What Men Want
June 9, 2005

Father’s Day is June 19th and you can show Dad how special he is by serving up a salad that men just love. The salad is kind of like Fathers themselves: it’s got basic, dependable ingredients that combine to make something really unique and pleasing.

I’ve been making it for many years in a round, footed trifle dish, the layers of color are festive and fun to look at. (No worries if you don’t have a trifle dish, just use a large glass bowl.) You can vary the salad by adding a chopped bacon layer and crumbled bleu cheese for a classic combination, or go milder and veggie by using Monterrey Jack or a Cheddar. This is a simple salad that children can help out with, too, and when they see what’s in it, they’ll recognize many vegetables that they already love. If you prepare it a day ahead, it will be even tastier. Simply put, this salad has it all- nothing goes better with a grilled steak and cold beer, and that’s what men really want for Father’s Day.

7 Layer Salad
1 head iceberg lettuce, finely sliced
2 cups red and orange sweet peppers, diced
2 cups carrot, shredded
2 cups frozen peas
2 cups cheese, shredded
2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded

Place lettuce on the bottom of bowl and then add additional layers of in any order that pleases you, trying for maximum color effect. Finish with dressing layer. To serve, toss in the bowl with along handled spoon. Serves 6-8.

Dressing: 1 cup mayo, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 Tablespoons water, one-fourth cup sugar, one fourth cup vinegar. Mix well and pour over top of salad.

Top with 1cup cooked and chopped bacon (optional). 

Kim Dannies is a graduate of La Varenne Cooking School in France. She lives in Williston, VT with her husband, Jeff, and three college–aged daughters who come and go. ©2008