Spring Salad and Quick Vinaigrette Recipe
Why It's Good:
Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, without a lot of calories? What a bargain!
Why It's Green:
The fabulous array of local lettuces—we're not talking iceberg—you buy at your farmers' market helps save fossil fuel emissions used during transport, and preserves plant species by promoting demand.
Salad Days Are Here Again
As a Southerner, I grew up with greens. They took up most of the garden and were served with nearly every meal. My Aunt Martha used to pluck the first dandelions from her yard in the spring and toss them with violet blossoms, baby lettuces, and mustard greens for a wild salad with more rich nutrients than a spring tonic. (She lived to the ripe age of 110, by the way.)
Salads of fresh greens are nothing new–they were cultivated and served in the royal courts of Europe for centuries. Many of these delicate-looking European heirlooms are surfacing at markets today, thanks to small organic farmers and much to the pleasure of chefs everywhere. Toss them with a little lemon juice, salt, and extra-virgin olive oil and use as a bed for a grilled fish fillet. Combine with tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta, then stuff into a fresh pita for a crunchy salad sandwich. Or, arrange every color lettuce you can find in a large bowl and drizzle with a tasty vinaigrette (below), for an exquisite lunch. Serve with a wedge of artisanal cheese and crunchy bread. Now you're the queen of greens for sure.
Quick Vinaigrette
Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for six to eight salad servings
I usually double this recipe and keep it in the fridge to use all week long. If you wish, you can add minced herbs or substitute a tablespoon of minced shallots for the garlic. I like to use rice wine vinegar—it's less acidic—but you can also use white or red wine vinegar for this recipe.
1 smallish garlic clove, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
To blend by hand, place the garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar, and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk together. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil until blended.
You can also place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until emulsified. Transfer to a jar and keep in a refrigerator until ready to use. Shake the jar to blend dressing before using.
The dressing will keep, refrigerated in a jar, for about one week.
Spring Salad
1. For a simple tossed salad, figure on one small head of lettuce per person. Separate the leaves and wash the lettuce in two to three changes of cold water to remove any dirt. If you are using prewashed mesclun greens, plunge them in cold water briefly to refresh them and remove any debris or weeds (or ladybugs in the case of some organic greens!).
2. Add a handful of fresh snipped herbs, such as chervil, cilantro, mint, or pepper greens like watercress or arugula, for extra spice. Place your lettuce and herbs in a salad spinner to dry them. This will help the dressing adhere to the leaves.
3. Transfer the salad to a large bowl. Add a tablespoon of the vinaigrette and toss. Taste and add additional dressing to taste, along with additional salt and freshly ground pepper, if you wish. Serve immediately so it's nice and crunchy.—Susie Quick