Napa Cabbage Salad with Mint and Herb Vinaigrette
Serves 4 to 6
1 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
¾ cup lightly packed fresh basil, tarragon and parsley or a combination
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 egg
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola or sunflower seed
¾ cup olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
8 cups chopped Napa cabbage or romaine
freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
1. Combine the herbs; add half of mix to a high-speed blender or food processor along with rice vinegar and egg. Purée until smooth.
2. With machine on low speed, slowly drizzle in oils until the dressing is creamy. Taste and season with salt, about 1 teaspoon to start and more as needed. You will have more dressing than you need; refrigerate leftovers in a jar for up to 5 days.
3. Add 2/3 cup dressing to bottom of a mixing bowl. Tear remaining herbs into bowl and top with the Napa cabbage. Use tongs to gently dress salad and season with salt (about ½ teaspoon at a time) and a little pepper. Taste and add more dressing as needed; the kind of greens you’re using and how hardy they are will dictate how much dressing you need.
4. Serve salad in individual bowls or in a larger, family-style bowl. With a microplane zester, grate a healthy amount of Parmesan over the top to finish.
About Chef Michael Stoltzfus
Chef Michael Stoltzfus never imagined a culinary career until his mother opened a bakery and enlisted his help in the kitchen. After hours, he would study cookbooks and concoct recipes in his own kitchen thus marking the start of his culinary adventure. He moved to New Orleans from his home state of Maryland and began working at Restaurant August where he quickly became sous chef. From there, he went out on his own and opened Coquette in the Garden District. He has been named a James Beard “Best Chef: South” finalist for the past two years and his inspired cooking has earned his restaurant numerous accolades.
