Romaine, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad

Name: Romaine, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 1 head romaine lettuce, tough outer leaves discarded and the rest torn into bite-size pieces; 1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1 large ripe tomato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1 cup garlic croutons (recipe follows); 1/2 cup yogurt vinaigrette (recipe follows); 1 large loaf stale country bread, crusts removed; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 cup fresh oregano, finely chopped; 1/4 cup olive oil; Salt; (makes 6 cups); 2 cups best-quality plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek style); 1/2 red onion, finely chopped; 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 1/2 cup olive oil; 2 teaspoons salt; (makes 3 cups)

January 24, 2012

This is a refreshing salad that gets a kick from garlic croutons and a creamy tang from the yogurt vinaigrette. It’s a simple Mediterranean classic that you will find served all along the coast from North Africa to Spain in the summer months, and is a great companion to The Greek balls (page 10).

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 head romaine lettuce, tough outer leaves discarded and the rest torn into bite-size pieces

1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large ripe tomato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup garlic croutons (recipe follows)

1/2 cup yogurt vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Garlic Croutons

1 large loaf stale country bread, crusts removed

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup fresh oregano, finely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt

(makes 6 cups)

Yogurt Vinaigrette

2 cups best-quality plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek style)

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

(makes 3 cups)

Preparation

Step 1
Combine the romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, and croutons in a large mixing bowl. Dress with the vinaigrette, making sure to lightly toss the greens but thoroughly incorporate the dressing.
Garlic Croutons
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 3
Tear the bread into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the garlic and oregano and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss gently to combine and season with salt.
Step 4
Place the croutons on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Stir and continue to bake until the croutons are golden brown and crunchy, checking and stirring every 5 minutes.
Yogurt Vinaigrette
Step 5
Combine the yogurt, onions, vinegar, olive oil, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Reprinted with permission from The Meatball Shop Cookbook by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow with Lauren Deen. Copyright © 2011 by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow; photographs copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Daniel Holzman is executive chef at The Meatball Shop. He is an alum of Le Bernadin, San Francisco's Fifth Floor, and Aqua, among other highly acclaimed restaurants. He attended the Culinary Institute of America, where he received a full scholarship from the James Beard Foundation. Michael Chernow runs the front-of-house operations and the beverage program at The Meatball Shop. He has worked extensively in restaurants in New York and Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, where he earned degrees in culinary arts and restaurant management. He and Holzman met as teenagers when they worked together as delivery boys at the New York vegan restaurant Candle Café. Needless to say, the vegan thing didn't really stick. Lauren Deen is the author of the New York Times bestselling Cook Yourself Thin series and Kitchen Playdates. She is an Emmy award—and James Beard award— winning television producer and director. She is currently executive producer of food(ography) on the Cooking Channel.

TagsSalad Mediterranean Greek European Cucumber Vegetable Tomato Starter Side Lunch Dinner Vegetarian Nut Free Summer Cookbooks

Recipe information

Ingredients

Garlic Croutons

Yogurt Vinaigrette

Preparation

Step 1

Garlic Croutons

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Yogurt Vinaigrette

Step 5

Recipe notes