COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ingredients:
Salad:
(measurements according to preference and size of salad)
Greens, any variety
Green beans, cleaned, cut and blanched
Red potatoes, boiled or baked
Cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
Artichoke quarters, drained
Olives, pitted
Hard-boiled eggs, quartered
White beans, drained and rinsed
Red onions, thinly sliced
For dressing:
Juice of one lemon
3 Tbsps. shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. (heaping) Dijon mustard
1 tsp. fresh thyme
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Honey for sweetening
Instructions:
To make dressing, combine all of the ingredients except the oil. Then whisk in oil at the end. Adjust salt, pepper and honey to taste.
To make perfect hard-boiled eggs, place eggs in pot and fill with cold water to about an inch above the eggs. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn off heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Immediately place in bowl of ice water. The eggs will turn out perfectly every time! And the ice water bath makes them easier to peel. Cut into quarters.
In a separate pot, bring potatoes to a boil and cook until fork-tender. Place in bowl and mix with a bit of dressing so that the potatoes can absorb the dressing while still warm. Wash and trim green beans. Place in pot of water and bring to a boil. Boil for only about four to five minutes until slightly tender. Immediately place in bowl of ice water to retain their bright green color. Then transfer to bowl and toss with a bit of dressing.
On a large platter, arrange greens as a bed for the other salad ingredients.
Arrange salad ingredients in groups and keep them separate, allowing each person to combing later when plated. Top with dressing. Reserve the rest for serving.
Enjoy!