Aliza Libman writes on ...

Restaurant Replication #2 - Roasted Replica Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing

Earlier this year, I replicated a favorite soup from a local restaurant, with my own special twist. You can check out Restaurant Replication #1 here.

Today, I am attempting to replicate a salad I tried in Toronto in April. The base of the salad is similar to the one I had there, but the dressing is my own (love it or hate it.)

Roasted Replica Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing

Salad ingredients:
2 yellow squashes
2 medium zucchinis
1 red onion
2 colored peppers
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 big hearts of romaine, washed and chopped
1 (8 oz) container of feta cheese

Dressing ingredients:
1 head of garlic
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
Reserved juice from feta cheese container (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut zucchini and yellow squash into half moons, onion into medium sized slivers, and peppers into thin strips.
3. Mix vegetables in bowl with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
4. Pour onto jelly roll pans. (You will likely need two.)
5. Wrap the head of garlic in foil. Put the pans of vegetables and head of garlic in the oven. Roast 45 minutes, stirring the vegetables every 15 minutes.
6. When soft and roasty, remove from oven. Let vegetables cool slightly. You want them warm, not sizzling.
7. Assemble a large bowl of romaine lettuce. Top with cooled veggies and a big heap of feta.
Dress (recipe below) and serve.

Creamy Garlic Dressing:
Remove all the cloves of garlic from their skins (this is the only part of the recipe that's a bit annoying.)
Add mayo, lemon juice, salt, pepper and feta juice. Mix well. If the garlic is sufficiently roasted, it will combine easily with the other ingredients.

The final result is a bit tangy and salty, but very yummy.

Labels: recipes

posted by Aliza @ 6:27 p.m.