sf mercado salad with lime-tequila vinaigrette
13Aug10
Since moving to San Francisco, I have enjoyed visiting the mercados (Latin markets) in my neighborhood. Not only is the produce cheap and plentiful, I can also buy cotija cheese by the wedge, crema and a variety of other Latin products that are fun for a gringa like me to experiment with in the privacy of my own kitchen. This salad was inspired by a trip to a mercado; we eat it as an entreé salad, mounded high on our plates.
SF Mercado Salad
Ingredients:
Salad
- 1 head of red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 mango, diced
- 1 can of black beans, drained
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/2 medium-sized red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup cilantro + sprigs for garnish
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup gold tequila + a splash
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 shakes hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Heat honey, tequila and sugar in a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat until the mixture has reduced by half.
- Pound garlic and salt with mortar and pestle until a paste forms.
- Put tequila mixture and garlic paste in the blender.
- Add cilantro and blend until cilantro has been incorporated.
- Continue to blend on medium speed while slowly drizzling olive oil into blender. Blend until emulsified and slightly creamy.
- Add vinegar, hot sauce, cumin, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper.
- Prepare lettuce. Toss lettuce with vinaigrette and cilantro in large salad bowl.
- Mound lettuce on 4 large plates.
- Divide all ingredients between each salad. First place beans on lettuce. Then mango and onion. Top with avocado, cheese and cilantro garnish.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Mains, Salads, Vegan Optional, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment
Tags: avocado, black bean, cotija, mango, mercado, salad, tequila
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