Elaine's Butter Lettuce and Mandarin Salad

Ingredients

• 1.sugar, 4 heaped tablespoons; for praline
• 2.100 gram almonds, shelled; not blanched; for praline
• 3.30 millilitre sugar, for dressing
• 4.30 millilitre white vinegar, for dressing
• 5.15 millilitre dried parsley, for dressing
• 6.2.5 millilitre salt, for dressing
• 7.Tabasco sauce, a good dash; for dressing
• 8.125 millilitre salad oil, for dressing
• 9.1 butter lettuce, washed and dried
• 10.1 red lettuce, washed and dried
• 11.125 millilitre spring onion, chopped
• 12.2 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 13.mandarin sections, tinned; drained

Method

1. 1.Make the praline: melt the sugar in a heavy bottomed pot. As the sugar begins to melt, add the almonds. Toss until coated. Working carefully, take almonds out of syrup. Use 2 forks to try to take out individual nuts. Set nuts on a greased biscuit tray to cool. When nuts are cold, slice in half. The caramelised almonds can be made a few days before needed.
2. 2.Mix all ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
3. 3.Toss the washed and dried lettuce, the spring onion and the celery together. Set out on a flat platter.
4. 4.When ready to serve, tuck mandarin sections in and out of the lettuce leaves.
5. 5.Drizzle over the dressing and top with the praline.

Notes

• Card note: 'Increase all ingredients in proportion to the lettuce used.'
• The caramelised almond praline is the defining feature of this salad — can be made days ahead.