Erica De Mane

Here’s a simple quickly thrown together treat I made with odds and ends I found in the fridge. Sometimes the most wonderful dishes emerge from the need to clean house.

What you’ll need for a salad for two is two celery stalks, chopped, with their leaves; a fennel bulb, chopped, including some of the fronds; a piece of good salami, cut into small dice; a piece of caciocavallo or another not-too-hard cheese such as provolone, chopped; a handful of olives; and some fresh herbs. I had parsley. Fresh marjoram would have been great instead or in addition. A little pickled pepper or cauliflower would also have been nice. If you add any of those, just see that everything is about the same size. For some reason that makes it taste best.

Put everything in a pretty bowl. Make a vinaigrette with a smashed garlic clove, a little vinegar, salt, black pepper, and your best olive oil. Toss, and serve with good bread.