serves 2 to 4
If there was ever a culinary low point in my life, it was when, at the knowing age of about twenty-five, I decided I was giving up salad. The truth of it was that for much of my early, fat-phobic adulthood, I nearly subsisted on the stuff, dutifully chomping my way through vast mounds of slightly wilted, prewashed mesclun coated in a nonfat, Caesar-like dressing. It almost ruined my taste for the stuff. Thankfully, after a few months, I began to miss salad. So I started experimenting with vegetables and greens other than lettuce.
A bowl of watercress and slivered red peppers tossed with shredded Cheddar cheese and drizzled with olive oil? Now, that makes a tasty lunch. Shredded carrots slathered with mayonnaise and orange juice is delightfully satisfying. And there is nothing heinous about baby arugula at all, especially when dressed with walnut oil and a few drops of my mother’s homemade vinegar. Little by little, I made my way back to salad, though I admit that I still won’t go near bagged mesclun or nonfat dressing of any kind.
Now no dinner is complete without a big bowl of some kind of crisp greens gracing the table. And when I serve it to my husband, Daniel, he greets it like a long-lost friend, even though we eat salad every night.
“Hello, salad,” he says affectionately, piling his plate high.
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1½ tablespoons hazelnut or walnut oil
6 cups loosely packed tender baby greens
Handful mixed fresh soft herbs, such as cilantro, mint, parsley, and/or basil
¼ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts or walnuts (see Note)
1. Combine the vinegar and salt in a small bowl and mix well to dissolve the salt. Slowly whisk in the oil.
2. Place the greens, herbs, and hazelnuts or walnuts in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Season with more salt to taste.
note: To toast nuts, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 325°F, stirring every 5 minutes, until they start to smell nutty, 10 to 20 minutes depending on the type and size of the nut. Cool completely before chopping.