You may have noticed that many of the dinner recipes in my repertoire end with the same one word…
“Served with a simple green salad.” It may sound like a boring afterthought, but here’s something I’ve noticed lately: A simple green salad like the one pictured above is the unsung hero of dinnertime, playing a vital role on the plate. Not only does it check the “vegetable” box off your mental meal checklist, it also adds brightness, texture, and contrast to whatever it’s served with. This is especially true as we head into fall and start to gravitate toward main dishes that are described as “roasted,” “braised,” and “hearty.”
The salad recipe below features gem lettuce, radishes, cucumber, green onions, and lemon-Dijon dressing, and it makes an appearance on the table 9 times out of 10 when I’m making a dinner that I want to round out with a bowl of vegetables. Would it taste great with feta and pistachios? Yes. What about apples and cheddar? Toasted buckwheat and quartered heirloom tomatoes? Yes, they’re both delicious. Would sliced avocado and a creamy mayonnaise or yogurt-based dressing add a touch of indulgence? Of course. But that’s all beside the point. A simple salad has three functions: a) to balance the richness of lasagna, cheesy pizza, or roasted chicken, b) to be easy to make (you’re not going to get out the blender to make a salad dressing on a weeknight), and c) to serve something fresh: raw, vibrant, and crunchy. That’s my number one rule for making a great salad on the plate. Here’s how to make it:
Simple green salad
The key to a great salad: Make sure the vegetables are completely dry. Season with salt and pepper. in front Add the dressing. Finally, many salad purists recommend putting the dressing in a serving bowl first, then adding the vegetables and mixing. This helps prevent the lettuce from being weighed down with dressing. I like to add the salad ingredients first, then drizzle the dressing around the edge of the bowl so most of it falls to the bottom. Then mix everything gently and add more in the same way if needed. It’s easier to judge how much dressing you need this way. Serves 4.
Wash and thoroughly dry 12 ounces of delicate lettuce, such as gem lettuce (pictured) or Bibb/Boston lettuce, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
2 small Persian cucumbers, sliced as thinly as possible
4 small daikon radishes, sliced as thinly as possible
1 bunch green onions (6-8 pieces), light green and white parts finely chopped (or 2 tablespoons minced red onion)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon Dijon Dressing (recipe below)
Place the lettuce, cucumber, radish, and green onion in a deep salad bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour about half the dressing over the rim of the bowl, allowing it to sink to the bottom but not over the lettuce. Using salad tongs, gently toss the salad, scraping the dressing from the bottom of the bowl and distributing it evenly. Add more dressing if necessary until the lettuce is lightly coated.
Lemon Dijon Dressing
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons honey (or sugar if vegan)
1/3 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a small jar or measuring cup, shake or whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Once mixed, pour the olive oil into the jar and shake steadily until emulsified.
PS 5 ways to elevate your average green salad, the salad dressing magic grid, and 10 quick fall dinners.
