Thursday, June 10, 2010

Manchego, Pepperoni and Green Apple Salad


 Yes, it's a manly salad...but I like it too!


We are lucky enough to have a very good cook in the family...my son-in-law.  At our last invitation to dinner at our daughter's home, we were served this delightful salad as a side to a beautiful, grilled hangar steak.  Spicy pepperoni, mellow Manchego cheese, crisp and crunchy green apple and red onion...what an explosion of flavors!


My husband and I both loved it!  It hits the palate with so many wonderful flavors and textures. I decided that it could stand on its own as a light, week day meal and that's exactly what it turned into last night. With a hearty pretzel roll from my favorite bakery, it was a wonderful dinner.

I'm so happy I'm growing both mint and cilantro in my garden right now so I had fresh herbs for the dressing right outside my back door.

Manchego, Pepperoni and Green Apple Salad
Printable Recipe


These are the approximate ingredients I used to make a dinner salad for two since there is no 'real' recipe.  My son-in-law only gave me the list of ingredients and the rest was up to me :)  Adjust according to your taste and how many people you are serving.

4 ounces Manchego (sheeps' milk) cheese, sliced into thin strips or diced
1/3 pound thinly sliced Pepperoni (I like Boar's Head Sandwich-style), sliced into ribbons
1 Green Apple, sliced into bite-sized strips
Red Onion, sliced thin, about 1/2 of a small, red onion
Red leaf lettuce, one large head

Vinaigrette Ingredients (A simple formula for a vinaigrette dressing is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Click here for a good tutorial.)

1/4 cup Champagne or other good, white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

The vinaigrette is best is allowed to rest at least 15 minutes for the flavors to meld.  Toss salad ingredients with vinaigrette to taste and enjoy!

31 comments:

  1. That would be 2 good cooks!!
    The salad looks wonderful! You eat
    Manchego? I know you don't like one of the cheeses I use warm on the salad..

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks fabulous! I'm having guests this weekend and just may have all these ingredients! Thanks!
    xoxo Pattie

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is a very flavorful salad. I like the addition of pepperoni

    ReplyDelete
  4. How nice to have a son-in-law that likes to cook!! My son-in-law only likes to make beer! Your salad looks yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds delicious, and looks to be just that as well. I love the mix of ingredients.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Looks so good! Thanks for the link to the dressing tutorial too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I was reading your posts; there is not one I would not make in a heartbeat! This salad is exquisite, just my kind of salad, the contrast of flavors is wonderful and what a great choice for dinner alfresco.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is one salad not to be reckoned with. I love pepperoni/manchego/apple combo. Perfect mix of salty sweet and spicy.

    ReplyDelete
  9. i'm going to make this. where do you get the pretzel roll?

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a great combination of flavors! Your photos are wonderful as always :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. This looks so delicious! Now I'm wishing I had planted mint in my garden as well.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Fantastic salad, Susan! Love everything about it! and the pretzel roll! Never had one but would love to try!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Manchego is a new cheese for me. The flavors in the dressing with the other ingredients sounds wonderful. Thanks for the introduction to something new.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love the salad and I love the summery feel of those pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  15. This salad looks great (so does that roll!) and I never would have thought to use mint in the dressing, I might give that a try-thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh, this looks like a GREAT salad! I'll be trying this for sure :)

    Blessings!
    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you, all for your kind comments!

    Becky, the pretzel rolls are made by a local bakery called Miller Bakery. Sadly, I doubt if you would be able to find them outside of the Milwaukee area. They are delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Stunning photos!!!!!!! I don't even know what the recipe is yet... had to comment on your photos first. Now I'm off to read your post.

    :)
    ButterYum

    ReplyDelete
  19. Looks so good.....wish I was your next door neighbor

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh yum! Anything with these ingredients has to be good.

    ReplyDelete
  21. ah, thanks for the info re Miller Bakery. I live in South Milwaukee. I'm getting some of those.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Since you live in the area, Becky, go to Sendiks on Rawson Avenue, they carry all the Miller pretzel dough products, such as rolls, batards, brat buns, etc. They are soooo good!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Oh my, all these ingredients sound just lovely together! Manly or not, I could eat a huge bowl of it :) Especially delicious if someone else makes it, I'm sure!

    Sues

    ReplyDelete
  24. That's an amazing recipe, Susan! Never would have thought to add pepperoni to a salad. Your SIL must be a gem!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Great looking salad - nice the SIL will share his recipes or at least the ingredients!!
    NOW, what is this about you going to a bakery for rolls???? I would think after all your posts your bread/roll making would out shine anything a bakery could do!!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I love salads and your looks so good!
    Very nice photos!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Isn't this beautiful. Lovely and delcious.

    ReplyDelete
  28. What a great combination of flavors! We get pretzel rolls from Wegman's here in Upstate NY. They are wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  29. great salad, love the combo of peeproni and apple, my hubby would devour this salad..

    sweetlife

    ReplyDelete
  30. What a delicious combination of flavors. This salad is hearty enough to be a perfect summer meal. Pretzel rolls...I haven't seen anything like this locally but they sound delish.

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comment!