few thyme leaves to the hot almonds. And add some chopped flat leaf parsley once the nuts are cool.
dairy-free / paleo – replace yoghurt with extra mayo and a little lemon juice. Use olive oil instead of the butter / ghee.
more substantial – use more nuts! Toss in some cooked grains or legumes such as quinoa, brown rice or chickpeas.
carb-lovers – serve with crusty bread and butter or roast potatoes. Or use toasted bread crumbs as the crust.
vegetarian – serve as a side to mushroom or eggplant steaks. Or toss in some cooked chickpeas or lentils.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
ghee or butter – will keep in the fridge for weeks.
almond flakes – pantry.
iceburg lettuce – will keep in the fridge for a few weeks in a plastic bag. Otherwise use for another meal as it’s not great once frozen.
yoghurt – usually has a shelf life of a month or so. Otherwise, have it for another meal like breakfast! Don’t freeze.
mayonnaise – unopened in pantry or in fridge once opened and will last for months.
BBQ, roast or pan fried chicken – freeze it.
Prepare Ahead
The nuts can be toasted a week or so ahead and kept in an airtight container in the pantry. The rest of the salad is best when freshly made.
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
I spotted this recipe and having not eaten an iceberg lettuce since I was a child I felt I needed to give it a shot, especially as the concept of serving it in wedges seemed so novel. And I was intrigued how you could make the bland iceberg into something so tasty. I was not disappointed Jules, this was so much more than the sum of its parts! So crispy, so creamy, so crunchy and so toasty. I served it with poached eggs as I was after a light supper but I think some pan fried chicken would go well alongside. As I was eating it I started to think of all the ways I could create other “iceberg meals” using the same idea – a wedge, a sauce and a crunchy topping. So much inspiration!
I’ve never heard my husband rave so much about a salad I’ve made!! 5 stars all round here!
ooh I love turning people into salad lovers Elizabeth!
You had me at “crispy”. It’s summer time here and very hot. So the thought of a crispy, cold iceburg lettuce salad became an obsession once I saw this recipe. I finally made it and it hit the spot! We had it with heat and eat teriyaki pineapple chicken and I added some salt to the almonds after toasting. So good and good to avoid real cooking on a hot day!
-Ellen
BIG frost here today Ellen – Enjoy that warm weather 🙂