Gourmet Green Salad With Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette Food

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH WALNUTS, GOAT CHEESE & HONEY-DIJON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, shallots, salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, slowly add the oil in a steady stream. (Alternatively, add all the ingredients to a jar, cover with the lid, and shake vigorously to blend.) Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• Place the greens in a large bowl, drizzle with about half of the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Add as much of the remaining vinaigrette as desired and toss again. Arrange the greens on a large platter or divide onto plates, then top with beets, walnuts and goat cheese. Serve immediately.
• Note: If you'd like to roast your own beets, you'll need 1 bunch of medium beets (about 3). Preheat oven to 425°F and set an oven rack to the middle position. Wipe or scrub the beets clean, then trim stems down to one-inch (leave "tails" on). Place the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then wrap foil around the beets to form a neat packet. Roast directly on a rack in the middle of the oven until tender, about 1 hour. Test for doneness by piercing the largest beet with a knife. If it enters easily, it's done. Unwrap the beets and let sit until cool enough to handle. Use your hands or a paring knife to peel the skin, then cut into wedges.
• Make-Ahead Instructions: The vinaigrette can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Before serving, let sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and then shake to re-emulsify.

VINAIGRETTE FOR GREEN SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, garlic, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
• Place the salad greens in a medium bowl and add enough dressing to moisten. Sprinkle with a little extra salt and pepper, if desired, and serve immediately.

GREEN SALAD WITH SHRIMP AND WINE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, level the bottom of each artichoke and cut 1 in. from the top. With kitchen scissors, snip off tips of outer leaves. Place in a steamer baske in a large saucepan over 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam until leaves near the center pull out easily, 20-25 minutes. Add the asparagus, cauliflower and broccoli ; cover and cook until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain. With a spoon, carefully remove and discard the fuzzy centers of the artichokes. Thinly slice artichoke hearts., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine wine and 1 shallot. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, wine mixture, mustard, salt, pepper and remaining shallot; set aside., Place salad greens and watercress on a large platter. Top with the cooked vegetables, shrimp, fennel, red pepper and artichoke slices. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with reserved fennel fronds.

ALL GREEN SALAD WITH CITRUS VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the vinaigrette:
• Whisk shallot, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, orange juice, and honey in a medium bowl until combined. Add oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly, until combined. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• For the salad:
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; prepare a large bowl of ice water and a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. Add asparagus to the boiling water and cook until crisp tender, 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and immediately plunge into the ice water until chilled, then use slotted spoon to transfer asparagus to baking sheet to drain.
• In a large bowl, combine romaine, cucumber, avocado, basil, dill, and blanched asparagus. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine. Serve salad with remaining dressing on the side.

RED WINE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake well. Refrigerate until serving. Just before serving, shake dressing again.