During World War II, my mother hung out in a community of Italian women while my father was away serving in the military. They taught her how to cook their way, which then became our way. This was her standard Italian dressing, which I had practically every day growing up, and is still near and dear to my heart. This is a classic green salad, simple and elegant. The beautiful lettuces are different colors and textures, and the carrots and radishes add crunch. It can be served family-style or on individual plates.
You needn’t use an expensive extra-virgin olive oil for this dressing, as the flavor would be lost. If you like a hint of that olive oil pepperiness, I suggest just adding a tablespoon, while making the rest with a neutral oil like canola oil. This can easily be made and kept in a jar and stored for weeks. Just shake the jar vigorously to emulsify the dressing before serving. It will separate again over time, but it’s easy enough just to shake it back into a mixture.
SERVES: 4
4 cloves garlic, peeled and stem ends removed
⅓ cup packed fresh basil leaves
⅛ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup 75/25 canola/olive oil blend (see here)
1 generous tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
FOR THE GREEN SALAD:
1 small head lola rosa lettuce
1 medium head Bibb or Boston lettuce
1 small head red-leaf lettuce
1 small head green-leaf lettuce, or ½ small head frisée
5 small heirloom or baby carrots, peeled
⅓ cup packed thinly sliced french breakfast radishes (about 4 radishes)
4 large basil leaves, thinly sliced, or 1 tablespoon small whole leaves
1 tablespoon fresh dill fronds
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, thinly sliced
4 7-minute hard-boiled eggs
Pinch coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Cracked fresh black pepper
Make the vinaigrette: Lightly crush the garlic and place it in a nonreactive bowl. Add the basil leaves, pepper, salt, oils, and vinegar. Whisk the vinaigrette until it emulsifies and set aside.
Make the salad: Wash and dry the lettuce. Remove the large outer leaves of the lola rosa, Bibb or Boston lettuce, and red-leaf lettuce and set them aside for another purpose. You want to use the hearts of the lettuces.
Trim off the stem ends of the lola rosa, Bibb or Boston lettuce, red-leaf lettuce, and the green-leaf lettuce or frisée. Separate the leaves of the lettuces and place them in a large salad bowl.
Use a vegetable peeler to make ribbons of carrots; you want ⅓ packed cup. Add the carrot ribbons to the bowl. Add the sliced radishes, basil, dill, and parsley.
Add 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette (leaving behind the garlic cloves and basil leaves) to the bowl and toss the salad with your impeccably clean hands or tongs. Place the salad on a platter or individual plates.
Peel and halve the hard-boiled eggs and season the yolks with a pinch of sea or kosher salt; garnish the salad with 2 egg halves.
Grind a couple of turns of black pepper over the salad and serve.