Spectacular Dirty Martini Salad
I like to dress up simple greens with a unique olive dressing. Serving the salad in martini glasses and the dressing in a shot glass makes for a fun presentation.
I like to dress up simple greens with a unique olive dressing. Serving the salad in martini glasses and the dressing in a shot glass makes for a fun presentation.
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 cup olive oil
- dressing:
- 1 medium lemon
- 8 pimiento-stuffed olives
- 8 frilled toothpicks
- 10 oz spring mix salad greens
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed olives sliced
- 1 shallot halved
- 6 pimiento-stuffed olives plus 1/4 cup juice from the jar, divided
- 1/4 cup vodka or additional white wine vinegar
- Carbohydrate 45.4267168058528 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 8.7516803644133 g
- Fiber 2.23017970696129 g
- Protein 1.46458251771025 g
- Saturated Fat 1.1933155069626 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (206g)
- Sodium 1106.87656617561 mg
- Sugar 43.1965370988915 g
- Trans Fat 0.350612249860409 g
- Calories 270 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut lemon in half lengthwise; cut one half into eight thin wedges. Thread olives and lemon wedges onto toothpicks for garnishes; set aside.
- Using the lemon half, moisten the rims of eight large cocktail glasses. Sprinkle salt on a plate; hold glasses upside down and dip rims into salt. Divide the salad greens, tomatoes, onion and sliced olives among prepared glasses. Top each with a prepared toothpick.
- In a food processor, combine shallot and olives; cover and process until finely chopped. Add the vinegar, vodka, olive juice and lemon juice; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Divide among eight shot glasses; serve with salads.
- To Make Ahead: Prepare salad dressing up to a week in advance; mix well before serving. Prepare cocktail glasses and garnishes before guests arrive; cover and refrigerate garnishes until serving.
Swapping the vodka for additional white wine vinegar fundamentally alters the emulsion stability and flavor profile of the dressing. Alcohol acts as a solvent that changes how volatile aroma compounds dissolve, whereas extra vinegar introduces high levels of acetic acid without the proof. When operating a food processor to build this dressing, pouring the olive oil in a slow, steady stream is non-negotiable. Dumping the oil too quickly breaks the suspension, resulting in an oily pool rather than a cohesive vinaigrette. The shallot must be chopped finely before the liquids are introduced so that large allium chunks do not clog the emulsion or unbalance the bite. Preparing the dressing up to a week in advance allows the brine and aromatics to fully meld, though the oil may separate during storage and requires vigorous shaking or re-blending before service. Rim preparation demands precision because moisture control dictates salt adhesion. Moisten the cocktail glass rims using only a light touch of citrus juice; excess liquid causes the kosher salt to dissolve downward into messy clumps rather than forming a clean, frosty crust. Threading the garnishes onto frilled toothpicks ahead of time requires airtight refrigeration to prevent the exposed lemon wedges from drying out at the edges. Distributing the spring mix, chopped tomatoes, sliced red onion, and sliced olives evenly among eight vessels ensures that every portion receives an equitable balance of moisture and texture.
