Chopped vegetable salad

The other night we ran out of lettuce, so I made a salad of what we happened to have around. I liked it so much that I will definitely make it again. Make sure to use really high quality cherry tomatoes – this is what I think made it taste especially good. Other types of radicchio, endive, or even red cabbage could be used too. You could also add a variety of other vegetables such as red or yellow peppers, mushrooms, or cucumber. To make it a main dish, add garbanzo beans and/or cheese.

Ingredients:

1 small round purple radicchio, about 3 to 4 inches in diameter.

1 carrot

1 cup cherry tomatoes (I used the Italian variety called datterini)

½ cup of fresh basil leaves

Olive oil

Vinegar, such as balsamic or red wine

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Steps:

1) Cut the radicchio in half vertically, slicing through the core. Using a paring knife, cut out the core on each of the halves. Slice each half crosswise (horizontally) into thin ribbons of about 1 centimeter each. Rinse and dry, using a salad spinner if you have one.

2) Wash and peel the carrot, cut it half lengthwise, and slice it into thin half moons. Other shapes like julienne would work well too.

3) Wash and slice each of the cherry tomatoes in half.

4) Rinse the basil, remove the leaves from the stems, stack the leaves on top of each other and cut crosswise into ribbons about the same width as the radicchio.

5) Put all of the vegetables in a salad bowl and drizzle lightly with olive oil and vinegar, in about the ratio of 3 to 1. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6) Toss and serve.

Makes 2 generous portions, as shown in the picture.