VIA CAROTA'S INSALATA VERDE
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
Steps:
- Wash the greens: Fill a sink or large basin with tepid water. Remove any wilted or damaged leaves from the butter lettuce, romaine and endive. Trim each head at the root to release whole leaves. Leave butter-lettuce leaves whole, but halve large leaves of romaine and endive on the bias, then drop into water. Trim and discard any roots and long stems off watercress, and drop remaining leaves and tender stems into water. Trim and discard dark green outer leaves and tops from frisée until only light green and white parts remain. Trim at the root to release leaves, and drop into water. Swirl greens in water, then drain. Wash twice more in cool, then cold, water, then transfer to a salad spinner to dry. Gently wrap in clean dish towels, and set aside.
- Place the shallot in a fine-mesh strainer, and quickly rinse with cold water. Allow to drain, then place in a medium bowl, and add vinegar and warm water. Allow to sit for 2 minutes, then whisk in oil, mustards, honey (if using), thyme, garlic and a large pinch of salt. Taste, and adjust salt and vinegar as needed.
- To serve, gently pile a generous handful of greens into a serving bowl, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and a generous drizzle of dressing. Continue with another handful of salad and more seasoning and dressing, repeating until you have a glorious, gravity-defying mound of salad. Top with a final drizzle of dressing, and serve immediately.
- Wrap remaining greens in an airtight container or plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing for up to 3 days.
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Dean Reichert
[email protected]This is one of my favorite salad recipes. It's so easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser.
Puja Upreti
[email protected]I made this salad for a dinner party and it was a huge success. Everyone raved about the flavors.
perla orellana
[email protected]This salad is a great way to use up leftover oranges. It's also a great way to get your kids to eat their vegetables.
Shareef Fareedi
[email protected]I've made this salad several times now and it's always a hit. It's so easy to make and everyone loves the unique flavor combination.
Nabin Parajuli (NBN1987)
[email protected]This is a great recipe for a summer salad. It's light and refreshing, and the flavors are spot-on.
Jabar Khan
[email protected]I'm not a huge fan of escarole, but this recipe made me a convert. The bitterness was perfectly balanced by the other ingredients.
Jay Arrington
[email protected]This salad is a great way to change up your usual salad routine. It's light, refreshing, and packed with flavor.
Gaming Boy ARMAN
[email protected]I love the bitterness of escarole and the sweetness of the orange segments. This salad is a perfect balance of flavors.
Get juked
[email protected]This is one of my favorite salad recipes. It's so easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser.
Marwa Muradi
[email protected]I made this salad for a potluck and it was a hit! Everyone loved the unique flavor combination.
Suparstar YT
[email protected]This salad is a great way to use up leftover escarole. It's also a great way to get your kids to eat their vegetables.
Roselyne Yomba
[email protected]I'm always looking for new salad recipes, and this one definitely fits the bill. It's simple to make and packed with flavor.
Eddie Kyeswa
[email protected]This was a delicious and easy-to-make salad. I loved the combination of flavors.
Genevieve makuochukwu
[email protected]This is a great recipe for a light and refreshing salad. The escarole adds a nice bitterness, while the orange segments and walnuts add sweetness and crunch. I would definitely recommend this recipe.
Oluwatobi Deborah
[email protected]I'm not a fan of escarole, but this recipe changed my mind. The combination of flavors was incredible! I'll definitely be making this again.
Raynel Akinyi
[email protected]This recipe was simple to follow and the end result was delicious! The bitterness of the escarole was perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the orange segments and the crunch of the walnuts. I will definitely be making this again.