Spring Salad With Creamy Pistachio Vinaigrette Recipe

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I hope these hot past few days have been treating y’all well! I must say, I’m pretty excited that my garden is taking off! It was very much a work in progress. Seedlings dying after being transplanted. Learning what to plant next to one another and so on. But–I produced some beautiful little gem lettuces! This recipe was inspired by one of the cookbooks I’m constantly flipping through for inspiration, Taste & Technique by Naomi Pomeroy. What really drew me to the recipe was the vinaigrette, a creamy pistachio vinaigrette! Which I found to be just delicious and addicting!

If you are ever looking to grow lettuce and radishes, they are pretty easy to grow. I now have so much that I do not know what to do with it! I’m giving some away to friends. It is, for me, rewarding to watch something that started from seed turn into something pretty awesome. I have a new appreciation for farmers and how everyone did it back in the old days.

The creamy vinaigrette really blew me by surprise. I found myself dipping my finger into it occasionally. I think what I really enjoyed about the vinaigrette is that it can be used for many different things, especially a little dollop over some beautifully roasted or poached salmon. Tossed with some shrimp for a light seafood salad. Oh even as a dip for your crudite platter. I did not have pistachio oil, which is optional in the recipe but I knew it would add another depth of flavor. So, instead, I had some walnut oil in my pantry that I tossed in there.

I hope y’all enjoy this light and refreshing salad as much as I did! And especially the creamy pistachio vinaigrette!

Spring Salad With Creamy Pistachio Vinaigrette Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots cut julienne
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 teaspoons minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• juice of half a lemon
• 3/4 cups raw, chopped unsalted shelled pistachios
• 1/3 cup mayo
• 3 tablespoons pistachio oil or walnut oil
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced tarragon
• 3 teaspoons minced chives
• 3 teaspoons minced Italian parsley
• fresh cracked black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 large heads of lettuce, can use lettuce of choice
• 2 radishes thinly sliced

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss carrots in olive oil and lemon zest. Roast for 10-15 minutes until tender. Place aside. Lower heat to 325 degrees place pistachios on a sheet pan and bake for 3-4 minutes until lightly toasted. Once finished, let cool and roughly chop the pistachios. Divide into two batches, 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, place the shallot and cover with vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and set aside to macerate for about 10 minutes.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the shallot and its liquid, 3/4 teaspoons of salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest and lemon juice, the mayo, pistachio or walnut oil, and sour cream. Add the minced herbs, black pepper, and sugar and whisk again.
4. Prepare your salad by trimming off the outer leaves of your lettuce. Cutting your lettuce in half or to your liking. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chopped pistachios into the vinaigrette. Top your salad with the roasted carrots, radishes, remaining pistachios, and the creamy vinaigrette.