New Orleans Style Italian Salad Food

NEW ORLEANS STYLE ITALIAN SALAD

Steps:

• mix lettuce ,tomato ,celery ,olives ,garlic together
• toss with dressing
• divide onto 8 plates.
• cross anchovies on center of salad
• add pepper artichoke asparagus and shrimp
• shave cheese on top.

MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and minced garlic. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes.
• Place the olives, giardiniera, shallot and oregano in your food processor. Pulse a few times until coarsely chopped.
• Transfer the olive mixture to a bowl. Add half of the garlic oil and vinegar. Stir until throughly mixed.
• Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. For best results, cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight (or up to a week).
• Split the bread in half and brush each cut side with the remaining garlic oil.
• Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, and toast the bread directly in the pan until crisp and golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side.
• Place the bottom part of the bread, cut side up, on a cutting board. Spread half of the olive salad, making sure to include the juices.
• Layer all the Genoa salami, followed by all the ham. Then, layer the provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese, mortadella, prosciutto and soppressata. Finish with the remaining olive salad.
• Close the sandwich and wrap it tightly - two or three times - with plastic wrap.
• Place the muffuletta top side up on a cutting board and put something heavy (like a big book or a heavy pot) on top of it, to compress it. Let it rest for 1 hour. After 1 hour, turn the sandwich upside down and continue compressing for another hour.
• Cut the sandwich into wedges and serve.

NEW ORLEANS SOAKED SALAD

Steps:

• Note: It is important that at least two kinds of lettuce is used and the lettuce is very dry. I wash the lettuce, spin it in a salad spinner and then lay out on a clean kitchen towel to dry.
• Mix all the dressing ingrediants, including dried basil if using, in a bowl and whisk briskly at least 1 minute. If using fresh basil, toss with the lettuce.
• Toss the lettuce with the tomatoes and the shredded basil if using fresh. Pour salad dressing over and toss thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate at least 3-4 hours, or longer if you have time.
• To serve, toss the salad again. Use salad bowls and add a couple of tablespoons of the liquid from the bottom of the bowl to each serving.

REAL N'AWLINS MUFFULETTA

Steps:

• To Make Olive Salad: In a medium bowl, combine the green olives, kalamata olives, garlic, cauliflower, capers, celery, carrot, pepperoncini, cocktail onions, celery seed, oregano, basil, black pepper, vinegar, olive oil and canola oil. Mix together and transfer mixture into a glass jar (or other nonreactive container). If needed, pour in more oil to cover. Cover jar or container and refrigerate at least overnight.
• To Make Sandwiches: Cut loaves of bread in half horizontally; hollow out some of the excess bread to make room for filling. Spread each piece of bread with equal amounts olive salad, including oil. Layer 'bottom half' of each loaf with 1/2 of the salami, ham, mortadella, mozzarella and Provolone. Replace 'top half' on each loaf and cut sandwich into quarters.
• Serve immediately, or wrap tightly and refrigerate for a few hours; this will allow for the flavors to mingle and the olive salad to soak into the bread.

NEW ORLEANS SALAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together.