La Scala Plus Chopped Salad

...the original but a little bit more

In my 20s, I’d find any excuse to eat at La Scala, the iconic power lunch spot in Beverly Hills, just to savor their legendary Chopped Salad. The first time I tried it, I was hooked. It was the moment my obsession with chopped salads began. The perfectly balanced ingredients, precise portions, and the way each bite had a little bit of everything - with all the flavors of my grandparents Sicilian kitchen.

Since I started making this salad, no two versions have ever been the same—it always depends on what I have on hand, what I discover, and what I’m in the mood for.

The Original La Scala Chopped Salad
……the salad features a combination of:

Iceberg lettuce
Romaine lettuce
Italian salami
Mozzarella cheese
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
A tangy dressing
olive oil 1/2 cup
red wine vinegar 1 cup
dijon mustard t tbsp
grated cheese

My move is to get olives and some other pickled items at the Whole Foods olive bar. I change it up alot, but here are some ideas
- marinated artichokes
- sweety drop red peppers
- sun dried tomatoes in oil
- olives, I like the spicy ones

I also like to make a “marinate mix” and store that in the fridge until the urge or meal strikes. Then I simply chop some iceberg and add the mix, some herbs and season with vinegar salt and pepper. I have a bumper crop of oregano in my yard, so I had a bunch chopped up in the final mix.

Never enough cheese…. mixes and versions of any
- mozza (little ones in water, I marinate in olive oil
- fontina
- parm

LA SCALA PLUS Chopped Salad
1 cup Marinade mix
- artichoke hearts
- sun dried tomatoes in oil
- sweety drop red peppers
- spicy olives
- salami
celery chopped
heart of palm
red onion (thin sliced moons)
shredded chicken (or shrimp or steak)
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 tbsp crispy bacon or pancetta
Cheese to liking
Toss and add fresh chopped herbs & lemon zest
Mix and Season to taste (red wine vinegar, salt, pepper)