Step 1: Gathering the Ingredients
- 1 small head butter lettuce
- 3 ozfresh mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup canned heart of palm*
- 14 Manzanilla olives** (unpitted)
- 8 slices Serrano ham
- 1 large tomato
- extra-virgin olive oil
- red wine vinegar (to taste)
- sea or kosher salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Gather all of the ingredients. Wash and spin the lettuce dry. Keep the leaves whole (or tear into bite-size pieces, if desired). Set aside.
*Marinated artichoke hearts can be substituted for the heart of palm.
**Any type of mild, green olives can be substituted.
Step 2: Preparing Your Mise en Place
To prepare your mise en place, core and cut the tomato into wedges. Season with a touch of salt and set aside.
Tear the fresh mozzarella into bite-size pieces. Season with a touch of salt and set aside.
Drain the heart of palm and slice into 1/4" -inch thick rounds.
Step 3: Assembling the Salad
To assemble the salad, divide the lettuce among two plates. Dress the leaves Mediterranean-style by lightly drizzling some red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil over top (to taste). Season with a touch of salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Lay the Serrano ham over top, followed by the tomatoes, heart of palm and fresh mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with a bit more red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Season again if necessary.
Serve immediately with some grilled or toasted flatbread.