SERVES: 4
TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes
Why this recipe works This utterly minimalist way to make a simple green salad requires no measuring, no whisking, and (virtually) no thought. It’s an elegant pairing with just about any dish. And you need only the bare minimum of ingredients: salad greens of your choice, extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, a garlic clove, and salt and pepper. We like to rub the bowl with the peeled and halved garlic clove to impart just a hint of flavor. Because of the pure simplicity of this salad, it’s vital to use high-quality ingredients —there are no bells and whistles to let you get away with camouflaging wilted lettuce, flavorless oil, or too-harsh vinegar. Be sure to use interesting and flavorful leafy greens, such as mesclun, arugula, or Bibb lettuce, rather than those with a very neutral flavor, like iceberg lettuce.
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ garlic clove, peeled
- 8 ounces (8 cups) lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces if necessary
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Vinegar
- Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Rub inside of salad bowl with garlic. Add lettuce.
- Slowly drizzle oil over lettuce, tossing greens very gently, until greens are lightly coated and just
glistening. - Season with vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste, and toss gently to coat. Serve.
