Jamie's Favorite American Chopped Salad

According to Jamie Oliver, the difference between a fantastic chopped salad and a really bad one is the freshness and combination of ingredients. I couldn't agree more. I've made this recipe many times and it never fails to delight. The only down side is that it is a bit time consuming since it requires a lot of chopping. I like to make this salad after a stressful day at work. By the time I'm done with all the chopping, I'm in a relaxed and mellow mood, ready for a glass of red wine.

Serves 6
1 red bell pepper, halved
1 fresh red chilli, halved
1 red onion, peeled
5 or 6 ripe tomatoes
1/2 a cucumber
7 oz feta cheese
2 romain lettuces, or 4 butter lettuces
1 radicchio
2 or 3 handfuls of mixed fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, mint)
2 teaspoons English mustard
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash all your salad ingredients and drain, then get a large chopping board and either a mezzaluna or a chef's knife and get ready to chop! It is important to chop the onion and chilli finely and to dice the tomatoes, pepper and cucumber and feta into 1/2 inch piece, as this will help to bind with the dressing when you come to mix it in. With the lettuce, radicchio and herbs, just make sure you chop them all into 1/2 inch strips.

Make a well in the center of the ingredients. Add the mustard and stir it in with a teaspoon while you add the vinegar and oil. Keep tasting to balance the flavors. Season well, then add a tiny bit more seasoning before bringing all the salad into the center of the board. Mix it up and serve.