Italian Sub Salad

My family (my teenage boys, specifically) aren't big fans of salad for dinner (with the exception of taco salad, maybe). They love having a side salad with a meal, but it's simply not "sufficient AS a meal"...or so I've been told. ;) 

When I came across this recipe in the latest addition of Food Network magazine, I thought for sure I'd found a salad that could pass as a meal. Of course, I was mistaken...they were both asking for a 2nd dinner within hours...but, they agreed it was quite tasty and would suffice for a "light lunch".  Teenage boys.  Geesh!

I, on the other hand, thought it was fabulous AS a meal. It tastes just like an Italian sub (minus the bread) and will be the perfect quick dinner to throw together for myself when the family is having something that I shouldn't have . Yay me! :)

Because I'm trying to stay away from gluten, dairy or deli meats with lactic acid starter (from milk), casein or nitrites...I had to shop around for prosciutto and ham that didn't contain these items.  They're a bit more expensive, but they totally make the salad.  I made a big bowl with all the ingredients I could have, scooped out a sizable portion for myself, and then added the salami, provolone and fresh croutons.

Here's my bowl...

And the final product...

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups bread cubes (I used a crusty sourdough bread)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/3 cups giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables), drained and chopped, plus 2 tablespoons brine from the jar
• 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1/2 cup sliced pitted Sicilian marinated green olives (black olives would be good, as well)
• 1/2 cup chopped jarred mild pepper rings
• 1 large head romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 2 ounces sliced smoked ham, cut into thin strips
• 2 ounces sliced prosciutto, cut into thin strips
• 1 ounce sliced salami, cut into thin strips
• 2 slices of provolone, torn into small pieces

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the bread cubes and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, tossing occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, toss the giardiniera in a large bowl with the basil, olives, peppers, romaine, tomatoes, ham, prosciutto, salami, provolone and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Drizzle with the giardiniera brine and toss. Let sit about 20 minutes to let the flavors combine.

Add the croutons to the salad and toss. Divide among bowls.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Food Network Magazine - Jan/Feb 2012