Sensational Summer Salad

This is one of our favorite summer salads, and it's hearty enough to stand alone as a filling lunch or a light supper. Grilled chicken breast, crumbled gorgonzola, Granny Smith apple, plum tomatoes, pecans and dried cranberries top a bed of fresh mixed baby greens. The dressing is our basic balsamic vinaigrette. Even though it's basically a ‘what-you-see-is-what-you-get’ sort of recipe, we thought we'd go ahead and write it down for you. For the amount of each ingredient in the salad, just use your judgement...

THE SALAD

• Grilled Chicken Breast, cut across the grain into thin strips
• Granny Smith apples, washed then cut into 1/4" slices
• Crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, or other blue veined cheese
• Pecan Halves (optional step: toast over medium high heat in a dry skillet till you smell them)
• Plum Tomato, cut into eighths
• Dried Cranberries (We're partial to Ocean Spray's orange-flavored ‘Craisins’)
• Mixed Baby Greens (Our favorite mix is from Fresh Express: Tender Ruby Reds, and consists of red and green baby butter lettuce and baby spinach)

THE DRESSING: BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

This is the usual concoction we whip up when it's a creamy balsamic vinaigrette we're after. The amounts are approximate and should be adjusted to taste or according to how many servings you're trying to make...

Combine in a small mixing bowl:

• 1 tsp mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• a few microplane swipes worth of lemon zest
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp rice wine vineagar
• pinch coarse kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 heaping tsp fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 1 heaping tsp fresh chives, chopped fine

Whisk to combine thoroughly. While continuing to whisk, slowly stream in

• 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

until well emulsified.

This salad is inspired by a salad we used to devour at a swanky dive in New York City called Live Bait. This was more years ago than we care to admit publicly, and the salad has long since been dropped from their menu. We're happy to find that they are still in business, and probably should pay them a nostalgic visit the next time we find ourselves in the Big Apple. Wow, it's been awhile, but that's another topic entirely... Enjoy!