Spicy Italian Salad

Prep time: 30 min
Servings: 6
Yield: 6 servings

Description

A marinated artichoke dressing and two types of olives are the highlight of this zesty romaine lettuce salad.

Ingredients

1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup tarragon vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (8 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
5 cups romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried, and chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 carrot, grated
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup black olives
1/4 cup pitted green olives
1/2 cucumber, sliced
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1 In a medium container with a lid, mix canola oil, tarragon vinegar, sugar, thyme, dry mustard, and garlic. Cover, and shake until well blended. Place artichoke hearts in mixture, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator, at least 4 hours or overnight.
2 In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, red bell pepper, carrot, red onion, black olives, green olives, cucumber, and Romano cheese. Season with pepper. Pour in artichoke and marinade mixture; toss to coat.