Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 200 g romaine lettuce, washed and dried
- 50 g arugula, washed and dried
- 150 g cherry tomatoes, whole
- 150 g red bell pepper, cored and seeded
- avocado, whole
- 50 g red onion, peeled
- 80 g kalamata olives, pitted
- 4 eggs, whole, raw
Simple Vinaigrette
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml red wine vinegar
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 5 g honey
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 313 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 454 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 186 mg
- Potassium
- 575 mg
- Calcium
- 93 mg
- Iron
- 2.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 39 mg
- Phosphorus
- 159 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 378 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 65 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 76 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 136 mcg
- Water
- 179 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring water to a rolling boil in a saucepan at 100°C/212°F. Gently lower the eggs into the water using a slotted spoon. Boil for exactly 10 minutes for firm but creamy yolks.
Using the slotted spoon, transfer the boiled eggs immediately to a bowl of ice water. Let them chill for 5 minutes. Once cooled, peel the eggs and chop them roughly.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is fully emulsified and thick.
Chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Halve the cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives. Finely dice the red bell pepper and red onion. Peel, pit, and dice the avocado.
Place the chopped romaine, arugula, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, avocado, red onion, olives, and chopped eggs into the large mixing bowl.
Drizzle the emulsified vinaigrette over the gathered salad ingredients. Toss gently but thoroughly to ensure every piece is coated in dressing without crushing the avocado or eggs.
Transfer the salad to serving plates or bowls. Serve immediately to enjoy the contrast of crisp greens and creamy textures.
Chef's Notes
- To tame the sharp bite of raw red onion, submerge the diced onion in a small bowl of ice water for 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly before adding to the salad.
- For the creamiest hard-cooked eggs that do not develop a grey ring around the yolk, strictly adhere to the 10-minute boil followed immediately by a rapid ice bath.
- Always dry your leafy greens completely. Water on the leaves acts as a barrier, preventing oil-based dressings from coating the lettuce and causing a pool of watery dressing at the bottom of the bowl.
- When chopping salad ingredients, aim to cut everything into uniform pieces. This ensures that every bite on the fork contains a balanced mixture of flavors and textures.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store dressing separately from greens to prevent wilting. Avocado will brown over time.
Troubleshooting
Salad becomes soggy and wilted
Cause: Greens were not dried properly after washing, or the salad was dressed too far in advance
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Use a salad spinner to dry greens meticulously and wait to dress the salad until exactly when you plan to eat
Avocado pieces turn brown
Cause: Oxidation from air exposure
Fix: Remove the heavily browned pieces, though minor browning is purely cosmetic and safe to eat
Prevention: Cut the avocado right before assembling the salad, or toss the diced avocado lightly in lemon juice before adding
Dressing separates quickly
Cause: Ingredients were not emulsified thoroughly or mustard was omitted
Fix: Whisk or shake the dressing vigorously again before pouring over the salad
Prevention: Whisk vigorously or shake in a tightly sealed jar; ensure you include the Dijon mustard, which acts as a natural emulsifier
Cultural Context
The chopped salad became a prominent fixture in American dining, particularly in Los Angeles and New York during the mid-twentieth century. By chopping all ingredients to a uniform size, restaurants transformed the humble side salad into a robust, texturally diverse main course where every bite delivers a perfectly balanced blend of components.
