Arugula Salad with Citrus Dressing

Serves 4–6 / At Rocket, our roof garden always had arugula (a.k.a. rocket), but other lettuces and herbs changed with the season. In early spring I spike salads with little radishes, dill, mâche, and rocket flowers. In high summer, it’s basil, tarragon, delfino (a cilantro cousin), nasturtiums, and finely sliced raw beans. The dressing is a citrus mix, reduced to concentrate flavor. It’s a friendly and accommodating dressing that encourages you to concoct your own mix of herbs and greens.

Citrus-Vin Dressing (makes 1 cup)
1/4 cup each fresh orange, lemon, and grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1 small shallot, minced (2-3 teaspoons)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 large handfuls (about 3 ounces) arugula leaves
1 large handful (about 1 ounce) herb salad mix, or to taste
Baby radishes, mâche, and chive or rocket flowers, to taste
Snipped fresh chives, for garnish
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, lightly toasted

1. Combine juices in a nonreactive pan and simmer over medium heat until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Pour into a bowl to cool briefly. Add mustard, vinegar, and shallots. Whisk together and let the shallots and acids get to know each other. After 5 minutes, whisk in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. This can keep for a week or two in your fridge. (I like to make the dressing in a mustard jar that’s almost empty. Shake it vigorously to re-emulsify.)

2. Put arugula in a big bowl. Add any tender herbs and lettuces you like. Toss a bit of dressing (about 2 tablespoons) with the greens; go easy, this salad is about the symbiosis between the lettuces and herbs, not the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Finish salad with chives and lightly toasted slivered almonds.

PER SERVING: 59 cal, 76% fat cal, 5g fat, 1g sat fat, 0mg chol, 1g protein, 2g carb, 1g fiber, 21mg sodium

Leather Storrs created award-winning food at Noble Rot restaurant and Rocket restaurant in Portland, Oregon.