Chances are that this irresistible green salad, one of the simplest recipes in this book, will fit into your dinner repertoire several times a week. At Bayona we use a mix of lolo rosso, red oak, frisée, Boston or Bibb, red leaf, watercress, and radicchio lettuces. The dressing, which gets a sweet-tart kick from two types of vinegar, mustard, and honey, really makes this salad sing. A small portion of an assertive cheese, like Grana Padano or crumbled blue cheese, will add an appealing sharpness.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　A mix of assorted greens (2–3 cups per person), cleaned and dried

　　Balsamic Vinaigrette, as needed (approximately 2 tablespoons per portion)

　　Grana Padano or blue cheese, such as Great Hill Blue or Roquefort, as desired

　　

Balsamic Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

　　2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

　　1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

　　1 tablespoon honey

　　3/4 cup olive oil

　　1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

　　Salt and pepper

　　(makes 1 cup, or enough for about 8 first-course salads)

　　

Step 1

Toss the desired amount of greens with just enough dressing to lightly coat each leaf. Top with shaved Grana Padano or crumbled blue cheese, as desired.

　　

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Step 2

Whisk together the vinegars, mustard, and honey in a small bowl, then gradually whisk in the olive oil. Taste the dressing and finish by adding lemon juice, and salt and pepper, to taste.

　　From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf.Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook.Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.