Well… we made it to Friday! Keeping this post short and simple, just like the recipe I am featuring. This is the salad that we paired a couple nights ago with the shrimp scampi over zoodle recipe. It is super light but packs a huge flavor punch. There is something so refreshing about a great homemade dressing over romaine with no other ingredients. With a ton of complexity going on in the dressing, all you need is cold crunchy lettuce to go with it. It’s adapted from an old Barefoot Contessa classic, and it’s comprised of many items you probably already have on hand. Although we prepared this with a lighter main dish, it’s a salad that will be a great addition to heavier and richer meals. My good friend Catherine loves to pair this salad with a buttery, cheesy and delicious croque monsieur (fancy for a gourmet ham and cheese sandwich) – and I will need to blog that recipe soon! Keep this in mind for Valentine’s Day as it takes literally five minutes to make, and you can spend your time focusing on other aspects of a romantic meal like the main dish or dessert. Stay tuned for some great val day ideas and have a happy weekend!

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Chef’s Tip: Keep your salad bowls in the freezer or fridge until plating… it will ensure a cold and crisp salad!

Gift Tip: My personalized wine bottle pepper grinder used in this recipe (that works oh so well) is a great gift idea for a hostess, shower, wedding, birthday, holiday — anything! You can purchase it here.

Dijon Vinaigrette Over Greens – yields 6-8 servings

ingredients:

• 1 bag romaine, kale or spinach leaves
• 1/2 a cup olive oil (splurge on a high quality olive oil – it makes all the difference)
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 a teaspoon minced garlic (it’s a good idea to keep a jar of minced garlic in your fridge to have on hand)
• 1 egg (use the yolk only and discard the white)
• salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced shallot (optional but recommended – most major grocery stores have these pre-shelled and cut shallots near the pre-cut celery, onions etc containers)
• parmesan cheese (optional)
• *if you are concerned about the egg yolk then omit

directions:

• in a medium sized prep bowl whisk together the vinegar, egg yolk, mustard, garlic, shallot and fresh cracked pepper and pinch of salt
• slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified (about 30 seconds)
• store in the fridge until serving (whisk again before plating)
• or immediately pour and toss over cold lettuce
• top with parmesan cheese and serve