A while ago I went to visit my son for lunch. We’d planned to go somewhere special, but unfortunately I was very late and instead I made this quick cheese and tomato salad for him, devoured with enthusiasm, with some soft, paper-thin prosciutto. Never a great fan of salad, my son has always been keen on both cheese and ham, usually in the form of a toasted cheese and ham sandwich. This salad was invented as a way of luring him into eating at least one portion of his daily greens….

I made a huge batch of this salad, and there was some left over. My daughter-in-law to be came home much later, tired after a long shift at work. This salad beckoned, and she liked it so much she asked for the recipe.

I’m posting the recipe today, and dedicating the post to them because today is the day when my daughter-in-law to be, becomes my daughter-in-law! We’re (some thirty-odd of us) enjoying it as part of a pre-wedding lunch.

For a post about Ossau Iraty, follow this link.

Recipe for a good-for-you cheese and tomato salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 x 70g mixed baby lettuce
• about 10-12 baby plum tomatoes
• about 5cm/2” cucumber
• about 2.5 cm/1” MILD chorizo from a small diameter (2”/5 cm); or you could use salami
• 30g/½ cup grated cheese – ideally Ossau Irraty
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp THICK balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Make the dressing with the oil, vinegar and salt and pepper.
2. Empty the lettuce into the salad bowl.
3. Cut the tomatoes in half, add to salad bowl.
4. Dice both cucumber and chorizo, add to salad bowl.
5. Scatter cheese on top of salad.
6. Dress.

This post is dedicated to the new Mr and Mrs Thomas Hogg.