Little Gem Salad with Radishes, Pepitas, and Green Goddess Dressing Gluten-Free Recipe
The following gluten free recipe is from The Foreign Cinema Cookbook, by Gayle Pirie and John Clark, published by ©2018 Abrams. Not all recipes in the book are GF, but many of them are, and every recipe makes you feel like an accomplished chef!
Little Gem Salad with Radishes, Pepitas, and Green Goddess Dressing Gluten-Free Recipe
Originally created in the Palace Hotel in San Francisco in 1923 to honor the film of the same name, Green Goddess salad has experienced a popular resurgence. Along with the classic dressing, we add radishes and toasted pumpkin seeds for texture— sliced avocado is another popular addition. While romaine is traditional, we prefer Little Gem lettuces for their attractive, compact heads of small, curly leaves that catch and hold the dressing.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 4 heads Little Gem lettuce
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1-1/4 cup (300 ml) Green Goddess Dressing (below)
- 6 red radishes cleaned, tops removed, and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup (15 g) toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1/3 cup (50 g) crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese, or freshly grated Manchego or Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
-
In a large bowl, separate the lettuces into individual leaves, crush the kosher salt over the leaves, and toss them with enough dressing to coat them (you may not need it all).
-
Arrange the lettuces on a platter or on individual plates and evenly distribute the radishes, pepitas, and cheese over the top.
Green Goddess Dressing
MAKES ABOUT 1-1/4 CUPS
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Basic Mayonnaise (below)
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) crème fraîche or sour cream
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) pure olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt or more to taste
Instructions
-
In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Taste and add more lemon juice and salt, if you wish. Refrigerate any leftover dressing in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Basic Mayonnaise
MAKES 1 CUP
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) olive oil
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons Champagne vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
-
Put the oil in a glass measuring cup or pitcher that you can easily handle with one hand while whisking with the other.
-
Put the egg yolk in a medium nonreactive bowl. While continuously whisking, add the oil drop by drop, incorporating each drop before adding the next. As the mixture thickens and emulsifies, begin adding the remaining oil in a slow, steady stream, continuing to whisk vigorously, until you have added all of the oil. The mixture should be thick and glossy. Whisk in the vinegar, salt, and 2 teaspoons water until fully incorporated.
-
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Briefly whisk smooth before using.
Photography Ed Anderson
