Name: Rosaura's Festive Salad
Cook time: 2 hr
Total time: 2 hr
Yield: Serves 12
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1/3 cup cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules; 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives; 1/2 cup safflower oil; 1 cup vegetable oil; 2 cups (1/3-inch cubes) firm white sandwich bread; 2 bunches spinach (1 1/2 pound), stems discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips; 1 1/2 pounds red cabbage, finely shredded; 1/2 medium jícama (3/4 pound), cut into very fine julienne; 3 medium raw beets, peeled and cut into very fine julienne; 1 medium red onion, halved lengthwise, very thinly sliced lengthwise, and soaked in cold water 20 minutes; 1/2 cup chopped candied citron or candied pineapple (4 oz); 3/4 cup puffed amaranth seeds (optional)

We adapted this gorgeous salad, full of intriguing flavors and textures and so colorful it looks like a fireworks display, from a recipe that Mexican chef María Dolores Torres Yzábal contributed to México, The Beautiful Cookbook.

Cooks' notes:

•We used a Japanese slicer, set at 1/16 inch, to shred the cabbage and slice the onion, j‭cama, and beets. We then cut the j‭cama and beet slices into julienne strips by hand.
•The vegetables and vinaigrette may be prepared 1 day ahead and chilled separately in plastic bags. The croutons are best made the day of the party.

Recipe information

Total Time
2 hr
Yield
Serves 12

Ingredients

For vinaigrette:

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1/2 cup safflower oil

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups (1/3-inch cubes) firm white sandwich bread

2 bunches spinach (1 1/2 pound), stems discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips

1 1/2 pounds red cabbage, finely shredded

1/2 medium jícama (3/4 pound), cut into very fine julienne

3 medium raw beets, peeled and cut into very fine julienne

1 medium red onion, halved lengthwise, very thinly sliced lengthwise, and soaked in cold water 20 minutes

1/2 cup chopped candied citron or candied pineapple (4 oz)

3/4 cup puffed amaranth seeds (optional)

Preparation

Make vinaigrette:
Step 1
Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, and chicken bouillon granules. Add herbs, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly.
Make salad:
Step 2
Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet and fry bread cubes in 2 batches, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes.
Step 3
Combine vegetables, candied citron, and three fourths of croutons and amaranth seeds in a large bowl and toss well with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with remaining croutons and amaranth seeds.

TagsSalad Mexican Latin American Spinach Leafy Greens Vegetable Red Cabbage Cabbage Jicama Root Vegetable Beet Side Dinner Nut Free Gourmet

Recipe information

Ingredients

For vinaigrette:

Preparation

Make vinaigrette:

Step 1

Make salad:

Step 2

Step 3

Recipe notes