Southern Italian Style Arugula Salad with a Fruity Twist Recipe
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Southern Italian Style Arugula Salad with a Fruity Twist
August 3, 2015 by Laura 9 Comments
Crisp, refreshing and delicious, Southern Italian Style Arugula Salad with melons or peaches is the perfect antidote to summer heat!
I have mentioned to many people that southern Italy (Calabria) really inspired me with their salads. This is the first such example. The one crucial ingredient in common to the Southern Italian style salads–or the 2 crucial ingredients I should say, are arugula in the salad (although not necessarily all arugula) and a good balsamic vinegar for the dressing. I bet a lot of you thought I would say a good extra virgin olive oil, but I am sorry to report that Italian extra virgin olive oils did not…
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%20really%20inspired%20me%20with%20their%20salads.%20This%20is%20the%20first%20such%20example.%20The%20one%20crucial%20ingredient%20in%20common%20to%20the%20Southern%20Italian%20style%20salads%E2%80%93or%20the%202%20crucial%20ingredients%20I%20should%20say,%20are%20arugula%20in%20the%20salad%20(although%20not%20necessarily%20all%20arugula)%20and%20a%20good%20balsamic%20vinegar%20for%20the%20dressing.%20I%20bet%20a%20lot%20of%20you%20thought%20I%20would%20say%20a%20good%20extra%20virgin%20olive%20oil,%20but%20I%20am%20sorry%20to%20report%20that%20Italian%20extra%20virgin%20olive%20oils%20did%20not%20really%20make%20me%20go%20wow.%20I%20realize%20this%20is%20most%20likely%20a%20failing%20on%20my%20part,%20not%20the%20olive%20oil!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAs%20to%20the%20balsamic,%20balsamic%20vinegar%20in%20Italy%20was%20my%20big%20revelation.%20I%20mean,%20I%20had%20always%20liked%20balsamic%20vinegar,%20but%20in%20Italy%20I%20fell%20in%20love%20with%20it.%20I%20still%20have%20not%20reconciled%20what%20I%20learned%20in%20Italy%20with%20how%20it%20is%20labeled%20here%20(in%20the%20States),%20so%20I%20hesitate%20to%20try%20to%20advise%20you%20much,%20because%20for%20now%20I%20am%20using%20a%20medium%20aged%20Balsamico%20I%20brought%20home%20with%20me%20from%20Florence%20(it%20is%20the%20bottle%20in%20the%20pictures).%20Accordng%20to%20the%20man%20on%20the%20food%20tour%20of%20Florence%20who%20spoke%20to%20us%20about%20balsamic%20vinegar,%20there%20is%20no%20way%20to%20know%20how%20long%20a%20Balsamico%20has%20been%20aged,%20but%20you%20can%20learn%20how%20many%20times%20it%20has%20changed%20barrels%20based%20on%20the%20number%20of%20seals%20on%20it%20(this%20vinegar%20I%20used%20in%20this%20salad%20has%202%20such%20labels,%20whereas%20the%20much%20more%20expensive%20one%20I%20also%20brought%20home%20has%203%20such%20seals).%20The%20only%20problem%20is%20that%20in%20America%20I%20have%20seen%20few%20of%20these%20seals%20on%20the%20balsamic%20vinegar.%20As%20soon%20as%20I%20buy%20some%20vinegars%20I%20am%20happy%20with%20here%20I%20will%20let%20you%20know%20what%20I%20am%20liking.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOther%20important%20ingredients?%20Some%20animal%20based%20protein,%20often%20prosciutto%20crudo%20or%20tuna,%20some%20cheese,%20either%20an%20aged%20pecorino%20romano%20(our%20preference)%20or%20a%20fresh%20mozzarella,%20and%20supporting%20role%20vegetables,%20of%20which%20the%20one%20that%20was%20the%20most%20pleasant%20surprise%20to%20me%20was%20corn.%20These%20were%20huge%20salads,%20main%20dish%20salads.%20They%20were%20a%20lifesaver%20when%20it%20got%20hot%E2%80%93I%20had%20no%20interest%20in%20pasta%20or%20heavy%20meat%20primo%20and%20secondo%20dishes.%20I%20just%20wanted%20a%20big,%20refreshing,%20crisp%20cold%20salad.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20have%20since%20made%20several%20different%20versions%20of%20these%20salads,%20and%20I%20will%20share%20more%20in%20the%20days%20to%20come,%20but%20for%20now%20this%20is%20my%20midwestern%20summer%20twist%20on%20one%20of%20these%20salads.%20I%20used%20a%20mix%20of%20arugula%20and%20leaf%20lettuces,%20cooked%20corn%20fresh%20off%20the%20cob,%20aged%20pecorino%20romano,%20and%20my%202%20more%20unusual%20(as%20far%20as%20I%20know,%20to%20an%20Italian)%20ingredients:%20crispy%20American%20bacon%20and%20fresh%20seasonal%20fruit,%20either%20cantaloupe%20or%20peaches%20(I%20had%20a%20choice%20because%20some%20of%20us%20love%20cantaloupe%20and%20some%20of%20us%20do%20not,%20namely,%20me).%20The%20salad%20was%20a%20big%20hit%20and%20has%20led%20to%20me%20playing%20with%20more%20versions,%20which%20I%20will%20share%20in%20the%20future.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESouthern%20Italian%20Style%20Arugula%20Salad%20%20%20All%20amounts%20are%20to%20taste.%20Obviously%20I%20usually%20include%20more%20lettuce%20and%20arugula%20than%20other%20ingredients.%20%20Author:%20TheSpicedLife%20Recipe%20type:%20Entree%20Cuisine:%20salads%20%20%20Ingredients%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ERed%20and/or%20green%20leaf%20lettuce,%20rinsed%20and%20patted%20dry,%20ripped%20into%20smaller%20pieces%20Baby%20arugula%20Corn%20kernels,%20cooked%20until%20crisp%20tender%20in%20salted%20water%20Crumbled,%20crisply%20cooked%20bacon%20Shredded%20or%20grated%20Pecorino%20Romano%20cheese%20Tomato%20wedges%20(or%20grape%20or%20cherry%20tomatoes)%20Cantaloupe%20cut%20into%20chunks%20OR%20sliced%20peaches%20(I%20left%20the%20skin%20on)%20Extra%20virgin%20olive%20oil%20A%20good,%20medium%20aged%20balsamic%20vinegar%20%20%20Instructions%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EToss%20all%20of%20the%20ingredients%20together%20except%20the%20fruit%20and%20oil%20and%20vinegar.%20Let%20each%20person%20top%20with%20fruit%20of%20choice%20(or%20only%20make%20with%20one%20of%20the%20fruits,%20in%20which%20case%20toss%20it%20in%20yourself).%20Let%20each%20person%20drizzle%20with%20oil%20and%20vinegar%20to%20taste.%20%203.3.3077%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFor%20those%20who%20love%20Pinterest%20collages,%20here%20is%20a%20fun%20one!%3C/p%3E){kind=link}