This salad. It is so perfect. My goal this summer has been to make food that feels like you would eat at a restaurant. Summer also makes me crave lighter and more fresh foods. And summer tomatoes? We can't get enough of them. This dressing will become a new favorite. I was licking the spoon. It is tangy, slightly spicy from the garlic, and some light sweetness from the dates.
Ingredients:
Iceberg Lettuce - Quartered
Cherry Tomatoes--my favorite are the sugar bombs
Bacon bits or Pancetta --I like the Epic brand of uncured bacon bits
Feta Cheese
Dressing:
1 - 5.5 oz jar of Castelvetrano Green Olives + half the jar of olive juice
6 pitted dates
8 cloves of garlic
1 egg yolk
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
Juice of one medium lemon
1/2 cup of olive oil
Directions for Dressing:
In a blender, add the olives and olive juice, dates, and garlic. Blend until smooth. Leave the blender running add the lemon juice and vinegar. Add the egg yolk, and blend on medium speed. It will start to get creamy. Keep it running and pour the olive oil in through the top. My blender has a small cap that I can remove without taking the lid off. It will get thicker and have a smooth consistency.
Get your salad veggies chopped. I like to cook the bacon bits or pancetta (diced) in an iron skillet to get crispy.
The best layer is salad wedge on the bottom. Drizzle salad dressing on top, then add the bacon or pancetta, feta cheese, and tomatoes. I think it looks prettier like that.
Enjoy!
- Michal