Salad
8-10 cups tender spring mix salad, washed and dried
¼ cup of Sweet-Peppery Blackberry Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1 cup fresh, whole, unbruised blackberries rinsed and set on paper towel to dry (frozen blackberries that have been thawed with juice reserved may be substituted if fresh are not available)
½ cup black walnuts, coarsely chopped
Nice croutons (Pepperidge Farms or equivalent)
Sweet Peppery Blackberry Vinaigrette
1/3 cup juice drained from frozen blackberries
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of almond oil, if available, or peanut oil if not
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
Source: Passionate Vegetarian, Crescent Dragonwagon
Toss the salad greens in a large salad bowl with the Sweet-Peppery Blackberry Vinaigrette, tossing until the leaves are very lightly coated. Serve the blackberries, walnuts, croutons, and extra Vinaigrette on the side. (Plan to add dressing to greens at dinner—near end of appetizer course.)
Sweet Peppery Blackberry Vinaigrette
Place the blackberry juice and vinegar in the food processor along with the salt and pepper. Turn the machine on, and with the motor running, drizzle in the almond oil through the hole in the pusher tube. When it has emulsified, remove the pusher tube, and with the motor running, drizzle the first tablespoon of honey directly into the dressing. Stop the machine and taste. If you’d like it a bit sweeter, add the second tablespoon of honey, again with the machine running.