For company
Burnt gem lettuce with butter beans and anchovies
A smoky, salty little salad to sit beside the lamb: charred baby gem hearts, creamy butter beans and anchovies in a sharp lemon dressing. This is a home-kitchen adaptation created for Cass’s requested combination, not a reproduction of the magazine’s exact salad recipe.
Burnt at the edges, not burnt to a cinder. Keep the lettuce hearts intact and dry them well before charring. The anchovies bring plenty of salt, so taste before adding any more.
Method
- 01
Wash the lettuce, leave the cores in place to hold the halves together, and dry thoroughly. Drain the beans well.
- 02
Mash 4 anchovy fillets with the grated garlic. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, vinegar and 3 T olive oil. Add black pepper and taste before deciding whether it needs salt.
- 03
Toss the butter beans with half the dressing and let them stand while you char the lettuce.
- 04
Heat a braai grid, griddle or heavy cast-iron pan until hot. Brush the cut faces of the lettuce lightly with olive oil. Cook cut-side down for about 2–3 minutes until deeply marked and charred at the edges, with the hearts still holding their shape. Work in batches if needed.
- 05
Spread the dressed butter beans on a platter and arrange the warm lettuce halves on top. Spoon over the remaining dressing, drape the remaining anchovy fillets over the lettuce and scatter with flat-leaf parsley. Serve straight away with lemon wedges.
In the glass
Steenberg 1682 Brut Cap Classique
Cass’s TASTE-recommended match is Steenberg 1682 Brut Cap Classique — the Chardonnay Brut expression. Made in the traditional bottle-fermented method, it brings bright apple and citrus flavours with a gently biscuity character. Its freshness and bubbles lift the creamy butter beans, balance the salty anchovies and refresh the palate after the charred lettuce. A lovely sparkling start before the lamb and Classique.
Keep cooking
