Basic Green Salad

I have no photo, but this is one recipe you should have in your pocket. It is essential if you ask me and in my family it appears on every single dinner table. Always. Guess what? It goes great on the side of things like pasta bake! A little healthful greenery without making a serious side dish.

What you'll need:

lettuce - bibb, boston, or butter - i like the "living" lettuce

honestly you could stop there. Just lettuce.

Cucumber - European seedless or Persian (otherwise known as "mini" or "baby")

green onion - the hardcore will use real onion, but i am an onion wimp

salt and pepper

good quality extra version olive oil

good qual white wine vinegar

(optional - dijon mustard and a garlic clove)

Wash and tear your lettuce into bite sized pieces

peel and slice your cucumber - i use my mandolin for this and it is super fast and makes nice thin slices

Thinly slice your green onion - again i use the mandolin

put all in a bowl and drizzle on a little olive oil and toss, you just want to lightly coat everything

now drizzle on the vinegar and toss to coat (science note: you put the oil on first bc the vinegar will break the tender lettuce down to much and the texture will be off aka soggy lettuce)

salt and pepper to taste

I admit this combo takes a few tries to perfect and i think a lot of that is just personal tastes. You've got to get your oil to vinegar ratio down to where you like it.

or

Make a quick vinaigrette and dress the salad with that

in the bottom of a small bowl put

1/2 teaspoon french dijon mustard

1 teaspoon vinegar

i small clove of garlic, crushed with the back of a knife

stir together with a fork or small whisk

slowly drizzle in, whisking as you go, approximately 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil

pull the garlic out and dress the salad

salt and pepper taste

ps. for lunch today i will be having this salad with the addition of roasted beets and some goat cheese