Olé-Olé Pepper Party Salad with Lime & Avocado
(raw vegan, gluten-free)
The hot weather calls for refreshing dishes, and this salad includes a sensational way to incorporate citrus in your salad. In fact, it’s my new thing…paper thin slices of citrus like lime, lemons, and oranges lend a unique “pop” in flavor. And the entire slice is edible, peel and all, so long as you use a mandoline and make sure it is on the thinnest slice setting, you needn’t worry about bitterness or an overpowering sour bite. I highly recommend purchasing a hand-held Japanese mandoline. They are an inexpensive, practical alternative to their fancier French counterparts.
This salad incorporates a delicious contrast of a variety of pungent peppers with a spicy warmth, the sweetness of grape tomatoes, cooling avocado, and tangy lime. I use baby bell peppers for their milder, sweeter flavor than the full grown variety, poblanos and cubanelles for their unique bite, and serranos for heat. Use any combination of available peppers and adjust the heat to your liking. In addition to an awesomely yummy salad, bell peppers have 5 times the vitamin C of oranges!
Serves 2 side salads or one large serving.
1 cubanelle pepper thinly sliced into rings
4 to 5 baby bell peppers in assorted colors, chopped
1 small poblano, chopped
handful of sweet grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
1 serrano or jalepeño pepper finely minced (adjust spiciness to taste)
1 Haas avocado peeled, pitted and cubed
1 green onion, finely chopped into rings
handful fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
about 5 paper-thin mandoline sliced lime rounds, plus extra for garnish
big handful salad greens of choice
lime juice
really good extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Slicing limes with a Japanese mandoline
Put all peppers, cherry tomatoes, garlic, ground cumin and coriander, and a good sprinkling of sea salt in medium sized bowl and gently toss. Set aside.
In separate large bowl, put avocado cubes, chopped green onion, a squeeze of lime juice, and a sprinkling of sea salt, and gently toss. Then add in the pepper mixture. Gently toss once more to combine. Add a sprinkling more sea salt, and the chopped cilantro. Slice 5 of the lime rounds in half before adding to the bowl. Gently toss once more.
Pepper mixture
Arrange the salad greens on a large plate. Carefully top with the pepper and avocado mixture. Finish with a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil and a final seasoning of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with a few extra lime rounds.
Stay tuned for more upcoming scrumptious, citrus-accented salads!
<3, JMK
