Celery & soppressata salad with lemon

1) To mellow the raw bite of the onion, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain, pat dry, and put them in a serving bowl.

2) Peel the tough, stringy fibers from the celery ribs. Slice the celery and some of the inner leaves very thinly on an angle. If you have a chunk of soppressata, dice it; if slices, cut them into thin strips. Toss the celery, soppressata, basil, lemon zest, and lemon juice with the onion. Season with salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Toss the salad with the olive oil.

3) Divide the salad among 4 serving plates. Use a vegetable peeler to shave large, thin pieces of Parmigiano Reggiano over each serving and serve immediately.

Shop smart: There is a whole world of Italian cured meats and salamis to choose from, and soppressata, a dry-cured pork salami, is one of our favorites. If you can't find it, feel free to substitute another hard slicing salami. Not sure what to buy? Don't be shy about asking for tastes at the deli counter. It's one of the rewards of shopping.

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