Why you should ALWAYS Chop a Salad
Perfectly distributed dressing, equally sized bits of delicious veg … in my opinion, why would you ever NOT chop a salad? Fighting big leaves in a too-small salad plate with a dull knife sending little bits of everything all over the table isn’t usually on my agenda when having dinner. Experiment with the flavor profile by using different acids, types of oil, and fruit-veggie combos to make an infinite number of your own variations. The event of chopping and tossing and making a delicious vinaigrette can even turn just a salad into a lovely meal.
Chopped Salad w/ Homemade Vinaigrette
Ingredients
4 large romaine leaves, sliced into 1/2” strips
1/3 cup thinly sliced celery leaves and stalks
1/4 tart apple, sliced
1 shallot or 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shelled pistachios or other nuts
1 inch piece cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded carrots (or shave about 1/2 carrot w/ a vegetable peeler)
a handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Vinaigrette
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp Dijon or whole grain mustard
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 pinch kosher sea salt
1 small clove of garlic minced or grated
juice of 1/2 lemon
3-4 tbsp olive oil
Directions
Chop all your vegetables and toss into a large salad bowl with the remaining salad ingredients.
Make the dressing. Combine the honey, mustard, garlic, pepper, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice to loosen the mixture. Continue whisking, gradually adding the olive oil in a steady stream until it’s all incorporated and forms a smooth, glossy dressing.
Pour the dressing onto the salad and toss with two large forks.
Spoon into salad bowls and enjoy!
Substitutions + Alternate Flavor Profiles
Oil: Try toasted sesame or any infused / flavored oil. As long as it is liquid at room temperature, it will work in a vinaigrette.
Acid: Sub in vinegar or other types of citrus like lime or grapefruit (or a combination).
Fruit & Vegetables: Substitute any combination. Variety in texture and balance between sweet, tangy, and salty are the goal.
Greek / Lebanese flavor profile: omit the apple; add 1 tbsp sliced kalamata olives and 1 tbsp crumbled feta to the salad, and 1 tbsp. of dried oregano to the dressing.
Southeast Asian: use 1/4 tsp. chili flake, a splash of soy sauce, juice form 1/2 lime, 1/2 tsp. rice wine vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and 3-4 tbsp. toasted sesame oil in place of the dressing ingredients - and make the salad with bok choy, red bell pepper, mushrooms, sesame seeds, mint, and cilantro.
