Spring Lamb Salad

For the vinaigrette:
1 clove of garlic
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:
4 generous cups mixed baby lettuce greens (mesclun), rinsed and dried
1/2 lb. very thin green beans (with stem ends snapped), blanched
2 T finely chopped shallots
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup diced (1/4-inch) cooked beets
3/4 lb. thinly sliced cooked lamb with excess fat removed
1/4 cup finely slivered basil leaves, for garnish

Prepare the vinaigrette:
Finely mince the garlic with the coarse salt. Place in a bowl with the mustard and lemon juice. Whisk together. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly until thickened. Season with the sugar, salt and pepper.

Makes 1/2 cup

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Prepare the salad:
Divide the salad greens evenly in the center of 4 dinner plates.

In a bowl, mix the blanched green beans with the shallots. Just before serving, toss the beans with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the beans evenly in the center of the greens.

Place the beets in a small bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Sprinkle evenly and decoratively atop the green beans. Lay slices of lamb, slightly overlapping in the center of each salad.

Drizzle each salad with 2-3 teaspoons of the remaining vinaigrette. Garnish each plate with slivered basil.