Summer Chopped Salad

If anyone's looking for dinner ideas, J.D. and I made a combo of two of Gwyneth Paltrow's salads over the weekend, and it turned out really well.  I'd highly recommend if you're looking for an easy, fresh summer salad.  We combined her Classic Chopped Salad and Club Salad, added her homemade chive dressing, and loved the results.  I chopped everything and made the dressing Sunday morning, and then J.D. threw chicken breasts on the grill that night to serve sliced on the salad.  Super easy, fresh and overall healthy, and bonus that it's pretty too if you're having guests.  This would also be really good served with a salmon filet or a few shrimp instead of grilled chicken.

Summer Chopped Salad

adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's My Father's Daughter

 

8 slices of bacon, chopped/crumbled (I bake mine on a baking rack at 400 for 15 - 20 minutes.)

2 heads of romaine or Boston lettuce, torn into bit size pieces

1 avocado, peeled and diced

1 cup grape tomatoes (or more if you love tomatoes) chopped

handful of crumbled blue cheese

 

Lay lettuce down on a large platter or bowl then top lettuce with bacon, avocado, tomatoes, and blue cheese.  Add vinaigrette to taste.  You won't use all of the vinaigrette but it's delicious leftover too.

 

Chive Vinaigrette:

2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons of maple syrup

4 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons of finely chopped chives

salt and pepper to taste

 

Wisk together mustard, syrup and vinegar.  Slowly wisk in the olive oil, then stir in the chives.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

~Mary Keller