Tuscan Salad Recipes

COLORFUL TUSCAN BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• In a large salad bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until serving. Stir in basil. Serve with a slotted spoon.

TUSCAN TOSSED SALAD

Steps:

• Place bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet; drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Bake at 400° for 5-7 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool on a wire rack., For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, basil, anchovies, garlic, salt, pepper and remaining oil. In a large bowl, combine the greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, celery, onion and red peppers., In a 3-qt. trifle bowl or deep salad bowl, layer with a third of the bread cubes and a third of the greens mixture; drizzle with a third of the dressing. Repeat layers twice. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

TUSCAN SALAD

Steps:

• Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl.
• Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.
• Just before serving, shake dressing again and pour over salad. Toss to coat salad.

GRILLED TUSCAN TUNA SALAD

Steps:

• For the tuna: Remove the tuna from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high for direct grilling. Mix together the fennel, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
• Brush the tuna with canola oil on both sides and sprinkle with the spice mixture. Grill until charred on both sides and cooked to medium doneness, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into medium dice.
• For the salad dressing: Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, rosemary, anchovies and garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking, until it all emulsifies. For a sweeter and thicker texture, whisk in a teaspoon of honey at a time, until desired taste and consistency is reached.
• For the salad: Combine the beans, olives, fennel, onion and tuna in a large bowl. Add the dressing and gently toss to coat. Add the greens, basil and parsley , season with salt and pepper, and toss again.
• For serving: Mound the salad on a platter and sprinkle the remaining lemon juice over the top.

TUSCAN KALE SALAD

Steps:

• Trim bottom 2 inches off kale stems and discard. Slice kale, including ribs, into 3/4-inch-wide ribbons. You should have 4 to 5 cups. Place kale in a large bowl.
• If using bread, toast it until golden on both sides. Tear it into small pieces and grind in a food processor until mixture forms coarse crumbs.
• Using a mortar and pestle, or with the back of a knife, pound garlic into a paste. Transfer garlic to a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper flakes and black pepper, and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over kale and toss very well to thoroughly combine (dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat leaves).
• Let salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with bread crumbs, additional cheese and a drizzle of oil.

NONNA'S TUSCAN SALAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Place the mayonnaise, vinegar, water, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, oregano, basil, and black pepper into a blender. Blend for 2 minutes, then pour into a salad dressing container, and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Shake well before using.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Soak the beans in water to cover overnight.
• Drain the beans and simmer in water to cover until tender (about 30 minutes).
• Combine the remaining ingredients and toss with the warm beans. Correct seasoning and add more olive oil if necessary. Serve at room temperature.

TUSCAN RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Bring large saucepan of water to boil. Stir in rice and salt. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until rice is tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Drain rice well.
• Whisk vinegar and oil in large bowl. Add warm rice and toss to coat.
• Whisk egg and Parmesan cheese in small bowl to blend. Spray medium nonstick skillet with vegetable oil spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add egg mixture and stir constantly until scrambled and curds are set, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool. Cut egg into small pieces. Season to taste with pepper.
• Stir egg pieces, pork, peas, red onion and parsley into rice. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Line shallow bowl with lettuce leaves. Spoon rice salad onto leaves. Surround with tomato wedges. Serve at room temperature.