dressed french greens salad

dressed french greens salad

This salad came to me via my customer, Yvette, during my catering days. She is a very elegant French woman who claimed this was the only way to have a salad. I may or may not have rolled my eyes, but in the end she was right. This recipe really allows for the lettuce to shine through. Today, I found fresh arugula that we used here. This clean, simple recipe is an absolute favorite.

Yield: 1 medium salad

Prep Time: 3 minutes if your lettuce is precut and washed, 8 minutes if you need to cut your lettuce

Rating: Classic. Will always be relevant. Very fast to make – never a leaf left in the bowl.

Ingredients:

1 head of your freshest lettuce (anything will do – Boston Bibb, Red Leaf, Romaine or even a box of any prepared baby lettuce will do)

1 handful of cherry tomatoes (optional)

1 Kirby cucumber, peeled and sliced (optional)

2- 3 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ freshly ground black pepper

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Place your lettuce and any extra vegetables (I like mine just with tomatoes) into a bowl. Drizzle your vinegar and oil directly onto the lettuce and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Using a gloved hand, gently toss your salad until your greens are well dressed but not soggy.

Plan Ahead:

You can cut the lettuce or vegetables the night before if you really need to. Make sure your lettuce is completely dry before storing in a zippered bag lined with paper towel until you are ready to use.