ANTIPASTO SALAD WITH BALSAMICO

Ingredients:

Salad:

1 medium red onion

1/4 cup red wine vinegar mixed with 1/4 cup water

Greens: 1 small head romaine, radicchio and curly endive

1/2 cup pine nuts

1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced diagonally up to green

3 ounces shaved Parmesan

3 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto, cut into bite-sized squares

1 cup basil leaves

1 cup whole parsley leaves

Dressing:

8 cloves garlic diced

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup Cavalli balsamico condiment

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions;

Peel and thinly slice the onion.  Soak it for 30 minutes in a mixture of wine vinegar and water.  Drain.

Rinse and spin-dry the greens.  Tear them into bite-size pieces and mix well.  Refrigerate, covered until 30 minutes before serving time.

If the pine nuts are not supremely fresh and fragrant, toast them for 5 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Prep the other ingredients and hold them for assembly.

Dressing:

Simmer the garlic cloves over very lowest heat for 5 minutes in olive oil, until the garlic has just lightly colored.  Off the heat add the balsamico, salt and pepper to taste.

Salad Assembly:

In a large salad bowl, toss all the greens, most of the pine nuts, half of the scallions, cheese and prosciutto, and all of the basil and parsley.

Arrange the salad on a serving platter.  Strew on the red onion, the remaining nuts, scallions and cheese.  Drizzle on the warm dressing and serve immediately.

For serving on individual plates, I would toss the dressing with the greens etc. and garnish with onions and remaining nuts, scallions, cheese and prosciutto.

Yield: 8 servings

Adapted from Lynne Rossetto Kasper's book, The Splendid Table, (Morrow, 1992)