Tomatoes and sweet onion with Roquefort dressing is a traditional Italian salad that easily lends itself well to Italian meals such as Osso Bucco and to lighter meals such as salad and Minestrone soup. Popular Italian restaurants such as Olive Garden serve similar meals of soup and salad.

You can find this simple salad served in New York at some to the finer Italian restaurants as well as on the tables of many Italian families around the world. The Roquefort cheese gives a strong distinctive flavor that pleases even the pickiest of salad eaters. The beauty of this Italian salad is that it is so versatile that it can be served with just about any meal.

Ripe tomatoes
Sweet onions
Basic Italian Dressing
Green scallions
Roquefort cheese
Dried oregano
Salt
Pepper

Slice ripe red tomatoes and sweet onions very thin. Place four tomato slices on each plate. Over the top of the tomatoes lay the onion slices. Drizzle over the top Basic Italian Dressing. Place the two green scallions along the edge of the plate. Crumble the Roquefort cheese over the top and sprinkle with dried oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Basic Italian Dressing

6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, mashed
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Place all salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together with a wire whisk until well blended.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. http://www.gourmayeats.com