Eat Alberta First Recipe: Shades of Green Salad with Alberta Vinaigrette

Photo: Nicole Liboiron-Coles

SERVES 6

At Alberta Food Tours, we often create an experience where we change a classic French vinaigrette into an Alberta vinaigrette starring two of Alberta’s signature foods, canola and honey. Using an Alberta-made mustard instead of one from Dijon (which ironically is most likely made from Alberta mustard seeds) takes it to another level and makes me absurdly happy. We get our guests to do the whisking, and once they see how easy it is to make their own vinaigrette, they’re hooked. And that, my friends, is what it’s really all about.

Salad

• 1 cup watercress, arugula, or peashoots

• 2 cups butter lettuce, green frisée, or baby romaine (or a combo of these)

• 1 green pepper, cut lengthwise into 8 strips and then sliced diagonally

• 6 baby cucumbers, ends removed and sliced diagonally with skin on

• 2 ribs of celery, sliced diagonally

• 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced diagonally

• 3 scallions, sliced diagonally

Vinaigrette

• 2 Tablespoons vinegar

• Salt

• 2 teaspoons Alberta honey

• 2 teaspoons Alberta-made mustard

• 6 Tablespoons organic canola oil

• Pepper

For the salad

Arrange the vegetables on a platter, starting with the watercress around the outside and working in with the lettuce leaves in a circular pattern before topping with the green pepper, cucumbers, celery, avocado, and finally the scallions.

For the vinaigrette

• Whisk the vinegar with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until the salt dissolves.

• Add the honey and mustard to the bowl and whisk to a smooth paste.

• Drizzle the oil into the mix slowly, whisking continuously until the dressing is thick and creamy.

• Season with pepper to taste.

• Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad on the platter just before serving.

Variations

• Make it a Hungry Bear Salad by adding a handful of fresh berries and chopped grilled salmon or trout as desired.

• Add 1 to 2 Tablespoons of mixed chopped herbs like dill, parsley, tarragon, mint, basil, or chives to the dressing to create an Alberta Herb Vinaigrette.