8/9/14 ChefElla's Summer Salad Lettuce Wrap

I ate something interesting last week.  It was a bread salad called panzanella.  It was so good.  Panzanella originates in Tuscany, Italy.  It is a salad of stale bread soaked with tomatoes and dressed with oil and vinegar.  For my recipe I wanted to share the great flavors of the panzanella, but add other ingredients to make it into a meal.  While I used ham and chicken, you could use turkey, bacon, mushrooms, asparagus or even fresh corn.  You can follow my recipe for summer salad or you can use your imagination for yours.  Starting with traditional recipes and making them your own is a great way to experiment with unique foods and flavors.

For this recipe you will need to use a knife.  If you are not allowed to use a knife by yourself you can have a grown up help.

1. Wash your hands.

2. For this recipe you will need measuring spoons and cups, a knife, a whisk, l large and 2 medium bowls, a knife, and a cutting board.

ChefElla's Summer Salad Lettuce Wrap (This recipe will make 6-8 portions)

Ingredients:
2 heads      Romaine Lettuce, Pull off 8 large lettuce leaves
                    -Wash leaves and pat dry with a towel.

4 oz            Ham, Thick Sliced, Medium Diced
4 oz            Chicken Breast, Roasted or Grilled, Medium Diced
4 oz            Roma Tomatoes, Diced
1 ea             Large Avocado, Medium Diced
                   -Slice avocado in half.  Remove the pit.  Make slits 1/2 inch apart.  Turn the avocado
                    90 degrees and make slits 1/2 inch apart creating squares.  Scoop avocado pieces out
                    of the skin with a spoon.
1 can           Garbanzo Beans, Drained, (14 oz can)

Bread Salad
4 oz             Crusty Bread, Medium Dice
                    -For this recipe use a baguette or hard sourdough bun.  If you are gluten free, use
                     a gluten free bread.  Toast the gluten free bread first before cutting up.
1/4 Cup      Olive Oil
1/4 tsp        Oregano, Dried
1/8 tsp        Garlic Powder
1/8 tsp        Onion Powder    
1/4 tsp        Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp        Parsley, Dried

Chive Dressing
1 Cup         Mayonnaise
                   -I use canola mayonnaise because it tastes like real mayonnaise but has less calories.
1/4 Cup      Milk
                   -You can use almond or soy milk.  Just remember to use an unflavored milk alternative.
1/2 oz         Fresh Chives, minced (1/2 of a package)
1/4 tsp        Tabasco
1/4 tsp        Vinegar, Apple, Red Wine, or Salad Vinegar
1/8 tsp        Onion Powder    
1/4 tsp        Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp        Yellow Mustard

3. Mix together all the ingredients for the bread salad dressing in a medium bowl.  Add the bread
    and mix well.  Let the bread salad sit for at least 30 minutes.
4. Mix together all of the ingredients for the Chive Mayo in a medium bowl.
5. Cut and mix all of the ingredients for the summer salad in your large bowl.  Mix the bread salad
    in with the summer salad
6. Lay out the romaine lettuce leaves.  Fill each leaf with the summer salad.  Top each salad
    with a spoonful of the chive dressing

Serve cold.  Eat your lettuce wrap just like a taco.

You can also wrap the summer salad in a tortilla or chop up the lettuce, mix with the summer salad, and serve as a dinner salad.

Enjoy

- ChefElla