Last summer we visited the Sonoma region of Cali for a wedding and while there, we stumbled on a vegan restaurant/market that sold vegan salami-style sausages from a local company called Renegade Foods. We took them on a beach picnic and discovered how insanely delish they are. Like we were both seriously obsessed (remember, Matt eats meat so he's a tough critic when it comes to vegan food). Fast-forward a year, I haven't found Renegade in stores near me but for my recent birthday, Matt ordered me a variety pack through their website because we haven't stopped thinking about them.
Since receiving the soppressata, I have been craving a fully loaded Italian chopped salad. So I finally made one last night and it just might be the best salad I've ever had. That's a high bar, since I am a salad queen, but this salad is just so damn good - it deserves "best salad ever" title. To be fair, I'll probably say this about my next good salad but there can be multiple bests, right? Yeah, as long as they're really REALLY good, there can be more than one best. According to me, that is. And it's my website so I make the rules here. So there.
This salad is pretty easy too, even though there's a lot going on. I don't even make a formal dressing for this (gasp!), i just use the olive oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes and some store-bought balsamic glaze. There are so many good mix-ins, a complex dressing isn't required. From sweet roasted bell peppers and black olives ot capers and farro, the flavor and texture level with this one is off the charts.
The Best Italian Chopped Salad
serves 3-4 (entree-size portions)
Ingredients
1 cup dry farro
2 large sweet bell peppers
olive oil
sea salt, fine grain
10 oz chopped romaine and butter lettuce
1 cup drained oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, oil reserved, chop tomatoes
1/4 cup capers
4 oz can sliced black olives, drained
8 oz fresh mozzarella, I like the small pearls or quartered Ciliegine (cherry-size)
8 oz soppressata or salami, sliced and quartered, I like the vegan version from Renegade Foods
3+ tablespoons balsamic glaze, I like this one from Trader Joe's
To Make
Cook farro until tender in salted water. Allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Cut bell peppers into large slabs, 3-4 per pepper. Discard seeds, ribs and stem. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Roast for about 25 minutes, until softened and charred in places. Allow to cool, dice.
Add chopped lettuce to a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons reserved sun dried tomato oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze. Season with two big pinches salt. Toss. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives, fresh mozzarella and soppressata/salami. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons sun dried tomato oil and 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze. Toss. Add salt and more balsamic glaze to taste.
Notes
- if you can't find vegan sopressata or don't want to order it (which is what I do), use vegan Italian sausage, cooked and cooled. I love Field Roast Brand.
- meal prepping? Mix all the toppings together, keeping the lettuce separate. Store separately in fridge.
- prefer to make a vinaigrette, no balsamic glaze required? combine 1/3 cup of the sun dried tomato olive oil, 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey. Use dressing to taste, you probably won't need all of it.
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