"Italian Flag" Salad
Written By Caroline Bates
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Almost as soon as he could hold a Richard Scarry book, my son would pore over the pages and pick out any with colorful flags. After I decorated numerous cakes and cookies with flag motifs (the Turkish crescent was a winner), my enthusiasm, if not his, began to, well, flag.
But one summer I looked at our garden flourishing with green beans, cucumbers, and red tomatoes. Ecco! An Italian flag salad. Good drizzled with a vinaigrette, it's even better with Buttermilk Dressing (see below). Except for slicing the vegetables, this is a salad even a young child can easily compose.
"Italian Flag" Salad
Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish
Green beans, cooked to crisp-tender and cooled
Cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
Small and large tomatoes, sliced
Buttermilk Dressing
On a large platter, arrange the vegetables in vertical rows — green beans on the left, cucumbers in the middle, and tomatoes on the right. For kids, the best part is drizzling the dressing over the "flag"; use a small cup with a spout to make it easier (or serve it on the side, if dipping is more their thing).
If your kids aren't into salad proper (leaves torn apart and served on a plate, with dressing), try having them roll up lettuce leaves cigar-style and dip them into this flavorful dressing. Sometimes a little twist on the presentation can make all the difference.
Buttermilk Dressing
Makes about 1 cup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 to 2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
3 tablespoons minced scallion (white and pale green parts only)
1 small garlic clove, minced (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. (Any leftover dressing can be refrigerated for a day or two.)
