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Mixed green salad in a ceramic bowl with mustard vinaigrette alongside.

Wild Green Salad

Tender chickweed and young dandelion leaves mixed with lamb’s lettuce and a mustard vinaigrette. A simple seasonal salad with mild greens, a little bitterness and a bright, tangy dressing.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 2 side servings
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: European
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 60 g Lamb’s lettuce washed and dried
  • 30 g Common chickweed Stellaria media; tender leaves and shoot tips, washed and dried
  • 10 g Young dandelion leaves Taraxacum officinale group; washed, dried and roughly torn
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Honey or maple syrup
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Equipment

  • Kitchen scales
  • Colander
  • Salad spinner or clean kitchen towel
  • Salad bowl
  • Small jar with lid
  • Measuring spoons
  • Knife and chopping board

Method
 

  1. Sort the greens carefully, checking identification before mixing them together. Remove roots, tough stems and any damaged or discoloured leaves.
  2. Wash the leaves thoroughly in cold drinking water, gently loosening any soil. Give them a final rinse under running water, then drain.
  3. Dry the greens in a salad spinner or gently pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Tear larger dandelion leaves into bite-sized pieces.
  4. Put the olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, mustard and honey or maple syrup into a small jar. Close the lid and shake until combined. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
  5. Place the greens in a salad bowl. Add about half the dressing and toss gently. Add more only if needed to lightly coat the leaves.
  6. Serve immediately. Keep any unused dressing separate rather than pouring it all over the salad.

Notes

Plant identification: Use common chickweed (Stellaria media) and confidently identified dandelion leaves. Do not assume every small-leaved weed is chickweed. If identification is uncertain, use cultivated salad leaves instead.
Harvesting: Choose clean, unsprayed sites away from heavy traffic, animal fouling and contaminated water. Washing removes dirt but cannot make a contaminated harvest suitable to eat.
Flavour: Young dandelion leaves are generally milder than older leaves, but bitterness varies. Taste a small piece of a confidently identified leaf and reduce the amount if needed.
Substitutions: Replace unavailable wild greens with more lamb’s lettuce or ordinary salad leaves. Keep the total leaf weight around 100 g.
Make ahead: Wash and dry the leaves ahead of time and refrigerate in a clean, covered container. Keep the dressing separate and toss just before serving. For best quality, prepare and eat on the same day.
Plant-based option: Use maple syrup instead of honey.