Simply Scrumptious Citrusy Salad
By Terri Rozema
Now that our lettuces and greens are growing in abundance, we are enjoying the fruits of our labor. This citrusy salad is our new go-to favorite. There are many variations and substitutes if any of the ingredients do not tickle your tastebuds or you do not have them on hand.
If you are not a fan of goat cheese, you might try feta, brie, blue or havarti cheese.
No mandarin orange slices on hand? Orange supremes, strawberries, blueberries, fresh or dried cherries, dried cranberries or raisins would be delicious as well.
You may candy any nut of your preference, whatever is in your pantry.
If you don’t have prosciutto on hand, crispy bacon or pancetta are fine substitutes. If you do not eat pork, use roasted chicken, turkey or even grilled shrimp.
The white balsamic vinegar is key, though. This salad just doesn’t taste the same if using any other vinegar, including high quality regular balsamic vinegar.
There are no measurements in this recipe. Just go with your gut and add more or less of each ingredient as you like.
But how much oil and vinegar do I use? White balsamic vinegar is very mild in flavor, so it’s all according to your taste. I LOVE the flavor of it, so my oil to vinegar ratio is basically one to one. If you prefer a milder flavor, use more olive oil than vinegar. You can always do a taste “test” on the side, before you dress your salad. Just add one teaspoon oil to one teaspoon vinegar, dip your lettuce into it and taste. Adjust accordingly.
