Artichoke and Butter Lettuce Salad With Tarragon Vinaigrette

Fresh artichokes are really worth the effort of preparing them, and this salad shows them off beautifully. A great first course, the salad in larger portions also makes a nice lunch.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• VINAIGRETTE

• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1  large shallot, minced (to yield 3 TBS)
• 1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 4 1⁄2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  minced fresh tarragon
•  kosher salt
•  fresh ground black pepper

• FOR THE SALAD

• 1  large  lemon, juice of
• 4  large  whole artichoke bottoms (prepared for cooking)
• 2  heads butter lettuce (such as bibb or boston, about 5 oz each, tough outer leaves, removed, pale inner leaves washed and d)
• 3  hardboiled egg, quartered

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, shallot, and mustard and then gradually whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion. Add the tarragon; season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving time.
2. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the lemon juice and the prepared artichoke bottoms. To keep the artichokes from bobbling to the top, weight them with a pot lid that's smaller than the boiling pot. Keep the pot uncovered and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the artichokes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain upside down on paper towels until cool.
3. Tear the lettuce into bite size pieces. Halve each artichoke bottom and cut each half into 5 or 6 wedges. Put the artichoke wedges in a salad bowl and add 2 TBs of the vinaigrette; toss to coat. Add the lettuce and the remaining dressing and toss gently. Arrange the salad on six plates and garnish with the egg wedges. Serve immediately.