Insalata Mista with Harry's Bar Dressing

This is the kind of fresh, Italian salad that you crave for after a heavy meal. The veggies--especially the celery and fennel-- complement each other wonderfully. Interestingly, there's no need to add herbs or black pepper (seldom do we see this in Italian salads).

Ingredients:

1. 5 best quality bibb lettuce cut in quarters
2. 2 fennel bulbs
3. 12 sweet cherry tomatoes halved
4. 2 celery stalks
5. 2-3 carrots grated (thick not thin)
6. Top quality red wine vinegar
7. Best extra virgin olive oil available
8. Maldon sea salt

Preparation:

Assemble in a bowl the bibb lettuce quarters: in four separate quadrants, add a pile of each (fennel, tomatoes, celery, carrots) leaving the lettuce visible in the middle

Make dressing by mixing 1 part vinegar with a teaspoon of English dried mustard and salt, and gradually mix in 8 parts olive oil.

Pour over salad and mix until vinaigrette is thoroughly integrated.

(Courtesy of David Richter)