I recently had a super delish salad at The Cheesecake Factory called French Country Salad. It blew my mind. And so I had to make it at home. And I can not wait to eat it again.
FRENCH COUNTRY SALAD
*mixed greens
*skinny asparagus, grilled or lighly steamed (still want some crunch!)
*beets, boiled and cut into small cubes
*chevre (goat cheese)
*candied walnuts or pecans
*balsamic vinaigrette
BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
(a variation on Emeril Lagasse's, which is my favorite!)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 clove garlic
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup + a tiny bit more oilve oil
Combine all ingredients in a pint jar or a cruet and shake like crazy until all combined. Keep the extra in the fridge.
Toss the greens with the dressing and transfer to serving bowl or board. Add the veggies and cheese around. Give a good couple grinds of black pepper on top. Serve with grilled chicken breast, crusty baguette and some sparkling water. A PERFECTLY HEAVENLY meal for lunch or dinner in my book.
P.S. My beets were red when I started boiling them. By the time they were done they were white. What the? That has never happened before -- I guess they were a different variety or something? Anyway, that's what those pink-ish chunks are. :)
