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Crunchy Greens With Fat Choy Ranch

Crunchy Greens With Fat Choy Ranch from chef Justin Lee of Fat Choy
Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas

One of the few vegetables Fat Choy chef and owner Justin Lee would eat as a kid was romaine lettuce—but only when it was served with ranch dressing. (“To be honest, it was mostly ranch with a touch of lettuce,” he says.) With vibrant herbs and peppery watercress, this salad is a grown-up version of that childhood favorite.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 Servings

Ingredients

Dressing

1 small shallot, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small jalapeño, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup coarsely chopped dill
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. tahini
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped bread-and-butter pickles
Kosher salt

Salad and assembly

½ head of romaine lettuce or 1 romaine heart, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise 1" thick
2 baby bok choy, coarsely chopped
1 cup watercress
Kosher salt
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, dill, Thai basil, and/or chives

Preparation

  1. Dressing

    Step 1

    Purée shallot, garlic, jalapeño, dill, oil, tahini, lime juice, vinegar, pickles, and ¼ cup water in a blender until smooth; season dressing with salt.

  2. Salad and assembly

    Step 2

    Combine romaine, bok choy, and watercress in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat; season salad with salt. Scatter herbs on top.

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