Ingredients:

  • 1 large head Romaine Lettuce (approx. 300g)
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped (10g)
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (45ml)
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (30ml)
  • 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
  • 0.25 tsp sea salt
  • 0.125 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan Reggiano, shaved (50g)

Instructions:

  1. Chop the Romaine lettuce. Cut the head into 1 inch bite-sized squares, removing any excessively woody stem ends. Note: Square cuts maximize the surface area for the dressing to cling to.
  2. Shock the greens. Submerge the chopped lettuce in a bowl of ice cold water for 2 minutes. Wait until the leaves feel rigid and snap when bent.
  3. Dry thoroughly. Spin the lettuce in a salad spinner until completely dry. Note: If the leaves are wet, the oil based dressing will slide right off.
  4. Prepare the aromatics. Finely chop the chives and zest the lemon using a microplane. Stop zesting when you reach the white pith to avoid bitterness.
  5. Build the emulsion. In a small jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper.
  6. Agitate the dressing. Shake the jar vigorously for 30 seconds until the liquid looks opaque and slightly thickened.
  7. Assemble the base. Place the dry Romaine and chopped chives into a wide serving bowl.
  8. Coat the leaves. Pour the dressing over the greens and toss using large tongs or your hands. Continue until every leaf has a glossy sheen.
  9. Add the cheese. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the Parmesan directly over the salad. Watch for wide, thin curls that drape over the greens.
  10. Final toss. Give it one very gentle turn to distribute the cheese without breaking the curls and serve immediately. There is a specific sound when you toss perfectly dry, shocked lettuce — it’s a light, hollow clink rather than a wet thud. That’s how you know you’ve nailed the texture. If you’re making this as part of a larger meal, I usually do the ice bath first, let the lettuce sit in the spinner (off the heat), and then do the final toss right before we sit down. Timing is everything with a simple salad. Homemade High Protein Banza Pasta Salad in 23 Minutes — Discover the ultimate homemade high protein banza pasta salad using a tangy y...Tomato Basil Pasta: The 20-Minute Weeknight Classic — Make this Simply Stunning Tomato Basil Pasta in under 25 minutes. This Easy T...PanSeared Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce: Crispy Crust — Master PanSeared Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce using this technique for a ... $img_2$