Gourmet Green Salad with Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette
Yield: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutesmins
Cook Time: 10 minutesmins
Total Time: 30 minutesmins
Ingredients
Salad:
10-12cupsmixed greens, I use the large rectuangular box from Sam’s Club
1poundwhite button mushrooms, sliced
2ripefresh pears, sliced thin (you can also use fresh strawberries, raspberries, or apples)
¼cupthinly sliced Parmesan cheese, I grab my big block of Parmesan cheese and use my vegetable peeler to slice of thin peels of Parmesan
1largecarrot, or about 5-6 baby carrots, thinly sliced
¼cupfreshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ to ½cupthinly sliced red onion
5-7slicesof bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped
3cupsstore bought or homemade croutons, (see below for a how-to)
Red Wine Vinaigrette:
⅔cupred wine vinegar
1 ½cupssugar
¼cupred onions, finely grated (about 1/4 of a large red onion)
2tablespoonsDijon mustard
2teaspoonssalt
Ground pepper to taste
2cupscanola oil
Instructions
For the salad, put mixed greens in a large salad bowl. Top with other ingredients and toss. Serve with red wine vinaigrette dressing below (or any other favorite salad dressing).
For the dressing, add all ingredients except oil in a blender. Blend well. While processing, slowly add the canola oil and blend well. Transfer dressing to a jar or cruet.
It keeps well in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks (although I’ve found it gets a little thick if it is too cold so I’ll pop it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to help thin it out before I use it if it has been in the refrigerator for several days).
Notes
Candied Nuts: Mary serves this with candied nuts as well. I am not a huge fan of sugary sweet nuts but if that is your fancy, feel free to throw some in!