Mandolin “Show Stopper” Salad

This is not a difficult salad to prepare but it is definitely a show stopper in appearance.  I love it because it LOOKS so different.

 

Serves 4

  •  3 large seedless English Cucumbers
  • 6 cups of torn baby greens
  • 1 small red onion, cut into really thin wedges
  • Small can water chestnuts
  • 1/4 cup bottled red wine vinaigrette

Note:  It will require a mandolin to make the cucumber bowl.

Move the cucumber lengthwise down the mandolin several times each cucumber to get strips. Use three of the best ones to form into your bowl.

Take three strips per plate, and make ends about two inches back of each one and curl around to make a bowl.

Toss the greens, onion and chestnuts with the dressing and CAREFULLY spoon the mixture in each bowl.

If you can find any flowering chives (from the local market) stand a couple of them in each salad.

This is sooo pretty and quite a different way to serve a salad.

Note:  If you are like me, just omit the onion. (just kidding) Don’t get me wrong, I put onions in everyone’s dish, just not mine.

This would look so great at Eastertime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colorful Crab Salad

Serves six starving or eight polite guests

  • 1 celery stalk, peeled
  • 1 each, red and yellow peppers
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 3/4 lb. imitation king crab
  • 2 limes
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise, not salad dressing
  • 1/2 tsp. Tabasco
  • Pinch of salt

Preparation:

Do all the chopping first. Finely chop the celery, de-seed the peppers and chop fine, chop the cilantro and put all three in a large bowl. Add the peas. Coarsely chop the crab and add to the mixture.

In a small bowl, squeeze 2 tbsp. lime juice from one lime. Into this juice, add the mayonnaise, Tabasco sauce and salt. Drizzle this over the crab mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for no longer one hour before serving.

Now find your sexiest glasses and put the salad into each one. Place 3 crackers on the plate. Yum.