For someone who did not grow up eating salads regularly, I spend an illogically significant amount of time trying new dressings and green combinations. I call it culinary curiosity. Before you jump to conclusions and think I somehow grew up on the white (rice, potatoes, bread and pasta) diet, rest assured that I grew up eating more vegetables and fruits and greens than is typical in even the healthiest of diets.
Our salads, and there were many, were not made up of lettuces, but vegetables and often dressed with delicious dairy-based dressings. They made for tangy and refreshing suppers in the spring and summer and for warming dishes in the cooler winter months. Among them are Vinegret, Olivie, Tomato and Cucumber Salad, Radish Salad, Herring Under a Fur Coat, and many, many others.
Evan has embraced my penchant for these beautiful dishes and in exchange, I have embraced his irrational love for green salads. As if rising to a challenge, he whips up an amazing salad from any combination of greens and vegetables with the grace of a master chef. This particular rendition is no exception. An arugula, spinach, and radicchio base is topped with pink radishes, tomatoes, and cucumbers. A tangy red wine vinaigrette brings together the sweet, salty, and bitter profiles. Oh… and of course crispy bacon and garlicky potato bread croutons for the much needed crunch. Perfection in a bowl in under 15 minutes.