New Orleans Soaked Salad

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This is an old fashioned salad that i found years ago and have been serving with cajun food. it should be made at least 3-4 hours in advance so the flavors can all meld together. the lettuce stays crisp and the dressing and tomatoes create a nice sauce that is good sopped up with french bread.

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Steps

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I wash the lettuce , spin it in a salad spinner and then lay out on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

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Mix all the dressing ingrediants , including dried basil if using , in a bowl and whisk briskly at least 1 minute.

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If using fresh basil , toss with the lettuce.

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Toss the lettuce with the tomatoes and the shredded basil if using fresh.

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Pour salad dressing over and toss thoroughly.

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Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate at least 3-4 hours , or longer if you have time.

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To serve , toss the salad again.

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Use salad bowls and add a couple of tablespoons of the liquid from the bottom of the bowl to each serving.

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Ingredients

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lettuce, tomatoes, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, white wine vinegar, fresh basil, salt, black pepper, sugar, garlic, parsley