Barbara's Everyday Salad

My go-to salad

I have made this salad more times than I can count.  And believe it or not, it is my most frequently requested recipe.

It's not really a recipe.  It's more the ingredients that matter.  And how you put them together. 

You need 7 ingredients:

• cherry tomatoes
• pine nuts
• a shaved hard cheese
• salad greens
• Dijon mustard
• extra virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• plus salt and pepper

Cherry Tomatoes:
The ripeness of the tomatoes is paramount.  So use the ripest tomatoes you can get.  In summer, we use fresh, but that's not possible for us 10 months out of the year, so I have learned how to make the most of what we can get.

I keep a line-up of store-bought cherry tomatoes on the windowsill, adding a new container each week.  I use them on a first in, first out basis, and try to keep ahead of Tom eating them.  He likes to eat them raw, dipped in a little salt, then popping them into his mouth.

Don't buy grape tomatoes. For some reason, they don't have any flavor. Look for cherry tomatoes.  At Wegman's they are called Super Sweet.

Doesn't matter how long you let them hang out on the windowsill.  They will shrivel and become even sweeter, like a raisin.  They will last as long as a month.  Pick out any that begin to brown.

Just don't put the tomatoes in the refrigerator or serve them cold.  A room temperature tomato is the best.

Pine Nuts: 
The pine nuts should be from Italy, not China, and must be toasted.  You can toast them yourself, or buy them already toasted as they are now available at stores like Trader Joe's or Wegman's.

Salad Greens: 
I vary the greens --- arugula works very well.  Also, a mix of spinach, and Italian greens.  Sometimes I like to use the Spring Mix with Herbs.  Use the best greens you can find.  I often use pre-washed greens in a tub but the quality varies, so I change the greens based on what's freshest.

Cheese:
A hard Italian cheese works best:  Shaved Grana Padano, shaved Parmesan, or a mix of shaved Asiago, Parmesan and Grana Padano.  Grated works just as well as shaved.  

Dijon Mustard:
My favorite Dijon mustard to use is Maille, from France.  Grey Poupon will also do. 

Olive Oil: 
Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.  A good grocery store brand is California Olive Ranch.  

---Barbara 

Salad with Tomatoes, Pine Nuts and Italian Cheese

Serves 4 to 6

5 ounce of greens, washed and dried
12- 15 cherry tomatoes, super sweet variety, at room temperature
3 T. toasted pine nuts
2 T. shaved firm Italian cheese, like Grana Padano or Parmesan
3 T. high quality extra virgin olive oil
1.5 T. high quality balsamic vinegar
1 t. Dijon mustard, like Maille
salt
pepper

In the bottom of the salad bowl, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard.  Add a little salt and pepper.

Then, using a small whisk, beat the vinaigrette together until the mixture is emulsified, i.e., all the ingredients are mixed together well, and are not separated.

Add the greens.  Sprinkle a little salt over them.  And a few grinds of pepper.

Next step is to slice the tomatoes in half.  Then, season them well with salt.  Add to the salad.

Don't skip salting the tomatoes directly.  The tomatoes need salt.

Add the pine nuts.

Add the shaved cheese.

Toss the salad just before serving. 

---Barbara