so, I rolled out the door this morning and felt like I was back home.  The heat, the birds, the humidity… oh how I missed the heat.  The weather put me in the mood for a good antipasto salad and one of my favorite salad dressings.  Sometimes in life it’s the simple things that make a meals. This one is simple, delicious and refreshing.  

The salad itself is easy, there’s zero cooking involved it’s simply chopping ingredients and combining them in bowls.  

I used:

Romaine lettuce

Bib lettuce 

Grape tomatoes 

Artichoke hearts 

Genoa salami 

Pepper crusted salami 

Pepperoni 

Green olives

Olive salad 

Mozzarella pearls 

Provolone cheese 

Red onion.

The fun for this comes in with dressing. This dressing recipe is phenomenal! I need to start keeping this one in the fridge, and I just may. 

You’ll need:

1 shallot diced finely 

3-5 basil leaves – sliced up 

Oregano

Salt, pepper and garlic powder 

GOOD olive oil 

Red wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon 

Dijon mustard 

1 garlic chopped and pressed until oils release 

This is so simple to make.  To the bowl add in the shallot  and basil, then add in about a teaspoon of Dijon, juice of a lemon, and half cup of red wine vinegar.

Add in a cup of olive oil while whisking to

Combine.  Season with salt pepper and garlic powder and taste

If it needs garlic, add in the pressed garlic, whisk again, taste and season as need be.

To serve simply assemble the salad as you like, add the dressing and enjoy. 

This is so simple, tasty and rewarding. 

Enjoy.