Florentine Mixed Winter Greens Salad from the AUTENTICO Cookbook

"Eating salad as a first course is one of the many gifts I received from living in Northern California. But Misticanza di Firenze is more than a green salad. The idea is to combine as many seasonal greens and herbs as possible so each bite offers a different blend of greens. In Firenze, depending on the time of year, misticanza can have as many as sixteen varieties of greens, such as arugula, basil, borage, celery leaves, chicory, dandelion, chard, escarole, mache, romaine, chives, kale, spinach, fennel parsley, lovage, mint, watercress and small turnip, beet, and radish tops. For a first course, use about 2 loosely packed cups per person—or more to your liking."

-Rolando Beramendi in AUTENTICO: Cooking Italian, the Authentic Way

Photo by Laurie Frankel

Recipe courtesy AUTENTICO: Cooking Italian, the Authentic Way by Rolando Beramendi

Serves

Ingredients

12 cups loosely packed mixed greens (such as arugula, basil, borage, celery leaves, chicory, dandelion, chard, escarole, mache, romaine, chives, kale, spinach, fennel parsley, lovage, mint, watercress, and/or small turnip, beet, and radish tops)
Pojer e Sandri Red Wine Vinegar or Castello di Volpaia Red Wine Vinegar
Olio Nuovo or Robust extra virgin olive oil such as Frescobaldi Laudemio
Fine sea salt and crushed Tellicherry black peppercorns

Methods

Once all your ingredients are thoroughly washed and dried, place them in a large serving bowl. Using a small serrated knife and a small chef's knife, shred the greens by crossing the knives in the bowl as if you are sharpening them.
Once the greens are cut, drizzle in red wine vinegar and Olio Nuovo in a ratio of 2:3 and season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, toss the salad well to coat every piece.
It's best to eat the salad with your fingers so you can taste all the many greens. Yes, you can even lick your fingers.