This salad is a visceral experience, like you ran through the garden with a weed whacker. Made up of pieces of fresh herbs that are just shy of being too big to eat, it’s a wild and reckless bowl of green with a sexy crunch. At Dad’s, it stands up to the wrath of a greasy diner burger and a yolk-exploding mushroom sandwich. The ingredients list is anarchic; you can decide for yourself what your handfuls are, changing up the herbs and sprouts as others come into season. You can use a salad spinner to wash it all, but I like to get my hands in it, mix it up well, and let it drip dry. Then you’ll dress it with Hippie Vinaigrette (page 53), and your folks will chomp on it like they’re herbivores.
This has to be the prettiest spring salad ever! The delicate peppery taste of the pea shoots alongside the crispy, smoky pancetta, sweet peas, and creamy goat cheese is divine—or try using watercress instead. The dressing, lightly scented with orange, is my favorite with this salad, but if you are fonder of a lemon dressing, then simply replace the orange with a lemon. I recommend doubling up the dressing recipe, as it will last for up to two weeks in the fridge.