Best of Summer Chopped Salad

When summer provides the colorful bounty of fruits and vegetables that only warm sunny days and mild nights can deliver, I can't get to the Farmers Market fast enough. I love the unique varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers mixed with the freshest onions and a tangy vinaigrette, eaten straight from the bowl. Make it just once and you'll see what I mean!

This recipe was inspired by the red tomatoes, green cucumbers, and yellow and orange peppers I bought at the market one weekend. I just chopped them up, combined them with some of the freshest crunchy persian cucumbers and a red onion that was hanging out on the counter. I would have eaten it just like that with a little salt and pepper because everything was so fresh and sweet, but thought a simple vinaigrette would make the flavors sing - and man oh man, I was right.

Ingredients

The ingredients for the perfect summer chopped salad are the ones that are at peak season. Just the vibrance of the raw vegetables on their own shouts healthy and delicious to me!

• Yellow and orange sweet peppers: You probably have your favorite sweet bell peppers since these days there are so many colors to choose from. I used yellow and orange for color and because I like to munch on them, but theoretically, if you like the green and purple peppers better, use those in this dish instead.
• Cucumbers: For salads, I like to use Persian, Armenian, or English cucumbers the best because their seeds are small and their skins are edible and not bitter. Here, I used the smaller Persians.
• Tomatoes: You could make this with red cherry tomatoes or gently chop some larger red-skinned heirloom tomatoes like Beefsteak, Cherokee Purple, Brandywine or Striped German. You want a tomato with a vibrant sweetness and low acid.
• Red onion: I love red onions in salads because they add a sweet crunch with just a little bite on the backend. They want you to know they're there. And you do.
• Extra virgin avocado or olive oil (cold-pressed): Because of the simplicity of the dish, you'll taste every ingredient, so you want to use the freshest veggies and the highest quality oils and condiments. Find a good extra virgin cold-press olive or avocado oil.
• White wine vinegar: I like a light vinegar for this so have used a white wine vinegar that just sings with these vegetables. You could also use a white balsamic vinegar which is a little sweeter (but not sweet) or apple cider vinegar which is a little sharper.
• Garlic (or shallots): Look for garlic bulbs that are uniform and that do not have any sprouts or soft spots. They should not smell (a fresh garlic bulb does not smell until you crack the skin around the cloves).
• Dijon mustard: Use a good Dijon mustard that doesn't contain any additives or sugars. The only ingredients for a traditional Dijon mustard should be brown mustard seeds, white wine, vinegar, water and salt.
• Salt and pepper: In salads, I like to use either a good sea salt or a finishing salt like Maldon because the flavor of the salt is subtle, not medicinal. Buy good quality black peppercorns and use a peppermill to grind pepper so it's fresh.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make the Best of Summer Salad

To make this quick and easy salad, you simply:

1. Chop each ingredient. Chop the peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions evenly into ⅛" dice and add to a large mixing bowl.
2. Make the dressing. Add the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, minced garlic clove and olive oil to a bowl and use a whisk to mix until emulsified. Transfer to an airtight jar.
3. Add the dressing to the vegetables. Take care to add just a little at a time, then mix and taste. Raw vegetables like these are so light and contain so much water, they can get weighed down by too much dressing. Go light!
4. Enjoy! Enjoy as a side salad with your main meal, as a light lunch, or use as a relish alongside other dishes.

Variations

This is such a versatile dish. You can make it your own in so many ways. Here are just a few:

• Add spicy peppers. Add jalapeno or banana peppers to spice it up!
• Add avocado. Dice up an avocado and add to make the salad creamier and heartier.
• Chop the vegetables in larger chunks. Line a salad bowl with some beautiful wild lettuces and spoon the dressed veggies on top!
• Be adventurous with different vegetables. Chop up some radishes, carrots or other veggies languishing in the fridge and mix them in.

There are a million ways to make a salad - especially if you've decided to eat a Salad Every Day!

Equipment

Salads don't demand a lot of equipment, but they can definitely be made more easily and more successfully with a few good tools.

• Chef's knife: If you're going to chop vegetables, you're going to need a good chef's knife. And, since a good chef's knife is a foundational kitchen tool, buy a good quality one and take care of it. I use a heavy German 8" hollow edge chef's knife from Wustoff which has served me for years, but you might also consider a lighter Japanese knife from Shun like this one. These knives feel differently in the hand but offer long-term value, if cared for well.
• Serrated knife: You'll also need a serrated knife to cut through the thin skins of the tomatoes without smushing the delicate interiors. I use this one from Tojiro. As with a chef's knife, buy a good quality one, care for it well and keep it for a long time.
• Glass bowls: When assembling summery salads like this one, I like to use glass bowls because they display all the colors and really complement the beauty of the vegetables. I use this set of bowls and have for years. They come in handy for so many things.
• Cutting board: The purpose of a good cutting board is to help you cut food without damaging your knife. Plastic boards are a good value, come in many sizes and are easy to care for. I like this Farberware one because it is large enough to provide some room to work and has juice grooves so the juice of fruits and vegetables doesn't leak onto the counter or me. A wood board is easier on knives, can be a bit of an investment, and requires a lot of maintenance and care. They are beautiful and useful and if cared for, can last a very long time. There are so many good brands out there. I like this one from The Boardsmith because the end grain boards have finger grooves, juice grooves, and feet so the boards are less likely to warp from trapped moisture. The third type of board is rubber, which is widely used in restaurants.
• Wooden salad bowl: A wooden salad bowl presents a salad in the most dramatic way due to the contrast between the dark wood and the colorful vegetables. It's definitely a serving piece that can be used over and over.

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