Dinner
Apr
29
2021

Nancy’s Chopped Salad

Print Nancy’s Chopped Salad

Yield: Makes 6 meal-sized salad or 12 side portions

Ingredients

Oregano dressing 4 cloves garlic 1 to 2 tablespoons dried oregano (Nancy recommends 2; I got nervous and used 1, but might not have minded more) 2 teaspoons kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil, ideally extra-virgin

Salad
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
1 small red onion, peeled and sliced into paper-thin rings
1/2 pound provolone (see Note about varieties), sliced 1/8-inch thick then cut into 1/4-inch ribbons
1/2 pound salami, peeled, sliced 1/8-inch thick then cut into 1/4-inch ribbons
4 medium or 8 small pickled pepperoncini, sliced into rings
1 head iceberg lettuce (see Note about size), halved, cored, and cut in 1/2-inch ribbons
1 head radicchio, halved, cored and cut in 1/4-inch ribbons
2 tablespoons dried oregano for garnish (optional)
Tomatoes
3/4 pound cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp Sea salt

Instructions

Make dressing:
Roughly chop the garlic and then add the oregano, salt and up to 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper.
Chop the mixture together and use the side of a knife or a mortar and pestle to make a grainy herb paste.
Transfer the paste to a large salad bowl, and add the lemon juice and vinegar. Mix with a fork allowing the salt to dissolve, then add the oil and whisk with a fork until well combined. The dressing should be thick with garlic and oregano. If you’re using a small head of iceberg, transfer 1/3 the dressing into a small bowl to be used only if needed. For a larger head of iceberg, you’ll want it all.
Assemble salad:
Gently fold the chickpeas, red onion, provolone, salami, pepperoncini (including seeds and juice) into the dressing, one at a time.
Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt. Set aside until ready to serve.
To serve:
When ready to serve, gently add the tomatoes, lettuce and radicchio to the salad bowl, along with a couple of generous pinches of oregano, and toss to combine with the dressing.
Adjust seasonings to taste, adding any reserved dressing if needed.
Serve immediately.2.6wk_bootstrap();

Brunch
Jan
02
2015

Pasta E Fagoli

Print Pasta E Fagoli

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil 1 16 oz. can cannellini or navy beans 1 16 oz. can kidney beans 1 16 oz. can tomato sauce 1 large onion, chopped fine 5 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed 4 celery stalks, including leaves, sliced thin 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 16 oz. can Italian tomatoes, drained, tomatoes chopped coarsely
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley, preferably Italian
1/2 cup julliened carrot
1/2 lb. lean ground sirloin
4 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked ditalini (tiny, tube shaped pasta) or other pasta
Freshly grated Romano, Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Instructions

In a large skillet, brown the sirloin. In a second pot cook the ditalini or other pasta (orzo is good).
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute gently until the onion is golden. Add the sirloin, celery, salt and black pepper, oregano and basil. Stir for a minute or two and then add the water, beans, tomatoes (with juices), tomato sauce, parsley, carrot and pasta. Cover and simmer until beans are heated, about 20 minutes.
Serve with the grated cheese.
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