CIRCUS SALAD

CIRCUS SALAD

Fresh romaine lettuce and spinach greens combined with sweet onion, red pepper, sweet gherkin pickle and ripe avocado. Tossed with a sweet and sour mustard dressing!

Serves 6

4 c. cut romaine lettuce

4 c. fresh flat spinach

5 T. olive oil

2 T. white wine vinegar

1 T. sweet gherkin pickle juice

1 T. country-style Dijon mustard

dash garlic powder

salt to taste

1 handful peeled, thinly sliced sweet onion, cut in half

1 sm. fresh, sweet red pepper, cored and cut into very thin strips

4 midget sweet gherkin pickles, sliced thinly into rounds

2 sm. Hass avocados, seeded and peeled; slice each half into 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut each slice in half

freshly ground black pepper

Remove outer leaves of romaine lettuce, then cut off soiled tips and wash remaining leaves with core left on. Shake dry, then lay lettuce on it’s side and beginning from tip, cut crosswise into 1-1/2 inch wide slices. Measure out 4 cups.

Wash spinach, then place in paper towels and loosely shake to dry; measure out 4 cups.

Refrigerate both lettuce and spinach in covered container or sealed plastic bag till ready to use.

In small mixing bowl combine oil and vinegar. Stir briskly with fork till thickened. Add pickle juice, mustard, garlic, and salt, then blend again till smooth.

Place lettuce and spinach in large bowl. Place onion, red peppers, pickle and avocado over greens. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

Drizzle dressing over all and gently toss to coat with dressing and to disperse vegetables evenly. Serve at once.

Notes: Note the sharp color and texture contrasts in this main dish salad. One can’t help but think of a circus when viewing and eating it! Fun! No cruelty here.

When cutting onion and red pepper please do so thinly. I like to cut the pepper to resemble long matchsticks. Thick vegetables (at least in this salad) upset the texture achievement.