Salad Tropicale

Prep time: 20 minutes Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 large head Bibb lettuce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (14 ounce) jar hearts of palm, drained, and cut diagonally into quarters
  • 2 medium size vine ripened tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
  • 2 firm ripe Hass avocados, halved, seeded, and sliced
  • 1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and cut into 1D4 inch thick half moons
  • 3/4 cup Herb Vinaigrette or Buttermilk Dressing, recipes follow
  • Buttermilk Dressing
    • 5 tablespoons buttermilk
    • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
    • 1/4 cup sour cream
    • 2 tablespoons minced green onion tops
    • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon Emeril’s Essence Creole Seasoning, (recipe previously documented) optional

Directions

  1. Halve and core the Bibb lettuce. Gently separate the leaves. Rinse and spin dry the lettuce leaves. Divide the lettuce among 4 plates, arranging the leaves so as to create a bowl on each plate. Sprinkle the lettuce bowls with the salt and pepper.
  2. Divide the hearts of palm pieces, tomatoes, avocados, and cucumbers evenly among the 4 plates, forming neat individual piles of each within the lettuce bowls. Spoon 3 generous tablespoons of vinaigrette or dressing over each salad. Serve immediately.
  3. Whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, minced green onion tops, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning, if using, together in a nonreactive mixing bowl. Use immediately, or store in a covered nonreactive container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.