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If you don’t have teenagers or teenage grandchildren in your life, you might not even realize that you’re slipping a little behind the times. That’s part of the fun story behind this Little Gem Salad!
Several months ago, I was texting with our granddaughter, Annie, and sent her a picture of something I’d made. Her response? “Fire!”
Hmmm, I thought… Should I call the firefighters? Grab an extinguisher? What exactly was she trying to tell me? Thankfully, before I embarrassed myself by asking, I did what any sensible grandmother would do… I googled it! Turns out, when teenagers say something is “fire,” it means “excellent, impressive, or very exciting”! Haha, I told Annie she was doing a great job of “keeping me young”!
Fast-forward to a recent dinner with our son and his family. I served this Little Gem Salad with Lemon Parmesan Dressing, and our 13-year-old granddaughter, Emmy, took the first bite and immediately declared: “Fire!” This time, I smiled and knew exactly what she meant. And when everyone else at the table enthusiastically agreed, it was confimed that this salad is a keeper!
Actually, I already had a pretty good idea that it was. I’ve been making this salad for the past few months, and it’s become one of those recipes I turn to again and again. It’s fresh and crisp, bright and flavorful, all at the same time.
Even better, it seems to go with just about everything. I’ve served it with pizza and all kinds of Italian dishes, but it’s equally at home next to burgers, grilled or roasted chicken, salmon, pork, etc.
Simple Ingredients, Lots of Flavor
One of the things I love about this Little Gem Salad is that there aren’t a lot of ingredients, yet every one brings something special to the party.
For the salad, it’s simply crisp Little Gem lettuce, creamy avocado slices, salty Parmesan and crunchy pistachios. That combination of textures and flavors, paired with the bright dressing, makes every bite SO delicious!
The Lemon Parmesan Dressing is equally simple, made with fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, shallot, Dijon mustard, honey, dried oregano and Parmesan. It’s bright, tangy and savory. The little splash of honey doesn’t make the dressing sweet, just rounds everything out.
Nothing fancy or complicated, just simple ingredients that work really well together!
What’s little gem lettuce?
Little gem lettuce is a small, compact lettuce with crisp leaves and a mild, slightly sweet flavor. It’s sometimes called baby Romaine or mini Romaine, and although it looks like a petite head of Romaine, the leaves tend to be a little sweeter and more tender while still having a wonderful crunch. The sturdy leaves hold up beautifully to the Lemon Parmesan Dressing, making it perfect for this salad. And on a side note, little gem (pictured unadorned below) is just so darm pretty, with its ruffly leaves in a zillion shades of green, it makes me smile!
Little gem lettuce isn’t always the easiest to find. I’ve learned that it’s available at Trader Joes and sometimes at The Fresh Market. But, if you’re not near a one of those, no worries! Romaine hearts make a great substitute. You can also use those clear plastic boxes of small Artisan Lettuce heads (usually four to a box) that you’ll find at Aldi, Walmart and many larger grocery stores.
In other words, don’t spend your afternoon driving all over town hunting for little gem. This salad is way too easy for that!
For the Freshest, Crispiest Greens
One of the secrets to a really great little gem salad is starting with super-crisp lettuce. Even lettuce that looks perfectly fresh at the grocery store can benefit from a little TLC once you get it home. And, as an added bonus, you can feel confident that every leaf is squeaky clean!
Here’s my favorite trick: trim the bottom inch off of your little gem heads, separate the leaves and place them in a big bowl of cold water with a generous handful of ice cubes. Swish the leaves around to loosen any dirt, then let them hang out in their chilly bath until the ice has melted.
The cold water helps perk up the leaves and gives them that wonderful fresh, crisp crunch that makes a simple green salad so good.
Once the lettuce is thoroughly drained and spun dry (I use a salad spinner), spread it out on a large, clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels, then loosely roll everything up. Tuck the bundle into a large zip-top bag or airtight container and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the salad.
And here’s the best part: you can do all of this a day ahead. The lettuce stays beautifully fresh and crisp, and when dinner rolls around or guests show up, most of the work is already done!
A keeper, for sure!
I’m making this Little Gem Salad again tonight for Scott and myself to go with pizza, and it’s already on the menu for guests tomorrow evening (they’ll also be testing a new pizza recipe). That’s how it’s been all summer, it just keeps showing up on our table!
I have a feeling this is going to be one of those recipes that earns a permanent spot in my collection, the kind I turn to again and again because it’s easy, goes with almost everything and everyone loves it. So, thanks to my teenage granddaughters, I know exactly how to describe it; this salad is FIRE!
