Cover recipe from Real Food, Summer 2008
Andalusian Green Salad with Eggs, Ham & Tomato Vinaigrette
This cover highlights “Mediterranean Salads.” From text in the article, “As far back as the 6th century, lettuces, carrots, asparagus, leeks, garlic, and wild herbs and greens were used in salads all over the Mediterranean. Dressings were made from fermented grapes and figs. In the caliphate of Al Andaluz, in Spain, spring onions and citrus juices were eventually added to all of the dressings. After the discovery of the New World, tomatoes and peppers became salad standbys. In this delightful Andalusian salad, those New World tomatoes are incorporated into the vinaigrette.” View my notes below to see whether or not I enjoyed this salad.
Andalusian Green Salad with Eggs, Ham & Tomato Vinaigrette
Source: Real Food, Summer 2008
ingredients:
salad
2 heads romaine or butter lettuce, trimmed, washed, and dried
1/2 cup tomato vinaigrette, or as needed (see recipe below)
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced (white & green parts)
1/4 pound Serrano ham, cut in thin strips
1/4 cup assorted black or green olives
1. Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces and put them in a salad bowl. Toss with some of the dressing to coat. Arrange on a platter and top with eggs, green onions, ham and olives. Spoon remaining dressing on top.
Tomato Vinaigrette
ingredients:
1 large, ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. pimenton dulce (sweet Spanish paprika)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1. Combine tomato, garlic, paprika, cumin and salt in a food processor or blender and pulse to puree. With motor running slowly, add vinegar and then olive oil.
Serves 4
Notes from Culinary Covers:
*I used romaine lettuce & prosciutto in place of Serrano ham.
*I did not toss my salad with some of the dressing, mostly because I was worried about how it would look in the photo, but also because I thought it would look like a sloppy mess if tossed with a tomato vinaigrette. I just drizzled it on top.
*I’m always on the hunt for different types of vinaigrettes for salad, which is why this recipe caught my eye. Tomato vinaigrette sounded rather interesting.
*I’m not sure what I was expecting from this salad, but I thought it was just “okay.” The vinaigrette didn’t have a great deal of flavor… I almost wanted to add something like balsamic in place of the sherry vinegar. Seems like that would have beefed up the flavor a lot.
*I wanted cheese in this salad. I wonder what the appropriate cheese for a Mediterranean salad would be. Feta?
*The salad itself was fine… the addition of hard boiled eggs and ham make it hearty enough to have for a light lunch.
Did this recipe deserve the cover spotlight? Yes. Although it wasn’t my favorite, it appears to be an appropriate example of a Mediterranean salad.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Once again, yours looks 10 times better!! What else is knew?? This is pretty much my ideal lunch
But yes, with feta or gorgonzola!
I love the sound of this vinaigrette!