The Lark Salad

Do you ever have an awesome meal at a restaurant and immediately know you want to try and re-create it at home?  One of our team members recently got back from a trip to Santa Barbra, and while there she had this delicious salad at The Lark restaurant.  Delicate butter lettuce combined with the sweetness of fuji apples and the tang of a semi-firm cheese make this salad perfection.  We are so glad that we were able to recreate it because now it is definitely going to be a summer staple :)

Ingredients

• 1 head of butter lettuce
• 1 fuji apple
• Comte cheese (we used this midnight moon from whole foods and it was perfect )
• 1/3 C Sliced almonds & 2 Tbs. sugar
• Vinaigrette Ingredients

  1/3 cup cider vinegar
  2 tablespoons pure maple syrup 
  1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 
  1/4 teaspoon salt 
  1/4 teaspoon pepper 
  2/3 cup olive oil 

Instructions

1. Wash and dry lettuce, and put in a large mixing bowl
2. Peel apple and slice it thinly (using a cheese slicer or a mandolin make this easier) and put in bowl with lettuce
3. Thinly slice about 1/3 C of cheese and put in lettuce bowl
4. Place sugar and almonds in pan and cook on medium head until the sugar has melted and the almonds are coated.  Let cool and set aside
5. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients (can be made ahead of time)
6. When ready to serve the salad, add the dressing a few tablespoons at a time to coat the lettuce.  Add candied almonds.
7. ENJOY!