Poppycakes on the return here, all Florida-ed and new nieced-up and ready to share a meal or two. I am due some poetry month catch up and as today's final prompt is to write a fade-away poem,
One of my favorite all time poems about fading is Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats.
And if your heart aches and a drowsy numbness pains your sense, maybe you're just craving some good old soaked salad. Apparently, the good people of Little Rock swear by this salad for a side with spaghetti. It sounds great to me.
Faded Rose Creole Soaked Salad
2 heads lettuce greens, preferably different kinds (romaine, Boston,
iceberg or curly top)
2 large medium-ripe Creole tomatoes (beefsteak or Jersey)
about 1/2 cup chopped olives
3-4 green onions, chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 /2 teaspoon salt
1 /4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 /8 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
1 /2 teaspoon dried basil OR 1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
Wash and dry lettuce. Wash tomatoes, pare ends and cut into chunks. Place in a large stainless steel, porcelain or plastic bowl. Add olives and green onions.
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, wine vinegar, lemon juice and seasonings; whisk with a wire whisk or fork or combine in an electric blender. Pour over salad and toss to mix thoroughly. It's OK to bruise the chunks of tomato a bit; their juice is an important part of the dressing. Just don't mash them. Cover salad bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Serve in individual salad or dessert bowls and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the liquid from the bottom of the salad bowl over each portion.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.