Trattoria Salad, Issue #82

[foodfiend]

I made this for guests last weekend and it was wonderful! The baste was so delicious, and the vinaigrette, since it was primarily made from the baste ingredients, added so much flavor to this. I added some crumbled goat cheese to my salad (DH used the cubed sharp provolone option) and that really made it something special.

Now, because I used what I had on hand, I pureed nectarines until smooth, added an equal amount of water, and made the bast from that and a can of peach nectar (I doubled the recipe). I had apricot jam, so I used that instead of peach. So it was "stone fruit" baste and vinaigrette! I used nectarines on the skewers instead of peaches.






We set the table outside, on the patio down by the river, and it was an absolutely perfect evening-- excellent food, wonderful friends, and seranaded by tree frogs!

[chef_Tab]

Thanks for the review, Vicci. We eat a lot of salads so I am looking forward to trying this one now. Your table looks so festive and fun. Now......what is the tall drink?

[karyn]

Thanks for the review Vicci. My husband requested salad for dinner tonight, but until I read your review I wasn't feeling inspired. Now I know what we'll have!

[cjs]

I see the first picture, but not the second. The recipes and your substitutions sound delicious.

[Gourmet_Mom]

Thanks for the review, Vicci. I'll mark this one.

[foodfiend]

Jean, they're the same pictures-- I was trying to increase the size... computer-challenged again!

Theresa, the tall drink is ice water! But there is a very nice sauvignon blanc (Mudd House) next to it. We had been imbibing rum drinks for 3 hours prior to the photo...

Please let me know, everyone, if you like the recipe as much as we did (the guests could not stop raving!).

[HomeCulinarian]

Going to have to try this!

[chef_Tab]

Wow! This is incredible! Oh, Vicci, thank you so much, I may not have noticed this one otherwise. I used the peach nectar concoction to deglaze the pancetta pan and continued simmering it down in that. Everything about this dish is wonderful. The dressing is my new favorite. This whole recipe is perfect as it is, but I would like to try it with a bit of freshly grated parm reg.

[foodfiend]

Theresa, we had this again tonight, too. I made lots of baste and vinaigrette last weekend-- I always tend to overestimate what I will need...

Glad that you enjoyed it, the parm reg sounds like a good option for when I am out of goat cheese. Tonight I used toasted slivered almonds in place of the pine nuts and that was a good option, too.

[chef_Tab]

I think we will be having it before the week is up again too. This is definitely a 12 out of 10.