Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsMint MarkBaby Gem Salad Recipe

Baby Gem Salad Recipe

Inspired by Mint Mark
Time25m
Serves6

maple ginger vinaigrette, honeycrisp

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Ingredients

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Salad

Method

Salad

  1. 1

    Prepare lettuce

    Trim root ends of baby gem lettuces and separate into halves lengthwise. Rinse under cold water, shake off excess, and spin or pat dry. Keep halves intact for presentation or roughly chop into bite-size pieces if preferred.

  2. 2

    Prepare apple

    Core the Honeycrisp apple and thinly slice into half-moons (about 1/8 inch thick). To prevent browning, toss slices in a small bowl with the lemon juice reserved from the vinaigrette step if desired (about 1/2 teaspoon).

  3. 3

    Prepare cucumber and radish

    Thinly slice the cucumber into half-moons and thinly slice the radishes. If cucumber has large seeds, scoop them before slicing.

  4. 4

    Chives and almonds

    Chop the fresh chives into 1/4-inch pieces. If almonds are not toasted, toast sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes; cool slightly.

  5. 5

    Assemble salad

    In a large bowl, combine the prepared baby gem lettuce, apple slices, cucumber, radish, and chives. Crumble the feta over the top and sprinkle the toasted almonds. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, reserving additional salt and pepper to taste after dressing.

Maple-Ginger Vinaigrette

  1. 6

    Mince shallot and grate ginger

    Finely mince the shallot. Peel and grate enough fresh ginger to yield 1 tablespoon grated.

  2. 7

    Combine vinaigrette ingredients

    In a medium bowl or jar, whisk together the maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, grated ginger, minced shallot, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until well combined.

  3. 8

    Emulsify

    Slowly drizzle in the 6 tablespoons neutral oil while whisking briskly (or secure the jar lid and shake vigorously) until the vinaigrette emulsifies into a smooth dressing. Whisk in 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil at the end for flavor and adjust seasoning to taste.

  4. 9

    Dress the salad

    Just before serving, pour about 3–4 tablespoons of vinaigrette over the salad (start with 3 tablespoons for 6 heads halved) and toss gently to coat. Taste and add more vinaigrette if desired. Finish with an extra sprinkle of chives, almonds, and crumbled feta for presentation.

  5. 10

    Storage

    Store leftover vinaigrette in a sealed jar in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Re-shake or re-whisk before using. Store leftover assembled salad components separately and dress only before serving to maintain crispness.

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