Spring Greens Salad with Warm Crème Fraîche and Black Cocoa

Name: Spring Greens Salad with Warm Crème Fraîche and Black Cocoa
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1 grapefruit; 1 orange; 1 lemon; 1 cup distilled white vinegar; 1¼ teaspoons sugar; 1 cup vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon finely ground dried lemon verbena; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons black cocoa powder; 1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder; ⅛ teaspoon baking soda; Kosher salt; 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature; ⅓ cup crème fraîche; Freshly ground black pepper; 8 cups mixed greens (such as mâche, arugula, red chard, red romaine, and/or red and green oak; Black cocoa powder can be found at some specialty foods stores and online.

Photography by Marcus Nilsson

August 18, 2015

Image may contain Food Food Presentation and Plate

Marcus Nilsson

Making your own flavored vinegar and oil might seem like a crazy thing only chefs in the Hot 10 would do, but once you make them (which is easy), your salads will enjoy instant upgrades.

Recipe notes

Steak Salad With Feta Dressing

Juicy steak, crisp lettuce, and a blender dressing come together for a breezy summer dinner.

Sheet-Pan Pierogies and Beets

A flavorful one-pan meal featuring baked pierogies, roasted beets, and a poppy seed dressing. Frozen pierogies and pre-cooked beets make this extra easy.

Chickpeas With 40 Garlic Cloves

Braising canned chickpeas in chicken stock and olive oil makes them unbelievably tender and buttery. This is worth the effort of peeling 40 cloves of garlic.

Green Pasta e Fagioli

This riff on the Italian classic comfort food gets its verdant color from kale two ways: blended into the base, and wilted among the pasts and white beans.

Scallops With Creamy Spinach Sauce

Buttery scallops pair with a verdant spinach purée for a restaurant-worthy dish.

Vegetarian Italian Wedding Soup

A bowl of comfort with ricotta “meatballs,” tiny pasta, and lots of greens.

Shrimp and Pea Pancake

Inspired by Korean pajeon, this shrimp-studded pancake features fresh snap peas as a spring-y addition.

Blended Pastina Soup

A blended soup for kids who don’t want to “see” their vegetables—or anyone else looking for a steamy bowl of chicken soup comfort.