Fresh Local Mesclun Salad with Lemon-Maple Vinaigrette
Yes, this is “just” a salad. But right now, with spring not in any rush to warm up, local greens are one of those necessities that taste like a luxury. There are two keys to making this salad work: farm-fresh greens, with their promise of sunny summer lunches enjoyed on the back porch, and a simple citrusy vinaigrette that makes every salad taste better.
Tips
- I’m not kidding about the fresh local greens; they really make this recipe. I get mine from the Berry Patch in Stephentown, which grows greens year round.
- Grocery-store tomatoes are generally a mealy, flavorless tragedy, but if you can find a decent-looking pint of cherry tomatoes, grab it.
- Add any other vegetables you like in your salad. For the one pictured here, I included sliced carrots and beets. (Canned versions of the latter will do if the produce section has been cleaned out again.)
Lemon-Maple Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 large lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a clean jar or plastic container with an airtight lid. Shake vigorously to combine. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
Beverage suggestion: Unsweetened iced tea
Robin Catalano believes in the power of storytelling to connect communities and cultures. She’s applied her creative approach to writing for magazines, books, blogs, websites, and a wide variety of marketing projects, and has published more than 75 articles and 1,000+ blog posts. As an editor, she has worked on more than 350 books for publishers including Penguin Random House, Workman, and Simon & Schuster. She has also served as a book coach for independent authors, helping them take their ideas from concept to print. An avid traveler and travel writer, Robin lives, reads, and writes voraciously in upstate NY.
