Thursday, April 26, 2012

Rainbow Chopped Salad - A Salad for All Seasons


I first enjoyed this salad at a get together during the winter of 2010.  A good friend had brought it to share and I don't know what has taken me so long to make it myself!  I needed a salad that would work well with fish to bring to dinner at my daughter's home recently, so I went through the salad recipes I had saved on my computer and found it again.  The original recipe also calls for pomegranate seeds and blue cheese which would be wonderful during the winter or with a heavier meal also. That's why I called this a salad for all seasons. 


Rainbow Chopped Salad

Loosely Adapted from Epicurious
Printable Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Dressing:

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I found a delicious Blackberry-Ginger balsamic at a specialty store)
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup walnut oil

Whisk vinegars, shallot, and honey in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Salad:

6 cups chopped organic romaine hearts
4 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
1 large, organic Fuji apple, halved, cored, diced
1-2 large, organic Bartlett pears, halved, cored, diced
1 mango, peeled, diced
3/4 cup Spicy Toasted Pecans (Recipe Below)

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)

Combine romaine, cabbage, apple, pear, mango and pecans (and pomegranate seeds, if using) in a very large bowl; toss to blend. Add dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among plates. Sprinkle with blue cheese, if desired, and serve.

Spicy Toasted Pecans
Gourmet | December 2004

Makes 2 1/2 cups

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco  (I used a little more)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 1/2 cups pecan halves (10 oz)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over moderate heat, then stir in Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, pepper, and salt. Remove pan from heat and add pecans, tossing to coat well. Spread in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and bake until fragrant and a shade darker, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Pecans can be baked 1 day ahead and stored at room temp.

64 comments:

  1. Sounds like an amazing salad and very pretty too! I think I could just snack on the pecans:@)

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  2. We love salads, will definitely be making this one. It looks fantastic, I love fruit, cheese and nuts in a salad.

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  3. This is very delicious, everything I love in a salad. The specialty vinegar sounds wonderful, too. xo

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  4. lovely! the toasted pecans sound like they would dress up a number of salads.

    best,
    bonnie

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  5. Susan, this is going in my collection of summer salad recipes. So pretty too!

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  6. Sounds and looks so good - except I would sub with another cheese. :-D
    Thanks for sharing.
    Dinner here is OG's soup, salad and bread sticks.
    Enjoy your evening.

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  7. That is the beautiful part about salads is that they can mixed and matched to replicate the season.

    This is a beautiful salad.

    Velva

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  8. I'm always in the mood for a good salad, Susan, and this sounds fabulous. The spicy pecans would be my favorite part. YUM!!

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  9. My mouth is watering just looking at the pictures. I can't wait to make this, so many delicious ingredients.

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  10. My mouth is watering just looking at the pictures. I can't wait to make this, so many delicious ingredients.

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  11. Salads with lots of fruits are my favorites, they are so refreshing and healthy, the dressing sounds pretty good as well

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  12. What a wonderful combination of ingredients! I must make a salad soon, this looks delicious!

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  13. Lovely! I am making this for my guests on Saturday; thank you.
    Rita

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  14. It is a very colourful salad with all the colours of the rainbow.

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  15. I would ADORE this salad! Love the crunch of the pecans and all the other flavors and textures! Should have had that when I made fish the other day! YUMMY!!!!

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  16. This sounds delicious and looks very pretty. I have a new mango cutting tool and will have to pull it out and use it!

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  18. I love that you made the spicy pecans yourself - they sound amazing and this salad looks so good with the combo of mango, pear and apple. If I may say so, this would make a great addition to the Made with Love Mondays series I host - this week it's all about favorite from-scratch greens salads...

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  19. Salads sometimes get a little bit spurned but they are really important for a complete meal and certainly can enhance or degrade a beautiful meal. This salad certainly adds to the quality and taste of a delicious main dish!

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  20. this is a very delicious & colorful salad ...looks great

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  21. How did I miss this post! Your salad looks delicious and that dressing sounds yummy. Walnut oil-I don't think I've tried it-something I'll have to pick up! I'd love a plate of salad right now. :)
    -Lynn

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  22. lovely salad and love the name you gave it

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  23. packed with color and flavor, perfect!!

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  24. What a perfectly lovely salad filled with all of my favorite things.

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  25. I'm impressed with the amount of work that you put into this salad. It has a little bit of everything, and is truly a delight for us tasters.

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  26. sounds like a really tasty salad to me! I love the candied nuts, especially.

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  27. It is a salad for all seasons. I do love mango. I have a friend that buys them by the case and tosses me a few many times. The cabbage is such an interesting addition but I have my eye on those spicy pecans.. what a great recipe! There was a NYC bar at a restaurant years ago that had spicy pecans... I know they were supposed to make you thirstier but I often ate so many I didn't have room for dinner. Can't wait to try this recipe!

