Microgreens with a Verjus Vinaigrette 

  • Microgreens with a Verjus Vinaigrette 
  • Microgreens with a Verjus Vinaigrette 
  • Microgreens with a Verjus Vinaigrette 

NOTES

This recipe is a cinch, unless you want to make your own pickled mustard seeds from scratch. That just take a little time, but the process is forgiving.

INSTRUCTIONS

To make your pickled mustard seeds, combine the mustard seeds, water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until the mustard seeds are plump and tender, about 45 minutes, or less if you are in a rush, they will still hydrate and taste great. If they look like they’re beginning to dry out, add water as needed to keep them barely submerged. Cool and refrigerate in a covered container. It will keep for months.

Pick your microgreens, remove the roots and wash thoroughly but gently to remove all dirt. Dry and assemble on your plate.

Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing together and drizzle over the greens, Sprinkle with pickled seeds.

RECIPE

DIFFICULTY

EASY

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SERVES

2

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PREP TIME

5 MINS

Salad

  • 1-2 
    cups 
    fresh microgreens (I am growing Flashy Butter Gem, Red Kale, Red Mustard, Merlot Lettuce, Wasabi Arugula and Tatsoi)
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Pickled Mustard Seeds (makes more than you need for this recipe)

  • 1/4 
    cup 
    yellow mustard seeds
  • 1/4 
    cup 
    black mustard seeds
  • 3/4 
    cup 
    water
  • 3/4 
    cup 
    seasoned rice wine vinegar 

  • 1/4 
    cup 
    sugar
  • 1/2 
    tsp 
    salt

Dressing

  • 1 
    tbs 
    Verjus
  • 1/2 
    tsp 
    maple syrup
  • 3 
    tbs 
    high quality olive oil
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    salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

To make your pickled mustard seeds, combine the mustard seeds, water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until the mustard seeds are plump and tender, about 45 minutes, or less if you are in a rush, they will still hydrate and taste great. If they look like they’re beginning to dry out, add water as needed to keep them barely submerged. Cool and refrigerate in a covered container. It will keep for months.

Pick your microgreens, remove the roots and wash thoroughly but gently to remove all dirt. Dry and assemble on your plate.

Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing together and drizzle over the greens, Sprinkle with pickled seeds.

I am completely consumed by my garden at the moment. Since this winter lasted much longer than usual, everything is just started to bloom and sprout. I have dedicated my home garden to salad this year, and I am growing a fantastic array of greens. I love my plants like pets, or even worse, like children. I check on them twice a day, I think about them when I am gone, and I worry about their health and longevity. So, the toughest part of growing my own food is thinning the crop. If the greens grow too close together, they will not reach their full expression. Kind of like people. So, it is my Darwinian task to pluck the runts from their bed, and make space for the heartier seedlings to mature. Most people just throw these tiny greens out, but not me. This is the making of a very special microgreens salad.Microgreens are difficult to buy, they don’t ship well, and they are very pricey at the Green Market, making them a perfect candidate to grow yourself. You can make them indoors all year round too. e

Most important to this salad, is the Verjus in the dressing, which translates to, “green juice.” A pregnant woman recently offered me a glass at a party, and I couldn’t put my finger on what made this strange wine so unique. Verjus (pronounced vair-JHOO) is made from the unripene grapes leftover in the vineyard after harvest; the pressed grape juice is not fermented, and thus, non-alcoholic. It is the best tart green grape juice you have ever had. The bottle is empty in that photo because I could not stop drinking it. Neither vinegar nor wine, verjus is the marriage of my two most favorite things. Unlike vinegar’s sharpness, Verjus’s taste is sweet, mouth-puckering and mildly acidic. You can buy this directly from the vineyard, from many upscale wine stores, or, I got mine from GoodEggs, and it was delivered right to my door. This makes the most perfect vinaigrette, that won’t overpower something like a plate full of delicate microgreens.