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
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
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.
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.