Serves 4 as a side dish, and multiplies easily 10 minutes prep time 

Once the salad is dressed, serve immediately 

In the hodgepodge world of the salad bar and the multiplepersonality Caesar, maybe we’ve forgotten the beauty of a simple bowl of greens. Glossed in a little good oil and vinegar, it can approach the transcendental. 

Here is where you could start every night: salad greens (before buying, decide which kinds by tasting a tiny leaf tip), cleaned and pristine, that you dress right in the salad bowl. No need to mess another bowl

 making the dressing; do it right over the salad. Trust yourself. Your eyes and your taste won’t fail you. Begin with a little oil, barely coating the leaves, and then taste your way forward. 

1 big handful of your choice of salad greens for each serving (12 to 16 ounces for 4 salad lovers) 

Light sprinklings of coarse salt and fresh-ground black pepper 

2 to 4 tablespoons good-tasting oil (extra-virgin olive oil, or walnut, almond, or hazelnut oil) 

1 to 3 tablespoons vinegar (red wine, white wine, cognac, sherry, or cider vinegar) 

1. Wash and thoroughly spin-dry the greens. Tear them into bitesized pieces, and pile into a big salad bowl. 2. Just before serving, sprinkle the greens with salt and pepper. 

2. Just before serving, sprinkle the greens with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and toss to barely coat the leaves.Then toss with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar. 

3. Taste for balance. Add more oil, vinegar, salt, or pepper as needed, but use a light hand; you should still be able to taste the greens. 

4. Tossed salad waits for no man. Serve it while it’s still standing up and saluting.