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5. Place the frisée in a large bowl, toss with half of the vinaigrette, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the roasted beets around the outside of 4 dinner plates and the frisée in the centers. Top the frisée with the warm lentils and place a slice of goat cheese on top of each. Drizzle the salads with the remaining vinaigrette.

SHERRY VINAIGRETTE

Makes ¾ cup

¼ cup sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons honey

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and honey in a small bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. The dressing can be made 1 day in advance and stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.

ASPARAGUS CHOPPED SALAD

VERMONT CHEDDAR, MEYER LEMON DRESSING

The joy of a chopped salad is that there is no need to compose each forkful to make sure you have the perfect bite—every uniformly sized morsel is already tossed and mixed together for a whole plate full of perfect bites. Green, almost grassy in flavor, asparagus is one of spring’s delights. Grilling enhances its flavor and imparts a pleasant bit of char to the salad. Briny olives, sharp cheddar cheese, and tender chickpeas add substance to the mix, while crispy bits of fried pita bread lend a salty crunch and additional texture. (We make our own pita chips at the restaurant, and the directions to do so are here, but you could certainly skip this step and use crumbles of your favorite bagged pita chips instead.) Slightly sweet, slightly tart, definitely delicious, this Meyer lemon dressing pops with whole grain mustard, lemon zest, and honey.

Serves 4 to 6

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons canola oil

2 pocketless pitas, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

16 medium spears asparagus, trimmed

6 ounces mesclun greens

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

½ pound aged white cheddar cheese, cut into ½-inch dice

1 English cucumber, cut into ½-inch dice

½ cup pitted and coarsely chopped kalamata olives

1 cup drained canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained again

Meyer Lemon Dressing

1. Heat 2 cups of the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 360°F on a deep-fat thermometer. Fry the pita slices, in batches, until lightly golden brown and crisp, turning once, about 1 minute. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat a grill to high or heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush the asparagus with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the asparagus, turning once, until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut on the bias into 1-inch-long pieces.

3. Combine the mesclun, tomatoes, cheese, cucumber, olives, chickpeas, and asparagus in a large bowl. Add half of the dressing, season with salt and pepper, and toss well to coat. Divide the salad among large dinner plates. Drizzle with more of the dressing and top with the pita chips.

MEYER LEMON DRESSING

Makes about ¾ cup

½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¼ cup fresh Meyer lemon juice, or 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 heaping tablespoon whole grain mustard

2 teaspoons honey

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together the lemon zest and juice, vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, and honey in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. The dressing can be made 1 day in advance and stored in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator.

SANDWICHES

GRILLED CHEESE ♦ AGED CHEDDAR, GOAT CHEESE, BACON, GREEN TOMATO

LOBSTER CLUB ♦ GREEN ONION DRESSING, CRISPY HAM, ARUGULA

KENTUCKY HOT BROWN

GRILLED SWORDFISH CLUB ♦ AVOCADO, LEMON MAYONNAISE

PULLED BARBECUED DUCK