You may be a lean, mean, leafy green eatin’ machine, but there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of mizuna, the Japanese lettuce that tastes like a milder, slightly mustardy arugula.

Available at most specialty produce shops, the surprisingly versatile veggie adds a dash of the exotic to any dish (“Oh, this? It’s just an Asian water green I picked up.”). Here, Stella Rossa Pizza Bar chef Jeff Mahin tosses it with strawberries, goat cheese, and balsamic vinegar for a tart and sweet summer salad.

Purple Mizuna and Strawberry Salad
Serves six

Ingredients

For the aged balsamic dressing
3 c. premium olive oil
1 c. sweet aged balsamic vinegar

For the salad
6 strawberries, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. aged balsamic vinegar
3 c. arugula
6 c. purple mizuna
6 tbsp. hazelnuts, lightly crushed and toasted
1½ c. red onion, sliced
Kosher salt to season
3 oz. goat cheese

1. To make dressing, combine ingredients in a bowl and whisk until emulsified. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine strawberries with balsamic vinegar and mix well.

3. In a separate bowl, mix arugula and mizuna with aged balsamic dressing, hazelnuts, and red onion. Season with kosher salt.

4. Stack salad high onto a round salad plate and garnish with marinated strawberries and goat cheese.

Stella Rossa Pizza Bar, 2000 Main Street, between Bicknell Avenue and Bay Street, Santa Monica (310-396-9250 or stellarossapizzabar.com).

Photo: Courtesy of Stella Rossa Pizza Bar

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