Terrace Room Terrace Salad
What You’ll Need
For the Salad Base:
2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
2 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or 2 medium tomatoes, diced)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced into half-moons
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
4–6 pepperoncini, sliced into rings (reserve a little juice for the dressing if you like extra tang)
1 large ripe avocado, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
For the Zesty Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs pepperoncini juice (optional)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs mayonnaise
1 tbs grated pecorino romano or parmesan
How to Make
First, let’s make our vinaigrette
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, pepperoncini juice, Dijon, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add mayonnaise and whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in olive oil until combined. Stir in pecorino for an extra creamy, savory boost. Then, taste and adjust: more vinegar/pepperoncini juice for brightness, more yogurt/mayo for creaminess.
Next, it’s time to assemble our salad
In a large bowl, combine romaine, iceberg, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, and pepperoncini. Gently fold in the avocado last to keep the pieces intact.
Now, dress and finish the salad
Drizzle with about half the vinaigrette and toss lightly. Sprinkle pecorino romano over the top. Add more dressing and cheese to your liking!
Enjoy!
