Guests will love eating this “salad on a stick” without any need for a fork or plate.
By Linda Hubbard
Summer Salad Skewers
Makes 24 skewers / Serves 12
These salad skewers were made for summer picnics and backyard barbeques. Essentially a salad on a stick, they’re easy to hold and consume without the need for utensils or even a plate. Guests will especially be attracted to the colorful display of vegetables, cheeses and meats. And the vinaigrette dressing adds just the right amount a zip to top off this delightful salad. Serve them on a platter already dressed or serve the dressing on the side in a squirt bottle for easy application. Enjoy!
Salad:
Ingredients
- 24 wooden skewers – 12” long
- 1 head iceberg lettuce –
- Remove a few outer leaves from the head of lettuce, if they are wilted.
- Cut a 1½-inch-thick slice from the side of the iceberg lettuce head. Place the flat side down on the cutting board and cut the slice into 1-inch cubes.
- The cubes will contain multiple layers of lettuce, making them easy to thread onto skewers while still providing plenty of crunch.
- Repeat this process on the rest of the lettuce head.
- 1-pint kalamata olives, pitted (available in the grocery gourmet olive section)
- 1-pint small mozzarella balls, cut in half (available in the grocery gourmet cheese section)
- 2 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces (use a mix of either orange, yellow or red)
- 1 English cucumber, cut into half moons
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in ½
Optional: Experiment with various ingredients –
- Chesses: cheddar, provolone, Swiss
- Olives: canned, gourmet … any that are pitted
- Vegetables: mushrooms, onion, blanched broccoli florets
- Meats: bacon, salami, pepperoni, prosciutto
- Breads: croutons, sourdough cubes
- Dressings: Caesar, ranch, blue cheese
Instructions
- Wash and chop all ingredients as directed.
- Create an assembly line of ingredients and skewer each ingredient to fill the stick
- Drizzle a small amount of dressing over the whole platter, if desired. Serve additional dressing on the side. (If you anticipate leftovers, do not dress ahead of time)
Vinaigrette Dressing:
Ingredients
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Add all dressing ingredients to a mason jar or a plastic squirt bottle (with a pointed top) and shake vigorously until well blended.
- Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar as desired.
- Store in refrigerator to cool and thicken slightly.
Optional: Use your favorite store-bought dressing(s). Pour it into the plastic squirt bottle for easy application.
Linda Hubbard is an RN, Nutrition Specialist & Founder of To Your Health, a national nutrition and wellness coaching firm based in Wallingford, CT.