Hodgepodge 196/365 - Salads

The other night we got together with an old friend, Brian, and his new fiancée, Melissa, at an Italian restaurant in L.A., C&O Cucina (standing for Cheese & Olives, so Brian said). Among various dishes (a super yummy calamari piccata for me, stuffed shrimp for David), Brian and Melissa ordered a chopped Italian salad, which they proceeded to swoon over: the pieces were just the right size, the marriage of flavors perfect. And although we all agreed that making a salad really isn't difficult, we also agreed that we never make them! Too much fuss!

As Brian—who's a great cook—expounded on the tedium of salad-making, I started thinking: it's true that I do not make salads, because yeah, they are kind of fussy. But for me, it's also because, if I do cook at all, I really enjoy following recipes—the more complicated the better. And what's not fussy about that? So . . .  what if I found some recipes for a salad? Maybe then I might start making them.

This evening I tested my hypothesis by googling—yes, why not start with the thing that kicked this whole discussion off—chopped Italian salad. I found one; it had five-star ratings. I made a shopping list, bought some provisions. And then I set about chopping, accompanied by the podcast The S-Town. (Weird little story. Or rather, weird central character, the horologist John B. McLemoore, the resident of "Shit-Town," a rural place in Alabama, who lured the journalist Brian Reed in with a tale of a murder.)

I enjoy listening to podcasts while I cook. Or, in this case, assemble: no cooking required.

Here's the recipe I followed. It's nothing exceptional, but the result was very tasty. I might be looking for more salad recipes in the future. It seems a little strange to follow a recipe for a salad, of all things (most people just throw them together), but heck, if it gets me preparing and eating them, I'm all for it.

Super Italian Chopped Salad

3 cups torn romaine (oops, I chopped)
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (6.5 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 medium green bell pepper
2 medium tomatoes
1 can (2.25 oz) sliced olives (I used whole pitted from the deli)
5 slices deli ham, chopped
5 slices hard salami, chopped
5 slices peperoni, chopped
3 slices provolone cheese, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tb red wine vinegar (I didn't have any, so used Balsamic)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tb grated Parmesan cheese
peperoncini, optional (I opted out, because I forgot)

In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper; pour over the salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese, and top with peperoncini if desired. Serves 10.

I didn't notice the yield before; could've cut the recipe in half if I had. I guess we'll be having chopped Italian salad for a while . . .