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Have you seen the Evolution of Dance video yet? Get down on it.
If you’ve been to Italy, you’ve probably discovered that an insalata, or salad, can look like this:
After being served many a “salad” with mostly iceberg lettuce and oil (to their credit, good oil, but iceberg lettuce isn’t the right base to enjoy an advanced oil flavor) I stopped ordering a salad in restaurants.
Then I discovered the insalatone, the BIG salad. As in, we guarantee some carrots, tomatoes and corn. Sometimes some tuna and cheese, but not always. Don’t get greedy. Italy hasn’t really embraced the concept of a salad as a meal.
The funniest part about the insalatone is the inclusion of canned corn, which from what I’ve seen, is the ONLY use of corn in this country. This is also the definite sign you have an insalatone and not an insalata. Some sort of unwritten rule. I’ve seen a few street vendors roasting whole ears but it’s not typical. Back home, I remember eating corn with a lot of meals (creamed corn, anyone?) and sometimes I would even eat it directly out of the can. (yum)
So, when I decided to make a chef salad I knew it might ruffle a few feathers or at least receive some interesting looks. I added two cans of beans, a can of corn, tomatoes, arugula (my new favorite herb), some semi-sweet pickles I found (German), turkey, olives, scamorza cheese, carrots, etc.
A SAL-AD.
Plus, it helps clean the fridge out.
My husband looked on, curious as he is, but I knew better and asked him if he wanted dried cranberries in his. He declined, even after I explained that it was very in moda to use them, and a recipe was even printed on the Ocean Spray package for a Spinach salad! (This package was part of my contraband Easter delivery from guests - much appreciated after I saw cranberries in Como for €4.00/100g. Ack!)
Then I made a peppered-mustard-balsamic vinaigrette with our Pugliese olive oil that has convinced me that I never need to buy salad dressing again. (Just remember the touch of sugar if it’s a little too tart and a bit of water to help it spread through the salad better)
I feel a bit like Dr. Frankenstein. I love my creation.
But sometimes, you just need to have a little more variety, and to experiment. Sometimes you want a lemon sorbet, and sometimes you want Chunky Monkey® Ice Cream.
I definitely passed my husband’s experiment line when I sliced some bananas and added them to my peanut butter toast. He declared it was schiffo even after I told him it was the King’s favorite combination. (Millions of Elvis fans can’t be wrong)
What is something you’ve had trouble experimenting with? What about the thing you love that gets the most stares? (I had a friend in love with “Chocolate Pizza” once)
Think I’m the only experimenter? Check out Gia’s blog today (we did NOT plan this!)
10 responses so far ↓
Ha ha, you did plan this! I love your “kitchen sink salad”. This salad looks great!
I hate the amount of salt they use in salads here..there’s nothing worse than a salty carrot!BTW I bring back sausages and bacon from the UK and keep them in the freezer!
May I say once again … I love your links. What did we all do before YouTube? I loved Evolution of Dance. Thanks.
And si, the insalata looks scrumtious!
I LOVE the salad. I am such a Big Salad fan. I make them a lot, even though my husband prefers the *other*
I also LOVE bananas and pb! And Elvis! Good post. Now I want pb & b sandwich!
You gotta love a chef salad. Like I said, no turkey bacon or boiled eggs this time around, but we’ll see next time! Yum, spinach.
Well it looks like a good experiment with salad! Thanks for stopping by my blog. One day I’d love to visit Italy. =)
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The salad sounds great, and the cranberries ARE very in moda for salads these days, I think! I also brought back a bag of dried cranberries from the states when I was there last: yum! I am saving them for oatmeal, cranberry, and white chocolate cookies. yum!
-Jackie
Well done!
It’s funny about the corn because when I was in Italy to visit my grandparents as a little girl, the only time I remember seeing corn was when we would feed it to the chickens.
When I went in 2000, my aunt made a risotto with corn and I think it was the first time I’d actually eaten it in Italy!
Your insalatone looks fantastic! And you keep eating banana with your peanut butter!
How could you possibly put cranberries in a salted plate?
I am on your husband’s side!
I wash just wondering which is worst between cassata siciliana and peanut butter….I think it is cassata + pb !!!
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