Rather than celebrating the new year at home, we traveled up to chilly northern Wisconsin with some friends this year. We packed up our cars with enough clothes, games, food, and alcohol to last us well beyond the long holiday weekend. Having been up there more than a half dozen times in the past couple of years, I was the 'designated' tour guide. The perfect role for someone with Type A personality tendencies. Double digit below zero wind chills thwarted our plans to take a hike through a state park. Which meant most of our sightseeing was done 'in the car' rather than 'on foot'. However, there were plenty of memorable moments as we drove around to the iconic sites of the area. Including, but not limited to, taking in the full moon setting over a cherry orchard at dusk, enjoying the beauty of rural winter landscapes, having a moment of panic when one of us went missing, and being the recipients of the random of act of kindness from a stranger who stopped to help get us 'unstuck' from an icy incline. Having the car slide into the frozen bay wasn't on the trip's itinerary. Not only would it have ruined the day, I would have never had the chance to taste a mixed greens salad tossed in a slightly tart, slightly tart, incredibly delicious vinaigrette.
We decided early on we would have a more intimate, home cooked new year's eve dinner rather than spending it with strangers in a restaurant. And considering our early in the day and subsequent new year's day roadside assistance incidents, it was probably a good idea we weren't out on roads that night. After enjoying some appetizers and prosecco, we feasted on filet mignons browned and roasted on a cast iron skillet (doesn't everyone travel with a cast iron skillet?), this lasagna bolognese, and a Mixed Greens Salad tossed in a vinaigrette to die for. It was the most scrumptious, yummiest, divine new year's eve dinner ever. Every course was memorable, but for me the most memorable was the salad made and brought by my friend Karen. The vinaigrette was unlike any I had ever had before.
Not counting the pinches of kosher salt and pepper, Karen's Vinaigrette is made with only three ingredients: raspberry balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and olive oil. It was slightly tart, slightly sweet, surprisingly light, and definitely one of the most refreshing vinaigrettes to grace a salad. After one bite, I hoped she would be willing to share her recipe with me.
As far as salads go, particularly this salad, there aren't any hard and fast rules about the quantity of mixed greens, green onions, dried cranberries, roasted almonds, mandarin oranges, and blue cheese to use. You only need to figure out which proportions make for a satisfying salad. The ingredient list below for the salad are simply a guideline. If you like more of anything, add it. But before adding all of salad ingredients to the mixed green, lightly dress the mixed greens with the vinaigrette. Note: I used only half of the vinaigrette and served the rest in a small pitcher alongside the finished salad.
If at all possible when making this salad, buy a block of your favorite blue cheese (mine is Point Reyes Blue) and make your own crumbles. Freshly made crumbles are the creamiest and most flavorful.
The mandarin oranges work incredibly well in this salad. But if you aren't a fan or want to change this salad up a bit, slices of Honey Crisp apples would be equally delicious. Note: Before adding the dried cranberries to the salad I mixed them with about a tablespoon of the vinaigrette to soften them just a bit.
Next to its' flavorfulness, is this salad's versatility. It paired perfectly with the filets and lasagna bolognese, but it would also be a great precursor or accompaniment to chicken, pork, all types of grilled meats. We had it with some grilled chicken this past week and there wasn't a bite left of the salad.
If you are looking to infuse more greens to your diet this year, add a new salad to your table, bring some savory balance to your sweet life, or wow your family and friends, make this Mixed Greens Salad with Karen's Vinaigrette. In addition to all of the memories created and photos taken on this trip, Karen's Vinaigrette was absolutely the best 'souvenir' I brought home.
Mixed Greens Salad with Karen's Vinaigrette (recipe shared with me by my friend Karen Byrne)
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
1/4 cup Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar (I used the Raspberry Blush Balsamic Vinegar by Alessi.)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
Salad
5 ounces mixed greens
1-2 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup whole almonds, roasted in the oven
1/4 cup whole dried cranberries tossed with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (I used Point Reyes Blue Cheese, but use your favorite)
Half of a 11 ounce can of mandarin oranges, drained
Kosher salt
Black Pepper
Directions
Vinaigrette
1. In a glass jar or bowl, combine the Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar and maple syrup.
2. Slowly whisk in olive oil until the mixture thickens and emulsifies. Season with a kosher salt and black pepper. Place extra vinaigrette in a small pitcher and set aside. (Or if making early in the day, cover and refrigerate.)
Salad
1. Place salad greens on a serving platter. Lightly toss with half of the vinaigrette. Lightly season with kosher salt and pepper.
2. Sprinkle the onions, almonds, dried cranberries and blue cheese evenly over the greens.
3. Arrange the mandarin orange slices on top of the salad.
4. Serve along with the remaining pitcher of the vinaigrette and enjoy!
Notes: (1) I like to toss the salad dressing with greens only and then topping with the other ingredients. If you like tossing it all together at once, would recommend you wait to add the blue cheese and mandarin oranges until you plate the salad on your serving platter. (2) Use a good quality maple syrup (Grade A or Grade B), but feel free to use your everyday olive oil for this dressing. (3) If you like your salad with more cranberries, almonds, green onions, blue cheese, and/or mandarin oranges, go for it. The proportions I shared here reflect my preferences. (4) If at all possible, break up a block of blue cheese to make your crumbles rather than use prepackaged blue cheese crumbles to give your salad more texture. Gorgonzola would also work well in this salad. (5) If you don't like mandarin oranges, slices of apple (i.e., honey crisp) would also work well in this salad. (6) To soften the dried cranberries, toss then in tablespoon of the vinaigrette before adding to the salad.
Winter orchards and farms in Door County, Wisconsin (January 2018)
