One of my earliest memories in the kitchen took place when I was about 3 years old in my parents' kitchen. My dad must have pulled one of their eighties style leather and metal chairs (complete with a woven wicker back) up to the counter so I could help. I remember helping to toss all the ingredients into the bowl. My folks even have a photo of me holding the big bowl of salad, grinning ear to ear. I remember the pride I felt in helping contribute to the meal, and the sense of family togetherness that warmed my heart as we all gathered around the table. That's something my parents were sticklers about--no matter how late our activities ran, or how much homework we had piled up, dinner was as a family, every night without exception. It was over these meals that we shared our everyday struggles and triumphs. So, it's no surprise that some of my greatest family memories come from our family dinners.
In keeping with growing-up traditions, Friday was always pizza night, so this Friday was no exception. And, three decades later, I'm still in charge of the salad.
This week, I made what I'm calling The Kitchen Sink Salad. This big Italian salad reminds me of the best versions of all the Italian salads we ate growing up at Cucina Cucina, Frankie's Pizza, and of course, Shakey's. The dressing is a creamy vegan concoction I imagined up that includes fresh herbs and a bit of a tang. The dressing coats the salad so well it almost acts like an ingredient in and of itself--or at least that's what my Dad said between bites!
Here's the recipe for my Il Lavandino Della Cucina Insalata.
Salad
In keeping with growing-up traditions, Friday was always pizza night, so this Friday was no exception. And, three decades later, I'm still in charge of the salad.
This week, I made what I'm calling The Kitchen Sink Salad. This big Italian salad reminds me of the best versions of all the Italian salads we ate growing up at Cucina Cucina, Frankie's Pizza, and of course, Shakey's. The dressing is a creamy vegan concoction I imagined up that includes fresh herbs and a bit of a tang. The dressing coats the salad so well it almost acts like an ingredient in and of itself--or at least that's what my Dad said between bites!
Here's the recipe for my Il Lavandino Della Cucina Insalata.
Salad
- Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped or torn
- Roasted beets
- Sliced black olives
- Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Kidney beans, rinsed and chopped
- New potatoes, boiled, chilled, and chopped
- Fennel, thinly sliced
- Fresh basil, roughly torn
- Croutons
Creamy Italian Dressing
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- A generous pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2-3 teaspoons of minced garlic
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
- 8 leaves of fresh basil, torn
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Combine almonds, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Add 1 cup warm water and soak for 15-20 minutes. Drape a clean kitchen towel over the bowl to keep the water warm. I did this step before I put the rest of the salad together which worked well.
- Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the almond mixture into a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until the dressing is smooth. I used the puree setting for about 2 minutes and then I used the pulse setting to get those last stubborn bits of almond incorporated into the dressing. The texture should be creamy but not super thick when it's done.
- Toss with dressing with the salad to thoroughly coat all the ingredients.
- Serve immediately.
A picture of the salad plated on my mom's Polish pottery.
