Many years ago, I had the good fortune to be in a cooking school in Tuscany, at Badia a Coltibuono Lorenza de’ Medici’s home, with Lorenza herself as my instructor. This experience totally changed the way I thought about planning a menu and cooking.
One of the things Lorenza did when preparing a salad was to go into her garden and snip handfuls of fresh herbs, gently chop them and toss them in the salad. I watched her do this and wondered how fresh mint, fresh basil, chives and other herbs could possibly combine in a salad.
The result was an explosion of flavor with every bite. The dressing was simple; the salad was vibrant shades of green and totally delicious.
I grow Italian oregano, Genovese basil, chives, leeks, tarragon and lemon thyme in containers in my garden. I never have to make a last minute market run for fresh herbs.
For this salad, I simply copied Lorenza and snipped handfuls of basil, chives, Italian oregano and tossed them in with lettuce, Persian cucumbers and some quickly cooked frozen peas.
Green, gorgeous and perfect for summer’s evening dinner!
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