Have you ever gone to a restaurant, checked out the salad offerings, but not found what you want...a simple salad? Chefs can go overboard, too many nuts, too much cheese, just too much stuff in general. What happened to the lettuce salad with a basic dressing? That's why today we are sharing a reinvented classic, the simple salad. Tucked away in an old carriage house in the West Village sits Bar Blanc Bistro, an unexpected oasis of white on white walls, plush white banquettes spanning almost the entire length of the restaurant, and brown and cream embellishments for an overall Côte d'Azur feel. Even at the height of winter. Quite lovely, really. On a cold winter day...we ordered a simple salad. Technically, it's called Baby Boston Lettuce and Hearts of Palm Salad created by exec chef Sebastiaan Zijp. You know when you slice open lettuce and there are those tiny baby leaves all tightly bound together? Well, this salad is made from wedges of those baby leaves with a soft boiled egg, crunchy hearts of palm, and a zippy-creamy dressing ties it all together. Plus a bit of shaved pecorino never hurts. So, as you eat, there's the crunch in the lettuce and palm heart, plus the richness in the egg yolk and dressing which is both tasty but also adds a heartiness to the salad. The perfect winter salad. Baby Boston Lettuce and Hearts of Palm Salad Serves 4 For the salad: 3 heads Boston lettuce, cleaned of outer leaves and cut into quarters 4 eggs, cooked for 5 and a half minutes, peeled 1/2 cup shaved pecorino cheese One tablespoon aged balsamic mixed with three tablespoons olive oil For the hearts of palm: 4 pieces fresh hearts of palm, I quart chicken stock Salt For the dressing: 1 cup mayonnaise (store bought or home made) 1 cup crème fraiche 3 tbsp sherry vinegar 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp dry vermouth 3 tbsp port wine 3 shallots, sliced thin 3 cloves garlic, sliced thin 1 bunch dill 1 bunch tarragon 1 bunch parsley 1 bunch chives Salt, white pepper and sugar to taste To make the hearts of palm, bring the stock to a simmer and season well with salt. Add the hearts and poach gently till they are fork tender. Be careful not to overcook, and never boil. Cool quickly and reserve in cooking liquid. For the dressing, mix all the ingredients except the shallots, garlic, and herbs. Beat well with a whisk to make sure it’s smooth, then add all the herbs and marinate overnight. The longer the better as all the flavors will meld together much more. To finish, place the lettuce, and palm on a tray and dress liberally with the dressing. Plate the peeled eggs and arrange the lettuce and palm around the egg, top with the shaved pecorino and a drizzle of the balsamic oil. Bar Blanc 142 West 10 Street, NY 212-255-2330