- Prep
- 20 min
- Total time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 180 kcal
Quick summary
“A green salad rich in textures combining crispy romaine lettuce leaves, baby spinach, and watercress with thin slices of Japanese cucumber, radish, and toasted pecans. Wrapped in a citrus vinaigrette of lemon and Dijon.”
What you need to know
- Thorough cleaning and drying in a salad spinner ensure clean, crispy leaves that retain the vinaigrette.
- The radish and Japanese cucumber slice provides crunchy freshness contrasting with the creaminess of the pecans.
- The citrus sauce emulsified with Dijon mustard and lemon zest provides aromatic acidity without overpowering.
Ingredients
Main
- (approx. 200g) Alface romana
- (approx. 150g) Baby spinach
- cup (tender leaves) Watercress
- Pepino japonês
- cup Radishes
- small Red onion
- cup Pecans
- tablespoons Crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- cup Extra virgin olive oil
- tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
- tablespoon White wine or apple vinegar
- teaspoon Dijon mustard
- teaspoon Pure honey or agave syrup (optional)
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sicilian lemon zest
Instructions
Principal
- Wash all leaves under cold running water. Submerge them in a large bowl with water and sanitizer (1 tablespoon of sodium hypochlorite for every liter of water, or according to product instructions) for 15 minutes. This is a crucial step for food safety.
- After the sauce, rinse the leaves again under running water. Make sure they are completely dry using a salad spinner or drying delicately with clean paper towels. Well-dried leaves absorb the sauce better.
- While the leaves dry, thinly slice the cucumber, radishes, and red onion. Ideally, the slices should be delicate and uniform for a pleasant texture in the salad. A sharp knife or mandoline helps to achieve this uniformity.
- If you want a more pronounced flavor, toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly golden and aromatic. Let cool completely before chopping coarsely and reserving.
- For the sauce: in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, Sicilian lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey (if using), salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously with a wire whisk until the ingredients are well emulsified. Add the lemon zest and taste, adjusting the seasonings to your palate.
- In a large, deep bowl, combine the dried greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula) with the sliced cucumber, radishes, and red onion. Gently mix all the vegetables to avoid bruising the leaves, ensuring an even distribution of ingredients.
- Drizzle the salad with the prepared citrus dressing, adding it little by little and mixing. The idea is just to lightly coat the leaves, not drown them in dressing. Finish with the toasted and chopped pecans and the crumbled feta cheese, if you are using it. Serve the salad immediately to enjoy its maximum crunchiness and freshness.
Chef's tips
- Use a mandoline slicer to get almost transparent radish slices that fold without breaking.
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet for 3 minutes until golden to intensify their aromatic oils.
- Drizzle the citrus vinaigrette only at the exact moment the salad bowl goes to the table so the leaves do not soften.
Variations
- Add thin half-moon slices of tart green apple for sweet, crunchy notes.
- Add cubes of ripe and firm avocado to provide a velvety texture in contrast with the leaves.
- Sprinkle black sesame seeds or chia over the assembled salad to enrich the visual aesthetics.
Substitutions
- Romaine lettuce can be replaced by iceberg lettuce, frisée lettuce, or tender arugula leaves.
- Pecan nuts can be replaced with toasted sliced almonds, traditional walnuts, or pumpkin seeds.
- The optional feta cheese can be replaced with fresh crumbled goat cheese or shaved parmesan.
How to store
Keep the washed and dried leaves in an airtight container lined with paper towels in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep the sliced vegetables, toasted nuts, and vinaigrette in separate containers.
Can it be frozen?
Freezing raw green salads is completely discouraged, as freezing breaks the vegetable cell membrane, dehydrating and turning the leaves into a dark and pasty mass.
What to serve with
Harmonizes perfectly with filet mignon grilled in butter, roast chicken breast, vegetable quiches, and Pinot Grigio white wine.
Frequently asked questions
How to emulsify the citrus vinaigrette so the olive oil doesn't separate from the juice?
Dijon mustard and honey act as natural emulsifiers; beat the ingredients vigorously with a small wire whisk or shake inside a closed glass jar for 20 seconds.
Why should the green leaves be completely dry?
Damp leaves create a film of water that repels olive oil, causing the vinaigrette to run to the bottom of the bowl instead of adhering to and seasoning each leaf.
How to ensure the radish doesn't have an excessively spicy flavor?
Cut the radish into ultra-thin slices and let it rest in a bowl with ice water and ice cubes for 15 minutes; cold water softens the spiciness and increases crispiness.
What is the ideal basic ratio for a classic lemon vinaigrette?
The balanced standard ratio is 3 parts extra virgin olive oil to 1 part acidic element (lemon juice and vinegar), adjusting with salt and mustard.
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