Chopped Salad With Lemon Basil Dressing
(Note: It calls for optional crispy onion rings, and I happen to like the
prepared fried shallots found in Asian markets)
Makes 4 servings
This popular copycat version of the chopped salad served at Ruth's Chris
is
an eclectic mix of ingredients. You can customize it to suit personal
tastes. Although the restaurant prepares a from-scratch Caesar-like
dressing
(without anchovies and cheese) zipped up with lemon juice and fresh basil,
this quick version uses sour cream or mayonnaise.
Lemon Basil Dressing:
2 cups sour cream (or use 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup mayonnaise)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
4 to 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
Seasoned salt to taste
Garlic pepper to taste
Salad:
8 cups packed julienne strips or chopped iceberg lettuce
1 cup packed julienned strips fresh spinach
1 cup packed julienned strips radicchio
1/3 cup chopped or very thinly sliced red onions
1/2 cup chopped green olives
1 6-ounce package sliced fresh mushrooms (about 2 cups)
4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1 14-ounce can chilled hearts of palm, rinsed, well-drained and sliced
1/2 pound bacon, chopped, fried until crisp, and drained
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup plain croutons
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Crispy fried onions (optional, see note)
To make dressing: In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, basil, lemon
juice, seasoned salt and garlic pepper to taste. Mix well. Refrigerate
until serving. Refrigerate any leftover dressing.
To make salad: In a very large bowl, combine lettuce, spinach, radicchio,
red onions, green olives, mushrooms, eggs, hearts of palm and bacon. Toss
well. Add blue cheese, croutons and about half to three-quarters of the
dressing. Toss until well-mixed.
To make stacked salads like those served at the restaurant, use a
4-inch-diameter souffle or other dish, pack it full of salad and turn it
upside down in the center of a dinner plate. Carefully top it with a
second dish full of salad. Repeat, making stacked salads on 3 more dinner
plates. Or simply divide salad among 4 dinner plates. Garnish with cherry
tomato halves and top with crispy fried onions. Note: The restaurant makes
the onion rings by coating very thinly sliced red onion rings with flour,
then deep-frying in hot oil. Substitute canned french-fried onion rings,
if desired, or skip them.
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