Italian House Salad with Shake-in-a-Jar Balsamic Vinaigrette

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The salad that shows up before every plate of pasta at a good neighborhood Italian place — mixed greens, shaved carrot, cool cucumber and sweet peppers — except here the dressing is the point. A balsamic vinaigrette shaken in a jar with garlic, Dijon, honey and dried oregano emulsifies thick enough to cling to every leaf, keeps a week in the fridge, and turns a filler side into the thing people ask about. Ten minutes, no cooking, and you'll never buy bottled again.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 small clove garlic, grated or finely minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan (optional)

• 8 cups mixed spring greens, loosely packed
• 1 medium carrot
• 1/2 large English cucumber
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper
• 1/2 medium yellow or green bell pepper
• 1/4 small red onion
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan
• to taste flaky or kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Make the vinaigrette first so the flavors have time to marry: in a clean pint jar with a tight lid, combine the balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, Dijon, honey, grated garlic, dried oregano, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Screw on the lid and shake for 10 seconds to dissolve the salt and honey.
2. Add the olive oil and the optional grated Parmesan to the jar. Seal tightly and shake hard for a full 30 to 45 seconds — it should go from separated and thin to opaque, glossy and slightly thick, like a loose gravy. Let it sit at room temperature while you build the salad.
3. Peel the carrot, then keep going with the peeler to shave 8 to 10 long ribbons; drop them into a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to curl and crisp, then drain and pat dry.
4. Halve the cucumber lengthwise and slice into 1/4-inch half moons. Cut the bell peppers into thin 2-inch strips. Slice the red onion paper-thin and rinse under cold water for 10 seconds to tame its bite; pat dry.
5. Wash and thoroughly dry the greens — a salad spinner or a clean kitchen towel, and be ruthless about it. Wet leaves are the number one reason dressing slides off. Pile them into a wide serving bowl.
6. Scatter the cucumber, peppers, onion, cherry tomatoes and carrot ribbons over the greens. Season the vegetables directly with a small pinch of salt and pepper.
7. Shake the jar again for 5 seconds, then drizzle about half the vinaigrette (roughly 1/3 cup) down the inside edge of the bowl. Toss with tongs or clean hands for 20 to 30 seconds, lifting from the bottom, until every leaf is lightly coated. Taste a leaf; add more dressing 1 tablespoon at a time only if it seems dry.
8. Finish with the shaved Parmesan and a final crack of black pepper. Serve immediately, with the remaining vinaigrette in its jar for the table.

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