Tomato & Sweet Onion Salad with Gorgonzola Vinaigrette

simple summer salad for a crowd...

This 4th of July weekend was full of family, friends, and of course food. We celebrated on both Friday and Saturday so I had plenty of opportunity to make something yummy, but I also wanted to relax. So, what's easier than a salad? This recipe came from one of my husband's family members - thanks Marcie! - and I told her I'd post it to my blog one day. Well, that day is here, and what a yummy salad this was.

For this blue series I'll be focusing on Gorgonzola cheese. It's similar to blue cheese, but in my opinion, a little more mild. So, if you aren't a big fan of blue cheese, you might try Gorgonzola. The cheese in the vinaigrette is precisely what makes this salad so delicious and different. This side salad serves a crowd, so make it for your next party. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 10-12
Vinaigrette
1/2 C White Wine Vinegar
3/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 C Fresh Parsley, minced
1 tsp. Black Pepper
1 (5oz.) Container Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
Salad
2 Heads Romain Lettuce, torn
1 Large Vidalia (sweet) Onion, sliced
5-6 Tomatoes, sliced
2-3 Sprigs Fresh Parsley, torn
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

Directions
Prepare the lettuce, onion, tomatoes, and parsley.

Make the vinaigrette: In a bowl combine the white wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, and black pepper. Whisk together. Add the Gorgonzola cheese, stir, and set aside.

Arrange the salad: On a large platter put down a bed of the torn Romain lettuce. Top with the sliced sweet onion and then the tomatoes. Finally, sprinkle on the parsley and a little salt and pepper. Serve with the Gorgonzola vinaigrette. Enjoy!