If you want the “dirt” on one of the best summer salads around, you’ve come to the right place. Please don’t let the name throw you off! This unique salad combines the savory flavors of three umami-rich ingredients – tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese – blended with divine flavors of aromatic fresh basil, nuts, olive oil and hearty rye bread.
Course
Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine
American
Servings4
Ingredients
For the “dirt” (crumbs):
2Tbsp.olive oilmore if needed
3large brown mushroomswashed/minced fine
3slicesdark rye breadfinely crumbed in food processor
1Tbsp.heaping ground almonds
Salt or MSG to taste
For the salad:
8oz.fresh mozzarella cheeseor ricotta cheese
Sliced fresh tomatoesenough for 4 salads
Wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh chopped basil leaves
Seasoning to tastesalt, pepper, MSG
Instructions
Sauté the finely minced mushrooms in a skillet with some olive oil until they become earthy tasting/looking.
Add the rye bread crumbs and ground almonds to the mushrooms in the skillet, continue sautéing the mixture until it is crisp.
In each of four salad bowls or plates, place ¼ of the cheese, then top with sliced tomatoes (as many as you wish).
Now for the “dirt.” Spoon as much of the mushroom/bread crumb mixture as desired on top of the tomatoes and cheese.
Mix together the olive oil and wine vinegar (to your own taste); drizzle over the tomatoes/cheese/dirt salad; top with fresh chopped basil.