Recipe Video

Garden Salad and Classic Vinaigrette

28 June 2020

ingredients for 4 serves

For the Salad:

1 Butter or Coz Lettuce

1/4 Raddicchio or red witlof

Fresh herbs such as chives or mint

1/2 - 1 Cucumber

1/2 Avocado

4 Radish

For the Dressing:

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 Teaspoon Salt

4 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

equipment

Salad Spinner

Chopping Board

Kitchen Knife

Paring Knife

Whisk

Measuring Spoon

Mixing Bowl

Salad Bowl.

method

Step 1

Prepare the Salad ingredients:

Tear off the leaves that you are using rather than cut them.

Wash the leaves well and dry thoroughly.  A salad spinner is good for both of these processes.

NB even packaged leaves need to be washed thoroughly.

The washed leaves can be wrapped in a clean dry tea towel and stored in the lower part of the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.

When you are ready to make the salad:

Slice the cucumber and radish using a small paring knife.

Slice the avocado.

Step 2

Make the Dressing:

The dressing can be made a few hours in advance.

Squeeze half a lemon and place 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into the mixing bowl.

Dissolve the salt in the lemon juice.

Whisk in the olive oil creating an emulsion with the lemon juice and olive oil.

Taste the dressing and add more lemon or salt according to taste.

Step 3

When you are ready to serve the salad it is time to dress the ingredients - you must do this at the last minute.

Take about 1/3 of the leaves and toss them in the salad dressing with your hands.  
Place them in the serving bowl. 
Add the cucumber and radish and toss these in the serving bowl with the dressed leaves.

Add more of the washed leaves to the serving bowl and toss these with the dressed ingredients.

If you think you need more dressing - toss the last of the leaves lightly in the dressing and then add these to the serving bowl.  
If you think there is plenty of dressing amongst the dressed ingredients, add the last of the leaves to them.

It is important that you do not over dress the salad.  

Step 4

Place serving spoons in the bowl and serve immediately.

For more tips on making a salad - go to our TIPS page or - click here