Benin Style Vegetable Salad

Traditional Benin meals are not served in courses. Some families borrow a French custom and start meals with a plate of crudités--to add color to the meal. This recipe reflects this tradition.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Salad

• 1  cup yukon gold potato, 3/4-inch cubed and peeled
• 1  cup sweet potato, 3/4-inch cubed and peeled
• 4  cups water
• 1  cup cauliflower floret
• 1  cup broccoli floret
• 4  medium carrots, peeled
• 3  small beets
• 10  bibb lettuce
• 10  small  red cabbage leaves

• Vinaigrette

• 1  tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 2  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1⁄8 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2  teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

• Dipping Sauce

• 2  dried habanero chiles
• 1⁄2 cup  prepared  seafood cocktail sauce
• 1⁄4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

1. To prepare salad, place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain. Place potatoes in a large bowl.
2. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add cauliflower and broccoli. Cook 1 minute or until crisp-tender. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain. Add cauliflower mixture to potatoes.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, scrape carrots from tip to stem to make long ribbons. Add carrot to potato mixture, tossing gently to combine.
4. Leave root and 1-inch stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Place in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until tender. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain; cool. Trim off beet roots; rub off skins. Cut beets into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange lettuce and cabbage leaves alternately on a large platter.
5. To prepare vinaigrette, combine thyme and next 5 ingredients (thyme through 1/8 teaspoon black pepper), stirring with a whisk. Add oil, stirring well to combine; drizzle vinaigrette over lettuce. Spoon potato mixture over lettuce; top with beets.
6. To prepare dipping sauce, place chiles in a spice or coffee grinder; process until finely ground. Place 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground chile in a medium bowl (reserve remaining ground chile for another use). Add cocktail sauce and remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine. Serve with vegetables.