This Summer's Salad Dressing
And lots of other good things
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I chopped a foot and a half off my hair last week. For most of my life, my hair has been long. Very long, in fact. When I was a little girl, I could sit on it. I’ve had it shorter at other points, but for the last 15 years it was long enough that I could nearly feel it swoosh my elbows when I turned my head. Now it barely grazes my chin. I couldn’t be more pleased.
Hair is a funny thing. It holds memories, and I have a lot of them — some very good, others more complicated. I started an essay a long time ago about my emotional connection to my hair and my sometimes fraught relationship with it. I know it might seem like an odd subject to write about, but I promise you it is not. My goal this summer is to finish it. In the meantime, I feel free and new, and for that I am grateful.
Side note, but in the researching of this skirt, I learned a lot about the designer Carole Little! I didn’t know what a gem I’ve had for all these years.
I always want to share some fun news. The great and hilarious Ben Mandelker wrote a lovely and thoughtful review of Better at Home. He took the time to actually read the book and make a number of recipes from it and I was sincerely touched. If you have a moment, please take a peek.
I also had the pleasure of being on The Good Stuff with Mary Berg when I was in Toronto. It aired late last week on Crave - you know the same network where Heated Rivalry made its debut?! You can watch it below. It was so much fun!
Oh, today’s salad dressing recipe is insanely good. In fact, I used it the other night to marinate chicken thighs before they hit the grill. To that I also added some crushed garlic and a touch of sesame oil, but you don’t have to! It’s perfect on it’s own. My editor actually said I should bottle it. Make it and tell me if I should.
Enough about me! Please see below for some good friends doing very good things!
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The Iris Collection, by Helen Dealtry: My dearest Helen’s new collection returns to a flower she’s painted for years and still hasn’t finished discovering. Her connection to the iris took root at Schreiner’s Iris Farm in Portland, then deepened in Florence, a city that’s claimed the iris as its own since the 13th century, its silhouette carved into doorways and woven through centuries of art. This collection draws on both places, and the years of painting in between. Lucky for you, she’s offering us a lovely 10% - use the code ALWAYSIRIS upon checkout. You can read more here.
Dan Pelosi for Crow Canyon: The one and only Grossy Pelosi has done it again! This time with a very cool, new enamelware tabletop collaboration with Crow Canyon Home. “Forever a Tomato Girl,” is Dan in a nutshell, so the collection is tomato themed mais oui, and I adore it! Look how darling those “maters” are! I can’t wait to use it all summer long. I’m taking mine to Nova Scotia to dine with outside! You can grab yours here.
We’ve all read a books and lent them to someone and never gotten them back. One in particular has been haunting me for 30 years. I remembered the plot, but could never remember the name or the author. It would sometimes keep me up at night. On Sunday evening while doing the dishes, I thought now that is a good use of AI. I typed what I could remember and it led me back to a book that I have been missing for decades! It’s called Talking to the Dead and was written in 1996 by Helen Dunmore from the UK (of course). I went ahead and bought a used copy along with two other novels of hers, because I’ve waited long enough to be reunited. They arrive today.
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Little Gems with Avocado, Sunflower Seeds and Miso Honey Dressing
Chad will often request a big green salad to go alongside whatever else we’re having for dinner. And in my quest never to waste a meal without treating it as a recipe development assignment, this salad was born. We both enjoyed it so much, I made it three times in a week, while also recipe testing the Pan-Seared Sesame Crusted Scallops yet again! I’d happily repeat the process. This dressing is not only delicious with this salad (or pretty much any other salad), but would also be lovely spooned over roasted or sauteéd vegetables. You might notice I don’t call for oil in this dressing, you don’t need it! The miso provides all the creaminess you’re looking for.
Serves 2 to 4
Time 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the dressing:
2 tablespoons white miso
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons water
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Kosher salt (optional)
For the salad:
2 heads of little gems, leaves separated
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 small bunch spring onions/scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
Flaky salt for finishing
METHOD
In a medium bowl, whisk together the miso, honey, water and lime juice. Taste and if needed season with a bit of kosher salt and set aside.
On a large platter, arrange the little gem leaves (casually!) starting with the largest ones on the bottom and finishing with the smaller ones top.
Scatter the avocado, spring onions and sunflower seeds evenly over the top of the lettuce. Drizzle with some of the dressing making sure it gets into the nooks and crannies of the lettuce cups. Taste and add more dressing as needed. Finish with a few pinches of flaky salt.
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Have a good rest of your week.
With love,
Colu x
Thanks for the recipe! I’m glad you love Nova Scotia. I was born there, left that coast, moved to the opposite and now reside in Vancouver. But the east coast does have a charm to it. It’s slow.. and the people are so kind. ❤️
Made the Salad today, so so so good !!!!!!