Big Salad satisfaction and our new love for prosciutto cotto.

Plus, a wild excursion to Varigotti, Liguria.

The Big Salad

Not only is The Big Salad one of the best Seinfeld episodes, but it's also one of my favorite ways to make a meal from whatever salad ingredients I have. The below is not a replica of Elaine's salad in the episode but a bountiful, bright bowl of improvisation that always makes my body feel healthy and energetic after eating it. And it's a great way to use produce during the week if you have a surplus in the fridge. I like a fine chop on my veggies, and feel it's a more enjoyable way to eat a salad, but it does take a bit more time to prep. But feel free to do what works for you! It's YOUR Big Salad! Ultimately, making the Big Salad shouldn't be stressful and should always make you feel good. You only have to make it big and add lots of color and crunch! And this recipe is just a framework...if you have other ingredients to use up, go for it. I find the more veggies, the better.

THE BIG SALAD

Makes 2 Big Salads

• 4 handfuls of wild arugula

• 1/4 small purple cabbage, cored and shredded

• 1 small shallot, peeled and thinly sliced

• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced

• 2 carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut into half-moons

• 1 small zucchini, ends trimmed and finely diced

• 1 small cucumber, ends trimmed and finely diced

• 1 - 1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped

• 1 handful green olives, cut in half

• 1/2 lemon

• Red wine vinegar

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Sea salt

• Black pepper

• Other ideas for ingredients that would work well: tomatoes, cheese of choice, garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, little gems lettuce, radish, pepperoncini, nuts, capers, other proteins like tuna etc.

Place the arugula, cabbage, shallot, fennel, carrots, zucchini, cucumber, chicken, and olives in a large mixing bowl. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the ingredients and sprinkle with some sea salt and black pepper. Add a splash of red wine vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil. Gently begin mixing the salad. Taste. Continue adding red wine vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper as needed until the salad is dressed to your liking. Divide onto two big salad bowls or plates and enjoy!

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Prosciutto Cotto

Go to almost any Italian restaurant in America, and you'll see prosciutto on the menu. But what needs to be specified is that the prosciutto on offer is crudo, meaning not cooked. But the lesser-known gem, which often takes a backseat, is prosciutto cotto, the cooked version. I first tasted this ham in Los Angeles at the home of Francesco and Francesca, the Ligurian owners of Ceci's Gastronomia, one of Andre and I's favorite lunch spots. Before our family moved to Italy in August, we shared a beautiful afternoon apericena (dinner aperitivo) they had prepared for us. Andre and I couldn't stop talking about how delicious the prosciutto cotto was, so light, delicate, and tender that it melted in your mouth. We were surprised we'd never seen it at any of the Italian restaurants in Los Angeles.

After landing in Torino, it didn't take long to notice Prosciutto Cotto is everywhere! We've been enjoying it so much and have discovered that each region has its own variations and production techniques. Still, some of the finest Prosciutto Cotto hails from the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, and Piedmont (where Torino is!). Whether thinly sliced in between some fresh bread, incorporated into sandwiches, or used as a pizza topping, Prosciutto Cotto is used in a multitude of everyday dishes throughout the city.

While it's sold all over Torino in specialty shops and chain supermarkets, it will probably take more work to find in Los Angeles or other cities in the US. You should contact your local Italian market to see if they carry it or can source some for you. In Los Angeles, I would go to Guidi Marcello or Bay Cities on the westside and Monte Carlo or Roma Market on the eastside, and one of them can help you get your hands on some. My favorite way to enjoy it at home is with wild arugula dressed in olive oil and fresh bufala mozzarella. Delicious!

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Varigotti

Sometimes, Italy really makes you work for it, and our beach day last weekend was no exception. Since we arrived, the boys have been asking relentlessly to go to the ocean. We heard a lot of Torinese like to go to a beach town called Varigotti on the Ligurian coast during the summer months, and with a two-hour drive, it seemed like a very manageable adventure for us to take with the boys.

When we woke up on Saturday, there was a lot of thunder, lightning, and heavy rain in Torino. But after confirming a forecast of sunshine and clear skies in Varigotti, we decided to stay committed to our adventure. So, after an intense morning of trying to wrangle the boys to get them fed and ready for the beach day, we finally managed to cram ourselves into the car and head out as early as possible. As you might already know from visiting Italy, driving here is no joke, and it still feels very intense for Andre and me. Add a torrential downpour, a thunder and lightning storm, and three screaming kids; the stress and anxiety were palpable. But how could we turn back now!?

When we finally got to Liguria, the crescent-shaped region in Northwest Italy whose coastline is also known as the Italian Riviera, we were met with high winds and a thirty-minute nailbiting experience trying to find parking on the tiniest busiest cobblestone roads. Alas, we eventually pulled into a spot, paid for our parking, and emerged from our vehicle with lots of huffing, puffing, tears, and whining.

We walked down to Bagni Gallo, which was recommended by a new friend here in Torino, a beautiful family-owned beach club with umbrellas and sunbeds right at the water's edge. The family and staff were warm, welcoming, and understanding of our cranky and hungry boys. We enjoyed the best pasta in Italy since we arrived: a delicious Paccheri with Gamberi, Stracciatella, and Tomatoes and the most incredible Fusilloni with Pistachios and Calamari. They even made the kids their own fresh Orrechiette Pomodoro. Andre picked a wonderful Gavi from the wine list, and all was right in the world.

After our meal, everyone felt a lot better, but unfortunately, the winds were high, the ocean current was too strong, and the beach break undertow was heavy; the lifeguard at the bagni said it was a no-go for any swimming, which did not sit well for Costa. But we spent the rest of the day dipping our toes into the ocean, digging holes in the pebbled beach, and soaking up the sun. It was a lot of work for just a few hours, but something about being at the beach reboots the soul, especially in Italy. The Mediterranean and the Adriatic are the seas we love the most! It's grounding and energizing, and being this close to one of our favorite coastlines in the world is one of the reasons that informed our decision to move to Torino. So, even though it was a hell of a ride there, it was worth it!