My father hated salad. I remember him saying, “The only salad worth eating is one with green beans and foie gras, because it’s not all mucked up with lettuce.” And yet, somehow, I grew to love salads, especially the kind with leafy greens. This lettuce-free, classic steakhouse salad, made with first-of-the-season Early Girl tomatoes, sweet young red onions, and slabs of potent Roquefort, is a tribute to my dad, who I know would approve.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Pound the oregano, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mortar to a paste. Remove to a mixing bowl, and stir in the vinegars. Whisk in the olive oil, and taste for balance and seasoning.
Step 2
Peel the onion, and cut it into 1/4-inch-thick rings. Soak the rings in ice water for 5 minutes, to mellow their strong flavor and get them super-crisp.
Step 3
Core the tomatoes. One by one, hold each tomato on its side and slice into 1/4-inch-thick round slices. Spread the slices out on a cutting board or platter, and season them with the fleur de sel and some pepper. Drain the onion slices, pat them dry with paper towels, and toss them with a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon, and a teaspoon of the vinaigrette.
Step 4
Slice the cheese into 1/4-inch-thick slabs.
Step 5
Arrange half the tomatoes overlapping on a large chilled platter. Tuck half the onions and half the Roquefort in and around the tomatoes. Spoon half the vinaigrette over the salad, and scatter half the basil over it. Arrange the remaining tomatoes, onions, and Roquefort on top. Spoon the rest of the vinaigrette over the salad, and sprinkle the remaining basil around.
