Viva La Ensalada

Isn't family wonderful? Sure, they can drive you bonkers, but if they didn't there wouldn't be any therapists. And if there weren't any therapists, who would buy cottages in Martha's Vineyard? No one, that's who. It may not seem like this would upset the delicate economic structure of our great nation, but it oh, it could.

I mention family because Fred, Walt and I spent a week down in Hilton Head, SC with my parents, my brothers and their wives, their kids and his mother. What's the saying...two's company but your entire family is being buried alive in a shoe box? Something like that. Actually, we all managed to squeeze in a good time and no one ended up throwing drinks in someone's face or driving off in a rage. There weren't even any slammed doors! (There were also no teenagers, so that may explain why.)

My 8-year-old-niece lets Walt supervise her on the Digging To China '09 Project

The best part is that there were 3 grandparents, 2 sets of uncles and aunts and 3 cousins who were ready and willing to look after Walt. It seemed like there was always someone to watch the little bugger. Fred and I took advantage by taking many swims (me), working on our latest book (Fred), and stuffing our mouths full of chocolate (both) with toddler-free abandon. The stuffing wasn't limited to chocolate and more than frequently involved some sort of grilled meat. Or roasted meat. Or deli meat. Hell, we ate a lot of meat.

I think this was taken after I consumed 14 hot dogs.

Once we arrived home, we proclaimed that we would have vegetarian meals for a week. Our colons gurgled in relief.

The only problem with eating vegetarian in our case is boredom fueled by laziness. We eat pretty much 3 types of vegetarian meals because they're easy: pasta dishes, Asian dishes and salads. Once in a while we'll throw in a beans and rice dish but that's pretty much it.

So when we decided to have a big salad one night, I decided to try and get a little fancy. I reached into the recesses of our recipe bin to see what I could find. Even though a recipe for salad strikes me as odd. I mean, it's salad! Just mix and eat, right? Well color me converted. Because the recipe I picked opened my eyes to a whole new world of chipotle spiked dressings and lots and lots of corn.

It's a Southwestern Caesar and it's anything but boring. If you're looking for a good summer salad, look above. The dressing is equal parts heat and fat and is so very, very good tossed among cool diced Romaine and flecks of corn. We kept it simple, but it can totally be dressed up with beans, grilled shrimp, chicken or the 6 cow's worth of beef Fred and I consumed on our vacation.

I initially wanted to serve it with warmed flour tortillas but instead opted for some wonderfully doughy potato rolls. Not very authentic, but delish nonetheless. And a lot easier on our digestive systems than animals and in-laws.


Southwestern Caesar with Chipotle Dressing.

Bon Appétit | March 1997

Hyatt Regency at Gainy Ranch, Scottsdale AZ

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tablespoon canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chilies (in adobo sauce)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

• 1 large head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, drained
• 4 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Whisk mayonnaise, chicken broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, chipotles and brown sugar in medium bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. (Dressing can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Mix lettuce, tomatoes and corn in large bowl. Add dressing and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and serve.