Green salad with fresh herbs and red wine vinaigrette

Simple, Quick and Tasty !

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 large head of butter lettuce (about 23 cm in diameter at the crown)
• 1/2 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 bunch chives (about 35 thin stems), cut into 1.5 cm pieces
• 8 large mint leaves, very thinly sliced

For the dressing:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon of water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

This super simple salad is perfect for getting greens on the table quickly and using up any extra herbs you have around the house.

We eat a lot of salad in our house. My small family of three can eat six heads of romaine and three heads of butter lettuce in a week. My salad obsession comes from my mother, who served a big salad with every meal (even if we had another green, like steamed artichokes, on the table).

Yet for all my enthusiasm for salads, the version I make most often is also the simplest: just a bowl filled with tender butter lettuce and a handful of fresh, flavorful herbs with a quick vinaigrette . It can all be ready in less than 10 minutes and makes a quick and easy summer side dish .

No frills , no colorful veggies , no fuss - perfect for a lazy summer day. And the best part is, it's absolutely delicious.

Choosing and washing your green vegetables

I almost always use sweet, tender butterhead lettuce for this salad because everyone loves it, and its mild flavor doesn't overpower the herbs I add to the bowl. Plus, it's one of the easiest types of lettuce to store in the refrigerator if you buy the lettuce with the root intact—it'll stay fresh for a week or more if you don't mind removing a few bad outer leaves.

That said, this salad is also great with other lettuces. The best options are mild-flavored greens. The spring flavor of escarole also works well with fresh herbs. Romaine can work as well, though it produces a very different textural experience.

If you opt for butterhead lettuce, be sure to treat it gently. Wash it in a bowl of cold water, then place it in a towel-lined bowl and shake it dry. Whatever you do, don't squeeze it or put it in a salad spinner ; you'll only bruise and crush its delicate texture.

Choosing and cutting your herbs

This salad works with a wide variety of herbs, in many different combinations. The key is to choose flavors you like and chop the herbs appropriately. I usually add a combination of mint and chives , because of all the herbs I have in the planters near my kitchen door, those are the two that are the healthiest and most prolific.

That said, I also find that this recipe is a great way to use up herbs I buy for other dishes I cook — parsley bunches or oregano hulls left in the fridge after using a few sprigs for fresh pasta or roast chicken .

Here are some options and how to prepare them:

• Flat Leaf Parsley: This is a must-have ingredient for this salad. You can use a large handful of parsley without it overpowering the salad. Just chop it roughly and remove the thicker stems.
• Chives: This is another herb that you can use in large quantities in a salad. Cut the chives into 1.5 cm pieces so that they adhere well to the lettuce.
• Mint: I personally love mint in my salads, but use it sparingly as it has a strong flavor. Cut the mint leaves into thin slices.
• Basil: This is a popular herb that works well in salads, but it has a very distinct flavor, so don't use too much and make sure it pairs well with the meal you're serving. You can roughly chop basil leaves or slice them thinly.
• Oregano: This flavor is great, especially if you pair the salad with a big bowl of pasta. The individual leaves are tender, so just strip them from their stems and add them directly to the bowl.
• Cilantro: Adding cilantro to a salad automatically gives it a lot of flavor. Roughly chop these leaves and use them sparingly, as they can overpower the rest of the salad. (A lemony vinaigrette is a good option if you add cilantro to your bowl.)

Other options to include in your salad are celery leaves, which have a mild, pleasant flavor; shiso , which will add a strong licorice flavor to your greens; and fennel fronds, which have a mild texture and the same flavor profile as fennel bulbs.

A super simple vinaigrette

When I'm looking for a salad that I can get on the table as quickly as possible, the last thing I want is a complicated, multi-step vinaigrette. Instead, I turn to a tried-and-true method: mixing 1 part acid with 2 parts olive oil. This idea works with almost any type of vinegar (or lemon juice ), allowing me to adjust the flavor depending on what dish I'm pairing with my salad.

This dressing only takes a minute to make, so I never really make it in advance. That said, it can be refrigerated for up to a week, so I often make extra and save it for lunches later in the week.

If you're storing it, make sure the olive oil is liquid again before using. (A five-second microwave and a good shake will do the trick if you're in a hurry.)

Method

1. Tear the lettuce:

Tear the lettuce into large pieces, about 2 to 3 inches (you will have about 4 to 5 cups, lightly packed).

2. Place the lettuce and herbs in a large salad bowl.

3. Prepare the dressing:

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid , combine olive oil, vinegar , mustard , water, salt, and pepper. Close the jar tightly and shake the dressing until well combined, about 10 seconds.

4. Season the salad:

Dress the salad with about 2/3 of the dressing and toss the salad gently. Taste a piece of lettuce and add more dressing if necessary.

5. Serve:

Serve immediately after seasoning.

Nutritional information (per serving):

• Calories: 48
• Lipids: 5 g
• Carbohydrates: 0 g
• Protein: 0 g

I hope you enjoy this delicious cooking recipe !! Feel free to leave a comment.

Georgia.F

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