Tangy Cumin Citronette and a Salad Trifecta

If you are a frequent (or even infrequent) reader of EE,  you know that we love New Mexico.  We go whenever we can.  I spend lots of time planning our next trip.

I subscribe to both Santa Fean and New Mexico Magazine.   Every month as I read these publications, I get to dream about the Land of Enchantment.

One can’t talk about New Mexico without discussing food so many of my sojourns-by-periodicals lead me to the kitchen.   Case in point:  this delicious vinaigrette that I found in the March edition of New Mexico Magazine.  

Cumin Citronette

Cumin Citronette
From Vinaigrette (Santa Fe, NM)

1/2 c. lemon juice
1 shallot, chopped*
2 t. cumin
1/2 to 1  t. fine sea salt
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

Mix first four ingredients.  Slowly whisk in oil.

*I cheated a bit and used dried shallots—about 1 1/2 T.

Recipe found in New Mexico Magazine (March 2016)

This “citronette” is a very tart dressing.  Feel free to add a bit of honey if you need a sweeter taste.  I first served this on butter lettuces (fresh from the FM) with a few grapes and charcuterie.

When I investigated Vinaigrette’s menu, I found that this dressing is used on the La Pepita Salad (Chopped green kale with shredded chicken, black beans, crumbled cojita, diced avocado with spicy crispy pepitas).  Sounds delicious, right?  So, I recreated it as well.

Composed Chicken Salad

Tangy Composed Chicken and Kale Salad

5 c. chopped kale or baby kale
Cumin Citronette (recipe above)
1 c. shredded chicken
1 c. black beans (drained and rinsed if using canned)
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 c. crumbled cojita
1/8 c. toasted pepitas

Toss kale with 1/4 c. Cumin Citronette.  Place kale as a bed on a serving platter.  Arrange chicken, beans, and avocado slices on kale.  Sprinkle with cojita and pepitas.   Serve.

If you are not a fan of a composed salad like this, just toss everything together.

My New Mexico inspired salad with a few of our Pueblo pottery on the fringes of the photo.

The article in New Mexico Magazine stated that this dressing was used on Vinaigrette’s signature Quinoa and Kale Salad.   The tartness of the dressing is perfect to add a bite to quinoa salad.    For my take on this salad, just cook 1 cup of quinoa according to package directions.  Toss warm quinoa with  Cumin Citronette and 3 c. chopped kale.

Quinoa and Kale Salad with Cumin Citronette

Finally, Let me also say that I think this cintronette would be a great marinade for grilled chicken as well.

I am now planning our trip to Vinaigrette so I can see how close I got to their salads.  Hopefully, I will let you know.

Anyone get the horse racing allusion with “trifecta” in the title?   Besides my last posts (Wine Country and A Visit to the Natural State) , there may be a bit more horse racing themed posts to come.