Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 200 g butter lettuce, washed, dried, and torn
- 10 g fresh chives, finely chopped
- 10 g fresh parsley, leaves only, roughly chopped
Tangy Herb Vinaigrette
- 2 g coriander seeds
- 15 ml white wine vinegar
- 5 g dijon mustard
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 212 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 125 mg
- Calcium
- 25 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 5 mg
- Phosphorus
- 7 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 114 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 48 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 4 mcg
- Water
- 7 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the coriander seeds in a dry small frying pan over medium heat. Toast for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat immediately.
Transfer the toasted coriander seeds to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, and crush them into a coarse powder.
In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed coriander seeds, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, fine sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk to dissolve the salt and mustard.
While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle the extra virgin olive oil into the vinegar mixture until fully blended and slightly thickened.
Thoroughly dry the butter lettuce using a salad spinner or by patting gently with a clean kitchen towel. Wet greens will repel the dressing.
Add the dried butter lettuce, chopped chives, and parsley to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the top and gently toss until every leaf is lightly coated. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting your coriander seeds briefly in a dry pan unlocks their aromatic, citrus-like essential oils, elevating the vinaigrette beyond a standard dressing.
- Ensure your greens are absolutely bone dry. Any residual water will create a barrier, causing the vinaigrette to slide off the leaves and pool at the bottom of the bowl.
- Toss the salad with your bare (clean) hands. It provides the gentlest mixing action, ensuring every leaf is lightly and evenly coated without bruising the delicate greens.
Storage
Troubleshooting
Soggy or wilted greens
Cause: Greens were wet before dressing, or the salad was dressed too far in advance.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Use a salad spinner to remove all moisture from the leaves and dress the salad only seconds before serving.
Dressing is separated or greasy
Cause: Oil was added too quickly during emulsification.
Fix: Add a few drops of warm water and whisk vigorously to bring the emulsion back together before dressing the salad.
Prevention: Drizzle oil very slowly while whisking vigorously.
Cultural Context
The simple green salad, or salade verte, is a foundational element of French dining, traditionally served after the main course to cleanse the palate before cheese or dessert. The addition of toasted coriander seeds brings a bright, mildly floral, and modern twist to this classic staple.
