Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
- 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic put through garlic press
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the salad:
- 3 pieces pancetta, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 (12-ounce) package mixed baby salad greens
- 1/2 English cucumber, halved, diced 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 large tomato, diced in 1/2-inch pieces
- 12 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in 1/2 vertically
- 2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
To make the dressing:
In a blender combine all ingredients except olive oil. Pulse several times until well combined. Once combined, turn machine on and slowly add in olive oil. Chill until ready to use.
To prepare the salad:
In a medium fry pan over medium heat, cook the pancetta until crispy. Remove to paper-towel lined plate to drain and cool. Clean out pan with paper towel and in same pan over medium heat, lightly toast the pine nuts. Remove to a plate and set aside to cool. Wash and dry greens, place in refrigerator to chill 10 to 15 minutes. Also chill individual salad plates or a platter if serving salad family-style.
When ready to serve, in a large bowl toss together salad greens, cucumber and tomato with just enough dressing to lightly coat salad. Place salad on chilled individual plates or platter. Dress top of salad with pancetta, pine nuts, olives, Gorgonzola and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.
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By amy_12483848
Pleasant Hill, 77
on September 09, 2012
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Loved this the first time I made it and every time since. It is so fresh and lively with all the basil. I've made it several times for friends and it always gets rave reviews. You'll think it's too much basil the first time you make it but it's not. This salad dressing is to die for. I make it often and use a mix of lettuces, cherry tomatoes sliced in two, a little cooked pancetta, some parmesan and some toasted pine nuts. Amazing!
By dpinker1
Baldwinsville, NY
on August 21, 2011
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This recipe is now a standard in our home. We grow fresh basil in the summer and what a great way to enjoy it. I've made this a few times now and the taste is great and goes well on salads such as greens, cucumber, whatever you have in your garden. I find the mustard perfect but we use a lot of it in cooking. Pancetta tops it off but should you not have any it's fine alone or use ham, salami, whatever you have on hand. Make it your own and you will find yourself using it every summer! Thanks Guy!
By KitchenMagician2
New York
on January 25, 2011
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I made this salad for my Dad's retirement party (his office of 20+ people were invited, plus friends and family needless to say, I needed a lot of salad. To adapt this more to my liking, I replaced the cucumber for avocado and the Gorgonzola with feta cheese and added some lemon juice and zest to the dressing. I don't know exactly how much more than the usual recipe I used, but I ended up using our kitchen sink from AERO Manufacturing. Of course, we cleaned it first. Everyone enjoyed it, not the best salad ever, but it did satisfy close to 30 people, and I have a great story to tell about a kitchen sink salad made in a kitchen sink.
Read all 6 reviews