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  28. Wow, this is a keeper recipe for sure, Susan. This is a salad I'll enjoy all through the summer. Thanks, too, for the pecan recipe, one of my favorite salad toppers.

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  29. Such a pretty all season salad and I love the name too. Rainbow...how true!

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  30. So nice to see someone use walnut oil. It's fabulous and an underused ingredient. I can't do without it in my refrig.

    Your salad would please me greatly and I shall give it a try.
    Sam

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  31. We're having a very similar salad tonight for dinner! Spinach, balsamic-dijon dressing, almonds, dried cranberries, feta, onion...such a simple salad but I can't resist it! yours sounds lovely!

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  32. A beautiful plate of salad! And a perfect name indeed! Looks delicious and full of health goodness, I could eat a whole plate of it!

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  33. What a great versatile salad. I need to start making my own dressings.

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  34. You're right - this could easily be a salad for all seasons! I'm a big fan of blue cheese. :)

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  35. This is my first time visiting your site and I'm sorry it is. I can see I've missed so many delicious and beautiful recipes. Your site is laid out so pretty and clean - I'm impressed!

    This salad is definitely a keeper and can be changed up to fit any season. Plus your photo is stunning!

    So glad I stopped by!

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  36. this sounds fabulous Susan, perfect for spring time!have a good weeke, warm hugs...

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  37. I love all the wonderful additions you added to this salad to make the flavors pop, Susan! The Blackberry-Ginger balsamic vinegar and the spicy pecans sound so delicious.

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  38. Beautiful salad, I would love to try it.

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  39. Oh what a great mix of ingredients. Pecans, blue cheese, pears, mangoes and apples. This is definitely a salad for all seasons, it sounds absolutely wonderful.

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  40. Your salad sounds good.
    I just had Waldorf salad.
    Pat

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  41. Susan~ Your salad is a feast for the eyes and taste buds! Your Blackberry Ginger vinegar sounds wonderful!

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  42. A simply stunning creation my friend - salad has never looked so refreshing :D

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  43. What an amazing and colorful salad!!!

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  44. Beautiful salad! I have a similar recipe and it's one of my favorites. Can't remember where i found the recipe. I'm really liking your method for the toasted nuts. Got to give that one a try.

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  45. This is a perfect salad to accompany my dinner tonight! yum!

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  46. Lovely salad. I like the crunch from the addition of the nuts.

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  47. I had to come back and ask if you would link this up to My Meatless Mondays. It is such a refreshing alternative to meat.

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  48. What a beautiful salad. Yes, I can imagine myself enjoying this all year round. I love the fruit in this salad which adds some sweetness to it. Can't wait to give this a try. You know, I need all kinds of help to get me ready for the swim suit season again. :P

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  49. I have already started craving salads with the weather warming up just a little bit! This sounds wonderful, especially the dressing and the nuts. Sounds like one I could whip up with everything I have at home.

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  50. I hope to make this ..this summer Susan~xx..

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  51. We love this kind of salad, add some chicken or shrimp and it is dinner. Fabulous pic.

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  52. What a perfect name! Love the mixture of colors, textures and favors. I might even eat the lettuce because it's mixed with cabbage! :)
    Love your spicy pecans, Susan.

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  53. Oh my, this looks delicious. Thank you for being a part of Seasonal Sundays.

    - The Tablescaper

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  54. This salad looks and sounds amazing!! I am gonna try it soon.

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  55. Thanks for your visit to Sharing Shadymont, and for becoming a follower. I am returning the favor.

    Wow, this salad looks wonderful! I am fan of salads that include fruit. I make one with slivered almonds and dried cranberries that is so good.

    I'm off to view more of your posts.

    So glad to find your blog!

    Thanks again,
    Kathy

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  56. I know I've already left a comment, but just wanted to thank you for sharing this beautiful salad with Made with Love Mondays. Yay! This will be a hit, I'm sure...

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  57. The flavors of you salad must be so good, especially with your special vinegar.

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  58. That is a salad to love!!!!!

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  59. With all of the delicious ingredients in this salad, it has to be good! (Beautiful, too!) I love glazed pecans on salad, but these spiced ones sound wonderful. And to make it even more tempting, there's honey in the dressing! I'm saving this one. :)

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  60. This salad looks delicious and is very pretty, too. The white dishes you used are beautiful and allowed the salad to be the star attraction at the table. Thank you for sharing it at my party.------- Shannon

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  61. Beautiful salad Susan...I especially like the addition of the spicy pecans...
    Thanks for sharing this recipe and hope you are having a great week :)

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  62. A great combination of ingredients - and the walnut oil is a good idea. I usually let my walnut oil sit around the back of the pantry so long that I end up throwing out rancid oil. I'll have to try this salad and dressing.

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  63. I was drawn in by the title: a salad for all seasons, and then rainbow salad is also appealing. Gorgeous dish! And you are right! I must make this one. YUM!
    :)
    V

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