Mr. Fabulous and I try to eat at least one salad a day, but there is very little in season right now so I’m always a bit challenged this time of year. Arugula and radicchio thrive in cooler temperatures and take center stage in this colorful, nutritional and unusual salad combination. I’ve also added fiber-rich hearts of palm, sweet mango and coconut. Macadamia nuts and black sesame seeds give it just the right amount of crunch. The salty lime dressing is the perfect compliment for some of the tropical-based ingredients in this salad.
Radicchio (pronounced reh-DEE-kee-o) is an exotic Italian salad ingredient related to chicory; its' garnet color adds vibrancy to tossed green salads. Radicchio has a peppery flavor which is countered in this salad by the sweet mango and coconut. It has a pronounced flavor so a little goes a long way.
Hearts of palm is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees. Fresh hearts of palm are only available in the regions where they are harvested, primarily Florida and South America. This tender-crisp, delicate flavored vegetable is low in calories, cholesterol free and an excellent source of fiber.
I love the visual effect black sesame seeds add to this salad … look for them in the international isle of your grocery store.
Tropical Salad with Salty Lime Dressing
Salty Lime Dressing
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
In a 1-cup capacity jar, with a tight fitting lid, combine the olive oil, lime juice and salt, shake until well blended.
Tropical Salad
6 very generous handfuls arugula
Shredded radicchio, about a small handful for each salad
Place arugula and radicchio in a large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Divide among 6 serving plates.
1 ripe mango, cut into bit size pieces
1 can (14-ounce) hearts of palm, sliced
½ cup macadamia nuts, roasted
Shredded coconut
Black sesame seeds
In a small bowl, combine mango, hearts of palm and macadamia nuts, toss with dressing to coat. Top arugula and radicchio with mango mixture, distributing ingredients evenly. Sprinkle with shredded coconut and black sesame seeds. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.
