At first glance, this recipe may seem too simple to write about, but it captures what we love most about spring - fresh and bright flavors. Spring salad mixes are just coming in around central Virginia and a recent trip to a farm inspired us to buy a variety of greens. A local store sells a generic "spring mix" in bulk that contains all sorts of lettuces. We combined that with a handful of spicy arugula, which added an extra bite. With just a bit of subtle seasoning the freshness of the lettuces really stands out. As an added treat, if you have a bottle of nice olive oil (we used some that we bought in Italy) splurge and use it. The extra flavors really come out in this application. We hope this inspires you to find some fresh local lettuces and enjoy the flavors of spring.
Spring Salad
1 bunch spring lettuce mix
Juice of 1/3 lemon
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
Rinse and dry lettuce (wet greens will prevent the oil from coating). Right before serving, toss lettuce, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Adjust ingredients to taste. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Serve as starter or side dish.
