Hello everyone,

After my last post for gooey macaroni and cheese, I thought I would give you something a little healthier to try.

This salad is a take on a salad nicoise. However, salad nicoise is traditionally served with fish, and apparently anchovies too. Since I’m not the biggest anchovy fan, and happened to have some leftover steak that John and made for me, I had to re-name this salad.

The first time I heard the term “deconstructed salad” was from my cousin Lori. So that is what I’m calling this one.

I love this kind of salad. The different proteins – egg and steak, the fats – avocado and cheese, the starch – boiled baby potatoes, the satisfying steamed veggies – green beans and carrots, and the fresh vegetables – tomato and cucumber, all served on a bed of lettuce with a lovely red wine vinegar tarragon dressing. You can do all or any of the ingredients, depending what you have in the fridge. This salad is so satisfying compared to a regular salad, and in my option looks just lovely plated!

So if you want something nice and healthy but doesn’t leave you with the emptiness in your stomach that a light salad sometimes does (at least for me,) a nice deconstructed salad will hit the spot.

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here to view printable Word version of recipe:
Deconstructed Salad

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Deconstructed Salad

INGREDIENTS:

Romaine lettuce – 3 leafs per salad, torn

Meat of choice. Try:
– Leftover steak
– Leftover pork chop
– Fish
– Chicken breast

Any or all of the following:

Hard-boiled egg, sliced
Cheese, cut into cubes
Green beans, steamed
Sliced carrot, steamed
Baby  potatoes, boiled
Beets, roasted
Avocado, sliced
Tomato, sliced
Cucumber, sliced

DRESSING

½ cup olive oil
Juice of ½ a lemon
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon or grainy mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp parsley, minced
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make a bed of lettuce on a plate.
2. Place all salad ingredients in sections on the bed of lettuce, keeping each food in separate segments.
3. Season everything with salt and pepper (this is key!)
4. Drizzle with dressing and serve!