A Dream Of A Salad

I'm one of those who almost never remembers the details of his dreams which is either a blessing or a curse depending, I guess, on what one has dreamt. The dream I had last night — or, rather, early this morning — was different. It was most vivid, and I remember everything about it right down to the smallest detail.

I was working at the front of a large woodtop worktable in the center of a kitchen unknown to me, and preparing, of all things, a salad; one made up of numerous ingredients. This was in itself quite odd as I almost never make salad or eat greens of any sort whatsoever. But there I was, dreaming of myself doing both, and thoroughly enjoying the experience.

When I awoke remembering the dream in all its detail, it struck me that what provoked the dream was my purchasing on Friday in behalf of a friend a sealed bag of Dole cut, washed, and premixed salad greens containing a mixture of iceberg and romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, radicchio, and endive; a sealed bag that was still resident in the chiller drawer of my refrigerator. When I later checked my refrigerator further, I discovered that every other ingredient of my dream salad was in residence there as well.

Clearly, my dream was a personal command direct from God himself. No way my friend is ever going to see that bag of Dole salad greens.

Dream Salad
(serves 1)

1 sealed bag of Dole prepared salad greens; a mix called by Dole, "European"
2 large button mushrooms
1 breast of Perdue Rock Cornish Game Hen
8 grams of Pepperidge Farm Seasoned Croutons
1 hardboiled egg
Wedge of genuine Parmigiano Reggiano
Hellmann's Whole Egg Mayonnaise
Heinz Ketchup
Gold's Cocktail Sauce
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Slice the mushrooms thinly, and set aside on a plate in the fridge. Dice the hen breast small, and add to the plate of sliced mushrooms in the fridge. Place the croutons in a plastic bag, crush fine with a hammer (but not too fine), and set aside. Slice the hardboiled egg using an egg slicer, and add to the plate in the fridge with the mushrooms and diced hen breast. Prepare dressing by mixing the mayonnaise, ketchup, and cocktail sauce in proportions according to taste, and salt and pepper the resulting dressing to taste.

Onto a large chilled plate, lay out as much of the Dole salad greens as you can eat at one sitting. Add the mushrooms, diced hen breast, and sliced egg. Salt and pepper all to taste. Scatter the crushed croutons over all, and using your hands, quickly and lightly toss the salad.* Rough-grate the Parmigiano Reggiano over all to taste. Quickly and lightly toss the salad once more.* Add dressing to taste. Serve with wine of your choice.

Dreamy!

* If you're serving to someone, and you want the salad to look pretty when served at table, don't toss. Let the person you're serving do the tossing when he or she digs in.