Today, I’m doing two things that I hate.
Okay….
One thing that I mildly dislike is re-posting recipes.
But it’s salad season and this is so quick and easy. I just hate the thought of someone, wanting a nice, fresh salad on a hot summer day, reaching for a bottle of unpronounceable ingredients.
Or, worse, having a bag of chips instead because it’s easier.
This salad is easy.
The thing that I hate is blogs that post multiple photos of food prep, stirring, boiling, stirring again, etc.
Today I’m doing that – but, in my defense, they are not HUGE photos.
Admittedly, it’s a weak defense, but there you have it.
The re-post that I think worth repeating:
It seems, after viewing countless salads on Pinterest and other places, that most people tend to over-complicate what should be a simple bowl of fresh greens, good olive oil and a nice vinegar.
This is an easy, straightforward way of making a ‘salad for one’. For more servings just increase everything proportionately.
How to make a quick, main course salad for one – perfect for a summer lunch:
First, find a nice big salad bowl.
Put a dollop of Dijon-style mustard in the bottom, about 1 tsp. Mustard helps the dressing emulsify.
Add a bit of vinegar… I used sherry wine vinegar, about a tablespoon.
Whisk well.
Add a good olive oil, a little at a time, whisking after each addition.
I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons.
Add lettuce and toss well with 2 forks.
Then add all of your favorite salad stuff.
I added a chopped hard boiled egg, about 3oz (90gr) of tuna, a few cherry tomatoes, and a bit of Colby-type cheese. I drizzled a bit more sherry vinegar over the top and tucked in.
Add anything you like – cooked or raw vegetables, a bit of ham or smoked turkey, croutons… Or nothing, just the lettuce.
A healthy, filling lunch in just 5 minutes….
Okay, the 5 minutes is assuming your lettuce is washed and ready to eat. I do mine in big batches.
Yes, we all know I don’t have any growing this year, but I’m getting nice, organic heads at the market.
The recipe – in case you feel the urge to print it…..
Main Course Salad for One
Salad for One
Total time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tbs sherry or Balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbs salad olive oil
- lettuce for 1 main course salad
- 3oz (90gr) canned tuna, ham, smoked turkey, cut into chunks
- 1oz (30gr) cheese, whatever you like, cubed or shredded
- 1 hard-cooked egg, cut into chunks
- 6 – 8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- fresh herbs, if you have theml
Instructions:
- Put the mustard and vinegar into your salad bowl, Whisk
- Drizzle in olive oil, whisking
- Add lettuce and, using 2 forks, toss to coat
- Top with whatever you like.
- Drizzle a bit more vinegar, if you like
- Eat.
It’s summer – life and lunch should be easy.
Salad for one.
❤️
😉
Finally it is the weather for it! I sprinkle a few chopped home grown walnuts on top when I have them. Fortunately there is a good crop developing on the tree this year.
Our walnuts were wonderful for the first 2 years, then they became infested by black fly a they are worthless. I was going to put the cages up this year but…. it’s a lot cheaper just to buy walnuts lol
I would take your salad over a bag of chips in any season !!!
Sigh…. I miss having a garden full of lettuce. At least the markets have lots this time of year, and it’s all fresh and cheap.