Okay, I realize I have a problem. I make HUGE salads. So big, I have been asked to reduce the size of the salads since I usually make enough for a small city. While traveling on vacation recently, I dined at a Vivian Howard-owned restaurant in Wilmington, NC and enjoyed her version of an Italian chopped salad. I decided to recreate it when I got home and came up with this version, which was apparently deemed “good” by my discerning family members. I did not have the time to recreate Vivian’s red weapon ranch dressing, but made my own quick version!
Ingredients
Salad
1 small head chopped romaine
1 small bunch chopped lacinato kale
½ head of radicchio shredded
¾ cup croutons (I like to use chunked up baguette toasted in the oven with olive oil garlic pepper, dried parsley and sea salt, but store bought are fine!)
½ can drained and rinsed chickpeas
½ stick pepperoni chopped into small square pieces (or sliced if that is your preference into small halves)
½ pecorino romano chopped into small square pieces
½ jar of green castelvetrano olives halved
1. Mix all salad ingredients together in a large bowl and conserve while making salad dressing.
Ingredients
Salad Dressing
¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk or whole milk
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. Tabasco sauce
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
8 cherry tomatoes chopped
1 tsp. sugar
1. Mix all salad dressing ingredients together thoroughly with a blender.
2. Toss salad ingredients gently with the dressing and serve with fresh ground black pepper and sea salt to taste.
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