Mārūl Sàlatassi

Ingredients

• 2.5 heads (2–3) lettuce (Use a soft variety such as butterhead or romaine. Remove faded, coarse outer leaves and cut the green top off before use.)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt (Fine table salt works well.)
• 1.5 pinches (1–2) pepper (Freshly ground black pepper preferred.)
• 1.5 yolks (1–2), hard boiled egg yolk (These are the yolks only from hard-boiled eggs. To hard-boil: place eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes, then cool in cold water before peeling.)
• 0.5 tablespoon wine vinegar or lemon juice (first addition) (Use the best quality wine vinegar available, or freshly squeezed lemon juice as an alternative.)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (first addition) (Use the best quality extra-virgin olive oil you have.)
• 1 tablespoon wine vinegar or lemon juice (second addition) (Same vinegar or lemon juice as the first addition.)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (second addition) (Same olive oil as the first addition.)
• 1 tablespoon fresh chervil (Finely chopped. If unavailable, flat-leaf parsley is a closer substitute than nothing, but the original calls specifically for chervil.)
• 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon (Fresh tarragon, finely chopped or whole small leaves.)
• 1 teaspoon young onions (Finely sliced or chopped. These are spring onions or scallions — use the green and white parts.)
• 6 slices (approximately) beetroot (Pre-cooked or ready-to-eat beetroot, sliced into rounds. The original does not specify cooking it — use pre-cooked beetroot.)

Instructions

1. 1Take 2 to 3 lettuces and remove any yellowed, wilted, or very dark coarse outer leaves. Cut the leafy green top off each head. Then pull the remaining leaves off one by one. Cut each leaf into 3 or 4 pieces depending on its size — roughly bite-sized pieces is the goal.
2. 2Place the torn lettuce pieces into a large bowl of cold water and swish gently to remove any dirt or grit. Lift the leaves out of the water (do not pour through a strainer, as this would pour the dirt back over the leaves). Lay them on a clean kitchen cloth or tea towel, then fold the cloth over the lettuce and gently pat or shake to remove as much moisture as possible. Dry lettuce holds dressing much better than wet lettuce. Set aside.
3. 3In a large salad bowl, add the half teaspoon of salt, 1–2 pinches of pepper, and the yolks from 1–2 hard-boiled eggs. To hard-boil the eggs: place them in a saucepan of cold water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water, then peel and separate the yolks. Place the yolks in the salad bowl and use the back of a wooden spoon to mash and bruise them together with the salt and pepper until you have a smooth, crumbly paste.
4. 4Add half a tablespoon of wine vinegar (or lemon juice) to the mashed egg yolk mixture in the salad bowl. Stir well with the wooden spoon until it is fully combined with the yolk paste.
5. 5Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the bowl very slowly — a few drops at a time or in a thin, steady drizzle — while continuously stirring the mixture with your wooden spoon. Adding the oil slowly and stirring constantly helps the dressing emulsify (come together as a smooth, creamy consistency rather than separating). Keep stirring as you pour.
6. 6Add 1 more tablespoon of wine vinegar (or lemon juice) and then 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to the bowl. Beat the dressing vigorously with your wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and has a consistency similar to thin cream. This may take 1–2 minutes of energetic stirring.
7. 7Once the dressing is smooth and creamy, add the dried lettuce pieces to the bowl. Then add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh chervil, 1 teaspoon of fresh tarragon, 1 teaspoon of finely sliced young onions (spring onions/scallions), and approximately 6 slices of pre-cooked beetroot arranged over the top.
8. 8Using salad servers, two large spoons, or clean hands, gently turn and toss the salad until all the lettuce leaves are coated in the dressing and the herbs and onions are evenly distributed throughout. Take care not to break up the beetroot slices too much. Serve immediately.