Salada Verde Recipe

Wash and thoroughly dry the mixed baby lettuces and romaine using a salad spinner or clean kitchen towels. Tear larger romaine leaves into 1–2 inch pieces; leave baby greens whole.

Peel (if desired) and slice the English cucumber into half-moons about 1/4 inch thick; place in a bowl and pat dry to remove excess moisture.

Halve the green grapes and set aside.

Peel, pit and dice the avocado into 1/2-inch cubes. Immediately toss the avocado with a teaspoon of lemon juice (from the vinaigrette amount) to slow browning and set aside.

Thinly slice the scallions on the bias and finely chop the fresh herbs (parsley and mint). Thinly slice the radishes and set aside for garnish.

Combine aromatics

In a medium bowl or jar, add the minced shallot, dijon mustard, honey, white wine vinegar and fresh lemon juice. Whisk or shake briefly until combined.

Slowly stream in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking vigorously (or add to jar and shake vigorously) to emulsify the dressing.

Season the dressing with the measured salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness by adding up to 1 tsp more honey or 1 tsp more lemon juice as desired.

Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pepitas and toast, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and begin to pop lightly, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

In a large salad bowl, combine the baby lettuces, romaine pieces, cucumber halves, green grapes, sliced scallions and chopped herbs.

Just before serving, add the diced avocado and microgreens/pea shoots (if using).

Pour about half of the vinaigrette over the salad (reserve the rest), then gently toss with salad tongs until everything is lightly coated. Add more dressing to taste if needed.

Transfer to a serving platter or bowls. Scatter the toasted pepitas and sliced radishes over the top for crunch and color.

Finish with a final light grind of black pepper and a small pinch of salt to taste. Serve immediately so greens remain crisp.