Two Salads with a Tangerine Balsamic Vinaigrette

Simple salads with a unique Tangerine Balsamic Vinaigrette atop fresh greens with fruit, and with grilled steak can be as much an appetizer as a salad. Assemble dressing in a shake bottle and shake well before serving. Water cress is a seasonal available ingredient; you may substitute mesclun greens or other mixed greens

Salad One

Thin slices of grilled rare steak or lamb³

Thin slices of Bosc pears

Twice washed and patted dry watercress trimmed of excess stems

Salad Two

Mandarin orange slices

Twice washed and patted dry mesclun greens

A cherry tomato or two

Optionally add sliced avocado

Optionally add pinenuts

Tangerine Balsamic Vinaigrette

            3 Tablespoons tangerine¹ balsamic vinegar or more to taste

2 Tablespoons Italian grape seed oil² (Substitute peanut oil)

¼ Teaspoon onion powder

¼ Teaspoon garlic powder

¼ Teaspoon smoked paprika (pimentón)

¼ Teaspoon aji Amarillo chili powder

¼ Teaspoon aji Ancho chili powder

½ Teaspoon sea salt

½ Teaspoon white pepper

¼ Teaspoon Lemon pepper

1/8+ Teaspoon Xanthan gum⁴ powder (optional)

Salad with a Tangerine Balsamic

Toss greens in vinaigrette. Make a bed of greens. Add other toppings. Drizzle toppings with additional vinaigrette, as required.

Notes:

1&2. Both oil and vinegar are available from Midtown Olive Press at The Shops at Friendly Center, 3354-141 West Friendly Ave. Greensboro, NC 27408, (336) 315-6000 have a excellent ones. See their website: Midtown Olive Press

3. Alternatively use thin-cut breast of chicken that has been sautéed in butter. Lamb has more flavor than beef when served cold.

4. Xanthan gum is used as a thickener for salad dressing. A 1/2 teaspoon will thicken a cup of salad dressing, keeping the mixture more homogeneous. Use 1/8 teaspoon and a smidge more for this amount of dressing.