Common Acre Farm

Sustainably Grown Vegetables Mansfield, Ma.

Tag: lettuce

Big Crunchy Romaine Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing

October 9, 2026 /

This salad brings together the romaine and all three of this week’s microgreens. Crisp romaine is the base, the Super Salad mix and sunflower shoots add crunch and color, and the basil microgreens go into a bright lemon dressing. It’s a side salad for four or a big lunch for two.

Know this week’s microgreens

  • Basil: intense basil flavor in a tiny leaf. Add it at the very end and don’t cook it. It’s great on pizza, pasta, tomatoes, eggs and in dressings.  It hates the fridge, moisture or condensation really.
  • Sunflower shoots: thick, juicy and crunchy, with a nutty, fresh flavor. They’re the sturdiest microgreen, good as a snack straight from the container and great in sandwiches and wraps.
  • Super Salad: our mix of sunflower shoots, pea shoots, broccoli, cabbage, radish, arugula and red amaranth, which adds a pop of magenta. Use it on everything.

Serves 4 as a side, or 2 as a meal · 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 head romaine, chopped into bite-size pieces
  • 1 large handful Super Salad mix
  • 1 large handful sunflower shoots
  • Optional toppings: toasted sunflower seeds, shaved Parmesan, croutons, cubes of leftover roasted kabocha, sliced Hakurei turnips
  • Lemon-basil dressing: 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 small clove garlic (finely grated), 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional), a big pinch of basil microgreens (about 1/2 cup, chopped), 1/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper

Directions

  1. Make the dressing. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Parmesan, salt and pepper in a small bowl, or shake them in a jar. Stir in the chopped basil microgreens. For a smooth green dressing, blend everything together instead.
  2. Prep the romaine. Wash and dry it well, since dry leaves hold onto dressing. A salad spinner or a clean towel works.
  3. Toss. Put the romaine in a big bowl, add most of the dressing and toss well.
  4. Top. Pile the Super Salad mix and sunflower shoots on top, add your toppings and drizzle with the rest of the dressing. Scatter a few whole basil microgreens over everything.

Make it a meal: Add a can of chickpeas or white beans, a hard-boiled egg, or warm roasted kabocha.

Other ideas for the microgreens: Pile sunflower shoots into sandwiches and wraps, or on top of soup. Sprinkle basil microgreens over pasta, pizza or scrambled eggs right before eating. Add a handful of Super Salad to any salad or grain bowl.

Five-Minute House Vinaigrette

October 2, 2026 /

There are two bags of salad this week. The salad mix has different lettuces with chervil that grows along with the lettuces in that particular bed, and the lettuce mix is colorful baby’ish leaves. Greens this tender and fresh don’t need much. A simple homemade dressing lets them taste like themselves, where a heavy bottled one drowns them out. Make a jar on Friday and dress salads all week.

Storage: Keep both bags in the fridge, ideally with a dry paper towel in each to soak up moisture. Don’t wash the greens until you’re ready to eat them. They’re best within 5–7 days. If the leaves go a little limp, soak them in cold water for 10 minutes and they’ll perk right back up.

Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for 4–6 salads · 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar (red wine, white wine, cider or balsamic)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
  • 1 small clove garlic from the box, finely grated or minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Black pepper

Directions

  1. Put everything in a small jar with a lid.
  2. Close it tight and shake hard for about 15 seconds, until it looks creamy.
  3. Taste it on a leaf, not off the spoon, and add more salt or vinegar if you like.
  4. Dress the greens right before eating, and use less than you think you need. Toss gently to incorporate your fancy dressing. 
  5. Keep the jar in the fridge for up to a week. The olive oil will firm up when cold, so let it sit out for 10 minutes and shake again.

Build a salad from this week’s box: Baby lettuce, a handful of Fresh Mix microgreens, sliced snacking peppers and a few pieces of leftover roasted honeynut or potatoes.

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