By Erica Zollo
Balsamic dressing is a frequent, go-to for any number of seasonal salads. Your own dressing offers big flavor to your greens and house tomatoes while offering a light, refreshing, Mediterraenean take on your local ingredients.
Take some inspiration from your North Fork local farm stand (if you’re in the area, try Country View in Southold), pick up a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from your favorite vineyard and set your table. Salute!
Ingredients
3 stalks of Romaine lettuce
1 English cucumber or 3 or four small Kirby cucumbers, scrubbed (not peeled) and sliced (don’t forget the nutrients, like in any veggie, are in the peels)
2 tomatoes, cut as desired
Optional Add Ons:
Shaved Fennel, pickled-sweet pepperoncino, onion
Shaved ricotta salata or Grana Padano
You can even toss in toasted, day-old bread to this salad for a hearty panzanella salad and call it dinner
Dressing
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
One crushed clove of garlic
Freah basil, fresh oregano
EVOO
Balsamic Vinegar Di Modena
Rinse and prepare your lettuce and vegetables. Cut or test lettuce stalks horizontally into pieces and place into a bowl. Scrub the cucumbers, slice, then add to the lettuce. Cut tomatoes to your preferred thickness and add to the salad bowl. You can choose any or all of the add-ons listed above.
For the dressing, whisk salt, pepper, and fresh herbs in extra virgin olive oil. Add your balsamic and whisk the mixture for a second time. This will not emulsify like a French-style dressing so mix it just prior to serving.
Add salt to your preference. For a local pairing, try Raphael Sauvignon Blanc.
