Tropical Salad

Number of Servings: 4

Salad Ingredients:

10 ounces (275-300 g) fresh prawns, peeled and deveined
Olive oil
Lemon juice; salt and pepper

1 cup (250 mL) pineapple chunks, canned or fresh (reserve the juice)
1 cup (250 mL) mandarin orange segments, fresh or canned
1 mango, peeled, cut into chunks
1 avocado, peeled, cut into chunks
1 stalk of celery, thinly sliced
½ of a green pepper, thinly sliced
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped green onions

1 cup (250 mL) loosely packed fresh chopped cilantro
Baby spinach or butter lettuce
Chopped macadamia nuts

Lime Vinaigrette:

¼ cup (60 mL) pineapple juice, drained from the canned pineapple
2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon (5 mL) honey
¼ cup (60 mL) vegetable or grapeseed oil
¼ teaspoon (1/5 mL) cayenne pepper
Sea salt

Method:

1. Make the pineapple juice reduction: In a small saucepan, over low-medium heat, reduce the ¼ cup of pineapple juice to about 1 – 1 ½ tablespoons. You will know that you are done when it is thick and syrupy.   Set aside to cool.
2. Prepare and cook prawns:    Heat a little olive oil in a sauté pan. Add prawns and sauté on both sides – 2 or 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan to cool. Drizzle with a little lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a large salad bowl, combine pineapple chunks, orange segments, mango and avocado chunks, celery, green peppers, and green onions.
4. Prepare Vinaigrette:   Whisk together the cooled pineapple reduction, lime juice, and honey. Whisk in oil. Add cayenne pepper and sea salt (to taste).
5. Pour vinaigrette over fruit mixture; fold in cooked and cooled prawns (or serve them on top); fold in fresh cilantro.
6. Serve on a bed of fresh spinach or butter lettuce; garnish with chopped macadamia nuts.

Questions and comments are always welcome      alex@chilipeppersandpears.com ^[1]