Name: The Porter Beer Bars Little Gem & Baby Kale Salad Recipe
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 heads Little gem lettuce; 3 cups Baby kale; 0.5 cups Cucumber; 1 cups Cherry tomatoes; 0.25 cups Red onion; 0.5 cups Greek yogurt; 2 tbs Mayonnaise; 0.25 cups Fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tbs Fresh chives, chopped; 1 tbs Fresh tarragon or dill, chopped; 1 each Garlic clove, minced; 2 tbs Lemon juice; 2 tbs Olive oil; 1 tbs Capers, drained and chopped; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 0.5 tsp Salt; 0.25 tsp Black pepper; 1 tbs Water (to thin); 2 slices Rustic baguette or sourdough; 1 tbs Olive oil (for brushing); 0.5 cups American-style Parmesan (or grated Parm); 1 each Cooked chicken breast, sliced (optional); 8 each Cooked shrimp (16/20), peeled & deveined (optional); 1 tbs Extra-virgin olive oil; 0.5 tsp Sea salt; 0.25 tsp Freshly ground black pepper; 2 each Lemon wedges (for serving)

Method

Salad Greens & Veggies

Prep lettuces

Trim root ends of little gem lettuce, quarter each head lengthwise and rinse well. Spin or pat dry. Roughly chop baby kale into bite-size pieces if leaves are large.

Peel and halve the cucumber lengthwise, remove seeds if desired, slice into 1/4-inch half-moons to make about 1/2 cup. Halve cherry tomatoes. Thinly slice red onion into rings and separate.

In a large mixing bowl combine the chopped little gem and baby kale. Add cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion; toss gently to combine and set aside.

Goddess Dressing

In a medium bowl or jar combine Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, chopped capers, chopped parsley, chives, and tarragon (or dill).

Whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and black pepper. If the dressing is too thick, whisk in up to 1 tablespoon water to reach a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning or acidity with more lemon or salt as desired.

Refrigerate dressing while you finish the rest of the salad so flavors marry (at least 10 minutes).

Crunchy Bread & Cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) or heat a skillet over medium heat. Brush both sides of baguette/sourdough slices lightly with olive oil.

If using oven: place slices on a baking sheet and toast 6–8 minutes, flipping once, until golden and crisp. If using skillet: toast 2–3 minutes per side until crisp. Remove and cool slightly.

While still warm, rub the top of each toast with a cut garlic clove (optional) and sprinkle evenly with the American-style Parmesan. Return to oven or skillet briefly (1–2 minutes) just to set the cheese if desired.

Break or cut to create crunchy crouton-like pieces for topping the salad.

Optional Proteins

If adding chicken: warm pre-cooked sliced chicken in a skillet over medium heat with 1 tsp olive oil until heated through (about 2–3 minutes) and lightly season with salt and pepper. Slice into bite-sized strips if not already sliced.

If adding shrimp: sauté peeled and deveined shrimp in 1 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat 1–2 minutes per side until opaque and cooked through. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside to cool slightly.

Assembly & Finishing

Give the greens one more gentle toss, then drizzle 2–3 tablespoons of the goddess dressing over the salad (reserve extra dressing for serving). Toss gently to coat; add more dressing to taste.

Arrange dressed salad on a platter or divide among 4 plates. Scatter the crunchy bread pieces on top and sprinkle the American-style Parmesan evenly over the salad.

If using protein, arrange sliced chicken or shrimp evenly over salads. Finish with a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with lemon wedges and remaining dressing on the side.