This baby romaine salad is amazing thanks to generous amounts of fresh green herbs, Kirby cucumber, green beans and oil-crisped pita shards. Slideshow: More Summer Salad Recipes
How to Make It
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a small bowl, mix the 6 tablespoons of olive oil with the garlic. Brush the pita with 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil. Toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until crisp and golden. Transfer the pita to a plate; season with salt and pepper. Let cool, then break into big crisps.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan of salted boiling water, blanch the beans until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and chill in a bowl of ice water. Drain and pat dry; halve the beans crosswise.
Rub the mint sprig all over the inside of a large wooden bowl; discard the sprig. In the bowl, mix the remaining 4 tablespoons of garlic oil with the lemon juice and shallot; season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped mint, beans, cucumber, romaine, parsley, tomatoes, sprouts and pita crisps and toss to evenly coat.