Cafe Castagna's Tarragon Dressing

-- Chris Christensen Vinaigrette:

This is the dressing on the butter lettuce salad at one of my favorite restaurants…Café Castagna.


1 egg yolk (see note)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup peanut oil
4 teaspoons champagne vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad:
2 heads butter lettuce (about 1 pound; use the tender, pale yellow leaves)
4 teaspoons chopped chives
4 teaspoons chopped tarragon
Coarse sea salt
To make vinaigrette: Whisk egg yolk with mustard. Gradually add oils, whisking to emulsify. Add champagne vinegar and thin with a little water. Season with salt and pepper. To make salad: Toss lettuce with dressing to taste, chives and tarragon. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Reserve remaining vinaigrette for another use. Note: Be sure to use clean, uncracked eggs or pasteurized eggs. Because of the possibility of salmonella, we would not recommend this recipe, if using unpasteurized eggs, for people in a high-risk group for contracting food poisoning. This group includes the elderly, the very young, the chronically ill, pregnant women or others with a weakened immune system. -- From chef Kevin Gibson, Cafe Castagna