Papaya and Avocado Salads with Hawaiian Vanilla Vinaigrette

Time: 30 minutes, plus macerating time. These delicately floral, fruity salads are built on individual lettuce leaves, making them easy to pick up and eat.

Yield: Serves 12

Ingredients

• 6  tablespoons  Champagne vinegar
• 1/2  cup  olive oil
• 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1  teaspoon  sugar
• 1  Hawaiian (or other) vanilla bean*
• 24  medium-size butter lettuce leaves (from about 3 heads)
• 2  papayas, peeled and sliced
• 2  large avocados, peeled and sliced

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, salt, and sugar. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape seeds from one half with the back of a paring knife, and add seeds and scraped pod to vinaigrette (reserve other half of pod for another use). Set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour to let the vanilla flavor develop.

2. Arrange lettuce leaves on a large platter in a single layer. On each leaf, lay 1 or 2 slices of papaya and 1 or 2 slices of avocado. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad.

*Available at gourmet grocery stores and from hawaiianvanilla.com

Make ahead: Mix vinaigrette up to 1 day ahead and chill.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

171 (79% from fat)

Protein:

1.3g

Fat:

15g (sat 2.2)

Carbohydrate:

9g

Fiber:

1.4g

Sodium:

55mg

Cholesterol:

0.0mg