Spring Salad with Lemon Balm Vinaigrette

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The Harvest

Mmm. Lettuce. I know, I know, it’s not something we often crave but it can be delicious. It just depends on the variety, when you harvest, and how you dress it up. The main lettuce in this salad is Little Gem. Find it HERE. And by the way, it is a Gem! Once it gets full grown it has tasty leaves and an crunchy sweet heart. This is a must grow on my list every year. If you’re sick of bitter lettuce leaves, Little Gem takes the cake for sweetness.

Like all my recipes, this uses only seasonal vegetables from your garden! This dressing is tasty and healthy. Salad dressings are one of my strong suits when it comes to cooking (or at least that’s what I’ve been told by Cameron) so you ought to give it a try!

Spring Salad with Lemon Balm Vinaigrette

• Recipe by: BECKY PORTER | The Seasonal Homestead

A light spring salad with to go with any dinner or with enough lettuce becomes dinner all by itself! Make the vinaigrette first since it tastes best after it sits for about a half hour.

|Makes 6-8 Servings|

Lemon Balm Vinaigrette

• 3 Garlic Cloves

• ⅓ Cup White Wine Vinegar

• 1 ½ teaspoons Sea Salt

• 1 Tablespoon Mayo (Homemade is best but any will do)

• 1 Tablespoon Honey

• 5 grams Lemon Balm (10-15 leaves)

• 1 Cup Oil (I used half olive oil and half grapeseed oil)

METHOD

1. Toast the garlic cloves using the following method. Preheat a frying pan to medium heat and add a little oil in the bottom. Place the cloves on the pan with the peels still on.

2. Cook the garlic for a few minutes on each side. The peel will get brown and the garlic will soften a bit.

3. Let the garlic cool in the pan while you prepare the other ingredients.

4. In a blender add in the vinegar, sea salt, mayo, honey, lemon balm.

5. Peel the garlic and add to the blender.

6. Blend until smooth.

7. As the blender is running slowly add in the oil. When done correctly, the oil and vinegar mixture will not separate.

8. Pour in a container and set aside.

Spring Salad (this makes a lot of salad but feel free to adapt amounts)

• 1 Cup Raw Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

• 2 teaspoons Coconut Oil

• Sea Salt to taste

• 1.5 pounds lettuce washed and torn into pieces

• 5 Radishes sliced thin

• 4-5 Green Onions Chopped

• 1 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano finely shredded

• ½ Cup Raisins (This is optional!  I love dried fruit in my salads but I realize it’s not for everybody. It was an add on I did after the photo so that’s why you don’t see them)

METHOD

1. Toast the pepitas using the following method. Preheat a frying pan to medium heat and add 2 teaspoons coconut oil in the bottom. Place the pepitas in the pan, and allow to toast until brown, stirring often. The seeds will burn easy so keep an eye on them. Sprinkle sea salt to taste and let cool. (Yes I’m a big fan of toasting! Also, these pumpkin seeds are addicting. Sorry in advance.)

2. Add lettuce, radishes, green onions, and parmigiano reggiano, and raisins -if you choose.

3. Serve into individual bowls and add a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds.

4. Top with Lemon Balm Vinaigrette.