Mandarin Orange and Spinach Salad

Chele D's Note:

This is a beautiful tossed salad with spinach, romaine, and mandarin oranges with a sweet, sour, slightly spicy dressing. To top it all off, glazed sliced almonds. I first made this in culinary school, and I have made it many times. It is great for entertaining. The mandarin oranges' color just "pops" against the greens. Time includes chill time for the dressing.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4-6

Yield: 1.0 large s ...

DRESSING

• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (more or less Tabasco is best for this as it just brings some heat to the party)
• 1 dash black pepper

SALAD

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 4 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 4 cups torn spinach leaves (or any combination of lettuces)
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 cup sliced green onion
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained

Directions:

1. In jar with tight-fitting lid, combine all dressing ingredients; shake well. Refrigerate 1 hour.
2. In skillet, cook almonds and sugar over medium low heat until sugar melts and coats almonds, stirring frequently. Cool; break apart.
3. Combine the rest of the salad ingredients.
4. Toss with dressing and top with almonds--I prefer to top the salad, and at the last minute, as opposed to tossing the almonds in the salad to keep the sugar from being "washed off" by the dressing.

Reviews

[Bev]

Let me begin by saying this is easily a more than 5 Star recipe. This salad is by far better than a lot of salads I have been served in restaurants! I made as directed changing only the sliced green onions to thinly sliced red onions and only because that is what I had on hand. The red onions were a beautiful addition to the salad. This recipe will stay on top of my recipe list to serve very often! I thank you & my husband thanks you, Chele D!!

[wicked cook 46]

Absolutely divine. I used a mixed baby romaine lettuce and skipped the spinach ( it was just nasty looking at the store) I also did not add the green onions and celery ( I got sidestracked ) Anyway the dressing in AWESOME sweet and sour and yummy. LOVED the candied nuts ( I used a mix of slivered almonds and pecans) Made for Everyday is a Holiday Tag This is going in my Divine Cookbook of 2009