Remember when chopped salads were all the rage? Well in our home, chopped salads are STILL very much in fashion. In fact, more so than ever! And with this heatwave we are experiencing, I have practically no desire to cook, much less spend any time over a hot stove! Thus – salad for dinner. Please note, Mr. C. and I lovingly refer to this time of year as “the salad days” of summer. (Not to be confused with the Shakespearean idiomatic expression “Salad Days” referring to a youthful time, accompanied by the inexperience, enthusiasm, idealism, innocence, or indiscretion that one associates with a young person. A more modern use, especially in the United States, refers to a heyday, a period when somebody was at the peak of their abilities—not necessarily in that person’s youth.) Thank you Wikipedia!

Anyway – I can’t really remember which restaurant in Seattle featured this salad oh so long ago. But since the recipe appeared in my first cookbook (1998) without any reference to the contributor, it must be a recipe I copy-catted at home. Sounds like something I would do, right??

So if you too are still fond of eating, but not of cooking at this time of year when the temperature is way hotter than we Western Washington wimps can tolerate, give this recipe a try. It takes very little time to throw together, and we’re talking only one bowl dirtied in the preparation of this dish. And that of course translates to less time in the kitchen after dinner too. (I’ve always told you I’m on your side. And in this case, I’m on Mr. C’s side too since he is the meal cleanup crew in our household.)

So stay cool my friends, drink lots of liquids, and enjoy the warm weather while you can. It will all too soon be “soup season”.

• ½ c. light mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. ketchup
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp. Worcestershire
• ¼ tsp. sugar
• pinch of kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 T. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 c. chopped romaine lettuce
• ½ c. thinly sliced fresh basil
• ¼ c. chopped red onion
• 1 roasted red pepper, thinly sliced
• ½ – ¾ c. diced salami
• ½ – ¾ c. diced mozzarella cheese
• ½ – ¾ c. diced provolone cheese

Whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, parsley, and garlic together in a medium sized salad bowl. Add the romaine, basil, red onion, red pepper, salami, and cheeses. Stir until all the ingredients are covered with the dressing. Serve immediately.

Note: I usually don’t serve this salad with bread. But if you are being fancy, a nice crusty Italian loaf on the side would taste wonderful with this salad.  A nice red wine wouldn’t hurt either. (And no, wine does not count as drinking lots of liquids!)