The Greenest Green Salad Food

At Via Carota, the charming West Village restaurant run by the partners Jody Williams and Rita Sodi, the menu description for insalata verde does little to give away any details about what makes it so unbelievably, mouth-smackingly perfect. A visual inspection of the dish reveals only leaves of endive, butter lettuce, frisée and watercress all piled as high as gravity will allow, topped by a drizzle of dressing studded generously with shallots and mustard seeds. In truth, all the secrets of this otherworldly salad lay in the graceful, unlikely application of a flavorless one: water. First, the five carefully chosen types of lettuce are all triple-washed to yield what Williams called "a super happy salad." Next, the minced shallots are given a quick rinse under cold water - instead of a long maceration in vinegar - to keep them shalloty and savory and prevent them from becoming too acidic, which could overwhelm the delicate lettuces. And finally, and perhaps most surprising, Williams adds a spoonful of warm water to the vinaigrette. "We add warm water to make it more palatable," she explained. "Pure vinegar is just too strong - it assaults the taste buds. We want a salad dressing so savory and delicious that you can eat spoonfuls of it. We want you to be able to drink it!" This might just become your go-to vinaigrette. Spoon it liberally over everything from boiled asparagus to farro salad to steak and fish and roast chicken. It's so good that you might even be tempted to pour it into a glass and top it off with sparkling water.

Provided by Samin Nosrat

Categories     salads and dressings

Time 15m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

• Ingredients

This chopped green salad will amaze everyone around the table! Homemade Italian dressing, crunchy veggies and Parmesan cheese combine into one extraordinary side salad.

Provided by Sonja Overhiser

Categories     Salad

Time 15m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 10

• Ingredients

Nutrition Facts : Calories 111 calories, Sugar 1.3 g, Sodium 49.6 mg, Fat 11.3 g, SaturatedFat 1.9 g, TransFat 0 g, Carbohydrate 2.2 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 1.5 g, Cholesterol 1.8 mg

The cookbook author Jessica Battilana's advice to home cooks is simple: "If you're going to spend your energy somewhere, spend it somewhere that matters." Put her philosophy into practice and make this simple, satisfying salad. All the ingredients can be easily found at any grocery store, and the salad will come together quickly in the kitchen, though it looks and tastes like it requires much more effort and time to prepare. Perhaps most happily, even the most discerning critics - the 4-and-under crowd - will delight in its flavor and crunch and politely ask for seconds.

Provided by Samin Nosrat

Categories     salads and dressings

Time 20m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

• Ingredients

Unlike more complicated versions of green goddess, this one, adapted from the cookbook author Jessica Battilana, comes together quickly in a food processor. Mayonnaise and full-fat Greek yogurt give the dressing richness and tang, while parsley, basil and tarragon lend the springtime perfume of fine herbs. Two anchovy fillets offer salt and a rumor of umami. The recipe is so mouth-smackingly perfect that it doesn't require any adjusting. Serve with this greenest-green salad. Use leftover dressing as a dip, alongside carrots, cucumbers and radishes, or as an accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken.

Provided by Samin Nosrat

Categories     weeknight, salads and dressings

Time 10m

Yield 1 1/2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 10

• Ingredients

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 311, UnsaturatedFat 26 grams, Carbohydrate 3 grams, Fat 32 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 342 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram