Hearts of Palm, Tomato and Avocado Salad with Mango Vinaigrette
Serves 4-6
1 cup diced ripe mango, ripe mango will be fragrant on the outside and yield to pressure
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2-3 tablespoons tablespoon light brown sugar, amount will depend on sweetness of mango
1-2 tablespoons chili paste, like sambal oelek or Vietnamese chili sauce with garlic or sriracha
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
water, as needed by the teaspoonful to tame vinaigrette
Process first 5 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Stir in salt and pepper to taste.
To make the vinaigrette, add all ingredients to a blender until completely pureed. Note: Mangos vary in sweetness, thus, adjust amount of sugar, to taste. You’re aiming for balanced flavors of sweet, sour, and spicy. To tame excess acidity, you may add 1-2 teaspoons water or a bit more light brown sugar.
Salad Ingredients
3 ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted, flesh scooped out and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 (14 oz) can sliced hearts of palm, drained and rinsed and chilled before serving
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved lengthwisellll
2 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped cilantro, thicker stems discarded
4 oz container Spring Mix Greens or Mixed Baby Greens (Swiss Chard, Kale and Spinach)
¼ cup shelled roasted, salted pumpkin seeds
In a large bowl gently mix the diced avocado, hearts of palm slices and halved grape tomatoes with the vinaigrette.
Pile ½ cup of salad mixture on a bed of mixed baby greens. Sprinkle with the toasted pumpkin seeds and serve.