I make a lot of herb salads at home, but this one is a favorite - especially in winter when citrus fruit is at its peak. With their bright, sweet-tart flavor, Kumquats balance the aromatic and delicately bitter notes of microgreens and basil.
I like to top the salad with a sharp, spiced dressing made with grapefruit juice, fenugreek, and coriander. Both spices amplify the flavor of the salad's herbs and kumquats, bringing another layer of deep and penetrating flavor to a relatively straightforward salad.
Why You'll Love It
Using herbs instead of lettuce or mixed greens means your salad is positively packed with flavor. That also means more antioxidants.
It's perfect for late winter - when specialty citrus is widely available, and spring herbs are just arriving at the market.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Microgreens take the place of leafy greens. They're delicate like lettuce but pack an intense punch of flavor. I typically use fenugreek microgreens when I make this recipe, but you can use just about any variety you like.
Basil and parsley are a delicious substitute for lettuce. They're delicate and leafy, but they taste more assertive. Basil brings soft, warm notes to the salad - subtly reminiscent of cloves, anise, and mint. Parsley, on the other hand, tastes bright, clean and fresh.
Green onions are in the allium family, and they offer a savory note that's reminiscent of garlic or onion, just less assertive. If you don't have green onions, swap in fresh chives or thinly sliced shallot.
Sesame oil forms the base for the dressing. It tastes delicately nutty - avoid using toasted sesame oil, which can be too rich for this dressing. You can substitute extra virgin olive oil or a cold-pressed high oleic sunflower oil.
Coriander and fenugreek seed add a delicate element of spice that works well with citrus. Both share common volatile oils with basil and citrus, making their flavors compatible.
Grapefruit juice brings both sweetness and acidity to the dressing. You only need a tablespoon, and you can substitute lemon, tangerine, or even lime juice.
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Amy says
Kind of a strange one. Couldn't find fenugreek microgreens so I just didn't add them. The basil and kumquat combo was kind of nice though.