Café Tips for making this Little Gem Salad
- Can’t find Little Gem lettuce? As mentioned above, no worries! Romaine hearts work beautifully. You can also use the small heads of Artisan Lettuce that come four to a clear plastic box and are available at Aldi, Walmart and many larger grocery stores.
- Don’t skip the ice-water bath for the lettuce. It cleans the leaves thoroughly and perks them up so they’re wonderfully fresh and crisp. Be sure the lettuce is thoroughly dry after washing so the dressing clings nicely to the leaves.
- How do you get that lettuce really dry? A salad spinner! If you don’t have one, I think it’s one of those kitchen tools that’s worth its weight in gold. It removes so much more water than simply draining or blotting the lettuce, which means crisper greens and dressing that actually clings instead of sliding off. I love this one… it has a lid, so you can store your freshly washed greens right in the bowl until you’re ready to use them!
- The lettuce for this salad can be washed and prepped a day ahead. After spinning it dry, wrap it loosely in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels, place it in a zip-top bag or airtight container and refrigerate. This makes last-minute assembly super easy.
- The Lemon Parmesan Dressing can also be made 2-3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. The olive oil may solidify when chilled; simply let the dressing sit at room temperature until it loosens up, then give the jar a good shake.
- For the best flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice and good quality Parmesan in the dressing. With such a simple ingredient list, these little details really do make a difference.
- I like to use a garlic press for the dressing. It gets the garlic nice and fine so you get lots of flavor without biting into larger pieces.
- Add the avocado in two stages. Toss half gently with the lettuce and dressing, then scatter the rest over the top. You’ll get creamy avocado throughout the salad while still keeping some pretty pieces intact for serving.
- Dress this salad lightly at first. I start with just 2-3 tablespoons of dressing, toss well and add more only if needed. You can always add more dressing, but you can’t take it away!
- You’ll probably have extra Lemon Parmesan Dressing, which is a very good problem to have! It’s delicious on other green salads, drizzled over grilled vegetables or served with grilled chicken or salmon!
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For the Lemon Parmesan Dressing
- 2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced (I use a garlic press)
- 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
- 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
For the Little Gem Salad
- 4 medium heads Little Gem lettuce , or 3-4 Romaine hearts
- 1-2 medium ripe avocado(s)
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano Reggiano
- ⅓ cup salted, shelled pistachios
Make the Lemon Parmesan Dressing
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Add all of the dressing ingredients except the Parmesan to a medium-size jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until well combined and emulsified. Add the Parmesan and shake again. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
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Set aside until ready to use, shaking well again just before serving. The Lemon Parmesan Dressing can be made earlier in the day or up to 2-3 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for a bit before serving. The olive oil may solidify in the refrigerator but will loosen up as it warms.
Prepare the Salad
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Place the pistachios in a small zip-top bag and seal the bag. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a small heavy skillet, lightly crush the nuts. Set aside.
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Trim the stem ends from the Little Gem lettuce and discard any wilted outer leaves. Separate the remaining leaves.
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Fill a large bowl with cold water and add about 1 cup of ice cubes. Add the lettuce and gently agitate the leaves to loosen any dirt. Let the lettuce sit in the ice water until the ice has melted. Drain well, then spin thoroughly dry in a salad spinner.
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Lay a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels on the counter. Transfer the washed lettuce to the towels and gently roll everything up into a loose log. If not using right away, place the wrapped lettuce in a large zip-top bag or airtight container and refrigerate. I like to do this early in the day or even a day in advance for extra-crisp lettuce.
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Anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving, tear the lettuce leaves into large, bite-size pieces and transfer to a large serving bowl. Remove any rusty or discolored portions of the inner cores. (I like to use kitchen shears to cut these out in a V shape.) Refrigerate the prepared lettuce until just before serving.
Assemble the Little Gem Salad
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Just before serving, halve the avocado and remove the pit and peel. Cut each half crosswise, then slice into bite-size pieces. Add half of the avocado to the lettuce.
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Drizzle the salad with 2-3 tablespoons of the Lemon Parmesan Dressing. Toss gently to coat, then add the Parmesan and toss again. (I like to use clean hands for this, but two large spoons or salad tongs work well too.)
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Add the remaining avocado and drizzle a little more dressing over the avocado and salad, as desired.
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Sprinkle the salad with the crushed pistachios and additional Parmesan, if desired. Serve with extra Lemon Parmesan Dressing on the side.
The nutritional information includes all of the Lemon Parmesan Dressing. You probably won’t use it all, so keep that in mind when considering the nutritional values per serving.
Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 4gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 431mgPotassium: 394mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 7001IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 1mg
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