Liz’s Bistro Salad
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
45 minutes
Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars
(15)
Ingredients
4-6 servings
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup white or red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- a pinch of salt and sugar
- 1 romaine heart, stem removed and chopped
- half a head of butter lettuce, stem removed, gently torn
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced tarragon
- 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped or torn
- 1/4 cup fresh chives, minced
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (more to taste)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard or mayo – the purpose of this is to emulsify the dressing
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Preparation
Step 1
Pickled Onions: Place the onions in a jar; fill the jar about a third of the way with vinegar, then fill to the top of the onions with water. Add salt and sugar, shake, and keep in the fridge for a few hours or a few days. (30 minutes minimum if you’re short on time.)
Step 2
Vinaigrette: Shake all dressing ingredients in a jar. Keep this in the fridge if making ahead.
Step 3
Salad: Prep all your salad greens – chop the romaine and the herbs, and gently tear the lettuce leaves into bite sized pieces.
Step 4
Toss: Just before serving, toss greens, herbs, pickled onions, and dressing together – starting with about half of the dressing that’s in the jar, and adding more as necessary.
Step 5
Serve: Taste and adjust; add salt and pepper to taste. It’s tender, bright, a little puckery, and so fresh.
Step 6
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Chef's notes
To make ahead:
prep the onions and the dressing. Chop the greens. Store everything separately in the fridge, and assemble the amount you need just before serving.
If you want to scale this up, you should have enough dressing for a 6-8 serving salad; just add another romaine heart and use a full head of butter lettuce instead of half.
You can use another oil if you want, but I like canola for the neutral flavor – it keeps the dressing very mild.
