Skip to main content

Crunchy Greens With Fat Choy Ranch

Crunchy Greens With Fat Choy Ranch from chef Justin Lee of Fat Choy
Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas

One of the few vegetables Fat Choy chef and owner Justin Lee would eat as a kid was romaine lettuce—but only when it was served with ranch dressing. (“To be honest, it was mostly ranch with a touch of lettuce,” he says.) With vibrant herbs and peppery watercress, this salad is a grown-up version of that childhood favorite.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 Servings

Ingredients

Dressing

1 small shallot, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small jalapeño, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup coarsely chopped dill
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. tahini
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped bread-and-butter pickles
Kosher salt

Salad and assembly

½ head of romaine lettuce or 1 romaine heart, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise 1" thick
2 baby bok choy, coarsely chopped
1 cup watercress
Kosher salt
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, dill, Thai basil, and/or chives

Preparation

  1. Dressing

    Step 1

    Purée shallot, garlic, jalapeño, dill, oil, tahini, lime juice, vinegar, pickles, and ¼ cup water in a blender until smooth; season dressing with salt.

  2. Salad and assembly

    Step 2

    Combine romaine, bok choy, and watercress in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat; season salad with salt. Scatter herbs on top.

Read More
Juicy steak, crisp lettuce, and a blender dressing come together for a breezy summer dinner.
A Sicilian-inspired kale salad with creamy almond dressing, raisins, and pine nuts. Excellent for meal prep and packing as a desk lunch.
The contrast of serving a grilled vegetable ice-cold is thrilling, and the Caesar dressing is rich and thick enough to cling longingly to each leaf of cabbage.
We reimagined pork dumplings as a filling for juicy stuffed tomatoes.
An accidental recipe (sbagliatio means mistaken in Italian) yields a delicious herby tahini dressing that is excellent poured over lightly blanched green beans.
Juicy peak-season tomatoes make the perfect plant-based swap for aguachile.
Bathe greens and chickpeas in a garlicky, tomato-enhanced broth. Stretch a block of Halloumi by grating and toasting it into a topping for the soup.
Silky Japanese eggplant and fiery serrano chile unite in this no-fuss frittata that’s brunch-ready, dinner-worthy, and wildly good.