Elegant Thanksgiving Salad with Stepladder Butter, Chicories and Vinegar

By Chef Daisy Ryan

November 21, 2025

The salad for Thanksgiving can often be an afterthought or the item people add begrudgingly to their plate because they need something “good for them”. My favorite part about a good salad though with a rich meal is its ability to cut through the heavier fattier flavors and add dimension to the overall flavors of the plate. This salad is also a little decadent.

My son and husband often make fun of me for eating butter like its cheese. I reply with “why wouldn’t you….” especially salty, delicious Stepladder Creamery butter. So I decided that shaving butter over a salad like cheese might be a good idea. If this idea repels you, please feel free to leave it off. If you are like me or the Danish who have a term for the marks your teeth leave when you bite into a piece of buttered bread ( it's called tandsmør), please shave the butter on your bitter salad.

Serves

4-6

In this Recipe

The Regenerative Farm Box

Olive Oil & Fuyu Persimmon Vinegar

California Native Mountain Wildflower Honey

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD

1 head of Lolabela Chicory

½ lb of Green Beans

1-2 ea Celery Roots, peeled and julienned

4-5 Leeks

1 Cup Walnuts

1 Bunch Parsley, picked and leaves left whole

FOR THE DRESSING

¼ Cup Extra virgin Olive oIl

¼ Cup Walnut Oil

½ Cup Champagne Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

2 Tablespoons Honey

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Steps

FOR THE SALAD
Put butter in freezer.
Clean Chicories.
Put a large pot of very salty water on to blanch leeks, green beans and celery root.
Start with green beans and depending on their size blanch for 30- 60 seconds they should still be very crunchy immediately plunge into ice water
Blanch Celery Root for 15 seconds, plunge into ice water.
Then blanch the leeks whole for anywhere from 3-5 minutes depending on their size. They should have a little give when they are cooked enough. Also plunge into ice water. Once leeks are cool and dry cut them into ¼ in coins.
Once vegetables are cool you can put them on a sheet tray lined with a towel to absorb the water and put them in the refrigerator.
I like to leave my walnuts raw if they are nice quality. Pulse them in a food processor until they are a crumble texture.
FOR THE DRESSING
In a large mixing bowl add: chicories, green beans, celery root, parsley and dress with vinaigrette.
Plate this in your serving bowl or on individual plates. Garnish with leek coins, which you can kind of pull apart so they are fluffy, walnuts, walnut oil, finish with salt and pepper and then shave the butter over the top with a vegetable peeler. (Alternatively you can also use a sharp cheddar cheese or even parmesan).