A Southwestern Salad

by Chef Ignacio of Salt Creek Grille

Cuisine in California crosses many borders – honoring our neighbors to the South and Southwest and drawing on cooking techniques passed down through generations, we developed our take on the Mexican-Southwestern Salad.
The recipe is extremely adaptable.  Based on ingredients indigenous to South America and the Southwestern U.S., you can add or delete to suit individual tastes and seasonally availability of ingredients.  Adding chicken, pork, beef – even seafood, complements the base salad creating a main dish entrée.

To serve 6:
1 large head of Romaine or Iceberg lettuce,
    washed, dried, chopped
1 medium red onion, peeled, sliced,
    grilled and chopped
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced and tossed
    in lime juice
1 ½ cups corn kernels, roasted with garlic,  or, 1 can
     yellow hominy, rinsed and drained well
1 – 15.5 oz can Black Beans or Pinto Beans,
     rinsed and drained well
2 medium tomatoes, rip, cut in half, seeded
     and medium diced
6 oz chopped, peeled jicama, medium diced
4 red radishes, washed well and sliced paper thin
½ – ¾ cups crumbled feta, Cotija or other crumbling    
     Mexican cheese
2 – Blue, White or Yellow Corn tortillas, sliced
     into thin strips and fried
For garnish choice of any of the following, toasted and salted toasted
slivered almonds, pine nuts, pumpkins seeds (pepitas) or
sunflower seeds
Cilantro-Honey Vinaigrette

Method:
Place chopped lettuce in a bowl and toss lightly with Vinaigrette;
arrange on a serving platter  Top lettuce by layering onions, tomatoes, beans, avocado, corn, jicama and radishes.  Sprinkle crumbled cheese on top of radishes, followed by garnishing with nuts/seeds and tortilla frizzles.   Serve with additional vinaigrette on the side

Cilantro – Honey Vinaigrette
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch fresh cilantro, cleaned, dried and roughly chopped
2 tsp chili paste
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp honey
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
½ cup Canola Oil
Chop the garlic in the bowl of a food processoror blender. 
Add cilantro, honey, chili paste, lime juice and vinegar and
process.  With processor running add oil in a steady stream. 
Season to taste with Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper