This salad was a huge hit last night. Perhaps it was the backdrop of a beautiful sunset that swayed people’s opinions, but I’m going to give all the credit to the dressing. I’m not typically a ranch dressing kind of gal, but this one was tangy (I was a bit liberal with the vinegar) and not too heavy. This recipe made a good amount of dressing for 4 cups of thinly sliced green cabbage, 2 chopped tomatoes, and 1 jicama peeled and cut into 1/ 2 inch cubes. However, it would be great over any vegetable with a good crunch factor that you have lying around…do I hear the kohlrabi from last week’s CSA calling to you?
I found this gem of a recipe on Smitten Kitchen, and it originated from Gourmet magazine.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients through the sugar.
2. Once the sugar is dissolved, stir in the chives.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
This salad is a slightly different take on Rick Bayless’ version in Mexican Everyday.
The Salad:
- 1 jicama, peeled and cut into sticks (use a paring knife rather than a vegetable peeler)
- 2 avocados, cut into 1 inch pieces (Here are tips on how to cut an avocado)
- 1 medium bunch watercress, large lower stems broken off (You can substitute arugula)
- 4 large romaine leaves, cut cross-wise into 1/4 inch slices
The Dressing:
- 3/4 cup oil (I used a combination of vegetable and olive oil)
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- A few squeezes of fresh orange juice (I used navel oranges)
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
- 1/2 cup roughly packed cilantro
- 2 serrano chiles (or 1 jalapeno) stemmed and roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a jar and secure the lid.
- In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients. Give the dressing another shake to make sure it is combined. Drizzle about 1/3 cup of the dressing on the vegetables. (Save the rest of the dressing in the fridge for another salad). Toss to combine.
- Taste and add more salt if you think necessary. Serve immediately.
fresh from brooklyn 