No matter how good the meal, I always crave the acidity and crisp freshness of a green salad. An oily wilted salad is a waste of good produce, time and energy. Here’s a guide to the former, not the latter.

The leaves

First, remove the outer leaves and discard. Separate remaining leaves, and tear the larger ones in half. If you cut them, use a sharp knife, as a blunt one will bruise the leaves. If using smaller leaves, pick out and discard any discoloured ones.

Your need-to-know is that salad leaves are mostly water (iceberg lettuce is 96 per cent water). As they lose water to the air, the plant cells shrink and the leaves wilt. Soak them in cold water for 15 to 20 minutes (in the fridge if you have room), and the cells will plump up and give you a crisper leaf.

Drain well, and spin-dry in a salad spinner (Oxo make a great one). Or gather the wet leaves in a tea towel, run outside, and whirl them around your head like an Olympian discus thrower. The water just flies out (sorry, neighbours).

The vinaigrette

Vinaigrette is simply a combination of fat (oil) and acid (vinegar or lemon juice). The classic formula is three parts fat to one part acid; I always push that to two parts fat to one part acid, for a bolshier outcome.

Sea salt is necessary, pepper is optional, and a teaspoon of Dijon mustard helps the dressing emulsify into something deliciously velvety.

Experiment until you have your go-to house vinaigrette. Add a spoonful of yoghurt or mayonnaise when you want creaminess.

Tip: whisk the dressing together in a bowl, then dress the leaves and serve in it – no extra dishes to wash.

The toss

The aim is to coat each leaf with the dressing while handling them as little as possible. Get your fingers in underneath, raising the leaves and gently turning them over en masse. Turn the bowl 90 degrees, and repeat. Keep turning the bowl, and the leaves, until coated.

If you want to serve your salad on a plate, arrange the larger outer leaves as the base, then build the smaller leaves on top, finishing with the daintiest. For a small-leaf salad, gently lift the dressed leaves from the bowl with your hands and allow them to drop onto the serving plate into a light, airy pyramid.

Friends of salad

• Finely shaved fennel
• Crisp green beans
• Avocado
• Pink radishes
• Tomatoes
• Blue cheese
• Feta
• Croutons
• Crisp bacon
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Pickled guindilla chillies
• Olives
• Capers
• Finely sliced red onion or shallots
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Almonds
• Pistachios
• Walnuts

And, of course, you.