Chopped Salad — The Side Dish That Showed Up When the Ranch Finally Did Too

Labor Day. The ranch doesn't take holidays — the cattle need checking, the horses need feeding, the work is the work — but we paused in the afternoon and grilled in the backyard. Mom made potato salad, the kind with hard-boiled eggs and celery and yellow mustard dressing she's been making for forty years. I grilled bratwursts and some of the remaining summer sausage from the freezer. Dad sat in his chair with iced coffee and watched the clouds build over the Bull Mountains to the south.

I've been here five months now. When I came back from Fort Carson in February I thought I'd be here a month, maybe two, get my feet under me and figure out next steps. There are no next steps. The ranch is the next step. I think I've finally accepted that.

Fall roundup is coming. Usually by mid-October we have the cattle sorted — weaning the calves, pulling the bulls, pregnancy-checking the cows. It's the most intensive period of the ranch year besides calving, requiring everything at once. Patrick has always run the fall roundup and I've always been the help. He mentioned this week that he's been thinking about the logistics. He didn't say it directly — Dad never says anything directly — but he was describing what needed to be done, not how he was going to do it. Like he was leaving space.

I called Gary's number. The man from AA. Called Tuesday evening and he picked up on the first ring and we talked for fifteen minutes about nothing important — the weather, the ranch, the drive from Roundup. He called it a check-in call and said I should call again Thursday. I did. He said, "Good. That's how it works."

Thirty-seven days dry. I've started counting.

Mom’s potato salad has forty years of muscle memory behind it — I’m not going to mess with that recipe anytime soon. But when I started thinking about what else could’ve gone on that table, something crisp and sturdy enough to sit next to bratwurst and hold its own, this chopped salad kept coming to mind. It’s the kind of thing that comes together fast when you’re already tired from the morning feeding, doesn’t ask much of you, and still feels like you made something real — which, thirty-seven days in, is about exactly what I need.

Chopped Salad

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 15 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup jarred artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
• 3 oz salami, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Prep the vegetables. Chop the romaine into uniform 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, olives, red onion, and pepperoncini.
2. Add the salami. Fold in the salami strips, distributing them evenly throughout the salad so you get a little in every bite.
3. Dress and toss. Drizzle the Italian dressing over the salad. Toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Finish with Parmesan. Sprinkle the shredded Parmesan over the top. Toss once more lightly, or leave the cheese on top for presentation.
5. Serve immediately. This salad is best served right after dressing. If making ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss just before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 210 | Protein: 9g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 13g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 610mg