Guy's Green Greek with Feta & Pine Nuts

My husband has a few culinary tricks up his sleeve and will often surprise me with a new hidden gem. His riff on a traditional Greek Salad lacks two of the usual suspects: tomatoes and olives, but does highlight salty Greek feta cheese, crunchy pine nuts, cool diced cucumber and a tangy Dijon vinaigrette. Gone too is the predictable romaine or iceberg lettuce, and in its place are Tanimura & Antle Artisan Greens, which are available at Metro. Fully mature but petite in size, these field-packed greens  come as a colourful trio of three leaf varieties and include Petite Oak broad loose heads with ruffled leaves; Petite Gem with dense compact heads, and wide crunchy leaves with a sweet flavour; and Petite Tango, with tight head and incised ruffled leaves with a sharp intense flavour and hint of spice. However, green-leaf or red-leaf lettuce work just as well. A bright, beautiful and flavourful salad, I look forward to Guy's Green Greek Salad every time — it's mouth-puckeringly good!

Guy's Green Greek Salad with Feta & Pine Nuts

Serves 4-6

1 4-head Tanimura & Antle clamshell mixed lettuce, washed and dried

8 oz Greek Feta cheese, crumbled

1 3-inch piece english cucumber, cut into 1/4" dice

2 sprigs fresh mint, leaves only, chopped

1/2 tsp dried oregano

Vinaigrette:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup pine nuts

Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Add the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon and minced garlic together in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Season with fresh cracked black pepper to taste. Stir in the pine nuts and set aside.

In a large salad bowl, tear the Tanimura & Antle mixed lettuces into whole leaves, or cut into bite size pieces. Since they're petite heads, Guy usually keeps the leaves whole, however if he uses a head of green-leaf lettuce, he tears the leaves into large pieces. Add the crumbled feta, diced cucumber, chopped fresh mint, dried oregano and dress with the vinaigrette, so the leaves are well dressed. Season to taste with salt and additional pepper, if desired.