Italian Basil Salad with Red Wine Herb Vinaigrette

By HeatherS

Ingredients

• For the Salad:
• Half a loaf of Italian bread
• A few generous splashes of olive oil
• 1 x6 ounce bag of baby romaine lettuce or any other salad green mixture
• A big handful of whole fresh basil leaves
• A thinly sliced red onion or the pickled red onions
• A sprinkle or two of salt and pepper
• For the Vinaigrette:
• 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
• 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• Two heaping spoonfuls of Dijon mustard
• Several heaping spoonfuls of grated Romano cheese
• A generous spoonful of dried oregano
• A generous spoonful of dried basil
• A sprinkle or two of salt and pepper

Details

Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 30mins

Preparation

Step 1

For the Salad:

1.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the bread into cubes and toss with enough olive oil to coat each one. Spread the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, about fifteen minutes.

2.Tear or chop the lettuce into bite sized pieces. Toss it with the basil leaves, red onion and a generous splash of the vinaigrette. Top with the croutons and season with a sprinkle or two of salt and pepper.

For the Vinaigrette:

1.Mix everything together until smooth vinaigrette forms. A blender, food processor or an old-fashioned whisk and bowl all work well but I prefer my immersion blender. It’s easier to clean up!