Mave's Summer Greens with Hazelnut Oil Vinaigrette

I took prawns out for dinner tonight with the intention of making a fabulous lemon prawn risotto, but with the heat of the day steadily climbing, I knew I was going to have to re-think tonight's dinner.

Armed with google, a garden filled with fresh ingredients, and a brand new container of hazelnut oil (our tiny general store and farmer's market rock big time - I picked up the hazelnut oil on a routine trip for shallots last week) and decided that salad would be the thing.

So the first thing I did was google hazelnut vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette because besides full fat three cheese ranch salad dressing by Kraft, I HATE processed salad dressings.

So I'm always on the lookout for recipes I can make myself.

And people, tonight I scored!

I found a wonderful recipe.

Hazelnut Vinaigrette

1 clove garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons hazelnut oil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Mince garlic; add salt and Dijon mustard; whirl drizzling in raspberry vinegar, honey, hazelnut oil, and olive oil. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

Note: By gradually whisking or blending the oil into the vinegar, you create an emulsion (a mixture of two liquids that usually don't combine smoothly.)

Using that as my base, I built the most delicious salad using:

• Two cups prawns (1/2 cup per salad) that were sauteed in butter, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. (After sauteeing I refrigerated them to cool.)
• Baby beet greens
• Spinach
• Baby arugula
• Two stalks diced celery
• Two diced green onions
• One whole avacado, diced
• One can mandarin oranges (without juice)
• 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese.
  

To assemble:

Toss all the ingredients up with about 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette (use more or less depending on preference)

And then enjoy!



Mave's Summer Greens with Hazelnut Oil Vinaigrette, Kitchen Magic at it's best!

Bippity

Boppity

Boo!!!!!!!!!!!