Insalata Rustica with Garlic Scape Vinaigrette
I'm having the best luck growing salad greens this summer. Every couple of weeks I scatter a few seeds over shallow a pot of dirt and keep 'em watered. Now I've got a steady supply of tender fresh greens ready to harvest whenever my heart desires.
All of this goodness from single packet of Mesclun Mix from Annapolis Seeds. Each crop is a little different, I can snip a few micro-greens as a garnish, or harvest enough for salad, such a treat!
This rustic salad combines my homegrown peppery greens with sweet green grapes, salty cured meat, Parmigiano Reggiano, and a few toasted pine nuts for crunch. The recipe makes enough for two, but could easily be doubled or tripled if you are feeding a crowd.
Insalata Rustica
- 3-4 cups loosely packed mixed greens
- 1 cup green grapes
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- About 50 grams Parmigiano Reggiano (thinly shaved)
- 6 slices dry cured Coppa (or your favourite salami)
- (optional) fresh or pickled chive blossoms to garnish - see recipe below
Combine the mixed greens, grapes, Parmigiano, and pine nuts in a large salad bowl and toss with about 1/4 cup of Garlic Scape Vinaigrette until everything is nicely coated in dressing. Portion your salads onto two plates and arrange three slices of dry cured Coppa on top of each. (You may want to tear each slice in half to make it easier to eat) Garnish with a few fresh or pickled chive blossoms.
Pickled Chive Blossoms
Garlic Scape Vinaigrette
Since garlic scapes are in season, I'm using a few of these delightful curly shoots to make the dressing for this salad. If you've never tried them, I encourage you to look for them at your local farmers market. The scapes are milder than the garlic bulb itself and their wacky curly shape is sure to make you smile. Garlic scape pesto is a staple in my kitchen every summer. Try it on pizza, pasta, new potatoes, corn on the cob, or grilled chicken, the possibilites are endless.
- 3 garlic scapes - cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar (or Chive Blossom vinegar*)
- 1/2 extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- pinch of salt
Combine all of the ingredients in your food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Leftover dressing can be stored for up to a week in the fridge.
*Chive blossom vinegar will add a nice layer of subtle onion-like flavour to this vinaigrette, it's totally optional, white wine vinegar works just as well.
I don't have a lot of space for a big vegetable garden, but it never ceases to amaze me how much I'm able to grow with just a few pots on my patio, veggies never taste any better than when you've grown them yourself.
