I want to make a salad with warm roasted vegetables but keep some fresh greens in there too. Every time I try, the heat just destroys the lettuce. Is there a technique to keep them from getting all limp and sad?
Are you dressing the warm veggies while they're still hot? That's usually the culprit. The trick is to let your roasted vegetables cool down to at least room temperature before mixing them with the greens, then dress everything together right before serving. If you want that warm element, you can toss the roasted veggies with your dressing while they're still warm so they soak up the flavor, then let that cool completely before combining with fresh greens. Alternatively, assemble the greens and dressing on the plate first, then top with the warm vegetables - the greens stay protected underneath and don't wilt as much.
The greens don't actually need to stay completely separate from warm stuff - it's more about timing and temperature. I've done this plenty of times at home: toss your fresh lettuce with a light vinaigrette first, then add the roasted veggies once they've cooled to maybe body temperature or slightly warmer. The dressing creates a little barrier and the greens don't wilt as fast as you'd think, especially if you use heartier lettuces like romaine instead of something delicate like butterhead.
Another trick that works really well is just keeping the warm and cool components in separate bowls until the last second before eating, then doing a quick toss at the table. sounds fussy but it takes 10 seconds and nobody gets sad lettuce.
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