Antipasto Salad with Citrus Vodka Vinaigrette

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Prep Time: 30 minutes or less | Cook Time: 30 minutes or less | Serves: 4

Appetizers » Salad » Italian





For the Antipasto Salad :

1 head Romaine lettuce
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 package cherry tomatoes
1 carrot
1 head red cabbage
1/2 red onion
1 package mozzarella cheese
1 block parmesan cheese
1 package sliced Genoa salami
1 package large sliced pepperoni
1 bottle pickled Italian vegetables (you know the kind, with cauliflower, carrots, pepperoncini, etc)
1 bottle Italian (not stuffed) olives

For the Citrus Vodka Vinaigrette Dressing :

6 large lemons
1/2 cup olive oil
Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Citrus-flavored vodka (no need for fancy here, either)
salt
pepper

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STEP 1

First, chop up your lettuce. I only use a little bit of the red leaf lettuce, for color.

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Step 2:

Throw this in a bowl.

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Step 3

Using a peeler, shred your carrot onto the lettuce.

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STEP 4




Now, time to chop. Start with the red cabbage. Don't use the whole thing, we just want enough to add some festive color to the dish. About this much.

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Step 5:







Now chop your 1/2 onion by slicing as thin as you can manage, the quartering the slices like so.

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Step 6:







Now cut your cherry tomatoes. Cut them at their equator as shown (the stem being the "North pole")

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Step 7:








The end result should look something like this.

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Step 8:








Throw everything in the salad and grate about a half a cup of the parmesan cheese in as well.

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Step 9:












Toss this up, and plate it on a salad platter.

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Step 10:










Now for the dressing. To start, squeeze your fresh lemons.

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Step 11:









You want to end up with about a cup of fresh lemon juice.

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Step 12:














Add 1/2 cup of olive oil.

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Step 13:

Add 1/4 cup Dijon

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Step 14:










Add 1/4 cup of citrus-flavored vodka. The flavored vodkas are sweetened, so this ingredient takes the place of the sugar that usually goes into this dressing.

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Step 15







When you're done, add some salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, whisk it all up and it should look something like this

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Step 16:

Time to put it all together. Cut your meats and mozzarella cheese into strips.

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Step 17









Place the pickled vegetables around the edge, top with the olives, and artfully place your meats and cheeses over the antipasto salad. Who wouldn't want to eat this?