Italian Chopped Salad

Steps

1. Place the red onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water (this step keeps the onion's flavor but removes some of its harsh aftertaste). Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad.

2. Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a separate bowl and cover with hot water to rehydrate. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad.

3. Peel the kale leaves off of the stems and discard the stems. Chop the leaves into very thin ribbons. You will have about 6 cups. Place in a very large mixing bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Grab the kale by big handfuls, massaging it with your hands until it turns dark green in color, feels softer, and is fragrant. Don't skip this step! It makes the kale tender and delicious.

4. To the bowl, add the romaine, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, cheese, salami (if using), pepperoncini, and olives.

5. Mix up the dressing: in a large liquid measuring cup or small mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients—olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper. Alternatively, you can shake all of the ingredients together in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid.

6. Drain the red onion and sun-dried tomatoes. Add to the bowl with the romaine mixture.

7. If serving the salad all at once, drizzle enough dressing on to lightly coat it, then toss to combine (when in doubt, start with less dressing. It's easy to over dress a salad!). Or, if you are serving the salad over a series of days, toss the salad without the dressing to combine, then dress only the portion you plan to eat right away. Taste and add extra salt or pepper as desired.