The Brutus Salad

Watch your back, Caesar! This salad could be the next national favorite and was inspired by a salad I had at a seafood restaurant in Healdsburg, CA. With apple slices, romaine lettuce, Cheddar cheese, fresh herbs, toasted pecans, and Dijon vinaigrette, it's amazing.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 4 mins
• Total Time: 24 mins
• Calories: 404 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• ¾ cup pecan halves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 pinch salt, or to taste
• ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 apple, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup real French Dijon mustard
• 4 hearts of romaine, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
• 2 ounces extra sharp aged Cheddar cheese

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place Dijon mustard, vegetable oil, seasoned rice vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and cayenne into a bowl. Whisk thoroughly until well blended, about a minute. Transfer to an easy-to-pour container.

Step 2

Place pecans in a skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with vegetable oil. Cook and stir until pecans smell toasty and have darkened slightly, 1 or 2 minutes. Sprinkle with kosher salt and sugar. Cook and stir another minute; remove from heat. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Step 3

Place romaine pieces into a large bowl. Add apple slices, dill, tarragon, and a handful of pecans, reserving some for garnish. Grate Cheddar lightly onto salad, reserving some for garnish. Drizzle in some dressing and toss. Taste and add more salt or dressing if desired. You make not need all of the dressing.

Step 4

Garnish with a few toasted pecans and some grated Cheddar cheese.