Rustic Italian Salad

It is a quick salad to make that can be served as a light lunch, an accompaniment to pasta dishes or as part of a picnic. Mesclun is a slightly bitter salad mix of assorted small, young, delicate wild or cultivated salad leaves and greens of varying textures and colors. The traditional mix includes chervil, arugula, leafy lettuces and endive in equal proportions, although in modern kitchens it may include an undetermined mix of fresh and available lettuces, spinach and rocket leaves. Mesclun should be tossed with light vinaigrette.

Ingredients

1 red capsicum (200g)

1 yellow capsicum (200g)

½ telegraph cucumber (200g)

2 shallots (50g)

4 tomatoes (350g)

1 cup baby spinach leaves (50g)

½ cup flat parsley leaves (25g)

5 basil leaves

2 cups baby mesclun (50g)

Freshly grated parmesan

Olives

Method

Deseed capsicums and cut into small pieces, cut cumber into quarters and slice, chop shallots finely, cut tomatoes in wedges and place in a bowl. Add chopped baby spinach leaves, chopped parsley, torn basil leaves, mesclun and toss the salad. Serve in bowls with freshly shredded parmesan, freshly grinded pepper and olives.

Note: Some Rustic Italian Salads have toasted chunky pieces of Ciabatta bread tossed in the salad. You can also add some garlic.

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