Recipes

Shades of Green Chopped Salad

Salad fatigue?  You’ve done the kale salads, mastered the Greek, experimented with watercress and endive and Boston lettuce has become a refrigerator staple. But what next?

This little Spring number made with cucumber, avocado and apple. I wish I had devised this recipe. Instead, I came across it at www.food52.com, a blog that brings together cooks and lovers of good simple food.  Their manifesto is:

If you cook, your family will eat dinner together.
If you cook, you will naturally have a more sustainable household.
If you cook, you’ll set a lifelong example for your children.
If you cook, you’ll understand what goes into food and will eat more healthily.
If you cook, you’ll make your home an important place in your life.
If you cook, you’ll make others happy.
If you cook, people will remember you.

I can only concur whole-heartedly with these words of wisdom. Don’t be fearful of cooking, particularly salads.  It’s more assembly than anything else – like a tapas plate filled with vegetables, cheese and nuts. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Sarah Shatz

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
  • 1 Hass avocado, chopped
  • 1 tbl lemon juice
  • 1/2 english cucumber, chopped
  • 1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
  • 1/4 cup green raisins
  • 1/4 crumbled gorgonzola cheese (optional)
  • salt and black pepper
  • chopped chives, for garnish, optional
  • chive dressing

Chive dressing: 

  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 2 tbl Champagne vinegar
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbl chopped chives
  • 2 tbl EVOO
  • sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the salad

Toss the apple and avocado in the lemon juice so they don’t brown.  Add all of the ingredients to the bowl except the gorgonzola cheese. Toss with the chive dressing. Once tossed sprinkle with cheese (optional). Garnish with chopped chives.

For the dressing:

In a blender, add in the garlic, Champagne vinegar, honey, chives, salt, and pepper. Blend until combined. With the blender still on, through the top, stream in the olive oil. Blend until combined. Taste for salt and pepper.