This salad is inspired by my love for the piled high salads at Via Carota in New York City. I marvel at Jody Williams’ masterpieces every time I dine there. The great news is this faintcy salad can easily be done at home – the trick is using really good produce and a nice variety of lettuces. For the holidays between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, I like to serve this stacked salad with a simple cranberry-orange vinaigrette. 

SERVING SIZE: 4 PREP TIME: 5 mins ACTIVE TIME: 10 mins

Ingredients

For the dressing

• ¼ cup cranberry juice

• Juice and zest of 1 California Navel orange

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1½ tablespoons finely chopped dried cranberries

• 1 teaspoon honey

• ½ teaspoon salt

• Pinch of cayenne pepper

• ⅓ cup olive oil

For the salad

• 1 small head butter or Bibb lettuce, leaves washed and separated

• 1 small head red leaf lettuce, leaves washed and separated

• 1 small head endive, leaves washed and separated

• 1 cup watercress leaves

• 1 California Navel orange, sectioned*

• Cranberry Orange Vinaigrette (recipe above)

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Flake salt

Directions

For the dressing

1. Place the ingredients in an 8-ounce glass jar, seal the lid and shake for 30 seconds or until the dressing emulsifies and becomes smooth.

2. Taste and add more salt if needed. Refrigerate for up to two weeks. 

To build the salad

1. Start with the largest lettuce leaves first, then finish with the smallest. Using a 10- or 12-inch shallow-lipped plate, place four Bibb lettuce leaves on the bottom for the base. Then, on top and in between those Bibb lettuce leaves, place four red leaf lettuce leaves. Layer on four leaves of endive and a scattering of watercress.

2. Spoon some of the sectioned oranges on top, then drizzle on a couple of tablespoons of dressing. Season with pepper and salt.

3. Continue stacking and dressing until the lettuces are used up. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

*To section an orange: 

Using a small, sharp knife (I prefer a small, serrated knife), cut the ends off the orange, then stand the orange up on one end and use the knife to cut away the rind and the white pith, so that only the orange flesh remains. Then cup the orange in your hand with the sections facing toward you and cut each section out between in between each membrane. Place in a small bowl until you’re ready to make the salad.

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