Y’know what?
Ignore the Iceberg! Resist the Romaine!
A perfectly nice salad can get along perfectly well without lettuce – and – bonus! – using veggies that are not so quick to wilt means that you can make your salad well ahead of time, then stash it in the fridge to chill until it is time to serve.
Note: I prefer to chill my salads in glass; I think it makes them crisper and colder.
INGREDIENTS
•Cooked pasta (I used Ditalini)
•Steakhouse Salad Dressing (or Italian)
•Shredded cabbage (from coleslaw mix)
•Blanched Asparagus, cut in 2 inch slices
•Red onion, thinly sliced
•Crumbled Feta cheese
•Peperoncini, sliced
Note: you can make this salad as small or as big as you need, and feel free to add or subtract ingredients. Blanched green beans, sliced hard cooked egg, Greek olives, mebbe a bit of tuna, it is all good.
For best results, do this bit a day ahead: cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions, then drain and rinse (always rinse cooked pasta when using in salads). Toss with enough dressing to coat the pasta, then stash in the fridge for a few hours to allow the pasta to soak up any excess dressing – and some of the flavor.
When ready to put your salad together, stir the pasta and place in the bottom of a bowl (again, I like glass).
Top the pasta with the shredded cabbage, blanched asparagus, sliced onion, Feta cheese, and peperoncini.
Cover and stash in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving, then, toss with your dressing of choice (the Steakhouse Dressing really is nice), and serve.