Avocado

New Englandish Dinner Salad with Maple Vinaigrette, for one....without any bulk

by:
May 14, 2011
0
0 Ratings
  • Serves 1
Author Notes

At this busy time of the year I wanted to pull together something quick and easy, but also healthy. This salad is a dinner onto itself. This recipe can be easily doubled for two, or increased for more. It is the tangy dressing that pulls this together. When you calculate out the cost, this is really inexpensive for a dinner. And I think dirt cheap should certainly include premium nutrition vs.sheer bulk. But please don't get me wrong: I am also a huge fan of rice and beans for dirt cheap eats. —Sagegreen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or EVOO)
  • 2 teaspoons quality dijon mustard (vinegar, mustard seed, horseradish, white wine, salt, pepper)
  • 1 tablespoon aged quality basalmic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons grade A maple syrup
  • squeeze of fresh lemon, Meyer if possible
  • pinch of sea salt, to taste
  • 10 ounces dried, washed tender spinach or other tender green
  • handful of fresh, interesting tender greens
  • 2 ounces diced roast turkey (leftover from a roast)
  • 1.5 ounces toasted walnuts or roasted chestnuts
  • 1 hard boiled organic egg, cut into eighths
  • 1/2 avocado, peeled and diced
  • 1.5 ounces premium dried cranberries
  • 1.5 ounces crumpled Vermont goat cheese (or Maytag blue cheese)
  • 1 thin slice of red onion, in circle rings
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme, broken into small pieces, stems removed
Directions
  1. For the dressing, whisk the mustard into the oil to form an emulsion. Whisk in the vinegar and maple syrup next. Taste and add salt, if needed. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
  2. Assemble a bed of the spinach greens. Add any interesting tender greens on top. Distribute the turkey across the greens, Toast/roast the nuts in a pan and add them to the plate. Layer the egg and avocado next, followed by the cranberries and crumble cheese. Form a crown of the onions on top and finish with the thyme sprigs broken up into very small units.
  3. Pour the dressing over the salad so it coats the spinach leaves but does not drown them. Serve with a slice of crusty artisan bread.
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10 Reviews

rachelib December 1, 2011
Made this as a side salad without the turkey. Everyone loved it, lots of raves.
 
Sagegreen December 1, 2011
Thanks, rachelib. It is always wonderful to hear when someone makes your recipe and loves it!!
 
Ordinary B. May 16, 2011
Dinner salads are terrific but I always find myself craving a bit of starch. If you add a hunk of fresh bread, though...then I'd be delighted! This looks wonderful.
 
Sagegreen May 16, 2011
Thanks! Oh yes, that crusty slice of great bread completes this.
 
hardlikearmour May 15, 2011
Yum, I love dinner salads and this one sounds particularly lovely!
 
Sagegreen May 15, 2011
Thanks, hla! It made for a very healthy dinner. Thanks for noticing this. I am just catching up with recipes on the site with a little time today.
 
boulangere May 15, 2011
Oh me too. Love the chestnuts. And your lovely dressing. Summer in a bowl.
 
Sagegreen May 15, 2011
Thanks, boulangere. I actually used walnuts in the one featured in the photo, but love to use roasted chestnuts when I have them.
 
boulangere May 15, 2011
I'm allergic to nuts, but always have canned chestnuts in the pantry and am always happy to discover new ways to use them.
 
Sagegreen May 16, 2011
Thanks! I hadn't considered using canned chestnuts before.