Fabulicious!: Teresa's Italian Family Cookbook (14 page)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Salt

6 ounces baby arugula, washed and dried

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1.
Pour the lemon juice into a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. Whisk in the Parmigiano cheese and season with salt.

2.
Combine the arugula and tomatoes in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Las Vegas Caesar Salad

Makes 6 servings

Like almost everything in the famous city of neon lights, my own Caesar salad recipe is kind of a knock-off of the original, but in a lot of ways, much better. I’m not a huge fan of putting barely-cooked eggs in my salad, so my version is eggless. I do, however, love anchovies, so those stay. If anchovies skeeve you out and you want to cut them from the recipe, feel free—what happens in your kitchen, stays in your kitchen.

1 (2-ounce) can anchovy filets, drained and coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces, rinsed and dried

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 ½ cups No Bread Left Behind Croutons (
page 81
), or use store-bought croutons

½ cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1.
Place half of the anchovies in a small mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, dry mustard, and pepper and whisk to combine. Gradually whisk in the oil. (The dressing can be made up to 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Whisk again before using.)

2.
Combine the lettuce and tomatoes in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Add the croutons, sprinkle with the cheese, and toss again. Serve immediately.

Roasted Portobello and Rosemary Salad

Makes 6 servings

If it’s nice weather or you or your man is a grill master, you can always throw the mushrooms on the barbecue, but it’s just as easy to cook them indoors under the broiler.

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 garlic clove, minced

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 large portobello mushroom caps

8 ounces baby mixed greens, rinsed and dried

1.
Position the broiler rack about 6 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler. Lightly oil the broiler pan.

2.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in ¼ cup of the oil. Set the dressing aside.

3.
Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth. Brush them all over with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Place on the broiler pan, smooth sides up, and broil until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a carving board. Cut the mushrooms into ½-inch-thick strips. Pour any juices into the dressing and whisk to blend.

4.
Toss the greens with the dressing. Add the warm mushroom strips. Serve immediately.

Capri Salad Coupling

Makes 6 servings

The Italian island of Capri is famous for its caprese salad—a simple but delicious combination of tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. It’s traditionally served cold, but it can be warmed up in the oven or served on bread as a sandwich. I’m giving you two recipes here, one for the spread-out-on-a-platter cold salad, and another for a warm, towers-of-tomato-and-cheese nirvana option.

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 large heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese

½ cup pitted and coarsely chopped Kalamata olives

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Extra-virgin olive oil

1.
To make the dressing, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and oregano in a small mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2.
Core the tomatoes and slice them crosswise for a total of eighteen ⅓-inch-thick rounds. Cut the mozzarella into six ¼-inch-thick slices, then cut each slice into thirds to make 18 pieces. The pieces will not all be the same size, which is fine.

3.
To make a cold plated salad:
Alternate and overlap the tomatoes and mozzarella on a platter. Drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle with the olives and basil, and serve.

To make warm tomato-and-mozzarella stacks:
Position a broiler rack about 8 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler. Lightly oil the broiler pan. For each serving, alternate and stack a tomato round, a piece of mozzarella, and a few chopped olives. Repeat, and finish with a third tomato slice and a third mozzarella slice on top (this will make 6 stacks). You will not use all of the olives. Place the stacks on the broiler pan. Broil until the mozzarella toppings are melted and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. The stacks should be warmed, not piping hot. Transfer each tomato and mozzarella stack to a dinner plate. Spoon the dressing over and around each stack, sprinkle with the remaining olives and the basil, and serve.