I Tried the “Best Green Salad in the World” & What I Cooked Last Week

Plus, a few simple tricks for making a better salad at home; Thai steak salad; red curry lentil soup; healthy rice paper dumpling rolls

Hi everyone,

Hope you’re having a great week!

I’ve been having so much fun cooking from my own cookbook lately. It still feels a little surreal to see all of the recipes in print. The other night, I couldn’t decide what to make for dinner, so I flipped through the book and landed on the skillet chicken pot pie (page 70). It turned out so delicious! I always use store-bought pie crust (Pillsbury is my go-to) to keep things easy.

The perfect weeknight dinner 😋

Even when I’m not filming, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the kitchen trying recipes from my book and experimenting with new ideas. One recent source of inspiration was Samin Nosrat’s New York Times Cooking video about salad dressings. She makes three dressings from her newest cookbook, including one from Via Carota, a restaurant in NYC.

I’ve never been to Via Carota, but I’ve always wanted to go. It’s notoriously difficult to get a reservation, and it’s a favorite among celebrities, including Taylor Swift. I’ve also heard so much about their iconic green salad, which only made me more curious. Back in 2019, Samin wrote about this salad and called it the best in the world. After watching her video, I felt like I had to give it a try myself.

Below, I’m sharing my thoughts, along with a few tips I picked up from Samin for making a perfectly dressed, restaurant-worthy salad at home.

First, here’s a recipe for healthy rice paper dumpling rolls that I recently made. They’re a spin on my mom’s delicious rice paper dumplings, with the same healthy filling of shrimp, chicken, and plenty of veggies. This version is a little easier and quicker, though. Just roll up the filling and pan-fry until golden and crispy.

As always, my cookbook Maxi’s Kitchen is now available for purchase at your local bookstore or online:

Thank you so much for your support 🤍

What I Cooked Last Week! ↓

Healthy rice paper dumpling rolls

This is a new spin on my mom’s famous rice paper dumplings. You make a healthy filling with chicken, shrimp, and veggies, then wrap it up in rice paper and pan-fry until golden and crispy.

Healthy Rice Paper Dumpling Rolls

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You can download the PDF recipe above and watch the video here :)

I Tried the “Best Green Salad in the World”

Last Monday morning, I was on the phone with my mom when my dad jumped in to say that I needed to film our family recipe for ribs because they’re so good. Naturally, I decided to make them that very afternoon.

Since the ribs are obviously pretty rich, I wanted something light and refreshing to balance out the meal, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to make the Via Carota salad using Samin’s instructions. I had already ordered aged sherry vinegar, the one ingredient I didn’t have in my pantry.

Meaty and rich + crisp and light

The method was fairly similar to how I usually make vinaigrette, but the ratios were different, and there was one surprising addition: warm water. Just a tablespoon helps mellow the vinegar’s acidity. I was also surprised by how little vinegar the recipe called for. I tend to make dressings with a much higher vinegar-to-oil ratio, whereas this one uses just 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of vinegar to 1 cup of olive oil. (Though you can always add a little more at the end if you prefer extra acidity.)

The dressing also includes finely chopped shallot, which is rinsed under cold water to remove some of its sharpness. To help everything emulsify, there are two types of mustard: Dijon and whole-grain. Then there’s some grated garlic and salt and pepper.

Like Samin, I tasted the dressing by dipping lettuce leaves directly into it. My first thought was that it was much less tart than the vinaigrettes I usually make. But the more I ate, the more I liked it. I kept reaching for another leaf of lettuce. Instead of being super punchy, it has a mellow acidity, a hint of sweetness from honey, and a savory depth that makes it incredibly easy to eat. Even though I probably would have added more vinegar if I were developing the recipe myself, it was fascinating to try what many chefs consider the gold standard.