Traditional Italian Chopped Salad with Red Kidney Beans and Soppressata

First, make the dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper until the salt dissolves. Stirring continuously with a fork or small whisk, pour in the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, beating until emulsified. Set aside.

Put the romaine leaves in a large wooden bowl. With a mezzaluna, begin chopping the leaves in the bowl until all leaves are coarsely chopped. Add the sopressata, provolone, red beans, roasted peppers, chives, and parsley and continue chopping and tossing the mixture until finely chopped into pieces about 1/4 inch across. Still tossing the mixture, add the dressing and the pine nuts.

Spoon the salad into individual shallow pasta-serving bowls. Garnish with olives.

DO-AHEAD TIP: To prevent the lettuce, cheese and pine nuts from becoming soggy, chop the ingredients separately, and store them in airtight, unbreakable containers or resealable plastic bags, and keep cool in an insulated carrier with blue ice. Just before serving, toss all the ingredients together with the dressing in a large bowl. Combine and pack ingredients together as follows:

- Lettuce, chives and parsley in a mixing bowl.
- Soppressata and provolone in a plastic bag.
- Beans, bell peppers, and olives in a plastic bag.
- Pine nuts in a plastic bag.
- Dressing in a container with tight-fitting lid.