1/2 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground

pepper to taste

Salad:

1/4 pound haricot verts

1 romaine heart, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips

1/2 bunch watercress, tough stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped

1 small head frisee, coarsely chopped

1 bunch baby arugula

1/2 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 Bosc pear, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/2 cup Idiazabal or Manchego cheese, coarsely grated*

In a small bowl, mix the vinegar with the shallot and thyme and let stand 10 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, honey and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Boil salted water in a medium saucepan and cook the haricot verts until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cool. Cut the haricot verts into 1/2-inch lengths.

In a large bowl, combine the romaine hearts with the cooked haricot verts, watercress, frisee, arugula, apple, pear, avocado and cheese. Toss with the dressing, season with salt and pepper and serve at once. Serves 4.

*Idiazabal cheese is a smoked, pressed sheep cheese from the Basque region. Manchego makes a fine substitute.

Source: Chef Jose Garces, Amada.