Summer Salad

Here's a quick and tasty summer salad.  I have deliberately not given quantities, as it's more of a throw together to your taste kind of a salad - aren't they all?  It'd be great to hear your summer salads - please leave a comment below. 

Chorizo and Avocado Salad
Crusty bread
Chorizo
Cherry Tomatoes
Avocado
Lettuce

Aioli or Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing

1. Tear or cut up the bread into smaller crouton sized pieces.  Drizzle some oil in a non-stick pan and cook the croutons till they are showing a little colour.  Remove croutons and set aside.
2. Slice the chorizo on the diagonal.  Peel it if necessary too.  Cook the chorizo in the same pan as the croutons.  Don't add anymore oil, there'll be enough in the chorizo.
3. Whilst the chorizo is cooking - slice the cherry tomatoes in half.  Halve the avocado and remove it from the skin in one piece.  This works best by sliding a dessert spoon carefully between the skin and the flesh.  Be gentle!  Once it's out slice it diagonally too. 
4. You can use whatever lettuce you like.  I would suggest a crunchy cos or iceberg, as you want that firmer texture.  So peel your lettuce apart, rinse and pat dry.  Tear into more manageable pieces, if it is large leaves.
5. Once the chorizo is almost finished cooking, throw in the cherry tomatoes.  Allow these to cook till the skins start to blister (a little) and the flesh starts to break down a little.  See the picture to know what I mean.
6. Add a little bit of warm water to the Aioli, to loosen it a bit, so you can drizzle it at the end rather than dolloping it.
7. Time to assemble - place the lettuce, avocado and croutons in a large bowl.  Top with chorizo and tomato, and pan juices (most important!).  Finally drizzle the Aiolo (or Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing) over the top.

Other ideas
Instead of Aioli, use a balsamic reduction (pour half a bottle of balsamic vinegar into a wide pan and let it bubble away till reduced by half, store in a jar till you need it).
Shave same parmesan cheese over the top.
Depending on how spicy your chorizo is - add some dried chilli or chilli flakes.

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