This is my LaJolla, California, brother-in-law Bill Roper’s recipe. It is easy, delicious, and truly original. Be sure to follow his specific instructions.
Bachelor’s Salad
In today’s hectic world, we are all looking for meals that are easy to prepare and nutritious yet have a low caloric content and can be prepared with inexpensive and readily available ingredients.
This salad, simple and straightforward, should particularly appeal to bachelors, who often do not have the time, money, or culinary skills to prepare a more elaborate meal. Hence, the name Bachelor’s Salad.
1 head lettuce
Olives with pimientos, sliced
Italian salad dressing
Select a fresh head of lettuce at the local market. Chill slightly, then peel off the outer leaves. Next, use both hands to gently break open head, taking care not to bruise lettuce or totally disassemble head. Sprinkle with olives. Next, hold lettuce in one hand while leaning over the kitchen sink, and pour a small amount of salad dressing over lettuce. Now, you are ready to enjoy your delicious meal—simply bite into the lettuce and savor your fresh salad. As you consume parts of the lettuce head, refresh the remainder with additional olives and salad dressing as required. There is no need to worry about spillage as long as you are leaning over the kitchen sink as previously instructed. Further, please note that this salad does not require any cooking utensils, china, or silverware that must later be washed and put away.
Total preparation time is approximately 1 minute, depending upon your manual dexterity. Skill in operation of complex kitchen appliances such as a range, oven, or dishwasher is not required. However, if you are particularly hungry or rushed when eating the salad, caution is recommended when consuming the last bits of lettuce so that you do not bite your own fingers. Cleanup consists of placing the salad dressing back into the fridge and washing your hands in the sink. If you are in a particular hurry, you can just wipe your hands on your jeans, as hardly anyone is likely to notice.
