Michael's House Salad Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Wash the artisan lettuce thoroughly in cold water. Spin or pat dry and tear into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large salad bowl and chill briefly while preparing other ingredients.

Slice vegetables

Thinly slice the cucumber, radishes, and separate the red onion into rings. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Grate the carrots. Add each prepared vegetable to separate small bowls to keep textures distinct until assembly.

Prepare roasted beets (if not pre-cooked)

If your beets are not roasted, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim beets, wrap individually in foil with a drizzle of olive oil, roast 45–60 minutes until tender, cool slightly, then peel and cut into 1/2-inch wedges. Use 1 cup of roasted wedges in the salad.

Assemble salad

Add the cucumber slices, radish slices, cherry tomato halves, grated carrots, roasted beet wedges and red onion rings to the bowl with the lettuce. Gently toss once or twice to combine, keeping ingredients visible for a composed look. Sprinkle the crumbled feta evenly over the top and scatter the croutons just before serving so they stay crunchy.

Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or jar combine the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey (or maple), minced shallot and minced garlic. Add the lemon juice and sea salt, then whisk while slowly pouring in the olive oil until emulsified. Alternatively, put all ingredients in a jar, secure the lid and shake vigorously for 20–30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed.

Dress the salad: Right before serving, drizzle about 2–3 tablespoons of vinaigrette over the assembled salad for 4 servings (start with 2 tbs and add more to taste). Gently toss to coat evenly. Add more vinaigrette if desired, but avoid overdressing. Serve immediately so croutons remain crisp.