Kids Cuisine

Getting any kid to eat vegetables is a challenge, and my four-year-old son, Nicholas, takes after my husband … no green vegetables aside from the occasional cucumber or spinach salad.  That said, he loves salad, base case, and more often than not, will choose a Greek salad or one “with white dressing” over pizza. 

Nicholas is also a big fan of strong flavors, which tickles me.  Gorgonzola and feta cheese, Kalamata olives, smoked salmon?  No problem at all.  He’ll take the feta cheese container out of the fridge and eat it by the handful, eschewing candy for it.  So when I mix some of those flavors with a salad, I know I have a home run.  Last night, I made Dave Lieberman’s Pizza Parlor Salad, and Nicholas wolfed through two plates of it, and packed it up for his lunch today.  That’s my kid.

Pizza Parlor Salad
Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman

1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and roughly chopped
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup good quality feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup pitted black oil-cured Moroccan olives (I used Kalamata)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large serving bowl, combine iceberg lettuce, red onion, feta, and olives. In a small mixing bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper, to taste. Whisk until well combined. Toss the salad gently with dressing and serve immediately.